For the past two weeks, most of my time has been taken up by grandchildren,  but they are back in school, and I have more time to myself. So, back on the Rhode (as no one calls it) and starting in downtown Hyattsville,  we move north.

We are still on US Route 1, but guess what? It is no longer called Rhode Island Avenue, but is now known as Baltimore Avenue.

After watching the coffee roasting at Vigilante Coffee, we start at Franklin’s Restaurant and General Store, and we look at some of the outdoor murals at their large outdoor space. If you get a chance, wandering through the store is fun.

From the Franklin tables, you see the Northwest Branch Trail heading off, and then, on a public parking lot,  you see a mural dedicated to Black civil rights.

Coming back to Route 1, you pass the Archie Edwards  Blues Heritage Foundation, located in the late guitarist’s old barber shop, where you can learn acoustic blues guitar or jam every Saturday.

Back on the route, you see the transformation underway on the opposite side, where an enormous multifamily apartment development is under construction. It will contain 285 apartments and ground floor retail. I counted the number of double windows facing the front and I came up with 45. Here is half of that development.

Here’s the other half.

The modern shops and restaurants across the street can’t wait until these buildings are occupied. This is scheduled to happen before the end of 2024, but I would not hold my breath.

There are many establishments across the street, by the way, including an organic grocery (Yes!, indeed), a Thai restaurant and Busboys and Poets,  a trendy local chain named after Langston Hughes (the busboy at an old DC hotel) and Zora Hurston (the poet).

And yes, like in Mt. Rainier and Brentwood,  we are still in an arts district, although you have to search a little.

But it was not always an arts district. Apparently, at one time, this area, because of Route 1 traffic, was called the Motor Mile, and was lined with automobile dealerships. The only reminder is the Lustine Center, now a gym and community center, but formerly, a Chevrolet dealership,  I believe.

Our final stop in the center of Hyattsville is the 1918 Maryland Armory, no longer in use as an armory. Now it’s the Crossover Church. From its website, I don’t see anything very exciting about it,  but then again, I am not the target audience.

But Hyattsville, even here on Route 1, always has more to offer. Here is the entrance to the campus of DeMatha High School, one of the region’s biggest Catholic schools.

And we end with both a wall and a bird, dedicated to the town.

And somehow the text and photos got out of sync near the end. Don’t ask me how that is possible. Pretend it’s a puzzle.

Tomorrow,  on to Riverdale.