Kensington Park MOMS Club (a national support group for mothers who primarily stay at home with their children) invites moms and their children to attend the monthly meeting Wednesday, July 30th at 10:15am at the Garrett Park Pool, 4427 Cambria Avenue, Garrett Park, MD 20896. Admission to the pool is $4 for adults and $3 per child.


This MOMS club is open to moms whose children are zoned to attend Kensington Parkwood ES and Garrett Park ES. The group's activities include trips to parks, lunch and coffee get-togethers, playgroups and more. More information is available at www.kensingtonparkmoms.com or you may email kpmomsclub@yahoo.com

Other Items Inside:

* JT's Restuarant Review - Buyer Specialst for Gary Ditto
* Moms Club Meeting in May to Feature Guest Speaker from PEP
* Volunteer Tutors Needed for Literacy Council
* New Nursery School in Town
* Special Events at the Kensington Park Library
* New E-Mail Updates from Gary DittoSInterages Tutoring Program Needs Summer Volunteers -www.interagesmd.org

Introducing Kensington’s Bookshops

All Books Considered www.allbooksconsidered.com
Kensington Row Bookshop - www.kensingtonrowbookshop.com
Osiris Books - www.osirisbooks.org

Please visit my website to a link for the whole newlstter

The Early Years
From Half a Century of Club Life: 1899-1949 by Anna H. Farrell

Woman's Club of Kensington

(A special thank you to the Woman's Club of Kensington for sharing this glimpse into Kensington's early years.)

In 1899 the town of Kensington had no paved roads, no electric lights, no telephones, no street signs or house numbers -many wells, pumps, and windmills-for there was no Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission with its underground system of water and sewers; no buses nor private automobiles, but the B&O railroad served it well. And it had the Kensington trolley-car, a distinctive asset in transportation at that time....

The households of all the residents were conducted in a similar manner; the men went to Washington to office or school or store; came home and made gardens and kept chickens; and there was even a cow or two in town-and horses and buggies.

The women were the house keepers and home makers and there they stayed-for at that time a woman's place was in the home. They lived quiet, uneventful lives, had time to visit with their neighbors, and, when occasion required it, dressed themselves in their best, put on white gloves, and made some formal calls-generally to welcome a newcomer to town....

Kensington was just a peaceful sleepy town of nice contented people who enjoyed the quiet life thoroughly-that is-they were-until Mrs. Eliza Bennett Hartshorn came to town to live and began to tell the women how their sisters in the West were forming clubs and in some places even voting!

...and so it follows that on the 20th of October in 1899 we see a group of lovely young women, slim waisted and modestly gowned, with high shoes (probably buttoned) which of course could not be seen, for skirts touched the ground and covered also two or more beruffled petticoats....

For More Newsletters, please visit my collection at

http://www.garyditto.com/newsletters/index.htm

This article was published in the Summer of 2001.

Address Close Price Close Date
10329 SUMMIT AVE $397,500 Apr 23, 2008
10901 ORLEANS WAY $515,000 Mar 20, 2008
3007 OAK DR $322,000 Apr 8, 2008
3004 JENNINGS RD $650,000 Mar 12, 2008
3017 EDGEWOOD RD $665,000 Mar 18, 2008
10911 DRUMM AVE $430,000 Mar 28, 2008
5211 FLANDERS AVE $455,000 Apr 14, 2008
2606 MCCOMAS AVE $427,500 Apr 22, 2008
3906 LAWRENCE AVE $315,000 Mar 28, 2008
3519 NIMITZ RD $310,000 Apr 15, 2008
4109 DECATUR AVE $328,000 Apr 9, 2008
12 CAMPBELL CT $635,000 Mar 3, 2008
4104 BYRD CT $480,000 Apr 21, 2008
3804 DENFELD AVE $499,900 Apr 21, 2008
3110 EDGEWOOD RD $305,000 Apr 18, 2008
10913 DRUMM AVE $399,900 Apr 16, 2008
3105 DRUMM CT $554,900 Apr 16, 2008

Information Pulled from the Regional Information System.

