In the early 1900s, individuals were taking up residence in the hilly farmland to the northeast of Washington, D.C., along a dirt road that would become Defense Highway. They were attracted by the easy access to the federal city provided by train stations at Landover and Ardmore and by the increasing utility of automobiles.

By 1940, developers too were eyeing properties along Defense Highway. Monroe and Dorothy Warren planned a community on a tract of land bounded by Defense Highway, 68th Place, Ardmore-Ardwick Road, and the Pennsylvania Railroad (later Amtrak, now CSX). They constructed homes priced in the $3,000 to $4,000 range. Early streets in the town were muddy, the yards were muddy, and the clothing of the residents was muddy. Residents gathered to form a community association, which evolved into the Landover Hills Citizens Association. Through the efforts of the Association, the town became incorporated in 1945, and the administration of the town was established on a firm footing with a Mayor and Council and soon a Fire Department and a Police Department. (In 1980, the town charter was amended to provide for a town administrator form of government.)

Several homes were built on 70th Avenue near Parkwood Street in 1954 by a Mr. Norris, who was required to include street paving and curbs in his project. Street lights were added as the town grew, and a traffic light was installed at the entrance to the town on Defense Highway.

The decade between 1963 and 1973 saw many activities and improvements within the town. Interested residents formed Landover Aquatic Club, Inc., and built a swimming pool in 1964. That same year, the town planted 100 white pine trees along Parkwood Street, which runs along the southern boundary of the town near John Hanson Highway (U.S. Route 50).

Not unlike its fellow municipalities, Landover Hills struggles with the problem of maintaining and improving services without increasing the financial burden of its citizens. Its leaders and residents stand ready to apply the same determination that got them where they are today to the opportunities and concerns yet to come.