Ronald Belcher
from
Ashton April 4, 2026 at
10:28 pm
We moved from Glassmanor to Hillcrest Heights in 1963 and lived at 1912 Colebrook Drive. I attended Holy Family School and graduated in 1969. I remember walking to school and playing outside in the cold until the nuns rang the bell. My siblings were Carol, Sharon, Steve, Richard (Rick), Cindy and Beverly. They attended Panarama, Shugart, Potomac and LaReign. My brothers are both deceased but we had a great time exploring the woods, living on our bicycles and collecting deposit bottles at construction sites to make pocket money. This site has the best description of Grits I have ever read. I was not a Grit but aware of the trouble some of them caused. Someone mentioned going to GC Murphy's to buy baby chick's at Easter and we certainly did this. One grew so big we had to give it to the milkman. It was a safe neighborhood and we walked to Iverson Mall or Marlow Shopping Center often. I attended high school at Gonzaga in DC so do not have high school memories. My brother Rick and I used to go to the bus stop and wait for the drag races on 395. The cops never caught the racers because we would block both lanes and go intentionally slow. In summers I worked at Gino's on Silver Hill Road, K-Mart in the shoe division and the Wildlife Preserve which became 6 Flags and recently closed. My mom and brother lived in our house until he passed in 2016. It was a typical suburban neighborhood of the era. FUN TIMES. Thanks for the website.
Rick Stanford
from
Strasburg, VA March 28, 2026 at
5:12 am
Nice site! I stumbled upon the site after seeing on Google Maps that Sandymount Elementary School is no longer Sandymount Elementary School and doing an Internet search to see what had happened.
I moved to Hillcrest Heights in the early 1950s - in the apartments on 26th Avenue - just north of Iverson Street. I went to Hillcrest Heights Elementary School for my first two years. I recall a neighbor was the only one with a color TV. On warm days (and evenings) he'd put it in the ground floor window facing out, and we'd gather on the lawn and watch whatever shows were in color (I recall Perry Como, mostly).
We moved to Marlow Heights in (I think) 1957. We were again on 26th Avenue - but it shortly changed to Sierra Place - just off Riviera Street. At that time the land between our house and St. Barnabas Road was a farm. There was a horse and a barn, where we would climb up into the rafters and jump down into a pile of hay - until the owner chased us away. My friends and I would pick lilacs when they bloomed and sell them to neighbors. The farm later became a Christmas tree farm - and still later became Oursman Chevrolet. The Marlow Heights Shopping Center had just opened. There were still borrow pits around and a favorite pastime was walking the entire length of a storm sewer that passed under the shopping center to a sand and gravel company yard. It was dark, cool and scary. Hard to believe that we could walk almost upright in a 48" sewer pipe. At that time I went to Sandymount Elementary School (1957 - 1961) and then to Benjamin Stoddert (1961 - 1964). We walked to school each day. Rainy days were a problem because we had to follow a muddy path through the woods and then cross a creek to get to school. When the creek rose we had to walk up and down the bank until we found a way across. I recall that the PE field was full of small rocks, which made it difficult to play any sports on. I also recall being in the locker room after gym class when the announcement came that President Kennedy had been shot. We climbed up onto the lockers to be near the speakers so we could hear the announcement.
I went to Crossland High School from 1964 to 1967. I believe I was in the second graduating class. I think Crossland was a 'new design' school that didn't have windows - so it was difficult (at least, for me) to find my way around at first. It amazed me how much we (or at least, I) relied on seeing outside of buildings to keep track of where I was. I was an OK (but not great) student. I was a semi-Collegiate. I rode the bus the first year and a half - but then I got my driver's license and drove my yellow and white 1957 Chevrolet 210 to school. I remember when President Johnson came to dedicate the vocational wing of the school. My friends and I noticed men with rifles on the roof of the school as we drove up - so we knew something was up. Many good memories of that time - toboggining at Rosecroft, meeting at Jr. Hot Shoppes and then going to parties at friends' houses when their parents were away, football games, making homecoming floats. Lots of good times; lots of good friends
Martin (Marty) Rudder
November 11, 2024 at
4:25 pm
Hey, anybody remember us.. a few brothers and sisters
Great memories of hillcrest marlow hgts went to
Green Valley, Sandymount 1yr, Stoddart jr high and
Crossland Sr temple hills rd to campsprings many
memories snow every winter hot summers
Eric Konohia
from
FORT WASHINGTON June 6, 2024 at
11:39 pm
The 70's in Marlow Heights were EPIC and a great time to experience this area. I can remember walking from Hillcrest Heights to Iverson Mall and Marlow Heights shopping center after stopping for a slushy at Highs and a donut at John and Nancy's bakery in Hillcrest Heights Shopping Center.