FOR More Information on ALL THE SALES THIS YEAR in Kensington, please visit my SOLD REPORTS or go to www.garyditto.com

KENSINGTON DAY OF THE BOOK FESTIVAL: APRIL 27 FROM 12-5

Come celebrate the International Day of the Book! Fun for the whole family!

Kensington Day of the Book Festival

Sunday, April 27, 12-5

Howard Avenue in Old Town Kensington. (Street will be closed from
Armory Avenue down to the Train Station) Just one block from
Connecticut Avenue, one mile outside the Beltway.

This is a wonderful street festival, rain or shine. Over 100 local
authors, book and paper artists, small press publishers, literary
groups, booksellers, and community organizations will set up along two
blocks of Howard Avenue in Kensington Md to show, sell, and discuss
their books and art.

Live music performed by JP McDermott & Western Bop, and a great duo
Esther Haynes & Keith Grimes (Keith is the former guitarist for the
Eva Cassidy Band).
Also, meet Art Harrison and listen to him play his Theremin! Also,
Doris Justice & Mark Ashbury.

Children will love the storytelling by the Twinbrook Tellers in the
Children's Tent.
Adults can sit for a while at the Open Mic and listen to poets and
authors read from their works.
Bring in your rare books for a free expert evaluation. Maybe you have
a true treasure!
Meet Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson!
Book making and writing activities for children and adults!
Free Books from Bookcrossing!
...and much more! All activities are free!

Please check out our website www.dayofthebook.com for more information
or call 301-949-9416, or email kensingtonbookfestival@gmail.com

*** Are you a local author or book artist? There is still time to sign
up! See the website for more information on how you can participate!
We also need volunteers in the morning and afternoon! ***


Kensington Row Bookshop
3786 Howard Ave
Kensington MD 20895
301-949-9416
www.kensingtonrowbookshop.com

Two Floors of Quality Used, Out-of-Print, & Unusual Books
Hours: 10-6 Mon-Sat, 12-5 Sunday
On Kensington's Historic Antique Row

Check out website for scheduled events including poetry readings,
storytelling, book groups, and more! www.kensingtonrowbookshop.com

Catalan Library of the Fundacio Pauli Bellet open daily
Catalan Language classes offered, please inquire

A WIDER CIRCLE & CEDAR LANE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH TEAM UP FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD FURNITURE COLLECTION

Saturday, April 19, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814

They will have a truck in the church parking lot near the Culver Street entrance to collect your household items and furniture. Wider Circle is unable to accept adult clothing or adult books.

Items should be in very good to excellent condition.
All donations are tax-deductible!

Please bring all portable items to Cedar Lane Church's parking lot. Or, if you have larger items to be picked up, please call Anne Thompson at 301 461 1332 (cell) to schedule a pickup

The Railroad Comes and "Knowles StKation" Emerges

In 1873 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad built the Metropolitan Branch, connecting Washington with Point of Rocks, Maryland. The railroad tracks crossed farm land owned by Daniel Brown, George Duvall, George Knowles, and Alfred Ray.

A station was built at the point where the railroad tracks crossed the old roadway-now called, at various points, Cedar Lane, Howard Avenue, St. Paul Street, and University Boulevard.

"Knowles Station," as the area became known, was subdivided and various parcels were sold after the deaths of George Knowles and his wife Luraner. The farmland began a rapid conversion to a small community. The lots were desirable due to their closeness to the railway and the improved public road. By 1880, Knowles Station had a population of 70, and twelve trains made the run each day. The growing settlement soon had two stores, a post office, and a blacksmith shop.

Like trains today, the trains of that early era offered passengers some choices of tickets and rates. A ticket for the 11-mile trip from Knowles Station to downtown Washington cost 35 cents. Or you could buy an excursion ticket, a monthly ticket, a school ticket, a quarterly ticket, or a family ticket.

The present Kensington station was built in 1891, making it the second oldest B&O station still in active use in Montgomery County. MARC rail took over service of the old B&O in 1974. Ten of the original 20 remaining Montgomery County stations still operate today. With commuters still using trains to get to work, the old Kensington train station is a daily reminder of Kensington's rich history.

For more information on Kensington, please visit my website http://www.garyditto.com/communities/kensington.htm

or call me and I can mail you a copy of my booklet "Kensington Stories"