This article was originally published in April 2018 and has been updated with additional photos and information. (Photos below courtesy of the Oldham family.)
Though it remained open until 2002, The Corner Kick at 18707 N. Frederick Rd in Gaithersburg was the premier sporting facility in Montgomery County from 1984 to 2000. 2000 marked the opening of the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown and the Rockville SportsPlex in Rockville, signaling a shift in the local sports landscape.
Montgomery County, located in the state of Maryland, has a rich history that dates back to its founding in 1776. The idea to create this county emerged from Thomas S. Wootton, who proposed dividing Frederick County into three smaller counties: Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington. In 1798, a significant legislative act was passed that established five election districts within Montgomery County: Berry, Clarksburg, Cracklin, Medley, and Rockville.
A new biography, My Name is Not Tom: The Life of Reverend Josiah Henson, by local historian Susan Cooke Soderberg, offers a fresh perspective on the life of Josiah Henson, an enslaved man from Montgomery County who escaped to Canada and became a respected leader. (more…)
Written by Serena Bolliger in Montgomery Planning’s The Third Place Blog. Republished with permission.
As you travel east on University Boulevard from downtown Wheaton, past the commercial strips and gas stations, you’ll encounter a Georgian Revival brick house with imposing chimneys. This simple but elegant home, with its symmetrical design and matching bay windows, stands in stark contrast to the modernist Art Deco WSJV Transmitter across the street and the post-WWII Ranch and Split-Level houses scattered throughout the nearby neighborhoods. The historic house was the home of Romeo and Elsie Horad. Built on Elsie’s ancestral land, the house stands as a testament to the achievements of the Websters, Sewells, and Horads who worked tirelessly to improve conditions for African American residents throughout Montgomery County and Washington, DC.
Peerless Rockville will commemorate Black History Month with a virtual presentation on February 20 exploring the history and community of Rockville’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, followed by an in-person event on March 13 discussing a 1936 civil rights case in Rockville that contributed to the fight against school segregation. (more…)
Montgomery History is seeking volunteer judges for the National History Day competition on March 8, where middle and high school students present history-themed projects in various formats, with no prior experience required. (more…)
Crisfield Seafood, a beloved Maryland institution, officially closed its doors after nearly 80 years at 8012 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. The restaurant, which had been a cornerstone of the community since 1945, served its last meal on Sunday, December 22nd.
Clopper Road is named for Clopper Mill, but the history of the mill dates back long before Frances C. Clopper owned it, and the mill is connected with the first government sponsored road in the county, an inheritance suit, and the Lincoln assassination.
If you were a wrestling fan growing up in Montgomery County in the 80’s and 90’s, Inside the Squared Circle (ITSC) was a program you may have made it a habit to catch each week. Back before the internet, ITSC was the only place you could hear insider and backstage information about professional wrestling. ITSC’s Massive Mike and Ernest L Stanley went one on one with the X-Man Exaire Anderson managing Stanley for the match. The card also featured former WWE wrestlers Enzo Amore and James Ellsworth. Photos from the show available below.
A memorial honoring Tuskegee Airman and WWII veteran Brigadier General Charles E. McGee was unveiled at the Silver Spring library named in his honor, commemorating his legacy days before what would have been his 104th birthday. The event was attended by County Executive Marc Elrich, Councilmembers, state and federal officials, members of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society, representatives from the Tuskegee Airmen Eastern Region, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Montgomery County Commission on Veteran Affairs.
Chi-Chi’s, once a popular Mexican restaurant chain, faced a steep decline after a deadly hepatitis A outbreak in 2003, which sickened hundreds and led to multiple lawsuits. Combined with financial struggles and increased competition, the chain ultimately filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in the U.S. shortly after. (more…)