Glen Echo dates to 1889, and 57% of its homes were built before 1940
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Clara Barton National Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark.
How Glen Echo began
When was Glen Echo founded?
Glen Echo dates its founding to 1889 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1891.
3 historic places in Glen Echo
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.
Architectural styles listings
★ Landmark
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
Questions about Glen Echo’s history
What year was Glen Echo founded?
In 1889, according to Wikidata. Glen Echo’s post office opened in 1891.
What is on the National Register in Glen Echo?
Three places: the Clara Barton National Historic Site (listed 1966), the Carousel at Glen Echo Park (1980) and the Chautauqua Tower (1980).
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Where this page comes from
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From the National Register of Historic Places (3), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.