Chillum is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, bordering Washington, D.C., and Montgomery County.

In addition to being its own unincorporated neighborhood, Chillum is also a census-designated place covering a larger area than the Chillum neighborhood. As of the 2010 census, the Chillum CDP included Chillum, as well as the adjacent unincorporated communities of Avondale, Carole Highlands, Green Meadows, and Lewisdale. The population was 36,039 at the 2020 census.

Chillum, the neighborhood, is contained between the Northwest Branch Anacostia River to the east, East West Highway (MD 410) and Sligo Creek to the north, New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) to the west, and Eastern Avenue NE to the south. Chillum borders the adjacent communities of Avondale, Green Meadows, and Carole Highlands in Prince George's County as well as the city of Takoma Park in Montgomery County, and the Riggs Park (also known as "Lamond Riggs"), Queens Chapel, and North Michigan Park neighborhoods of Northeast Washington D.C. Actor Jonathan Banks is from Chillum.

Geography Chillum is located at (38.968210, −76.979046).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.94%, is water. Chillum is unincorporated and does not have its own zipcode; therefore it relies on its neighboring city of Hyattsville for its postal addresses/ zipcodes. While a vast majority of the residents living in/ businesses located in Chillum, MD are assigned the Hyattsville postal zipcodes of either 20782, or 20783, there are a few residents living on the far west side of Chillum/ businesses located very close to New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650) and the Prince George's/ Montgomery County Line, bordering the city of Takoma Park, MD, are assigned the Takoma Park, MD zipcode of 20912. Residents of Chillum that are assigned Takoma Park's 20912 zipcode have Takoma Park addresses though they are not even located within Takoma Park's boundaries. All of the other residents living in / businesses located in Chillum, have Hyattsville addresses.

History Chillum takes its name from "Chillum Castle Manor," the land patent established in 1763, by William Dudley Digges. It included lands in the present-day District of Columbia and in Prince George's County, and was composed of previously established land patents such as Henrietta Maria, Widows Purchase, Yarrow and Yarrow Head. Chillum Castle Manor was named after Chilham Castle, the old home of Sir Dudley Digges, an ancestor of William Dudley Digges, in Kent, England."HONORS TO L'ENFANT," The Washington Post, Oct 1, 1904, pg. 15.

The manor house for the Henrietta Maria parcel was named Green Hill. It was home to William Dudley Digges and was the place where Pierre L'Enfant, designer of nearby Washington, D.C., died in destitution in 1825. He remained buried at the Green Hill property until being re-interred at Arlington National Cemetery in 1909.Maj. L'Enfant's Forgotten Grave," by T. Loftin Snell, The Washington Post, Jul 30, 1950, pg. B3. The Green Hill plantation was subsequently purchased by George Washington Riggs, who built the present Green Hill historic home in 1868.

Since this area was not served by public transportation, such as a streetcar, Chillum remained rural in character into the 1930s. Beginning in the mid-1930s, the area of Chillum that is close to the District of Columbia border was subdivided into lots. Developers promoted the area’s convenient access into the city as well as its water, gas, and electricity supply. The first platted developments in the late 1930s included Chillum Gardens and Oakdale Terrace. The developers of these communities sold the lots but left the construction of houses to the lot owners. Consequently, the communities were slow to develop. In contrast, the developer-built Green Meadows and Brookdale Manor were platted in the early 1940s and completed by 1942. Other developer-built communities begun in the 1940s include Chillumgate (1946) and Michigan Hills Park (1940s). Several subdivisions were constructed along Riggs Road, Sargent Road, and Sligo Creek Park in the 1950s, including Sargent Knolls (1950), Bel Air Estates (1955), Parkland (1955), Carrington (1957), and Miller Estates (mid-1950s-early 1960s). The street pattern of these communities are typical of their period. They have a grid pattern of streets broken by a few curvilinear roadways and cul-de-sacs. In addition to single-family residences, two apartment communities were constructed in 1949. The Chillum Heights Apartments consist of three story brick structures containing a combined total of 1,147 units. Larger-scale apartment complexes and mid-rise structures were constructed in the 1960s.The Neighborhoods of Prince George's County. Upper Marlboro: Community Renewal Program, 1974.

Government and infrastructure The Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Department (CAVFD) serves Chillum. The station is in Langley Park CDP and has an Adelphi postal address."2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Langley Park CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 31, 2018."Where We Are." Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Department. Retrieved on September 9, 2018. "The Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Department Prince George’s County, MD – Co. 34 7833 Riggs Rd, Adelphi, MD 20783" In March 1951 and June 8, 1951, the CAVFD was established and chartered, respectively. From November and March 1953 the fire station on Riggs Road was constructed; the County Volunteer Firemen's Association designated it Station No. 34. Portions of Station No. 34 were rebuilt in the early 1960s, and it was rededicated on November 16, 1963. In 1962 the CAVFD began building a substation, No. 44, which was dedicated on November 16, 1963, but in 1992 it sold the substation to the county government. PGFD Station 844 now provides fire and EMS services to the Chillum area.https://www.facebook.com/FireStation844/

Education

The Chillum CDP is served by public schools that are part of the Prince George's County Public Schools System."2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Chillum CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 31, 2018.

