Silverspringism

A Mature, Established and Vibrant  Neighborhood of Unique and Charming Single Family Homes on Shady Tree Lined Streets. 

Robert H. Mc Neill was a 42 year old attorney living with his wife and 2 Children on the "Mc Neill Farm" - Silver Spring in 1920. In 1925 Robert Mc Neill subdivided his farm into lots that today is Robert H. Mc Neills' Addition to Silver Spring Park.  Most of the 114 Homes in the neighborhood were built in the early to mid 1930's and are prized for their unique character and architectural detail. No two houses are alike, no cookie cutters for Mc Neills Subdivision in Silver Spring! The homes include unique brick and slate cape cods, colonials and Tudor style houses.  Unique to this Neighborhood and to most of Silver Spring, are the distinct alleys with garages behind the houses.

Streets included in McNeills Subdivision are: Dale Drive, Cedar Street, Deerfield Avenue, Queen Annes Drive, Bonifant Street, Dartmouth Avenue and of course, Mc Neill Road.

Over the last year, homes in Mc Neills Addition have sold for an average price of $628,000 and sold within an average of 37 days.

This Recent Listing for $625,000 on Queens Annes Drive in Mc Neills Addition Sold in 2 Days.


This is the Newest Listing in Mc Neills Addition on Mc Neill Road.  








The Neighborhood is Walking Distance to Silver Spring Metro, the new Revitalized Downtown Silver Spring, Town Center, Restaurants, NOAA, Discovery Headquarters, the AFI Theatre, Nolte Park, Bullis Park and Beautiful Sligo Creek Park.

In 2008, Downtown Silver Spring is in for more development  and the groundbreaking of 3 new Multi Million Dollar Development Projects that will benefit this immediate area and will be within walking distanance of the neighborhood
1.)  The stunning new Headquarters for the Maryland National Capitol Park and 
Planning Commission.
2.)  Sarbanes Transit Center at the Silver Spring Metro will transform the Silver Spring Metro Station Transportation Hub with mixed use development.
3.)  The New Civic Center and Veterans Plaza . 
For More Information, Artists renderings and exact locations of the new projects, check out Montgomery County's Park and Panning Website http://www.mcparkandplanning.org/ also check out  http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/

 Tucked away in a wooded sylvan setting off New Hampshire Avenue near White Oak is the Neighborhood of Quaint Acres in Silver Spring, Md.  A recent Washington Post Article describes the setting in this neighborhood to a tee. 

The setting is perfect for the Mid Century Modern houses that were built there in the early to late 1950's. Contemporary Mid Century Modern architects and builders such as Charles Goodman and Frank Lloyd Wright  loved to make their homes seem as if they were one with nature. 

Mid Century Modern Homes have simple, clean lines without a lot of embellishments. They use a lot natural elements like stone wood and glass with of floor to ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings. In a lot of the Modern homes, you get the feeling that you are outdoors when you are inside them. During this time period the homes in Quaint Acres were considered the epitomy of Luxury Living, much like the the New Luxury Homes are thought of today. 

 In the 1950's and early 1960's, Silver Spring subdivisions like Quiant Acres and Neighboring Springbrook were considered to be Silver Spring's "Potomac".  

If you love these types of homes, as this DC area Blogger does, a drive through Quaint Acres in Silver Spring might make your day!

 Quaint Acres
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
 

 
Located off New Hampshire Avenue near White Oak, the neighborhood is bordered by Northwest Branch Park. There are 156 Homes. Most were built between 1948 and 1974 and each lot is a little over an acre The oldest home is the original farmhouse built in 1853 where Quaint Acres Drive and Applegrove Rd meet inside the Entrance to the Subdivision. The homes are great examples of custom Mid-Century Modern Houses and no two are alike. This is a quiet, lovely neighborhood, where you can still find homes set back from the street on gorgeous, large, wooded lots, and NO McMansions! what-so-ever.

                                                              2 Famous Pioneer Women called Quaint Acres Home


Rachael Carson , this pioneer activist stirred up controversy with her book "Silent Spring " She wrote the book in her house in the Quaint Acres Neighborhood of Silver Spring, Md. This fairly modest rambler with english basement was built in 1957 and sits on a heavily wood lot of a little over an acre. A Conservation park in Brookville and an elementary school in Gaithersburg are named after Carson. Rumor has it that Rachel Carson lived in a cape cod style home on Williamsburg Drive in the Woodmoor Subdivision of Silver Spring, Md 20901, many years before moving to her "Quaint Acres" house.

Another Controversial woman and 1st Female Senator, Margaret Chase Smith , also lived in the Quaint Acres Neighborhood, just around the corner from Carson. This home, a mid century Modern style house with lots of glass sits on 1.05 Acres and was built in 1951.  "After many years of moving, Senator Smith finally found a permanent home in the Washington suburbs. In 1952 she began renting the lower level of a house located in Quaint Acres, Silver Spring, Maryland and owned by her Executive Assistant, William C. Lewis, Jr. Senator Smith continued to live there until she left Congress in 1973. In subsequent years, she stayed at the home during travels to Washington. She inherited the house in 1982, following the death of Bill Lewis. Senator Smith donated the property to Northwood University." It has since been sold twice. The house appears unaltered today and looks the same as it did in this old photo, taken of Ms. Smith, from the back of the house.

" Back in Quaint Acres , we had the original Quaintance house that guarded the orchards in that rolling terrain and many of the fruit trees. Margaret Chase Smith was there, the first woman senator and a person of stature, kindness, grace and seemingly inexhaustible patience for the kids in the neighborhood. Another lady of the neighborhood was soft-spoken, gentle-souled Rachel Carson, who lived in the house with the terrariums and found objects from the forest. I used to play in her house with her nephew Roger. Once, catching me idly digging at an ant hill, she explained what the ants do, how, why; and, by extension, how we should behave toward all creatures, and why." . . . . 
Robert Aubry Davis

Robert Aubry Davis is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, and an eighth-generation Washingtonian. He hosts WETA's arts program Around Town on TV 26 and Millennium of Music on 90.9 FM.


Search All Homes for Sale Now in the Quaint Acres Neighborhood

Like New, Neat and Sparkling Clean with 3 Bedrooms,a full Master Bedroom Bath, a full Hall Bath, a First Floor Powder Room and another 1/2 Bath in the Finished Basement. There is Lots of Space in This Gorgeous Townhouse located in the Picturesque Town of Westminster, the Carroll County, Maryland Seat. It is Seconds to Historic McDaniel College (The Ravens Football Team practices here in the Summer!) This Townhouse Development Backs to Wakefield Valley Golf Course homes. It is a Quiet Country area with Beautiful views and a Quaint main street small town.

           Check out the inside and more info 
                     www.MedinahCircle.com

Since my recent post about the Oldest House in Silver Spring an EVEN OLDER ONE has come on the market for sale. It's the original Kinsman Farmhouse out Colesville Road between 4 corners and Burnt Mills.  It dates back to 1783!, and I thought 1833 was OLD!! It's on almost an acre hidden from the Road in the midst of  newer houses and townhouses. Check out the MLS listing on it, you won't believe the restoration that's been done on this 7 Bedroom, 2 1/2 Bath, 2 Fireplace Historic House or the fact that it is OVER 200 years old and is in the 4 Corners/Northwood Park area of Silver Spring.