In the beginning, the years 1940 and 1941, there was mud in the streets, in the yards, in the homes and in the clothing of all. This muddy place was the developing community of Landover Hills, Maryland.

    Monroe and Dorothy Warren planned this community. Throughout the years, the property on which the subdivision was built had changed ownership several times. It had been divided and rearranged from three other properties.

    The approximately 148 acres of hilly land was bounded by Annapolis Road, 68th Place, Ardmore-Ardwick Road and the Pennsylvania Railroad. The soil was the red clay of this part of Maryland. The landscape was rural and typically country in appearance and facilities. Two small farms and several tracts of heavy woodland contributed to the beauty and charm of the area.

    In 1940 model homes were ready for inspection. Interested people had the privilege of selecting a lot from a large plat of the area. The buyer could choose a lot, large or small, according to his needs. The early price of these homes was between three and four thousand dollars, and they could be had for a low down payment and an interest rate of 4%. The future residents paid a low monthly ground rent until they were ready to purchase the lot.

    By 1943 homes were being built on Taylor Street and beyond. The homes on the streets south of Taylor were "prefab" due to shortages of materials brought on my the war.

    Lots were graded, front lawns sodded and shrubs planted. The town slowly took on a urban look but missing were stores, gas stations, schools and doctors. Shopping was done in Washington, Hyattsville, Bladensburg or other nearby communities.  Medical services also had to be obtained in other areas and there was no organized group to make things happen.

    Landover Hills was very fortunate in many ways. It was blessed by many residents with the leadership necessary to form groups to get things done. These people came from many places across our nation; they came because of transfers and changes in jobs or because of that growing sound of war. They gathered in private homes to form a civic association and a fire department. They established churches and solved school problems. They were professional, knowledgeable and thorough in their approach to solving the needs of the community.

    The first such group to organize was the Community Club Association, later known as the Landover Hills Citizens Association. Meetings were held in public buildings in other communities. Because of the efforts of the membership chairman the organization grew and committees were formed to cover all phases of life in the town. The leadership of this group provided inspiration and help to many groups that followed. Its officers were: President, John Kurtz; Vice-President, George Brown; Treasurer, William Elliot; and Secretary, Doris Stonebraker.

    The Woman's Club of Landover Hills was organized in 1941 and held its meetings in homes of members. The aim of the women was civic improvement and they worked hard to achieve this goal. They coordinated their efforts with those of the Community Club Association in order to bring needed changes to the fast growing community. Mrs. Lovye Schilling was elected President of this group.

    The Homemakers Club was formed and flourished under the auspices of the Prince George's County Home Demonstration Agent and Club President Mrs. Theresa Boyle. Members participated in meetings and fairs; some attended classes at the University of Maryland.

    The Citizens Association saw the need for a better means of communication with the residents. With the help of volunteers a monthly newsletter was mimeographed and sent to each home in town.

    December 7, 1941 was a dark day for the town, the country and the world. No one could anticipate the problems that would arise as a result of the bombing of Pearl harbor and our full scale involvement in World War II. Many young people would be called to serve in our nations' armed forces; some would be sent to distant battlefields.

    Shortages affected every stage of peoples' lives. Shortages of building supplies slowed down the completion of homes in town and forced the builder to make many changes in the design of the homes. Heating systems were changed from oil to coal. Gasoline was rationed and car pools were organized. Public transportation was sought and limited service was granted by Greyhound. Scrap metal and fats were saved and donated for recycling. Trash and garbage collection was contracted for on an individual basis. This soon became unsatisfactory and a contract was finally obtained so that the collection could be done on a town wide basis.

    A school for the town became a distant dream.

    The Civil Defense Agency assisted in organizing and training air raid wardens. These volunteers were fingerprinted by the F.B.I. The agency also assisted the town in getting an Officer of Civilian Defense Pumper, arm bands, helmets and other items used by the wardens.

    Four large bells that were to be used as air raid signals were purchased and erected in the town. Their signals were relayed from the Bladensburg fire station to the home of chief wardens Dorothy and Bill Zundel. Dorothy was the daytime warden and her husband Bill served the night shift. The signals were conveyed to wardens throughout the town who were responsible for going out and pulling ropes to ring the bells. Practice blackouts were conducted, the first one in March 1942.

