The B&O Railroad Station at 10312 Montgomery Avenue
Perhaps the most iconic stop in town is the Kensington B&O train station. In fact, residents of Kensington like to say that this is the town – where the train still stops…And the people still walk.
This station is the second oldest active one in the county. Take a look up at the roof– there you’ll see the construction date 1891 written in period lettering. Back then it was called Knowles Station named for George Knowles whose farm was subdivided to create much of the town today. For just 35 cents Washingtonians could ditch their horse and buggies and take an 11 mile trip out to Kensington from DC’s Union Station.
Now follow down to roofline to find the station’s large eaves. The design is known as Stick Style – since it was meant to mimic the outside walls of an exposed half-timbered frame. But here it isn’t just ornamental – these eaves also offer shelter to passengers waiting for the train.
Kensington station was designed by E. Francis Baldwin. For 25 years he served as chief architect for the entire B&O rail line – creating 100s of buildings though Kensington is one of only a handful of surviving stations.
Looking along the side of the station you can see the bay for the original ticket window facing the railway. Nowadays there’s only an automatic ticket machine indoors. Also inside the station there’s a period cast iron stove – not to mention a public restroom. It’s no coincidence town business were built around the station. Merchants catered to people arriving from the train and the long defunct Electric Car Line that ran between Kensington and Chevy Chase.
Back then one of the more popular spots for weary travelers and residents was McKeever’s ice cream parlor and sweet shop. If you look across Howard Ave you’ll see a gym where McKeever’s was located and is now called “The Sweat Shop” – a unforgivable pun on the old “sweet shop”.
Also, while your looking across the street, peer into the adjacent alley and see the roofline and windows of the town’s original bank built in 1907. Today’s that structure is incorporated into the M&T bank building.
On Saturday’s the station is alive without the usual bustle of commuters. It is transformed to a hub of community activity where families and vendors come together for Kensington’s popular, weekly Farmer’s Market. In the summer, music drifts over from the Howard Avenue Park where the Kensington Historical Society Saturday morning concerts are taking place