Elementary schools within the Chillum CDP include Chillum Elementary School, Cesar Chavez, Lewisdale, Rosa Parks, and Ridgecrest."NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2017-2018." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on January 31, 2018. Chavez was originally known as Parkway Elementary School. The school administration decided to rename the school after they found a liquor store had a similar name. - Also published in English as "School named to honor Cesar Chavez " and "Community celebrates name dedication of Cesar Chavez ." Translated into Spanish as: "Comunidad celebra nombramiento de escuela ." According to principal Adela Acosta, the community chose Chavez since he was Hispanic/Latino as was most of the school's students. The parent-teacher organization chose Chavez, the school held a public hearing on the matter on January 10, 2000, and the county board approved the name change on March 30, 2000; it was effective fall 2000.

Carole Highlands Elementary School has a Takoma Park postal address but is within the 2010-defined Langley Park CDP boundaries.Home. Carole Highlands Elementary School. Retrieved on January 31, 2018. "Carole Highlands Elementary School 1610 Hannon Street Takoma Park, MD 20912" As of the 1990 US Census and the 2000 US Census, Carole Highlands Elementary, as well as all of the Langley Park CDP areas south of Road 193, was in the Chillum CDP."CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: CHILLUM CDP." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 31, 2018. The 1990 U.S. Census Bureau Prince George's County map (index map) indicates Chillum CDP on Page 7."CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: LANGLEY PARK CDP." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 31, 2018. Carole Highlands Elementary serves parts of the current Chillum CDP.

Nicholas Orem Middle School in Hyattsville and Buck Lodge Middle School in Adelphi CDP serve sections of the CDP."NEIGHBORHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2017-2018." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on January 31, 2018. Northwestern High School in Hyattsville and High Point High School in Beltsville CDP serve sections of the CDP."NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2017-2018." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on January 31, 2018.

In addition to these public schools, Chillum is also served by four private schools; the St. John's De La Salle School, Children's Guild School, Parkway School, and the George E. Peters Adventist School.

Parks and recreation The Chillum neighborhood is served by three parks:

1. Chillum Community Park (This park is located at the intersection of Ray Road and Cypress Creek Drive on the far east side of Chillum, located directly west of the Northwest Branch Anacostia River but directly south of the Sligo Creek River. This park is contained between two neighborhoods, Chillum and Avondale. The part of Chillum Community Park located west of the Northwest Branch Anacostia River is in Chillum while the part of Chillum Community Park located east of the Northwest Branch Anacostia River is in Avondale. Both sides of the Chillum Community Park consist of a small-size playground and small-size picnic pavilion. The only difference is that the Chillum Community Park contains a soccer field on the Chillum side while containing a small-size basketball court on the Avondale side.

2. Michigan Park Hills Neighborhood Park (This park is located at the intersection of Chillum Road and 15th Avenue, directly across the Chillum Community Park. This park consists of a small-size playground, tennis court, small basketball court, and two small benches.

3. Parklawn Community Park (This park is located on East West Highway directly east of where the Sligo Creek River intersects East West Highway. This small park with a playground, a county maintained park building, and direct access to the Sligo Creek Trail).

In addition to these three parks, Chillum is also served by the Rollingrest Community Center/ Splash Pool, located on Sargent Road.

Transportation

Several highways/ major intersections pass through the neighborhood, such as East West Highway (MD 410), New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650), Riggs Road (MD 212), Sargent Road (MD 211), Chillum Road (MD 501), and Eastern Avenue NE.

Though Chillum residents do not have direct access to the Washington Metro, there are several stations located within very close proximity to area, including the Fort Totten station in Washington D.C., which is served by the Red, Green and Yellow lines, and most of the bus routes that operate in the area ferry passengers to this station. The West Hyattsville station is located just outside Chillum's boundaries in Hyattsville and is served by the Green and Yellow lines of the Washington Metro.

Historic sites The following is a list of historic sites in Chillum identified by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission:M-NCPPC Illustrated Inventory of Historic Sites: Prince George's County, Maryland (Prince George's County, Maryland), 2006

Site name ImageLocation M-NCPPC Inventory Number Comment 1 Green Hill 2009 Van Buren Street 65-008 Located in Lewisdale / West Hyattsville. 1 Green Hill Overseer’s House 6606 22nd Place 65-013 Located in Lewisdale / West Hyattsville.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition