Montgomery History

History Conversations REWIND | Immigration Stories: The Journey to Montgomery County
2025-01-20 - 2025-01-26
pre-recorded virtual event | With Sarah Hedlund and Maria Spren | In 1850 less than 2% of Montgomery County’s population was foreign born and by 1960 it was still less than 5%. Today, more than 35% of the county’s residents are foreign born and even more speak at least one language besides English. How has Montgomery County become one of the most diverse counties in the United States? The answer lies in more than 200 years of immigration stories, soon to be featured in a new online exhibit hosted by Montgomery History. In this presentation, panelists will discuss general findings regarding the immigration history of the county as well as highlight specific immigration stories from the exhibit, based on oral history interviews, archival documents, U.S. census data, and other historical resources. The common themes behind these experiences include stories of love, war, political upheaval, and the pursuit of higher education and career opportunities, as told by immigrants from Ukraine, Latvia, El Salvador, India, Palestine, China, Congo, and many more.​​ Originally aired at the Spring 2023 History Conference.

History Conversations | Place of Worship: Suburbanization and Mid-Century Religious Architecture in Montgomery County
2025-01-14 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
with Teresa Lachin | Tuesday, January 14 at 1:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Like many other areas throughout the country, Montgomery County experienced unprecedented population growth during the post-World War II era, fueling the demand for new social, educational, commercial, and religious facilities. This presentation surveys Montgomery County’s mid-century religious architecture, examining varying ways that modern architectural theories and technologies were adapted to and compatible with the liturgical and social needs of new and existing religious denominations.

History Conversations REWIND | The Nurse and the Midwife: The Story of Clara Barton and Emma Jones of Cabin John
2025-01-06 - 2025-01-12
pre-recorded virtual event | with Paige Whitley | Clara Barton touched many lives as the Civil War’s “Angel of the Battlefield” and later as president of the American Red Cross. Behind the scenes, others supported her efforts and kept her household running smoothly. Among the many Black people Barton employed over the years, none maintained a closer, longer-lasting relationship with Barton than Emma Jones of the Gibson Grove community in Cabin John. Researcher Paige Whitley traces this relationship from its beginnings and Jones’ own successful career as a midwife in lower Montgomery County. Available January 6 – January 12.

History Conversations REWIND | Photographic Tour of National Park Seminary: Past to Present
2024-12-30 - 2025-01-05
pre-recorded virtual event | with Bonnie Rosenthal | Come and take a virtual tour of the historic National Park Seminary campus through photos of its various lives as hotel, private school, military rehabilitation facility, and residential community. This enchanting and unique site is a quiet, hidden gem in Montgomery County that is well worth seeing. Originally aired in June 2020 Available December 30 – January 5.

History Conversations REWIND | Revisiting the Du-Drop Inn: When Emory Grove was the Center of Black Culture in Montgomery County
2024-12-23 - 2024-12-29
pre-recorded virtual event | Visited by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Tina Turner, and dozens of other iconic entertainers, the legendary Du-Drop Inn of Emory Grove was the place to be in Montgomery County from the 1940s to the 1970s. This roundtable will feature people who grew up in Emory Grove sharing their first-hand stories of both the good, and bad, of this bygone era. From the Fall 2023 History Conference. Available December 23 – December 29.

History Conversations | The Montgomery County Poor Farm and Almshouse: Its History and People
2024-12-17 14:00 - 15:00
with Julianne Mangin| Tuesday, December 17 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | For nearly 160 years, the Almshouse at the Montgomery County Poor Farm was the last resort for poor people who were unable to take care of themselves due to physical, mental, and developmental disabilities. A look at some of their stories, including how they lived and died, sheds a light on conditions there. Despite the oversight of county officials and the efforts of reformers, the Almshouse was a place where the poor were neglected, abused, and exposed to unsafe conditions until it closed in 1948.

History Conversations REWIND | Hero of Two Worlds: The Story of the Marquis de Lafayette & the Bicentennial of his Farewell Tour
2024-12-09 - 2024-12-15
with Patricia Maclay, MD | Lafayette’s Farewell Tour saw the French 67-year old, last surviving major general of the American Revolution, triumphantly return to the country he loved. From August 15, 1824 to September 9, 1825, Lafayette covered over 6,000 miles by carriage, stagecoach, canal barge, and steamboat, traveling to all 24 existing states and “Washington City.” This presentation will cover the details of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour of America, how it will be celebrated in 2024 – 2025, and how everyone will have the opportunity to get involved. Get ready to celebrate Lafayette, the Hero of Two Worlds. Originally aired November 2022. Available December 9-15

Is Our Constitution Still Viable?
2024-12-03 17:00 - 18:30
“Is Our Constitution Still Viable? Resilience & Reform,” a webinar co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County MD, and Montgomery History, will examine key challenges, both historic and contemporary, that test the resilience of our democracy. The event is part of the League’s long-running Trending Topics and Montgomery History’s History Conversations. Join three distinguished Constitutional scholars, Congressman Jamie Raskin; political scientist Dr. Norman Ornstein, emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; and Dr. Holly Brewer, Burke Professor of American History at the University of Maryland, for a wide-ranging and lively discussion about the durability and resilience of the American Constitution. They will offer their insights from both historical and contemporary perspectives, addressing such issues as the separation of powers, the protection of democratic ideals, and the Electoral College. A moderated Q&A session will follow.

