GreenbeltMuseum

Greenbelt, Maryland is a planned community built in 1937 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. One of three Green Towns built during the Great Depression, the project put struggling Americans to work, provided much needed low-income housing in the Washington, D.C. region and was a bold experiment in town planning and cooperative living. Its first residents enjoyed modern homes, schools, a pool, a library and a town center complete with cooperative businesses and a movie theater all within walking distance in a utopian park-like setting. Sadly, the community was segregated, but now celebrates its diversity. Despite nearly doubling in size to accommodate WWII era housing, and steady growth through the second half of the 20th century, Greenbelt’s original streamlined architecture, ample green space, and innovative design have been preserved and recognized as a National Historic landmark. After 75 years, the City continues to thrive even as it looks towards sustainability and the future. The Greenbelt Museum is operated as a partnership between the City of Greenbelt and the nonprofit Friends of the Greenbelt Museum. Your purchases here support the nonprofit in celebrating, preserving, and sharing the history of Greenbelt, Maryland.