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A key factor in the
initial development of Riverdale Park in 1887 was the location
near Washington, D.C. By the end of the 19th century,
transportation to the city from that area was extremely
convenient by either the Baltimore Turnpike, the B&O Railroad,
or the trolley line. The town was one of Maryland’s first
manifestations of that social phenomenon that in the 20th
century spawned the “suburb.”
It was that same appeal of location that had triggered the
building of the Riversdale mansion there in 1801, one year after
the federal city was established. This was the home of George
Calvert, a descendant of the fifth Lord Baltimore and father of
Charles Benedict, founder of Maryland Agricultural College.
Today the mansion is a source of pride for residents of the town
that now bears its name (albeit, slightly modified). An annual
celebration of the town’s heritage is held on the grounds of the
mansion, now registered as a National Historic Landmark.
The town’s architecture is a mixture of styles ranging from
Victorian bungalows to cape cods to mid 20th-century ramblers.
Its still convenient location and small-town culture explain
Riverdale Park’s enduring popularity with old and new residents
alike.
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