CCHS has approximately 500 maps in our collection, including several hand-drawn copies of maps dating from the 1700s. These include maps of streets, properties, original grants, plats of new developments, and sewer systems. We also have topographical maps and annotated maps, such as one showing sites of military action. This collection depicts the development of Chevy Chase from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.
Some of our prized holdings include:
- Early 1900 plat maps of Chevy Chase
- 1878 map of Bethesda with property holdings
- 1894 Property holdings of Chevy Chase Land Co. and Sharon Estate, Klingle Road, DC to Jones Bridge Rd in Montgomery County, MD
- 1865 Map of Defenses of Washington, Forts and Roads, including N. VA and MD outskirts
CCHS also has a collection of Klingé and Deets & Maddox real estate atlases as well as facsimiles of Sanborn Insurance Maps. The real estate atlases contain detailed information about all the neighborhoods in Montgomery County and the District of Columbia. They show each house plat, the size of the lot, the location of any structures on it and are among the best resources available for determining the age of a house. Comparing these maps over time provides a window on the process of suburbanization of the formerly agricultural landscape of Chevy Chase and southern Montgomery County.
