Subject: Train Culture

Looking South Within site are Lakeland School and 54th Avenue

An oral history interview conducted with Clarice Briscoe during Lakeland Heritage Weekend 2007. Both on Omeka and on the hard drive from Mary Sies in the 'LCHP-II, Jan 2011 > 15September_audio' folder. The interviewer does not state her name on the audio, and there is no date given. Split across two audio files: brisco_1.mp3 (25:05) and brisco_2.mp3 (5:30)

At Lakeland Road as it crossed 54th Avenue. The road came to a dead end just after crossing the tracks. This crossing was used to access the eastern part of the Lakeland community. On the western side of the tracks was the central area (conservation) area of the urban renewal project while the eastern side was slated for demolition under the plan

54th Avenue The school and its location next to the tracks

Benjamin Robert Hicks was employed for years on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He was a member of a crew that built, maintained and repaired hundreds of miles of railroad track. He is pictured in the middle, the tall man in the dark jacket. Several of Lakeland's earliest African American settlers came to the community through their work on the railroad, including Benjamin Hicks, John C. Johnson, and Joseph Brooks.

Derailment of B&O freight train at Lakeland crossing.

At Lakeland Road rails run parallel to 54th Avenue

Benjamin Robert Hicks, born in Calvert County, Maryland in 1873. He moved to Lakeland in 1900 and married Annie L. Terry. They raised three children--Ethel, Madeline, and Maurice. Hicks was a founder and deacon of Embry AME Church. He was employed as a member of the maintenance and repair crew for the nearby B&O Railroad.

At 54th Avenue

Lakeland looking South

Lake Artemisia and

Going South

Tracking on Electric Road From Rivers to Berwin Heights to Begin Today Baltimore Sun

Thirty -two miles to Washington"...line will touch every important town including Laurel, Savage, Lakeland, College Park and Hyattsville." Baltimore Sun

Streetcar on Cabin John Loop, Glen Echo, MD

April 30 to May 6 1939 Street Car and Bus Lines

April 16 to 22, 1939 Street Car and Bus

April 9 to 15 1939 Street Car and Bus

Washington Post May 12, 1952 Page 1 21 cars derailed from a freight train traveling along the Baltimore and Ohio. The accident happened at the crossing at Lakeland Road. A fire broke out among two of the cars containing naphtha. It burned for 17 hours. Police cars outfitted with loudspeakers were used to alert the community of possible danger. Cargo on the train included naphtha, ale, beer, rock salt, soda and printing paper.

Washington Post July 26, 1992 Page B5 The Implausible Park; Metro Fashions New Oasis in Berwyn Heights Fehr, Stephen C. With flooding of Indian Creek, it was difficult to get to the new park built by Metro. The building of a park by a transit agency is unique. It was possible because of cost savings from use of fill from the Lakeland site for the building the Metro line. To bring material from another place would have cost $11.5 million and caused damage to local streets. Metro engineer, Johann Sikkar recommended digging the fill from “an undeveloped 38-accre area near the track bed”. The adoption of this concept saved $3.5 million. This made the new park basically free.

Includes details of facilities on train line. Covers Lakeland, Berwyn, Branchville, and Daniel’s Park. Shown are indicators of a water tower near the lake and station signs between Cloud Avenue and Pierce Avenue. The map also lists acquisition information for railroad property. Lakeland is shown along with the location’s mileage designation, 1149+657 and is marked Lakeland Platforms, other notations include Berwyn Station, and Branchville Station.

District 16, Hyattsville

Gives facilities and land acquisition information for Riverdale, Hyattsville, and College Park. Other information is given including identification of buildings and names of property owners for land adjacent to railroad land.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Paint Branch near Lakeland Image from 1918 railroad survey

Gives facilities and land acquisition information for Lakeland, Berwyn, Branchville . Other information is given including identification of buildings and names of property owners for land adjacent to railroad land. Map shows changes in street names, the addition of an area next to Lakeland called Paint Branch and Lakeland Platforms does not appear on the map. A listing of facility changes is also given. Notations s show a “Fish House” adjacent to the rail lane at the location of “fish platforms”. The platforms were retired in 1931. This is a revision to the 1918 survey and contains a notations on property transfers for each area beginning with the company's acquisition of the property noted.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Time-Table 21 Shows Lakeland as a flag stop available several times a day. For example the 76:20 train leaving Baltimore’s Camden Station had stops in Branchville at 7:22, Berwyn at 7:23, Lakeland at 7:24, College at 7:26, and Riverdale at 7:28. Branchville and Berwyn were station stops where the others were flag stops where passengers were required to request the that the train stop.

Railroad survey Image

Image from railroad survey

Image from railroad survey

Image from railroad survey

Officers, Agents, Stations, Sidings and Mileage Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Official List No. 5 Page 26 showing Lakeland No agent is shown for that stop

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore Division Lakeland is not shown on that timetable

Officers, Agents, Stations, Sidings and Mileage Lakeland is listed along with Paint Branch. Paint Branch is noted to have a water tower.

Evening Star News Article Page 10 Several people at Lakeland saw a meteor burn across the sky and fall into the lake.

Image of one of the cars on route 82 which serviced Lakeland.

Washington Post Page 18 Column Things Heard and Seen Several short stories make up the column. Only that relating to Lakeland is noted here. A woman was observed on the streetcar. The writer describes her as “big, fat, good natured colored woman” She boarded in the District of Columbia with a heavy bundle. When the car made a sudden stop the contents of her package, a turkey, fell to the floor. The woman picked up the bird and returned it to the container. She rode to Lakeland where she left the streetcar. The writer states the woman was on her way to Lakeland for “some kind of colored festival”.

Sunday Star May 11 1952

Evening Star May 11 1952

Evening Star May 12 1952