    Later the Citizens Association conducted a house-to-house campaign to collect funded to buy sirens that would replace the bells. The sirens were purchased. Two were placed in the lower part of town and one on the Zundel's roof. Practice blackouts and drills were held until the end of the war. The volunteers received recognition for their services from the Civilian Defense Agency and from the President of the Untied States.

    The Red Cross organized first aid courses and the Woman's Club collected funds to buy first aid cases for use by the air raid wardens.

    "War" or "Victory" gardens were started in backyards and that old clay gave back some very nice produce. Nothing is ever perfect and neither was this endeavor. The little Japanese Beetle came to take his share. The University of Maryland and the Extension Service came to the rescue with help in the form of information and beetle traps. Food rationing was a fact of life and the little gardens were a small help in reducing the stress and aggravation of standing in long lines for such things as soap, sugar and other items.

    Petty crime became a problem in the town. Thieves moved about at night stealing cars, tires and other car parts. The county police were able to offer little help as their force was barely large enough to serve the whole county. A request for the formation of an auxiliary police department was made to the county commissioners, who forwarded it to the Governor of Maryland. The request was denied since the town was not incorporated. Again the town responded. With 185 male volunteers the Civilian Night Patrol, under the direction of Bill Zundel was organized. It protected the property of sleeping residents during the hours of 8:00 p.m. until midnight. The men used their own cars and a white rag with the word "Police" written on it was their only identification. During air raid drills no automobile lights could be shown so a flashlight was used as it was needed.

    The first post office was established on May 16, 1945 at 4419 72nd Avenue, the home of Edward and Ann McEntee. The back wall of their kitchen was converted into a walk-up window where postal business could be conducted. Mrs. McEntee provided the much needed service to the Town.

    Four years later the post office moved to Oliver's store where it remained until the Landover Hills Shopping Center was expanded and could provide space for a full scale post office. This building was used until 1970 when the new Landover Hills Post Office went into operation at 7400 Buchanan Street.

    During 1948 there was a move by the Post Office Department to transfer the postal service received by Landover Hills from the First Class Hyattsville District to the Second Class Bladensburg District. The Citizen's Association opposed the transfer, they enlisted the cooperation of neighboring communities. With this added help, the transfer never came about and except for minor problems, Hyattsville has served the community well.

    Children attended school in Bladensburg and Lanham. All the children including first graders went by bus. They left as early as 7:30 a.m. and returned as late as 5 p.m.

    Monroe Warren donated fourteen acres to be used as a building site for a school to the Prince George's Board of Education. This was the first such parcel of land to be donated for a school. Home buyers were told where the school would be built, but not one of them could know the problems and obstacles that lay ahead. All these had to be overcome before the school could become a reality.

    An informal census was taken to find the number of school age children in the area. This census had to be taken several times before the plans for the school were on the drawing board. When federal funds used to assist in the building of schools became unavailable political representatives were contacted to give assistance. The Citizens Association formed a school committee which met with school officials and presented the results of the census. Eventually the Board of Education informed the association that it recognized the need for a school in Landover Hills, but the war delayed construction for many years.

    Elementary school children continued to attend school in Bladensburg and Lanham. In 1942 some of these children were transferred to the Ardmore Elementary School. For a variety of reasons parents were extremely dissatisfied with the move. The health and safety of their children were at stake and some parents removed their children from school. A delegation of thirty-five parents requested a meeting with the superintendent of schools. After a lengthy discussion of grievances the superintendent rose from his seat and told the group to get their children back in school by Monday or they would find themselves in jail.

    The group said, "So do it."

    The very next week a letter was received by the parent delegation informing them that a room was being renovated at the Bladensburg Primary School. The room was bright and cheerful and an excellent teacher, Mrs. Mudd, was assigned to teach the children.

