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History · North Brentwood

North Brentwood dates to 1924, and 26% of its homes were built before 1940

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 128 buildings. Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1930.

1924founded
1on the National Register
26%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How North Brentwood began

When was North Brentwood founded?

1924

North Brentwood dates its founding to 1924 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 641 in 19302020 census: 593102 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓

What stands out about North Brentwood’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe North Brentwood Historic District takes in 128 historic buildings.A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of North Brentwood are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19003 editions of the USGS map, 1900 to 1979. Watch North Brentwood change.Boom and bustPeaked at 864 in 1960; 593 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

1 listing protects 128 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
128
each building in a district counts
first listed
2003
North Brentwood Historic District
North Brentwood Historic District
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Late Victorian1
Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements1
Gothic Revival1
Vernacular I-House1
North Brentwood Historic DistrictLate Victorian

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Start North Brentwood’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how North Brentwood’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

North Brentwood on the map, 1900 to 1979

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of North Brentwood. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

North Brentwood on the 1900 USGS mapNorth Brentwood on the 1934 USGS mapNorth Brentwood on the 1979 USGS map1900Washington 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 North Brentwood.

The story

How North Brentwood came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of North Brentwood.

Read it all →

The town is named after the Brentwood estate built in 1817 by Robert Brent in Northeast Washington, D.C. The town was originally settled by African-American veterans of the American Civil War, who purchased lots from their former commander, Capt. Wallace A. Bartlett, beginning in 1887.

Chapters19th centuryIncorporationFirst electionGrowthHistoric sites

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

North Brentwood, 1900 to 1975

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1900On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1924
    FoundingNorth Brentwood is established
  4. 1960CensusPopulation peaks at 864
  5. 1975Born hereBeethaeven Scottland is born here
By decade

North Brentwood, decade by decade

Today6 recent
North Brentwood Community Center2025North Brentwood Community CenterFirst Baptist Church of2025First Baptist Church ofBrentwood AME Zion Church2025Brentwood AME Zion ChurchU.S. 1 NW Branch Bridge 20212021U.S. 1 NW Branch Bridge 2021Capital Subdivision NW Branch Bridge 20212021Capital Subdivision NW Branch Bridge 2021MDMap-doton-NorthBrentwood2004MDMap-doton-NorthBrentwood
People over time

North Brentwood, census by census

020040060080019401960198020002020Peak: 864

Peaked at 864 in 1960; 593 people lived here in 2020.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on North Brentwood’s Wikipedia page.

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

BrentwoodIts storyC+Hyattsville5 historic placesA−

Questions about North Brentwood’s history

What year was North Brentwood founded?

In 1924, according to Wikidata. the census of 1930 counted 641 people here.

What is on the National Register in North Brentwood?

One place: the North Brentwood Historic District (listed 2003).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

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 Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.