Those new to the DC-metro area are often surprised to learn that there are two neighborhoods known as Chevy Chase -- -- one lying within the boundaries of the District of Columbia and the other in Maryland.
Confusing matters even more, the two neighborhoods are adjacent to one another. These two Chevy Chases are separated only by Western Avenue and a steep price differential, with Chevy Chase, MD, being significantly more expensive.
Homes within Chevy Chase, DC, however, are not inexpensive. Finding a single-family detached home under $800,000 in this neighborhood is growing more and more challenging.
The neighborhood is primarily comprised of single-family homes, many of which were built in the early 20th Century straight out of the Sears catalog.
Chevy Chase was officially established in 1907. Homes within the historic district are generally considered to be those straddling Connecticut Avenue just south of Chevy Chase Circle. These homes were built from the turn of the century up until the 1920s. Historic Chevy Chase, DC, a nonprofit organization, sponsors walking tours of the neighborhood and some of its loveliest homes annually.
A few condominiums and rental apartment buildings can also be found in Chevy Chase along Connecticut Avenue, one of two commercial corridors in the neighborhood (the other being Wisconsin Avenue).
But the broader Chevy Chase neighborhood encompasses a much larger area, with its boundaries extending all the way from Wisconsin Avenue (to the west) to Rock Creek Park (to the east), and from to Western Avenue down to Nebraska Avenue (stretching from Tenley Circle to Broad Branch Road).
Chevy Chase is bordered on the north by Maryland, on the west by AU Park, on the east by Rock Creek Park, and on the south by the neighborhoods of Wakefield and Forest Hills.
Perhaps because Chevy Chase is so large it is by necessity that there have come to be known neighborhoods within the neighborhood. These include Friendship Heights, Tenleytown, Barnaby Woods and Hawthorne.
Barnaby Woods & Hawthorne
Barnaby Woods and Hawthorne are located in the northeastern-most area of Chevy Chase. These two areas are strictly residential, with no commercial offerings. Indeed, you're hard pressed to tell your in the city when you find yourself here. (In other words, a car is a must!)
Barnaby Woods, which is southeast of Pinehurst Circle, is dominated by detached Colonials primarily constructed in the 1930s-1950s.
Hawthorne, which is further northeast and adjacent to Rock Creek Park, is dotted with ramblers & split-level homes on larger parcels of land, most of which were built during the 1950s.
Friendship Heights & Tenleytown
By contrast to those suburban neighborhoods, Friendship Heights and Tenleytown are both within walking distance to metro stations and both offer residents a wide array of shops and services.
Friendship Heights lies on the northwestern side of Chevy Chase. Within its boundaries are a Metro station (bearing the same name), two shopping malls (Mazza Gallerie and the Chevy Chase Pavillion), a department store (Lord & Taylor's), a movie theater, and several other shops, stores and restaurants.
Tenleytown is the second-oldest neighborhood in DC; only Georgetown is older. The neighborhood takes its name from John Tennally, the owner of a popular public tavern in the late 1780s.
The heart of Tenleytown lies at the intersection of River Road and Wisconsin Avenue, both of which were once Native-American trading routes.
Like Friendship Heights, the neighborhood includes a Metro station bearing its name. And like Friendship Heights, Tenleytown provides its residents restaurants, two grocery stores, and several other retail establishments.
