In 1949 the town established a police force. Prior to that time law and order were maintained by marshals, one of whom had been a Mr. Page. Mr. Page’s son, George W. Page, Sr., had served at one time as a volunteer policeman, purchasing his own uniform and using his own car. He was named police chief when the paid force was established. Typical of the diversity of Edmonston’s residents, George Page later became a council member and mayor of the town. The town still has its own police department.
The current town hall was constructed in 1957, underwent some additions in subsequent years, and finally, in 1992, was renovated. The building holds police offices, a conference room, reception area, storage space, administrative offices and a large meeting room.
Paulette & Jospeh Horan
Long overdue flood relief came in the 1950’s, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiated a flood control project which included parts of Hyattsville, Edmonston, Riverdale, and Bladensburg.
In the 1960’s, the beginning of a political tradition began when Mary Giannakis was elected town treasurer, a position she held for 10 years. Her husband, Z. Steve Giannakis, became a council member and, later, the first finance officer for the town. In 1983, voters elected their daughter, Paulette Horan, as the town’s first woman mayor. A short time later the mayor’s husband, Joseph, was elected to the town council, making them the first wife and husband mayor and council member team in the state.
The first apartment project in the town was the Fountain Park Apartments, a 156 one- and two-bedroom unit development facing Kenilworth Avenue and constructed in 1965.
