La Belle Avenue

Up until 1941, the street along this site was officially known as La Belle Avenue, but Berwyn Heights residents called it St. Ann's Hill after a summer home on the highest point of Berwyn Heights. Edward Graves built the residence in 1888, and from 1897 to 1956 it served as a summer residence for pre-school orphans from St. Ann's Orphanage of the District Columbia. Although St. Ann's Infant Asylum operated only during the hot summer months, local residents kept the nickname alive because the hill was also known as the area's most popular sledding trail. La Belle Avenue was renamed Pontiac Street when the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission changed street names in Berwyn Heights.

Berwyn Heights, Maryland · United States