Forest Heights dates to 1949, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 26% of U.S. towns · #155 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 10 buildings. Most of Forest Heights was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1954. Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1950.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Forest Heights is more historic than 26% of U.S. towns, #155 of 261 in Maryland. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Forest Heights’ overall grade.
Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Forest Heights’ 49.2 sits above most of its state (80% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 13 historic buildings outnumber those of 77% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.0 points). Two sources give 1949.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Forest Heights’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Forest Heights. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1900Washington sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Forest Heights.
A few homes (such as on Huron Drive) were built in the 1930s, but most of the town developed in the 1940s and early 1950s, consisting of single-family homes with some streets of duplex homes; the Talbert Drive homes were added in the 1960s. In those days many town residents were scientists at the adjacent U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, while others were military band musicians or other Federal employees. The town's population figure declined substantially over several decades, but since 2000 is now rising again.
Two especially long-serving mayors were Clifford Armhold and Warren F. Adams.
In 1949, according to Wikidata. the census of 1950 counted 1,125 people here.
How does Forest Heights rank for history?
Forest Heights is more historic than 26% of U.S. towns, #155 of 261 in Maryland. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Forest Heights?
Three places: the Oxon Hill Manor (listed 1978), the Oxon Cove Park (2003) and the Butler House (2005).
How old are the homes in Forest Heights?
3% of Forest Heights’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.0 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1954.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2004
