Author: Amy Lusignan

MoCo History

MoCo’s Population Rivaled LA and Houston in the 1950s

By Amy Lusignan

During the post-war boom in the 1950s, Montgomery County’s population more than doubled in size and rivaled the population booms of  Los Angeles and Houston. The number of residents in the County had shot up from 164,401 to 340,928, increasing by 107%.

The thriving job market in MoCo helped facilitate its growing population. In the 1960s, multiple federal government agencies in Montgomery County, such as Walter Reed Hospital Annex and the National Institute of Health, continually employed professional workers. Other private businesses like IBM Federal Systems, Inc. and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory were also offering work.

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Arts

Fleetwood Mac’s Song “Silver Springs” is Based on Silver Spring, MD

By Amy Lusignan

Updated on 3/12/22 with additional information

Fleetwood Mac’s song “Silver Springs” is based on Silver Spring, MD. While many of us love Nicks’ music and the song itself, the title of the song could be one of the reasons people often add an ‘s’ to the end of our beloved Montgomery County… census designated place.

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MoCo

Voice Your Concerns at the MoCo Commission for Women’s Listening Tours

By Amy Lusignan

The Montgomery Commission for Women are looking for women to speak at their Listening Tours.

The Listening Tours will take place on Zoom this year over the course of two weeks. County Executive Marc Elrich and members of the County Council will be present during the meetings. The Commission’s aim is to provide women around the county a platform to voice their concerns about social climate, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them, and any other important issues.

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Cava

Two Local Restaurant GMs Chime in on Delivery Apps in MoCo

By Amy Lusignan

Two Local Restaurant GMs Chime in on Delivery Apps in MoCo

On October 20, 2020, the Montgomery County’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) warned consumers of the fees that delivery apps charge local businesses. The Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, cited in a press release by Montgomery County, reported that the estimated fees for using Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash charged to businesses were 38% of total order costs.

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Arts

“(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville,” R.E.M. Sang in 1984

By Amy Lusignan

“(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville,” R.E.M. Sang in 1984

R.E.M. will go down in rock and roll history for their legendary hit songs. A popular favorite is “It’s the End of the World As We Know It.” When it plays, everyone in the car shouts the chorus and mumbles the rest. But while I was scrolling through a list of R.E.M’s music, I was surprised to find a lesser-known song featuring Montgomery County’s Rockville.

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MoCo

Rachel Carson, author of “Silent Spring,” lived in Montgomery County.

By Amy Lusignan

Rachel Carson, Author of “Silent Spring,” Lived in Montgomery County.

In 1956, ecologist and writer Rachel Carson moved into her new house in the White Oak area of Montgomery County at 11701 Berwick Road. She planted evergreen trees in her yard to create a natural wooded area.

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Arts

Takoma Park and Sligo Creek Helped Inspire the Novel, “Bridge to Terabithia.”

By Amy Lusignan

Although the novel “Bridge to Terabithia” by Katherine Paterson takes place in rural Virginia, the story has a surprising connection to Takoma Park and Sligo Creek. Katherine Paterson’s son David Paterson and his childhood friend Lisa Hill attended Takoma Park Elementary School together. The two main characters in “Bridge to Terabithia,” Jesse Aarons and Leslie Burke, are based on Katherine Paterson’s son and Hill.

David Paterson reminisced to the Washington Examiner how he and Hill spent their time outside of school. “We used to play together around Sligo Creek building forts and inventing games.” The idea of Leslie Burke’s tragic death in the book also originated from real life. 8 year-old Hill was struck and killed by lightning while visiting the beach with family.

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