    The school committee from the Citizens Association became very active in various parent-teacher associations and worked with them in solving their problems. The Board of Education became aware of this and informed them that they were pleased with their initiative. They requested the committee keep them informed of any new developments.

    A bus shelter was built at 71st Avenue and Annapolis Road to protect the children during bad weather. Mr. Warren donated materials for this shelter and citizen volunteers erected it.

    By 1946 it became apparent that the Landover Hills school would become a reality. Funds were available and plans had been drawn. There were some revisions in plans, and discussions on name and other matters but on March 6, 1949 Landover Hills School was dedicated. By this time many of those children from the early years were in Junior and Senior High School.

    The religious needs of the Town were met by people joining together and meeting in homes. A non-sectarian Sunday School opened in the Francis Dickson home at 4216 71st Avenue in 1941. Soon the place was overcrowded and another home was also used. This group eventually became the Landover Hills Baptist Mission and met at 6914 Varnum Street. Lutheran, Methodist and Catholic Churches would also be founded in Landover Hills in the 1950's.

    In the meantime, people also attended churches in Ardmore, Bladensburg and Mount Rainier.

    The Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department served the Town of Landover Hills. Many of the men from Town joined the Volunteer Bladensburg Unit, attending training classes, receiving certificates and becoming volunteer firemen.

    From this group an auxiliary fire department was organized in Landover Hills. Phil McCrary was the first Chief of the unit. Dave Holloway taught a new class in basic firefighting.

    The auxiliary unit became the nucleus of a permanent Fire Department for the Town and the surrounding area. The volunteers used the Office of Civilian Defense Pumper and practiced in their spare time. Then, by October 1945, it was decided the time had come to organize a Fire Department in Landover Hills. Invitations were sent to all homes inviting men interested in firefighting to join. These men met in private homes and elected E.W Houston as temporary treasurer.

    Plans were made and a constitution and By-laws were written and adopted. By January 1946 the department was formally organized. Its only piece of equipment was the OCD Pumper.

    The officers of this newly organized unit were: President. E.W. Houston; Vice President Clarence Pendleton; Secretary-Treasurer, J.F.X. Mayhew; Trustees, Glen D. Culbert, Andrew Willioner and William Zundel. Operation officers were: Chief Henry J. Pepin and upon his resignation Clarence Cramer; Assistant Chief, J.F.X. Mayhew; First Captain, Walter K. Hill; Second Captain, Clarence E. Taylor; First Lieutenant, John F. Corkill; Second Lieutenant  Clarence Pendleton; Sergeant, Charles Burton; Chief Engineer, Daniel Rauch, Jr.; Assistant Engineers, Daniel Rauch, Sr., Glen Culbert, William Fox, William Sessums and Ben E. Harris. (Some of the officers and men of LHVFD circa 1946).

    For a total cost of $350.00 the department bought a used Dodge truck and turned it into a firefighting vehicle. Now there was a firefighting unit with one piece of equipment and no place to meet or store their truck. It was decided to build a quonset hut. A deal was made with the Board of Education for the use of the part of school land which bordered on the west end of Taylor Street. (current location of Landover Hills Town Hall). By August 1946 the hut was erected, the charter of incorporation was granted and the men were ready to answer the call.

    Through the fund raising efforts of the department needed equipment and supplies were slowly obtained. In November of 1950 a county fire tax law was passed to help in the maintenance and housing of equipment in those areas that favored the tax. There is now a county wide tax which provides for some paid firemen at each firehouse.

    The Ladies Auxiliary to the Landover Hills Fire Department was organized in January 1947. The goal of these ladies was to support the fire department in all of their activities, including fund raising. They joined the county and state auxiliaries and through the years many of the local members served as officers and on committees in these groups. The first officers of the Ladies Auxiliary were: President, Mrs. Edith Hill; Vice President, Mrs. Dorothy Cramer; Secretary, Mrs. Nettie Fox; Treasurer, Mrs. Irma Hands; Guard, Mrs. Sylvia Pugh. Mrs. Dorothy Cramer moved from Landover Hills and Mrs. Catherine Corkill was elected Vice President.
 
