Posted by Karen on December 19, 2005, 6:59 pm Another story had it that this neighborhood was called Hynesboro at one time. I think I remember that a Mr. Hynes was the one who "developed" the area. I think the story was that he'd bought our home from the Baptists and my dad bought it from him. He had put in sub-flooring and some walls, but my Dad did all the finishing -- put in beautiful wood floors, finished all the walls, knotty pine in the living room walls, fireplace in the corner of the living room, etc. etc. etc..
216.195.162.213
Hello -
I am trying to find some information about Lanham, MD. I grew up in Lanham, from 1941 - 1962, at what is now 9112 Fourth Street, Lanham. I grew up with the story that our home had once been a Baptist Church, and, in fact, we found parts of what we thought might have been a baptismal font under the house. And there was a small area in the back of our home which never grew grass - it was the place where the church folks threw out the cinders from their fires.
Supposedly this Baptist church had been built by the local community members who were from some federal administration (after Lincoln, but probably not directly after Lincoln). The story was that that president's cabinet moved all the way out to Lanham for the summer, since it was so hot in Washington.
I am hoping there is some history written somewhere to enable me to check out these stories. We grew up "knowing" that our home had been the Baptist Church built by the local community, which was the summer residence of a President's cabinet. Which one? I don't know, except my memory has it that it was "shortly after the Civil War." The story was that the entire cabinet moved all the way out to Lanham, then a day's ride away from DC, for the summer, to get away from Washington's heat, and that they built this church. Is this a true story? If so, when, and what administration? I don't believe it was immediately after the Civil War (Pres. Johnson's cabinet) but later -- but that's a guess, only.
I would love it if someone would know more about all this, and would let me know if any of these stories are correct or not.
The home still stands. My parents built a wing onto it in, I believe, 1954, so it no longer looks like a church.
Looking forward to any help you can give me -- even an email address of someone who might know.....
Thank you so much,
Karen Hart Anthony (formerly Karen Ruth Hart when I lived in Lanham)
Falmouth, Maine
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