Lakeforest Mall officially closed on March 31, 2023, after nearly 45 years in Gaithersburg, and now longtime residents have a chance to bring home a piece of its history. The mall’s outdoor signs are currently up for auction through Capital Online Auctions, with local pickup required. The listing encourages bidders to “own a piece of Gaithersburg history,” noting that multiple outdoor Lakeforest signs are being liquidated.
The Montgomery County Council approved an amendment to add Timberlawn to Montgomery County’s Master Plan for Historic Preservation. The vote follows the May 2025 recommendation by the Montgomery County Planning Board to historically designate the North Bethesda house where Eunice Kennedy Shriver launched Camp Shriver, a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities that inspired the creation of Special Olympics.
The Germantown Library, located at 19840 Century Blvd., will host historian and author Susan Cooke Soderberg on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 4:30pm to 5:45pm as part of its History Conversations series. Soderberg will discuss her latest book, “My Name Is Not Tom”: The Life of Reverend Josiah Henson. (more…)
For more than 20 years, BJ Pumpernickel’s served as one of Olney’s most recognizable restaurants, known for its New York–style deli classics, breakfast served all day, and one of the best pickle bars in the country. (more…)
Gude Drive in Rockville is named for Gilbert Gude, a lifelong Montgomery County resident who served the community for decades as a legislator and environmental advocate.
For decades, The Golden Bull in Gaithersburg (Montgomery County) and Adelphi (Prince George’s County) was one of the region’s best-known steakhouses, serving hearty portions of prime rib and steak in an old-school setting that became a favorite for celebrations and family dinners. Its locations were each recognized by the distinctive golden bull statue mounted atop the building… a true roadside landmark for anyone driving by (television commercial courtesy the now defunct www.golden-bull.com)
The Hechinger name was once synonymous with home improvement in the Washington region. Long before the arrival of Home Depot and Lowe’s, Hechinger was the destination for homeowners, builders, and do-it-yourselfers across the Mid-Atlantic, including several well-known Montgomery County locations that locals still remember today.
For generations, Montgomery County high school basketball has been one of Maryland’s most competitive and talent-rich landscapes, a proving ground for future college standouts, pro athletes, and local legends whose stories continue to echo in packed gymnasiums across the county. From Springbrook’s dynasties to Richard Montgomery’s powerhouse years, from Paint Branch and Blair to Magruder and Gaithersburg, every school has contributed to a rich and storied hoops tradition.
Now, two of Montgomery County’s most respected basketball minds have come together to preserve that history and celebrate its greatest players. Retired longtime MCPS coach John Fahrner, known affectionately as “Mr. Rocket” for his decades at Richard Montgomery High School, and Brian Magid, one of the most celebrated players to ever come out of Montgomery Blair High School, have teamed up to compile “Montgomery County Public School Basketball History: The All-Time Team (1960–2013).”
From 1996 to 2007, Jeepers! operated at 700 Hungerford Drive in Rockville, offering families an indoor mix of play zones, rides, and dining. (more…)
Since its closing in 2013, the absence of Roy’s Place has left a hole in the hearts of many current and former Montgomery County residents. According to the now-defunct Roy’s Place website, the restaurant first opened in Rockville in 1955, offering more than 200 sandwiches. After a couple of moves within Rockville, it relocated to 2 E. Diamond Ave. in Olde Towne Gaithersburg in 1971, where it became a local institution. (more…)
Originally published in 2021. Courtesy Susan Soderberg of The Germantown Historical Society.
It was a sad day in September 1990 when the last of the artist residents said goodbye to their commune home on Frederick Road in Germantown. They left behind their gardens, their lap swimming pool, their treehouse with the triple-chair zipline, their annual masquerade balls; and they took with them their art, their music and their joie de vivre. But the house, the magnificent 125 year-old house with its wrap-around porch and huge fireplace, was not to be torn down– it would be reborn in another location.