Riverdale Park in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

ERCO and Calvert Homes

Town of Riverdale Park

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 28, 2018

1. ERCO and Calvert Homes Marker

Inscription. Aeronautical engineer Henry Berliner (1895-1970) founded the Engineering Research Corporation (ERCO) in 1930 and built its research and production facility just east of here in 1937. The company specialized in the design and production of a small, single-propeller craft called the Ercoupe. Like most industries during World War II, ERCO committed a significant portion of its production capability to the war effort, particularly with the manufacture of gun turrets.

The factory employed several hundred workers, many of whom lived in Calvert Homes, a project of the National Capital Housing Authority built on this property in 1942 to accommodate war-industry workers and their families. The project used modern designs and materials, and new construction methods that met wartime housing demands while using scarce resources economically. The MacAlpine house served as the administrative building for the development. At war's end, Calvert Homes continued to house some ERCO employees as well as many ex-servicemen attending the nearby University of Maryland under provisions of the GI Bill. Never intended for long-term use, the

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project's houses and infrastructure deteriorated and the entire neighborhood was demolished in the 1950s.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1930.

Location. 38° 58.174′ N, 76° 56.256′ W. Marker is in Riverdale Park, Maryland, in Prince George's County. It is at the intersection of Van Buren Street and Baltimore Avenue (U.S. 1), on the right when traveling east on Van Buren Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4439 Van Buren Street, Hyattsville MD 20782, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker:

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 28, 2018

2. ERCO and Calvert Homes Marker

MacAlpine Farm (here, next to this marker); MacAlpine Icehouse (here, next to this marker); Riversdale Plantation (a few steps from this marker); Trolley (approx. 0.2 miles away); Native American History (approx. ¼ mile away); Calvert Hills: A National Register Historic District (approx. ¼ mile away); ERCO (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Town of Riverdale Park (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Riverdale Park.

ERCO Factory, circa 1946 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 28, 2018

3. ERCO Factory, circa 1946

Close-up of photo on marker. (College Park Aviation Museum)

MacAlpine House, in Riverdale Park<br>Administration Building, Calvert Houses, 1943 image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress

4. MacAlpine House, in Riverdale Park
Administration Building, Calvert Houses, 1943

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 28, 2018

5. Ercoupe

”The plane that anyone could fly.”

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 28, 2018

6. Ercoupe

Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2018. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,148 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 29, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.