Robert E. Peary High School alumni will gather on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center in Rockville to dedicate a rediscovered plaque honoring the USS Peary mast, which now stands at the center. The event celebrates a renewed connection between the former high school, the U.S. Navy vessel, and the educational center where the mast has quietly resided for years.
Robert E. Peary High School was located at 13300 Arctic Ave. in Aspen Hill, MD. It opened in the 1960 and closed in 1984 primarily due to declining enrollment. A Facebook group with over 4,000 members keeps its memories alive.
Woodfield Elementary School in Gaithersburg (near Damascus) boasts a rich and varied history dating back to 1865. Currently, students attending Woodfield Elementary School typically go on to John T. Baker Middle School and Damascus High School.
A recently uncovered 1994 video captures NBC 4’s teen reporter Amy Epstein, a student at Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village, interviewing various teens in Gaithersburg’s Lakeforest Mall.
California Tortilla, commonly known as Cal Tort, has grown from a single Montgomery County, Maryland establishment into a regional fast-casual dining chain serving “California-style” Mexican cuisine. Burrito Elito is the companies loyalty program that became popular in the early 2000s with many in the area carrying the card.
This Pride season, M-NCPPC has announced it’s deepening its commitment to visibility, inclusion, and historical truth by honoring the profound contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals, movements, and sites that have shaped the region.
The Travilah White Oak is a historic tree believed to be over 330 years old, located at the Potomac Oak Shopping Center at the corner of Travilah Road and Glen Road.
O’Donnell’s began in 1922 when Tom O’Donnell opened the Sea Grill at 1207 E Street NW in downtown Washington, DC. Now, O’Donnell’s Market operates at 1073 Seven Locks Rd. in the Potomac Woods Plaza (Rockville/Potomac, MD). Our very own Mr. MoCo recently ranked O’Donnell’s as his favorite crabcake in Montgomery County and in the top five in the entire state of Maryland. Photos are available below.
This year, Butler’s Orchard (22222 Davis Mill Rd.), a family-owned farm in Germantown, Maryland, is celebrating its 75th anniversary of “being the source for farm-fresh produce, memorable family experiences, and sustainable farming in the heart of Montgomery County.”
Scotland African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, a cornerstone of the Potomac community and a historic place of worship, today announced the successful completion of its restoration and expansion. This marks the culmination of the church’s ambitious 2nd Century Project. “After more than five years of displacement, the congregation returned to its revitalized building—a church intended to stand for another 100 years as a symbol of resilience, faith, and justice.”
In 1952, Clarence Kettler founded Kettler Brothers, Incorporated, alongside his two brothers, Milton and Charles. With a vision of creating a unique community, the Kettler brothers went on to develop Montgomery Village. Lake Whetstone, one of MV’s most iconic landmarks, first opened for boating and fishing in September 1967 (photos available below).