A rare historical photograph, shared by Suzy Deppa and taken by Bruce Deppa, offers a unique window into the landscape of Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village as it existed in 1964. The colorless image captures a time before the area’s modern development, showcasing a more rural, open landscape that has since been transformed.
The photo provides fascinating context for current residents, with labels indicating what the roads are called today (Quince Orchard Rd., I-270, 355h). Notably, the image shows the original layout of the cloverleaf interchange, much of which was later removed to create the park-n-ride lot and a new southbound entry from Clopper Road. The area that would become the Lakeforest Mall is also visible, located above Route 355 in the photo.
The lower right corner of the photograph marks the location where the Motel 6 and Criswell car dealership now stands. While Gaithersburg High School is also part of the region’s history, the photo’s scope doesn’t extend far enough to include it.
The image holds a personal significance for the Deppa family. Suzy Deppa’s grandfather owned the property where the Holiday Inn is now located, and he operated a nursery called Country Gardens there from 1947 to 1967. Her father, who grew up on the property, took the photo as a way to document the area, creating a valuable piece of local history.
