Montgomery Parks and community members gathered Sunday to celebrate new interpretive signs honoring the history of Emory Grove, an African American community in Gaithersburg founded by formerly enslaved people in 1864. Nearly 100 residents and descendants of Emory Grove attended the March 1, 2026 gathering at Johnson’s Local Park, where the new signs were unveiled. The bilingual signs, presented in English and Spanish, highlight the stories of the people who built the community and describe daily life, religious gatherings, and the generations who lived there. An audio post installed at the park also allows visitors to hear first-person accounts and reflections tied to Emory Grove’s history.
