BRYAN: Mount Rainier originally started to develop when the streetcar tracks were extended from downtown Washington to inside the Maryland border.

And we are called a streetcar suburb, and that attracted White, working class families to start building businesses and homes.

By 1910, it was large enough that it was incorporated into a town.

Originally, it was Whites only, and Blacks weren't really able to buy houses here until the 1960s.

MALINDA: I moved here December 13, 1968.

Mount Rainier was White upper class, but it was old and settled, and they were not very happy to have Black folks move in.

I guess I came at the time when White flight was real, and a lot of the houses eventually got sold.

I guess about 1980, '89, Mount Rainier became about 54% Black.

BRYAN: The first African American council member was elected in 1985, first gay Mayor in 2002.

We've had a long-term African American woman as Mayor.

MALINDA: The way we look at it, those who have been Mayor?

Once a Mayor, always a Mayor.

BRYAN: There's a large contingent of Latinos now, homeowners, and there's a good number of gays and lesbians that have bought homes here.

Part of that stems from the fact that the city council was so progressive, and so that drew more progressive people and people that wanted to live in a welcoming neighborhood.

MALINDA: Residents started caring.

BRYAN: They were interested in historic preservation.

They were the ones that, that did the research to get the neighborhood designated, uh, as a Federal Registered District.

They were interested in environmental issues.

We were early adopter of recycling in the county.

They were also very interested in trees.

MALINDA: Some call us tree-huggers, but it's okay.

We love our trees.

We have a tree commission.

We have one of the best tree canopies in the whole area.

BRYAN: Over the years, as new, young people have moved in, and people that want to live here because of the progressive nature of the town, it's really changed.

MALINDA: It's the perfect place to live.

It's the perfect place to raise kids.

Where else would you want to live?