African-American Historic and Cultural Resources in Prince George’s County, Maryland

The Hawkins House was a two-story front-gabled dwelling of wood frame construction. The two-bay gable front was sheltered by a one-story hiproof porch that wrapped around and sheltered the long west elevation. The porch was supported by posts with jigsawn openwork brackets.

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Jeremiah Hawkins House Site 4114 Webster Street 1905–1991

This is the site of the house built for Jeremiah and Emma Florence Hawkins, two of North Brentwood’s most prominent early citizens. Representative of the modest dwellings of the town’s early building period, it was an important element of the community until it was demolished in 1991. This house, which was representative of the front-gabled dwellings built on the deep narrow lots of developing suburbs, was built in 1905 for the family of Jeremiah and Emma Florence Hawkins. Jeremiah Hawkins was born in 1864 in the rural Brandywine district of Prince George’s County. He took an early interest in politics and in 1887 began serving as a delegate to the county conventions of the Republican Party; in 1889 he served on the Republican State Central Committee. In June 1903, Jeremiah Hawkins married Emma Florence Quander, who had grown up in the rural area of Cheltenham south of Upper Marlboro. Within two years, the couple moved to Randalltown (North Brentwood) and had this house built; they operated a small dairy farm on the land adjoining their house. In 1911, Jeremiah Hawkins became chairman of the Brentwood Colored Citizens Association and served until 1922; it was largely through his efforts that the community progressed towards incorporation in 1924. At that time, Jeremiah Hawkins was elected the first mayor of the new municipality of North Brentwood. In later years, he represented Prince George’s County several more times at the Republican National Convention. After his death in 1940, Mrs. Hawkins continued to be active in the municipality, serving for many years as the town treasurer. The Hawkins family house was a good example of the front-gabled house form, but its greater significance lay in its association with Jeremiah and Emma Hawkins.

NORTH BRENTWOOD African-American Historic and Cultural Resources

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African-American Historic and Cultural Resources in Prince George’s County, Maryland

Published on Feb 9, 2012

Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission

Th is book presents individual properties and communities that are signifi cant to the African-American history of Prince George’s County. Th e 181 properties include residences, churches and cemeteries, schools, fraternal lodges, a monument, an airfi eld, an amusement park, archeological sites, and commercial establishments; the 19 historic communities include both urban subdivisions and rural villages, as well as early towns and retreat communities. For most individual properties there is at least one illustration or photograph, an architectural description, and a summary of the resource’s historic signifi cance. For each community, there is a map, graphic illustrations, and a history of the community’s development and signifi cance.