This collection of documents includes histories, maps, materials related to the Burleith Citizens Association, press clips, and other miscellaneous documents. Above on the left is a document, probably dating to the early 1950s, advertising the sale of Edgar Farr Russell's A Short History of Burleith at the Western Pharmacy, located on the northeast corner of 35th Street and Reservoir Road. The building is now a private home and dates back to Civil War times. To the right is the Burleith coat-of-arms. It was designed by Edgar Farr Russell in the late 1950s and was adopted by the Burleith Citizens Association as the coat-of-arms for the neighborhood. Edgar Farr Russell described it as follows:
"The coat-of-arms of Burleith is divided vertically into two halves. The right half, as the shield is carried, depicts the arms of George Washington and the District of Columbia. The left half shows the arms of Maryland, because the present District of Columbia was formed from Maryland’s territory. The lions head, as the crest of the helmet, represents Great Britain, which at one time owned all of Maryland."

Burleith Histories

The Story of Burleith, © Shannon & Luchs, 1926
This document was given to the BCA by Janet Farella, the granddaughter of Burleith "first family" William and Mildred Littlejohn, the original owners of 3819 S Street.

Burleith Homes, Why They Are Different, © Shannon & Luchs, 1926

A Short History of Burleith, Edgar Farr Russell, © 1955 Burleith Citizens Association (Washington, DC)
This first edition was published in July 1955.

A Short History of Burleith, Edgar Farr Russell, © 1971 Potomac Current
This article appeared in the June 17, 1971, issue of the Potomac Current.

A Short History of Burleith, Edgar Farr Russell, © 1973 Burleith Citizens Association (Washington, DC)
In May 1973, Edgar Farr Russell published this updated version of his 1955 history as part of Burleith's 50th anniversary celebrations.

History of Burleith, Ann Lange, © 1985 Burleith Citizens Association (Washington, DC)
This account of Burleith history was published in three parts in the April, May, and June 1985 Burleith newsletters. Author and Burleith resident Ann Lange was an editor for the Bureau of National Affairs.

Burleith Maps

Burleith in 1887
In 1849, Richard Smith Cox inherited 55 acres north of New Cut Road (now Reservoir Road). Richard built a two-story brick house, "Burleith," which stood where the Washington International School now stands. In 1887, the Washington Post published this map of Burleith. Richard Cox's "Burleith" can be seen in section 133. Some of the street names have changed: 39th, 38th, and 37th Streets bear their modern names, but U, V, and W Streets are now known as R, S, and T Streets, respectively.  

Undated Burleith Map
At its monthly meeting on December 8, 1925, the Burleith Citizens Association extended the boundaries of Burleith to the "original" limits as follows: Wisconsin Avenue, Reservoir Road, 39th Street, and W Street. Based on this undated map of Burleith showing two segments (A to the east of 39th Street and B to the west of 39th Street), the BCA may have extended the boundaries of Burleith to all of segment A.
 
Burleith in 1940
Another map of Burleith appeared in the October 7, 1940, issue of the Washington Post and shows that the 1925 boundaries of the neighborhood were still in force. Charlie Volkman, a longtime resident of Burleith, recalled that as a child growing up he always knew that the boundaries of Burleith extended eastward to Wisconsin Avenue. It is unknown when or why the eastern boundary was retracted to 35th Street, a mystery for historical research.  

Burleith in 1954
By the time Edgar Farr Russell wrote his Short History of Burleith in 1955, the boundaries of the neighborhood had apparently assumed their modern limits as shown on this map.  

Burleith in 1961
This 1961 map appears to be taken from Edgar Farr Russell's 1954 map with some additions. It is unknown who made the additions, but they are interesting from a historical perspective.  

Burleith Citizens Association 

The Burleith Citizens Association was founded by 11 original residents of the new Shannon & Luchs Burleith Development who organized the citizens of the new development and adopted a constitution in January 1925. Although this constitution appears to be lost, several versions of the Association's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws are collected here.

Bylaws, 1973
This is a draft of the Bylaws of the Burleith Citizens Association. The document is unsigned but probably dates to 1973.

Articles of Incorporation, 1973
On April 27, 1973, these Articles of Incorporation were issued to the Burleith Citizens Association pursuant to the District of Columbia Non-profit Corporation Act.

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, 2014
On July 9, 2014, a certificate of amendment to the Articles of Incorporation was issued to the Burleith Citizens Association. The Articles of Amendment were emailed to the BCA membership on November 7, 2013, and adopted by the membership at the BCA Annual Meeting on November 14, 2013.

Bylaws, 2013
The revised Bylaws of the BCA were emailed to the BCA membership on November 7, 2013, and adopted by the membership at the BCA Annual Meeting on November 14, 2013. The BCA membership voted on and accepted the amended and restated bylaws of the association.

Bylaws, 2016
The BCA Board of Directors approved the addition of the phrase “including safeguarding the neighborhood's heritage” to Article 1, Section 3 Purpose.

Bylaws, 2019
The revised Bylaws of the BCA were emailed to the BCA membership on October 29, 2019, and adopted by the membership at the BCA Annual Meeting on November 7, 2019.

Other Items of Historical Interest

Burleith in the 1930 Census: Just two years after the last Shannon & Luchs Burleith home was built, the 1930 Census provides a unique insight into the early inhabitants of the Burleith development. More →

Shannon & Luchs Advertisement, Evening Star, June 23, 1923

Extract from WPA (Works Progress Administration) Guide, circa 1936

Shall Glover-Archbold be Destroyed, Potomac Valley Conservation and Recreation Council, 1954

Celebrating a Village in the City, Washington Post, June 4, 1973

Burleith Citizens Association, Potomac Current, June 21, 1973

Burleith History Quiz, from 50th Anniversary Picnic, June 1973

Daniel Boone, The Oregon Trail, and the T St. Story Lady: A Burleith Mystery Solved, Potomac Current, April 11, 1974

Viewpoints: 2-Hour Parking, a Plan or a Ban?, The Board of Trade News, September 1977

Potluck and Popsicles at Burleith Picnic, Washington Post, June 11, 1979

Burleith is a cool spot in Georgetown’s shadow, Washington Post, April 28, 2016

BCA: Promoting Civic Betterment in Burleith, The Georgetowner, February 7, 2018

Miscellaneous

Letter to all Georgetown University Students and Citizens Living in Burleith, regarding Noise, April 28, 1983
This letter signed by the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs and by the BCA President references the legal limits for daytime (as well as nighttime) noise.

Talk by John Burke, May 15, 1985
This is a transcription of a talk given to a BCA Regular Community Meeting on May 14, 1985, by longtime Burleith resident John Burke and re-taped on May 15, 1985. John Burke lived at 3611 R Street. In Edgar Farr Russell's A Short History of Burleith (1955), he writes "The old Bourke house, with its attractive garden on the west side, at 3611 R, is still the home of the Bourkes." Burke may be a misspelling of John's last name. The 1930 census records show John J. Bourke (head of household, age 52), Susan (wife, age 53), Mary (daughter, age 23), and Patricia (daughter, age 12) living at 3611 R Street. In this talk, John Burke talks about his younger sister "Pat." Presumably John Burke is a son of John J. Bourke, but somehow he was not counted in the 1930 census.

Burleith Garden Club, 1983–1999
A letter written from Marguerite Cunningham to Pat Scolaro describing the Burleith Garden Club during the time period 1983–1999. It focuses on contributions by Bonnie Hardy to the Garden Club.