Those are the best memories.
Paul Bryon Jones
from
Rosemount, Minnesota January 29, 2024 at
3:06 pm
I lived in Marlow Heights, Oxon Hill and Temple Hills. I went to Elementary school at Sandymount Elementary School and John Hanson Jr. High before moving out of the area and into Northern Virginia. I remember shopping with my mother at the Marlow Heights Shopping Center and Friday nights eating at the Red Barn.
Leslie Ritter
from
Piney Point January 5, 2024 at
7:43 pm
Hi Everyone,
I grew up on the corner of Temple Hills Road where it intersected with St. Barnabas Road. I could see the Red Barn from my front window. I went to Temple Hills Elementary, Roger B. Taney Jr. High, and Potomac High School (78). I have very fond memories of spending time at the Temple Hills Rec Center, the Temple Hills Swim Club, attending church at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, and the Tucker Road Ice Rink. The Marlow Heights carnival was always the big event of the summer, and it was always a treat to eat at the Hot Shoppes Cafeteria, or at the soda fountain at Woolworths. I still live in Maryland and would love to hear from some of my childhood friends.
Hi Chuck,
I would like to provide you with class photos from Silver Hill, Panorama, Sandymount, and Barnaby Manor. I attended all these schools and graduated from Potomac in 1978. If I recall, your sister Sharon was also known as Coco.
Your web page sure brings back a lot of memories. I remember the old wooden foot bridge and catching tadpoles and frogs in the creek below.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Thank you...
Lynda Yates Leimbach
from
Harpers ferry January 7, 2023 at
11:59 am
It is such a great idea to have this group. I was initially born in Washington DC then moved to Glass Manor Maryland and from there to Temple hills Maryland. I left off of Fisher road. I'm a graduate of crossland high School 1967. My husband, Bob Leimbach, a graduate of crossland 67 as well. He grew up in Marlow heights. So many memories of hanging out at hot shop jr's., Going to the super Chief Drive-In, ABC Drive-In, and Marshall Hall. My husband played for the silver Hill Little League and baseball and football. We both have so many great memories of growing up in that area. It was really a great place. Thank you so much for keeping it alive with this group.. I have been trying to locate a Donna Butler who lived off of Fisher road through Facebook I have been able to locate and keep in contact with a lot of our high school classmates. Again so many great memories
Angela Daniels
from
Columbia, SC January 4, 2023 at
12:01 pm
Growing up in Hillcrest Heights/Marlow Heights was the best childhood! We walked everywhere and didn’t have a care. I’m in my 50s and still miss those days. Hello to all my 25th Place neighbors!
Debbie Seifert
from
Wills Point TX January 3, 2023 at
11:06 pm
We grew up in Birchwood City. We lived in 3 different houses there. On Colony Road we had about 20-27 friends on our street. We would play “King of the Hill”, kick ball, hide and seek. There was never a dull moment! Do you remember the house by the park that had the Doberman’s watching guard??
Amberley Edington
from
Myersville August 28, 2022 at
4:17 am
Hello there! I came across a huge Hanson Junior High Class of 1963 photo and I would like to get it to the appropriate place. It's signed on the back for a girl named Kay. Any suggestions on what to do? Can I forward the photo to you for your site? Thanks!
Rusty Griffin
from
Yuma August 20, 2022 at
5:11 pm
What a trip this has been. I attended Roger B Taney Jr. High in 1966 and 1967. Enjoyed hanging out at this site, although those years were not listed, yet, a sister went to Crossland so I shared with her your site.
Steven A Strohm
from
SUMMERVILLE August 8, 2022 at
10:12 am
Was researching the word Grit for a training class (like the John Wayne movie) and ran across your blog. I grew up in Waldorf Md from 2nd thru 9th grade and that is exactly what a grit was down the the multi layers of socks
I went to Shugart from '68 to '71. Mr Lesher was the principal and Mr. McKean was the vice principal. The most memorable teacher I had was Mr. Rush who was my gym teacher in 7th and 9th grade. My best friends at the school were Adrian Baez who was on the baseball and soccer teams, Rocky Elliott who was on the basketball and baseball teams and Jim Cherowitzo. I was on the wrestling and track teams. Lots of good times.
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