things to see and do

Mount Rainier has been listed as an historic area, due to its history not only as a primary streetcar suburb of Washington DC, but also due to the vast number of Sears houses and Craftsman-style homes, many of which have been restored.

There is a lively arts district in the town, which has made a point to provide affordable housing for artists and to showcase their work. Mount Rainier Day, held in May, is one day in which the artistic community opens its doors to the public. Other artists are not just the visual sort - the town is home to at least one Helen Hayes Award-winner for theatrical direction, as well as the duet Emma's Revolution. Two of the artists in the artists' housing have opened a cafe, which along with wraps, coffee, and wine, serves a diverse menu of poetry, song, and discussion.

Joe's Movement Emporium is the community performing arts center of World Arts Focus, a 501(c)(3) arts oeganization whose mission is to promote participation and practice in dance, movement and performing arts traditions from around the world, using the arts as a tool for revitalizing community.

A vegetarian, organic food cooperative, Glut, has existed since the 1960s and draws people from all over the area.

Mount Rainier, along with neighboring Cottage City, has stories about the possession of a child by the devil, which became the basis for the movie The Exorcist. ACCORDING TO LOCAL LORE, THE HOME OF THE BOY WAS LOCATED AT 33rd AND BUNKER HILL (NOW A PARK WITH A GAZEBO).

There are a number of interesting geological issues in the town, including springs that run underground.

The famous science fiction author Andre Norton once owned a bookstore here.

Historic Mount Rainier
The city is a designated National Register Historic District, and also includes the following county-designated historic sites. The following link provides information about each site.

National Register Historic District
Bellman House, 4012 33rd St
Richards House, 3806 30th St
Thomas W. Smith Farmhouse, 3426 Newton
Ziegler Cottage, 3424 Newton
St. James Catholic Church, 3700 Rhode Island Ave.
Prince George’s Bank, 3800 34th St.

Sears Mail-Order Houses in Mount Rainier

Sears offered mail-order houses through its “Honor Bilt Modern Homes” catalog. In addition to the materials, Sears also offered financing. The sale of the homes ended in 1940 during the mortgage foreclosure crisis of the Great Depression. The catalog listed a variety of styles, each with a name (see list below). The buyer would receive blueprints and instructions for installation of heating, plumbing, and electrical.  They were marketed as easy to construct. All wood components were pre-cut and shipped to the site along with nails, screws, siding, roofing shingles, interior wall and floor sheathing, window sashes, decorative interior moldings, doors, floors, and paint.  Plumbing and wiring were available but at added cost. Sears did not supply plaster or masonry. “Sheet plaster,” the forerunner of drywall, was available at extra cost.
Materials were shipped by rail and deliveries were timed to arrive as needed; therefore, the materials did not sit waiting at the construction site.
Other companies offered mail-order houses: Alladin and Montgomery Ward being an examples. Sears also offered a selection of homes of lower quality and cost than the Honor Bilt Modern Homes.
There are two sources for identifying Sears houses in Mount Rainier. The National Register of Historic Places  and the survey conducted by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.  More Sears houses exist in the area and confirmed examples will be added to the list as they are documented. In addition, other mail-order homes from other companies likely exist in the city.

National Register lists:
3424 Newton “Winona”
3112 Varnum. “Oak Park”
Sears, Roebuck and Company Mail Order House Survey in Prince George’s County, Maryland (M-NCPPC, by Marina King, 1988)
4115 28th. “Lakecrest”
4203 28th. “Conway”
4118 29th. “Vallonia”
4215 29th. “Vallonia”
4507 29th. “Cornell”
3004 Upshur. “Conway”
3114 Upshur. “Conway”
3207 Upshur. “Windsor”

Recreation
Skate Park, Otis and Wells Ave.
Mount Rainier Nature/Recreation Center

 “Green” Buildings and Projects in Mount Rainier
Police Department, 3249 Rhode Island Ave.
Artspace, Rhode Island Ave. and 34th St.
HIP Artist Apartments
Urban Corn Bin and Bike Co-op, 3601 Bunker Hill Road
Mount Rainier Nature Center

Local Businesses in Mount Rainier