1. Azalea City Piney Branch and Eastern Avenues Takoma Park has long been called Azalea City, with its abundant supply of flowering shrubs. Town resident B.Y. Morrison, director of the National Arboretum and azalea developer, was inspiration for the title attached to Takoma Park in the 1970s. (thank you to the City of Takoma Park website)

2. Roscoe Carroll and Laurel Avenues The legendary Roscoe the Rooster awakened residents of Takoma Park in the 1990s with his daily morning squawks. Our Farmers’ Market attention to healthy and organic foods gives Roscoe something to crow about.

3. Green Heron Sligo Creek Park and New Hampshire Avenue Green herons have been spotted along the banks of Sligo Creek. Other interesting birds found nesting around its waters are red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, red-bellied woodpeckers, tufted titmice, great crested flycatchers and indigo buntings. (thank you to Friends of Sligo Creek website)

4. Playful Laurel and Eastern Avenues Takoma Park has been a designated “Playful City USA” since 2009. The city is cited as having safe and engaging play spaces, as sponsoring a variety of intergenerational activities, and as showing a commitment to creative programs for children and play. (Sentinel Newspaper, July 29, 2009)

5. 1883 Oranges Ethan Allen Gateway The sylvan suburb of Takoma Park was created in 1883 with B.F. Gilbert’s purchase of 100 acres of land next to the newly built Metropolitan Line of the Baltimore-Ohio railroad. He chose the elevated area to build a community free from the mosquitoes and malaria, then prevalent in Washington DC. Oranges at the time would have been a rare treat for residents, costing about 2 cents each. (thank you City of Takoma Park website and Food Timeline web)

6. B. F. Gilbert’s Old Oaks Piney Branch Road and Eastern Avenue Inspired by the fresh air and tranquility of the wilderness north of our nation’s capital, B.F. Gilbert bought the first land to build a town in 1883. Still standing in Takoma Park are some of the oak trees that Gilbert would have seen when stepping off the train 130 years ago. (thank you to Historic Takoma website)

7. Fahey Takoma Junction Legendary acoustic guitarist, John Fahey, was raised in Takoma Park. A self-taught musician, his haunting melody lines evoked blues, poetry, modern classicism, ragas and funk, all rolled into one. Fahey’s Voice of the Turtle album was released in 1968 on his own record label---Takoma.

8. Esperanza Carroll Avenue and University Blvd. Takoma Park’s 17,000+ residents reflect a rich diversity of ethnicities and background. Truly inclusive, any resident who is not yet a U.S. citizen may vote in local elections and hold a public office.

9. True Balance Hillwood Community Garden and Sligo Creek Hillwood Manor residents have the benefit of both abundant gardens and the Sligo Creek bike path--- a true balance!

10. Bountiful Produce Carroll and Eastern Avenues Not only does this the sign welcome people to our local farmers’ market, but also it reminds us of the spiritual abundance of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, headquartered in Takoma Park from 1903 to the 1980s.

11. Trolley Brand Cashews Takoma Junction Takoma Park has been host to three trolley lines, the last one closing in 1960. One trolley ran on this street at the time when the Barcelona Nut Factory was in operation. The building which opened as the Piggly Wiggly in the 1932 now houses Historic Takoma. (Gazette, April 20, 2010)

12. Old Oaks Poplar and New Hampshire Avenues, Takoma Park Branch Officially designated as “Tree City USA,” Takoma Park boasts of century old oaks as well as a wide range of native trees including: pine, willow, walnut, birch, beech, elm, mulberry, magnolia, sweet gum, sycamore, paw-paw and sassafras.

13. Dee-licious ! Eastern and Laurel Avenues Takoma residents have made weekly excursions to the Farmers’ Market since 1983. All foods and plants must be grown within a 125-mile radius of the market, honoring a commitment to regional agriculture. After the market, much of the perishable food is donated to local soup kitchens so all might benefit from fresh, healthy food. (thank you to Takoma Park Market website)

14. Bountiful Seeds Hillwood Community Garden and Sligo Creek Hillwood Manor, a tree-studded neighborhood established in the 1940s, boasts avid gardeners and a community plot for growing flowers. Situated near Sligo Creek Park, it recently won a grant to beautify the surrounding area. (thank you to the New Ave website)

15. Tree Frog Poplar and New Hampshire Avenues—Takoma Park Branch The Tree Frog is one of many amphibians found in the Sligo Creek Watershed, along with bullfrogs, longtail salamanders and red-spotted newts. (thank you to Friends of Sligo Creek website)

16. Crossroads 7676 New Hampshire Avenue Takoma Park’s rich ethnic diversity flavors its restaurants, featuring cuisine from many countries including: Ethiopia, Mexico, El Salvador, India, Iran, the Caribbean, Korea, Morocco, Peru, Cameroon, Guatemala and China.

17. Banjo Apples Carroll and Laurel Avenues On any given Sunday morning you might hear the sounds of live music coming from a banjo, violin, guitar or harmonica in Old Town Takoma. The community is rich with folk music and encourages a creative spirit. Passion breeds excellence, and Takoma Park is home to many WAMMIE winners and recording artists.

18. Fireworks 7676 New Hampshire Avenue Takoma Park’s 4th of July celebration is legendary and believed to be among the oldest on the East coast, dating from 1889. Festivities include fireworks plus a truly “independent” parade of veterans, antique autos, war protestors, Caribbean dancers, cub scouts, politicians and trained dogs.

19. Mango Mundo Unilang Center on University Blvd. The area of Takoma-Langley has been dubbed “international corridor,” honoring the rich population of new residents from around the world. With the New Avenue Initiative, the city encourages development of this area as a destination for international goods, services, food and culture. (thank you NewAve website)

20. Goodhart Estate Coffee University Blvd. and New Hampshire Avenue Bus Stop In 1923, the McCormick-Goodhart family established Langley Park, a 540-acre estate. Henrietta McCormick, of the billionaire Chicago McCormick clan, married a British barrister named Goodhart. The large mansion on their property, now housing CASA de Maryland, was fashioned after Goodhart’s home in Kent, England and served as a social base for British diplomats during World War II.

21. Jazz Unilang Center on University Blvd. Takoma Park is a small town with a large creative spirit. Over the course of a year, the town hosts dozens of musical events. Most notable are JazzFest held in June, the Folk Festival held in September and Takoma Park’s Street Festival, held in October.

22. Mulch Brand Mulch Takoma Park Public Works Building Takoma Park’s giant mulch pile, made from leaves collected by the city, keeps gardeners’ plots free from pesky weeds.

23. Abbott Biofuels Takoma Park Public Works Building Takoma Park’s culture of activism was fueled by former mayor, Sammie Abbott (1980-85). Sammie saved the town from being decimated by a proposed freeway, pushed to make Takoma Park a sanctuary for political refugees and pronounced the town a nuclear free zone. In Sammie’s words: “If we can’t make it in Takoma Park, there’s no hope for the nation.” (thanks to the Takoma Park City website)