Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

You are here: Home / About Us / History

History

Section 5 is part of the historic area referred to as Chevy Chase. The name Chevy Chase derives from a popular Scottish/English poem, "Ye Cheviat Chays Ballade" and it commemorates the Battle of Otterburn in 1388, a feud between English and Scottish Lords over who had rights to the hunting grounds. Centuries later in 1752, it is likely that Colonel Joseph Belt, who received a 560 acre grant of rolling Maryland woods from Lord Baltimore, knew the ballad because he patented his lovely woodland, "Cheivy Chase."

The Chevy Chase area was developed in sections, each section was given a number. Chevy Chase Section 5 began as a self-governing unit when a small group of residents met in 1916 to discuss their concerns about a lack of street lighting and other matters pertaining to the welfare of their neighborhood. Thus was born the Section 5 Chevy Chase Citizen's Association, complete with a constitution, bylaws and dues set at $4 a year. Within seven years, Chevy Chase Section 5 became a special taxing district chartered by the Maryland General Assembly and functioned as such for 60 years. This special taxing district status provided a five member volunteer council to set policy and a part-time salaried manager to take care of the day to day administrative matters of the town. In 1982 the residents petitioned the Maryland General Assembly to become an incorporated municipality. The governing structure of the new municipality remained the same as it had under the special taxing district.

The majority of homes in Section 5 were built before the Second World War and were designed and constructed by local architects and builders. Seventeen homes have been designated as having features which are historically significant and these homes are listed on the Montgomery County Historic register.

From its very beginning, Section 5 has been a popular place to live and it continues to this day to attract many people who are looking for a friendly, peaceful place to reside.