Ed O’Hara liked living in Burtonsville so much that 21 years ago he started a special day to celebrate the Montgomery town. Burtonsville Day is always a highlight on the community’s calendar. “It’s a neat community,” said O’Hara, who continues to enjoy living in the town. “It’s a low-density area and people have a good time there.”
Save for the 36 months he spent in the Army, Larry Hairfield has called Burtonsville home for all his 65 years.
| At a glance |
| April 2011 |
| Average sold price for homes sold in ZIP code 20866: $255,840 |
| Average list price for homes sold in ZIP code 20866: $258,740 |
| Average days on market for homes sold: 154 |
| April 2010 |
| Average sold price for homes sold in ZIP code 20866: $286,653 |
| Average list price for homes sold in ZIP code 20866: $294,137 |
| Average days on market for homes sold: 57 |
“It’s like a little Mayberry,” he said. “Everybody used to know everybody else. Things change, but we still like it here.”
Located at the crossroads of Routes 29 and 198, Burtonsville is that rarest of Montgomery County commodities: an affordable, relatively sprawl-free place to live.
If you venture to Interstate 95 or nearby New Hampshire Avenue or Route 32, you likely will encounter traffic. But steer clear of the main thoroughfares, and the unincorporated town retains a charming, almost country feel.
Burtonsville Day this year is scheduled for Sept. 24. It features a charity walk-a-thon, parade, celebrity basketball game, health fair, arts and crafts, an auto “cruise-in” and even golf instruction. Of course, there’s plenty of food and live music.
Many activities are held at or near the Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center and Marilyn J. Praisner Library, both on Old Columbia Pike. They are the centerpieces of the community.
“We have activities for all ages from zero to 100,” said Carol Brown, the center’s director. “We have several senior programs that are very well-attended. There are physical fitness programs, computer classes, opportunities for them to socialize. We have programs for toddlers, youth after-school programs, lots of activities for everyone.”
Burtonsville has been populated since Colonial times. It was named after Isaac Burton, who in 1825 became the major landowner in the area. Old Ike and his wife had 17 children, the story goes, many of whom stayed in the area as adults.
The Burtonsville they would find today is a larger, much faster-paced place, but still small in comparison with its neighbors. Shopping is nearby in Columbia or Laurel, and there are some tasty restaurants, like Cuba de Ayer, in town. Try the Cuban sandwich and fried yucca — you won’t regret it.
With a median house sale price of $255,000 in April, Burtonsville is pretty affordable.
“You have a bit of everything in Burtonsville,” said John Burgess, broker with Realty Executives Premier. “You’ve got a few condos, you’ve got townhouses and you’ve got your single-family homes. You’re able to get properties with multiple acres of land, but the affordability still is quite good. You do get a buffet of choices there.”
What’s surprising to many is the ease with which Baltimore is accessible from Burtonsville. Route 198, or Spencerville Road, leads directly to I-95 without having to deal with Beltway traffic. Plus, the Intercounty Connector, while not splitting Burtonsville, will be easily accessible just a few miles away.
Not that Hairfield is going anywhere. He and his wife, Jamie, raised three kids in Burtonsville, one of whom still lives there. A member of the local Lions Club, he sometimes gets aggravated by the area traffic and his tax bills, but, without a doubt, the pros outweigh the cons.
“Burtonsville,” he said, “is home.”
Top reasons to live in Burtonsville
Transportation crossroads
The list of major thoroughfares that surround Burtonsville reads like a what’s what of D.C.-area roads. Routes 29, 198 and 32, Interstate 95, and the new Intercounty Connector make it one of the most easily accessible communities in Montgomery County.
Sense of community
Burtonsville Day has been a staple of the community for 21 years. “What makes it so great,” said Carol Brown, director of the Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center, “is that it’s planned by the community for the community.”
Schools
Most Burtonsville children are in the Montgomery County Public Schools system, including Paint Branch High School, Benjamin Banneker Middle School, and either Burtonsville or Greencastle elementary schools.