 

    In the early years recreational facilities in the area were practically non-existent. While some clubs, church groups and the various committees provided some recreational activity for adults, the children were virtually left out. Yards, streets and open spaces were either too muddy or too uneven for spontaneous play activities.

    A group headed by Bill Zundel received permission to clear a portion of the school property for a playground. The land was so rocky and hilly that it was impossible to do the task with the equipment available. Mr. William tracy received permission to use the proposed shopping center site for ball games. Volunteers cleared a large area and ball games gave pleasure to adults and children alike. The Landover Hills Men's Softball Team held regularly scheduled games challenging similar teams in the county.

    On November 12, 1942, Boy Scout Troop 251 was chartered, naming Landover Hills Citizen Association as sponsor. Mr. Howard Seitz of the National Area Council presented the charter to John Kurtz, President of the Citizens Association. the first scoutmaster was Eric Sword, followed by Ed Grover, assisted by William Stonebraker. Interest lagged for a while until Edward Marr, still in military service, took over the troop, assisted by Quinn Smith.

    Girl Scout and Brownie troops were organized. Many talented and dedicated women provided leadership to the girls in the community. At the same time they offered many interesting activities. Mrs. Howard Seitz was the organizer and first leader of this troop. She was followed by Peggy Sauer, Pat Elliot and many others.

    Sleigh riding during the cold winter months was a fun time for the children. Two streets were blocked, fire were made in barrels and with adult supervision a great time was had by all.

    In 1942 the Citizen's Association planned a Halloween party. The Women's Club had donated some money for the air raid service but these funds had not been used. The money was now given for the Halloween party. This was a big success! In the following years builders constructed stages so that the costumes could be viewed and judged and business groups donated valuable prizes for the winners.

    These parties continued until the town was incorporated.

    In 1944 the Women's Club of Landover Hills, under the direction of Mrs. Alfred gregory, dedicated an Honor Roll as a tribute to the men and women of the Town who had served in the armed forces of our country. The Honor Roll was located on the island at 71st Avenue and Annapolis Road.

    For the dedication ceremony a wooden platform was erected by volunteers. It was draped with flags and banners and was equipped with a public address system. Seats were provided for invited guests.

    Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts served as the Honor Guard. The American flag was raised over the Honor Roll by Corporal Fred Wallace of Buchanan Street; Reverend Merle Shade gave the invocation. The Gold Star mother of Landover Hills, Mrs. Regina Bryant, was escorted by Seaman First Class William Timmons. She was to unveil the Honor Roll. Mrs. Bryant was the mother of Hugh Mack Bryant, who was killed in action in New Guinea on November 27, 1942. A wreath was placed on the memorial by Mrs. Thomas Steele, President of the Women's Club, Helen Shenton sang. The Honorable Congressman Lansdale G. Sasscer gave the address and Father Waldemar J. Herborn gave the benediction. After the ceremony tea was served to the invited guests at the Zundel home.

    The Honor Roll stood until after the war as a silent tribute to those who served their country. Names were added until the end of the war. later this Honor Roll was replaced with a memorial tree and a permanent plaque honoring World War II veterans of Landover Hills. Wreaths were placed at the site on Veterans Day and Memorial day. In 1968 Annapolis Road was widened and the tree, the plaque and the community Christmas tree had to be removed.

    From the beginning it was apparent that the community could not realize all of its goals with the help of only the Citizen's Association. Although there was the need for more police protection and auxiliary force could not be formed because the town was not incorporated. Trash and garbage collections could be handled better. The streets and roads were in very bad condition and there was no means for repairs in sight. The responsibility for road maintenance remained with the builder until all building was completed. He too had shortages.

    The Citizen's Association appointed a committee to investigate the various forms of self government that could be adopted. They were to report on which one would best serve the needs of the Town. The Special Improvement Area was suggested and then rejected by the Association.

    Residents were urged to register and vote in order to show the voting power of Landover Hills.

    Incorporation meant that the state would grant authority by charter for the Town to govern itself. It could then solve its own problems. It would be necessary for 51% of the homeowners to sign a petition requesting the right to incorporate. This petition would be presented to the Maryland State Legislature which would meet in January 1945. If the petition was accepted a bill would be drawn up which would allow a referendum vote for incorporation. It was expected that it would take six months for the charter to become a fact.

