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University Park Historic District (Boundary Increase)University Park Historic District (Boundary Increase) · Photo: Pubdog · Public domain
A−History
History · University Park

University Park dates to 1936, and 30% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns. What drives it

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 1,149 buildings. Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1940.

1936founded
1on the National Register
30%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How University Park began

When was University Park founded?

1936

University Park dates its founding to 1936 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1940.

First census: 878 in 19402020 census: 2,45490 years

How historic is University Park?

A−

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives University Park’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, University Park is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of University Park’s overall grade.
Founding era1936, from Wikidata: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 194030.4% of homes (±2.6) · typical MD town 3.3% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register1 listing, 1,149 historic buildings, 4,259 per 10,000 residents · typical MD town 0.9 · U.S. 2.4A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 75%
NewerOlder

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 University Park’s 4,259 sits above most of its state (100% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 1,149 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.6 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1936.

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 University Park’s past

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

A historic districtThe University Park Historic District takes in 1,149 historic buildings.A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of University Park 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 University Park change.Old housesHalf of University Park’s homes were built before 1944.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

1 listing protects 1,149 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1,149
each building in a district counts
first listed
1996
University Park Historic District
University Park Historic District
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Colonial Revival1
Tudor Revival1
Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival1
Bungalow/Craftsman1
Contemporary1
University Park Historic DistrictColonial Revival

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

Help out

Start University Park’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how University Park’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

University Park on the map, 1900 to 1979

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

University Park on the 1900 USGS mapUniversity Park on the 1934 USGS mapUniversity Park 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 University Park.

The story

How University Park came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of University Park.

Read it all →

University Park was developed on land owned by the Deakins family since the mid-1700s. The house known as Deakins Hall or Bloomfield was constructed on the land in the 1820s or 1830s. It is located at 6404 Queens Chapel Road. The farm was purchased by the University Park Company in 1923. The extension of water and sewer lines into area at that time prompted the subdivision of the Deakins tract. The developers promised a community of single-family homes without the intrusion of commercial facilities. Restrictive covenants were placed on the deeds and all house plans had to be approved by the developers. Homebuyers were attracted to University Park due to its high elevation and lush vegetation. The developers also agreed to provide streetlights and trash removal for a 10-year period, and constructed a school in the mid-1920s.

ChaptersSeptember 11 attacks

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

University Park, 1900 to 1938

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. 1936
    FoundingUniversity Park is established
  4. 1938Born hereMurray Arnold is born here
By decade

University Park, decade by decade

Today3 recent
University Park Elementary School2025University Park Elementary SchoolUniversity Park Church of the Brethren2025University Park Church of the BrethrenUniversityParkMDTownHall2010UniversityParkMDTownHall
People over time

University Park, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,00019401960198020002020Peak: 3,098

Between 878 and 3,098 people in every census since 1940.

9 censuses, 1940–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Old corners

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
College Heights

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Hyattsville5 historic placesA−Adelphi1 historic placeB−College Park4 historic placesBRiverdale Park4 historic placesA−

Questions about University Park’s history

What year was University Park founded?

In 1936, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1940 counted 878 people here.

How does University Park rank for history?

University Park is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns. 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 University Park?

One place: the University Park Historic District (listed 1996).

How old are the homes in University Park?

30% of University Park’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.6 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1944.

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).

From Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikidata (1), 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.