Chevy Chase Lake as the Meeting Point for Groups and Organizations
Chevy Chase Lake remained a popular venue for many different clubs and organizations. Political rallies were held at the park. Groups of hikers, such as the Wanderlust Club, met at Chevy Chase Lake. The American Legion, and various business associations held events at the park. And in the 1930s, two beauty contests were also held: for Little Miss District of DC in 1933, and Miss Washington in 1935. It was a popular spot, well-known to all. The list below represents the events that were publicized in local newspapers. We did not find publicity notices for these kinds of events during the 1920s, when the park was under the management of Meyer Davis Orchestras, and this may reflect a policy of the management team in that period.
The photograph above, however, is evidence that "informal" groups of friends met at Chevy Chase Lake, and thought it important to document their visit with two photographs: one in which everyone is sitting, and the other shown below, with everyone standing. But in this photograph, the women are showing their ankles!
Club, Group and Organizational Events at Chevy Chase Lake, 1896-1936
| 1896 | Midnight bicycle club run to CCL | Washington Post 8.21.1896 p7 |
| 1896 | Bethesda Sound Money Club | Washington Post 10.14.1896 p2 |
| 1897 | Chain and Sprocket Club run to CCL | Washington Post 6.20.1897 p19 |
| 1900 | Bethesda Sound Money Club | Washington Post 10.6.1900 p3 |
| 1900 | McKinley and Roosevelt Interstate Marching Club | Washington Post 11.3.1900 p2 |
| 1902 | Grand Council of the Royal Arcanum meeting | Washington Times 6.24.1902 p4 |
| 1902 | Fruit and Flower Guild picnic | Washington Times 9.21.1902 p6 |
| 1905 | Old Maid’s Consolation Club Picnic | Washington Times 4.30.1905 p11 |
| 1907 | Janet Richards Current Topics Talk | Washington Herald 5.24.1907 p5 |
| 1914 | Red Letter Missionary Day at CCL | Washington Times 7.29.1914 p5 |
| 1918 | Robert E. Lee Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy dance | Washington Times 5.7.1918 p13 |
| 1918 | Nebraskans in Washington & Nebraska Women's Clubs | Washington Post 7.28.1918 p20 |
| 1919 | Robert E. Lee Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy dance | Washington Post 5.12.1919 p10 |
| 1919 | Navy Dept. Doughnut Dance | Washington Times 5.22.1919 p11 |
| 1919 | Booklover’s Club Picnic Supper | Washington Times 6.10.1919 |
| 1919 | Wanderlusters Hike began at CCL | Washington Times 6.18.1919 |
| 1932 | 20th Century Club nature section meets at CCL | Washington Post 10.2.1932 pS7 |
| 1933 | Sorority Night at CCL | Washington Post 7.17.1933 p2 |
| 1933 | Little Miss DC Contest held at CCL | Washington Post 7.26.1933 p14 |
| 1933 | Front Line Post benefit dance held at CCL | Washington Post 7.30.1933 pS10 |
| 1935 | Chevy Chase Women’s Club event | Washington Post 4.7.1935 pS10 |
| 1935 | Southern MD District American Legion dance | Washington Post 8.23.1935 p16 |
| 1935 | Finals for Miss DC Contest | Washington Post 8.30.1935 p7 |
| 1936 | Miss DC Contest held at CCL | Washington Post 7.31.1936 pX14 |
