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Kensington was incorporated as a summer retreat town in 1894 when Washington, D.C., real-estate developer Brainard Warner began purchasing parcels of land and molding them into a Victorian community, which he named Kensington Park.

The community was one of a string of railroad towns that sprouted along the old Baltimore & Ohio line around the turn of the century.

Local Government
Kensington Town Hall
3710 Mitchell St.
Kensington, MD 20895
www.tok.md.gov
301-949-2424
Kensington is governed by a mayor — elected every two years — and four council members who serve staggered two-year terms.
Town Council meetings are held at 7 p.m. the first and last Monday of the month at Town Hall.
Mayor: Peter Fosselman
Council members: Sean McMullen, John Thompson, Sharon Scott and Mary Donatelli
Town Manager: Sanford Daily
Town Clerk-Treasurer: Susan Engels

Other area Governments
Founded in the 1880s, Garrett Park is a residential enclave of 365 homes and 4 miles of roads, straddling the stretch of Strathmore Avenue near Rockville Pike. Incorporated in 1898, the town is known for its eclectic architecture — from Victorian to Swiss chalets and 1920s bungalows — and its communal ethos. Residents here have no home mail delivery so the post office in the recently renovated Penn Place building serves as the town's unofficial community center. Upstairs you'll find Black Market Bistro, an upscale café that has made Garrett Park a dining destination.

Town of Garrett Park
Garrett Park Town Office
4600 Waverly Ave.
Garrett Park, MD 20896
301-933-7488
www.garrettpark-md.gov
All elected officials serve two-year terms. Elections are every year on the first Monday of May. Council meets at 8 p.m. the second Monday of each month at Town Hall,10814 Kenilworth Ave.
Mayor: Chris Keller
Council members: Charles Berry, Solange Bitol Hansen, Beth Irons, Jack Mandel and Hans Wegner
Town administrator: Ted Pratt

Local Organizations
Coalition of Kensington Communities
Donna R. Savage:
301-942-2447 or
Donna@intelligentfingers.com
The coalition is an umbrella group for 10 neighborhood associations located around the Town of Kensington. Group meetings are held the last Thursday of every other month starting in January and often focus on development and other civic issues.

Garrett Park Citizens Association
www.garrettpark.org
gpws@garrettpark.org
Matt Stavish, president: 301-946-7082
The community forum for Garrett Park's 900-plus residents has monthly meetings, usually the last Wednesday of the month, and sponsors the town's Web site. The association also holds nominations for the town's yearly elections.

Garrett Park Intercommunity Voluntary Experiment in Sharing (GIVES)
Glenda Ingham: 301-933-5689
A community nonprofit that raises funds donated to the American Friends Service Committee and Zacchaeus Soup Kitchen in Washington, D.C.

Kensington Business District Association
Dennis McCurdy: 301-933-1551
Advocates for more than 90 businesses in the area to the Kensington Town Council.
www.kbda.org

Kensington Historical Society
P.O. Box 453
Kensington 20896
Julia O'Malley
info@kensingtonhistory.org
The society's mission is to safeguard the town's heritage by preserving a record of its culture and architecture, supporting preservation efforts and encouraging restoration of its historic sites and structures. It meets three times a year in January, October and April.

Kensington Lions Club
Lauren Morrison
lionlaurie@verizon.net
301-802-6927
The club is involved in many projects to benefit the disabled, veterans and victims of domestic violence.

Local schools
The Albert Einstein and Walter Johnson clusters include a total of 11 elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools. For a full list of schools, see page 30.

Police
Kensington is served by the Wheaton-Glenmont district. For a list of police stations, see page 11.

Fire services
Kensington is served by the Kensington Volunteer Fire Department, which runs four fire stations. For a list of stations, see page 20.

Libraries
The Kensington Park and Noyes Children's libraries are part of the county library system. For a list of libraries, see page 22.

Business
The town is served by the Wheaton-Kensington Chamber of Commerce. For a full list of chambers, see page 14.