Think back to the 1860s. Imagine rolling hills of tobacco farms here in Suitland. These farms belonged to some of the wealthiest people in Maryland. They relied on enslaved labor. After the Civil War things changed here. The old plantations broke up. Small farms and country villages took their place.
Now I will tell you the story of how Suitland got its name. Suitland is named for a 19th-century landowner. His name was Samuel Taylor Suit. He was also a businessman and a senator. His estate was called “Suitland”. It sat near where Suitland and Silver Hill Roads meet today.
Samuel Taylor Suit moved to Maryland in 1867. He bought over 800 acres near Washington D.C. His estate became quite famous. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes visited often in the 1870s and 1880s. Important talks happened here in 1871. These talks led to an international court in Geneva about the Alabama Claims.
After Suit died in 1888 his land was sold. William A. Harrison bought some of it between 1892 and 1903. The land was divided and sold over the years. Suit’s son, Arthur B. Suit, kept three acres. This land was near Suitland and Silver Hill Roads. Arthur ran a general store there. He also had a bar and a bowling alley. He even had the community’s one-room jailhouse.
By 1900, Suitland was growing. It had a post office, churches, and houses. In 1909, residents formed the Suitland Improvement Association. They wanted to build a community meeting hall. This association still exists today. It is now called the Suitland Civic Association.
Suitland has two historic cemeteries. One is Cedar Hill Cemetery. It started in 1895 on the old Nonesuch Plantation. It was first called Forest Lake Cemetery. The name likely changed because of the cedar trees. These trees lined Suitland Road from D.C. to Silver Hill Road. Churches used to perform baptisms at a pond here. Victims of the 1906 Terra Cotta Railroad wreck are buried here. The other cemetery is Lincoln Memorial Cemetery. It began in 1927 on the Landon dairy farm. Many prominent African Americans are buried here. They include Dr. Charles Richard Drew and Nannie Helen Burroughs.
The first one-room schoolhouse in Suitland was built in 1891. A larger two-room schoolhouse followed in 1915. It stood on Silver Hill Road. It expanded over the years.
From 1938 to 1941, there was an airfield near Swann and Silver Hill Roads. It was called Skyhaven. A local student named it. It hosted a flying club with 20 small planes.
Suitland stayed rural until World War II. The government needed office space for the war effort. In 1941, they bought 437 acres in Suitland. This became the Suitland Federal Center. It housed many federal workers.
The Suitland Federal Center had existing homes. One was the former dairy and summer home of Albert Carry. He founded the National Capital Brewing Company. Another home was the Suitland House. Lowell O. Minear built it. He was a designer of memorial parks. It is now office space for the U.S. Census Bureau.
In 1942, the Suitland Manor apartments were built. Other housing developments followed. These housed Census Bureau and other federal employees. In 1943, the Census Bureau created the largest Victory Garden in the Washington area here in Suitland.
The Suitland Parkway opened in 1944. It connected military bases. It was originally for military use only.
Suitland High School opened in 1951. It was the first high school here.
The 1950s and 1960s saw major growth. New families moved into newly built homes. This boom ended around 1970. Cheaper land and lower taxes drew people elsewhere.
In the 1970s, Prince George’s County began busing students. This changed the demographics of Suitland. In 1975, a local historian wrote a history of Suitland for its centennial.
In the 1980s, crime became a problem. A razor-wired fence went up around the Federal Center. In the mid-1990s, the county worked to revitalize Suitland.
The Suitland Metro station opened in 2001. New developments and renovations have continued in the 21st century. Suitland is experiencing revitalization. New initiatives aim to attract homebuyers and improve neighborhoods.
Suitland has a rich history. From tobacco farms to federal offices, it has changed over time. It continues to evolve and grow. It is a community with a unique story to tell.