    The Association appointed an incorporation committee of 15 members with Mrs. Ann McEntee as chairman. W. Carroll Betty, a Hyattsville attorney, was retained to protect the interests of the Town and to draw up a charter in case a majority of voters signed the petition and the legislature accepted it.

    The community was canvassed in October 1944 and by December 65% of the homeowners had signed the petition. By January 70% of the residents favored incorporation. Signatures were turned over to the attorney for presentation to the legislature. But, as always, there was a small group who were against the move and would try to block it.

    Because of  the Hatch Act residents who worked for the federal government had to receive special permission from the Civil Service Commission to participate in local elections or to hold office. Because they did this Landover Hills became one of several nearby communities in which federal employees could participate in local elections and hold office.

    In March 1945 Herbert R. O'Connor, Governor of Maryland, signed House Bill 231 granting the residents of Landover Hills the right to hold a referendum vote to incorporate. Homeowners received printed information on the cost of operating the Town under incorporation. They were urged to vote. Registration was held in three wards; private homes were used for registering and voting polls were set up.

    The first registration day was April 14, 1945 and the first voting day was April 17, 1945. The result of the referendum was 265 for incorporation and 93 against.

    A nominating convention, designed to carry out the terms of the charter, was set for April 25, 1945. Because there was no community meeting place, Dave and Louise Holloway offered their front yard at 7102 Varnum Street as a place to hold the convention. A large wooden platform was erected by volunteers, and was draped with banners and flags.

    The nominating convention met to nominate the Mayor and Town Treasurer and two Councilmen from each of the three wards. William Zundel, President of the Citizens Association, addressed the gathering. He thanked all who cooperated with the Association, the Incorporation Committee and Mr. Edward McEntee, Chairman of the Nominating Committee.

    Nominations were called for Mayor, Treasurer, and two Councilmen from each of the three wards. The results of the nominating convention were: mayor, William Zundel; Treasurer, Ann McEntee; Councilmen, Ward I, Roland Mills and E. Wheeler Houston; Ward II, Raymond Mealy and Otis Anderson; Ward III, William Elliott and William J.R. Spahr.

    The first election date was set for May 9, 1945. But on May 4th a suit contesting the referendum held on April 17th was filed in the Prince george's Court in Upper Marlboro, Maryland by five residents who were not in favor of the incorporation. Several charges of illegalities committed by the incorporation committee were spelled out in the suit. This was a disappointment but as always the Town pulled together and twenty citizens of the Town went before the court in Upper Marlboro. As a result objections to the legality of the referendum on the incorporation of Landover Hills were overruled by Judge Gray. The suit was ordered dismissed.

    The Incorporation Committee prepared and distributed to all residents a flyer stating the results of the suit, and urging everyone to vote on May 9, 1945. On that date the slate of officers was duly elected. The only paid member of the first Town Council was the treasurer. All other members served without compensation.

    In 1945 the Prince George's County election districts were revised. Landover Hills became the 4th Precinct of the 2nd Election District of Bladensburg. It was then necessary to find a place where citizens could register and vote in county elections. Mr. Spahr offered his basement and built voting booths. Election judges were appointed and Republican and Democratic workers were assigned. Voting was held at the Spahr house until the firehouse was built. Then voting was held at the firehouse and later it took place at the completed Landover Hills School.

    Mayor Zundel set about the process of shaping an efficient town government that would provide for the safety and welfare of the people. Mr. O. Wheeler of 4233 71st Avenue was appointed Chief of Police; there were no other officers. Dave Holloway was appointed Fire Marshall. In 1946 Danny Rauch, Jr. of 6931 Shepherd Street served as Police Chief with four officers under him. The men served without pay and used their own cars. They were given one dollar a week for gasoline. Their uniforms were a combination of bus driver uniforms. In 1947 Paul Leyendecker of 4409 72nd Avenue was appointed Chief of Police with three officers serving under him.