Local Legacy: McClanahan Park's Hidden History

In an oft forgotten garden, at the small intersection of Oliver Street and Jamestown Road, lies a small plaque that pays tribute to an elusive man of local lore.

Calvin “Mac” McClanahan was a councilman from Hyattsville's Ward 4 neighborhood around 1975, according to Communication Manager Abby Sandel. McClanahan served on the council for a couple of years, Sandel said.

But that's nearly all that’s known about McClanahan ... and the landmark that honors him.

The plaque reads, “Dedicated to the memory of his outstanding service to the city of Hyattsville and the state” and also notes that it was donated by the Young Men's Democratic Club of Prince George’s County.

But the club doesn’t have a record of McClanahan's service either.

Chick Wyan, a previous YMDC president, has no recollection of the plaque or the man it honors. And the club doesn’t have a historian.

“All I know is that his widow, Ann, lived in their home on Oliver Street until 2009,” said , a resident who has documented much of Hyattsville’s history. She recalled information that was published in The Sentinel.

According to Damron, on Oct. 2, 1992, Ann McClanahan attended a ceremony near their home to dedicate the park ... perhaps. The photo of the ceremony contains no date.

According to records, McClanahan lived from Nov. 24, 1925, until this death on June 29, 1992, but the cause of death was not published.

The McClanahan Memorial Park may hold the most shrouded treasure in Hyattsville, waiting to be uncovered. 

Patch will feature these memorials regularly.