In 2018 we created a list of “100 Things Everyone From MoCo Should Know.” We are currently working towards 1,000, but wanted to share some of our originals (including a few of our favorite social media accounts) below. We know that not all of these will apply to everyone, but we believe we’ve compiled a pretty fun list. Enjoy and stay tuned for 900 more.
1. The first Jerry’s ever was in Wheaton
2. You IMMEDIATELY correct anyone that adds an ‘s’ to Silver Spring.
3. Rio used to be home to Sportland– a place that had almost any type of game you can think of for kids in the 90s.
4. Wheaton Plaza. The outdoor mall that was located where Wheaton Mall currently is. If you’re over 35, you probably still call it that.
5. Montgomery Donuts! The local donut chain that was around from 1944 until they filed for bankruptcy in 1999.
6. You check MoCoSnow to see if there’s gonna be a SNOWWWWW DAY (or 2 hour delay), but you won’t know for sure until about 5am the day of.
7. Lakeforest is still open?
8. Dickerson Quarry
9. The Sunshine Burger is one of the best burgers you’ll ever have (Sunshine General Store).
10. Surrender Dorothy
11. 355, Rockville Pike, and Wisconsin Ave. are all the same road (we know there are more than just these names for 355).
12. The location of every speed camera.
13. Wonder Woman lives in Potomac…and she’s a big Caps fan!
14. You’re either a Stained Glass Pub, Continental, or Gentleman Jim’s fan when it comes to pizza.
15. Three inches of snow will likely give you a day off.
16. MoCo includes some of the most diverse cities in America.
17. Beverly Hills 90210 was rumored to originally be named Potomac 20854.
18. The grocery stores that actually sell beer and wine.
19. The most affordable homes in MoCo are more expensive than 95% of the country.
20. Kemp Mill Records
21. Grosvenor is pronounced GROVE-nur
22. Subs are better at Fillipo’s (formerly Marchone’s), Twinbrook Deli, and Santucci’s!
23. Roy’s Place had over 200 sandwiches on the menu!
24. You thought you were driving by Disney World or Oz when you saw the Mormon Temple.
25. Lakeforest started off with an ice skating rink then replaced it with a movie theater before finally taking it out for the food court that’s still there today.
26. You follow The MoCoShow (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook) for all of your MoCo news, history, and entertainment.
27. Putt-Putt was the best mini-golf spot to ever exist.
28. California Tortilla, CAVA, and Moby Dick were all founded in MoCo.
29. Sylvester Stallone and his family lived in a home on Seminary Rd. in Silver Spring for a decade when he was growing up.
30. Where you can feed Porky the Litter Eater and Billy the Litter Eater (Cabin John and Wheaton Regional Parks).
31. A plastic bag will cost you 5¢.
32. The first Toys R Us in the world was on Rockville Pike!
33. MoCo liquor license #1 belongs to Hank Dietle’s.
34. Matthew Lesko, the question mark guy, lives in MoCo!
35. Even if you’re number has a 240 area code…your area code is 301.
36. Tastee Diner at the end of a night out.
37. F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of the Great Gatsby, is buried in Rockville.
38. GEICO auto insurance is headquartered in Chevy Chase!
39. The Smith Center for Outdoor Education in 6th grade.
40. Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma Park are the only incorporated cities in MoCo (there are other incorporated areas, but these are the only 3 that are referred to as cities).
41. Little Tavern Burgers…buy ’em by the bag.
42. Robin Ficker is running. We’re not sure for what, but he’s running.
43. Beach Dr. doesn’t have a beach.
44. Route 28 can take you from White’s Ferry to Wheaton
45. Drives up to Damascus for Jimmie Cone every summer (2022 marks season 60!)
46. Old Angler’s Inn is MoCo’s oldest restaurant that is still operating (opened in 1860!)
47. Seafood at Crisfield in Silver Spring since 1945.
48. You know someone who spent a night at 1307 Seven Locks Road
49. “Nobody Bothers Me!” Jhoon Rhee, the father of American Taekwondo (RIP).
50. Montgomery College…Harvard on the Pike! Yale on the rail!
51. Northwood High School took 19 years off (1985-2004)
52. The Cider Barrel had the BEST cider.
53. Sam Eig was nicknamed “Mr. Montgomery County.”
54. Walter Johnson, one of the greatest pitchers to ever live, had a farm in Germantown and is buried in Rockville
55. Hiking at Sugarloaf Mountain.
56. Chevy Chase was a town before it was an actor.
57. The life and death of White Flint Mall (1977-2015)
58. Musical instruments at Chuck Levin’s (Wheaton) or Victor Litz (Gaithersburg)
59. White Oak Bowling lanes
60. Taste MoCo is the place to go to see food from across the county.
61. People from Olney pronounce it “Awl-nee”
62. Mrs. K’s Toll House restaurant was actually a tollhouse. Now it’s Zinnia.
63. Nick’s Diner in Wheaton for breakfast.
64. Silver Spring is named after an actual spring (it can be found at Acorn Park).
65. Anchor Inn was a lot more than just a sign in Wheaton.
66. Lakeforest went downhill as soon as they removed the fountains.
67. The Olney Walking Guy! with and without his dread lock.
68. You always hesitate a little walking down the stairs to enter Quarry House, but there’s no hesitation when it’s time to order.
69. People will complain about the MoCo Fair and it’ll still be packed every year.
70. Brookside Gardens…any season.
71. Golden Bull’s prime rib was one of the best!
72. Brookeville was the U.S. capital for a day.
73. Seneca Valley football dynasty.
74. Even if you live by a different mall, you still make it out to Montgomery Mall.
75. The courthouse in Rockville hoping the officer doesn’t show.
76. Spending a few hours picking your favorite fruit at Butler’s Orchard.
77. You can watch planes takeoff and land while eating brunch in at the Airpark in Gaithersburg.
78. Kensington Antique Row is a blast from the past.
79. Game Preserve Road is probably haunted…
80. Peary and Woodward were MCPS high schools (Woodward is coming back)
81. Tilt Arcade in Montgomery Mall!
82. You used to get your video rentals or internet from Erol’s.
83. Tuffy Leeman’s bowling alley in Glenmont.
84. Hechinger was better than Home Depot.
85. Brighton Dam
86. Sex and the City, Melrose Place, and Beverly Hills 90210 were all created by Churchill alum, Darren Star.
87. Dan Snyder is from MoCo…but we don’t claim him.
88. Indoor soccer = The Corner Kick
89. The Red Line.
90. Rio is the only place in MoCo where you can eat on the water.
91. Driving through Potomac to look at Christmas lights is almost as good as Brookside Gardens and Great Seneca Park.
92. You’ve danced with the “Bethesda Bopper” while out at Bethesda bars.
93. You know when to avoid 270 and 495.
94. The person that created Epic Games (Tim Sweeney), which in turn created Fortnite, is from MoCo!
95. The excitement for the outlets went away soon after the outlets arrived.
96. You remember when Crown/Downtown Crown was a farm…and it wasn’t too long ago.
97. Almost half of the county can technically be referred to as Silver Spring.
98. You can be on Connecticut, Georgia, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin without ever leaving MoCo.
99. Country Roads by John Denver was inspired by Clopper Rd. in Gaithersburg!
100. Half of Hootie & The Blowfish are from MoCo and they recorded part of the video for “Only Wanna Be with You” at the Poolesville Golf Course.
900 more coming (relatively) soon!
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