History Conversations | Service, Sacrifice and the Creation of Camp Schmitt
2024-11-19 14:00 - 15:00
with Kevin Patti |Tuesday, November 19 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Kevin Patti traces the remarkable history of eight former members of Takoma Park’s Boy Scout Troop 33 who served in the United States military during World War II and lost their lives. Of the eight men who once lived in Montgomery County, two were Eagle Scouts, four were officers, one was awarded the Silver Star, one the Air Medal and two the Purple Heart. The presentation then goes on to detail how the community, scouts, and scout leaders gave of time, talents, and resources to build a Boy Scout camp, Camp Schmitt, in honor of the eight men in 1959. Kevin Patti is a former member and Eagle Scout from Troop 33 and is the son of the late Donald Patti who served as Scoutmaster between 1973 and 1994. Kevin grew up forming friendships and learning from Camp Schmitt. Professionally, Kevin has worked in public history as a park ranger for the National Park Service for twenty-eight years. His scouting experience led directly to his career.

History Conversations | From Restrictive Covenants to Redlining: ﻿The National History of Housing Segregation
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:30
with Dr. Paige Glotzer |Thursday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Montgomery History, in partnership with Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project, presents “From Restrictive Covenants to Redlining: The National History of Housing Segregation.” This virtual talk with Dr. Paige Glotzer, Associate Professor of History at the University of Florida and author of How the Suburbs Were Segregated, contextualizes Montgomery County within a national history of housing segregation. Beginning with restrictive covenants and nuisance laws, it traces the people, policies, and tools that made segregation an inescapable part of the American landscape. Topics include housing discrimination and violence, redlining, and urban renewal, as well as the relationship between race and property value. It also asks why housing segregation remained profitable even as attitudes about inequality changed. Audience members are invited to consider the hidden legacies of old practices and how they still impact the US today.

History Conversations REWIND | Voting Past and Present: A Journey through the Montgomery History Collection
2024-11-04 - 2024-11-10
with Elizabeth Lay | Originally presented to our Lilly Stone Circle members in October 2020, this special lecture by our former Curator Elizabeth Lay showcases a variety of items from the collection related to elections and voting. From ballot boxes to voting booths, learn about local elections and the stories these items tell about how voting has been conducted in Montgomery County over the past 100 years.

History Conversations REWIND | The Working White House
2024-10-28 - 2024-11-03
with Sarah Fling, Historian at the White House Historical Association | Since 1800, hundreds of dedicated staff members have worked behind the scenes to help the White House fulfill its roles as a seat of government, a family residence, and a historic site. Join White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling as she highlights lesser-known stories of enslaved and free White House workers throughout history. Originally aired September 2023.

History Conversations | The Beauty All around Us: Rachel Carson’s wonder, wisdom, and legacy in Silver Spring
2024-10-22 14:00 - 15:00
with Rebecca Henson |Tuesday, October 22 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Rebecca Henson of Springsong Museum will deliver a presentation on Rachel Carson (1907-1964), world-renowned writer, biologist, and considered by many as the ‘Mother of the Modern Environmental Movement’ who lived her adult life in Silver Spring. Henson will provide an overview of Carson’s life and written works, discussing her courage, ecological philosophy, and clear-eyed wonder in the natural world around us, including right here in Montgomery County.

2024 Montgomery County History Conference
2024-10-19 08:30 - 16:30
In-person Event | The Montgomery County History Conference returns October 19 at Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus in the Parilla Performing Arts Center. The conference offers myriad opportunities to engage with local history, including a keynote address, nine breakouts, a boxed lunch, a documentary screening, and a happy hour reception. Learn More

19th Montgomery County History Conference
2024-10-19 08:00 - 16:30 | 51 Mannakee St. Rockville, MD, 51 Mannakee St. Rockville, MD, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States

History Conversations REWIND | Negative Space: Rebecca G. Fields, Owner and Proprietor of the Montgomery County Sentinel, 1871-1930
2024-10-14 - 2024-10-20
with Sarah Hedlund | Any history of Montgomery County’s oldest newspaper of record will contain the following information: “The Sentinel was founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields, a Confederate sympathizer who was arrested during the Civil War for his opinions. After his death in 1871, his widow took over the publication.” The story almost always ends there…but the full story of “his widow” has barely begun. Rebecca Fields was a rare woman business owner in a male-dominated industry, and she ran that business for almost 60 years after her husband’s death. She was a complicated and unconventional woman whose true thoughts, opinions, attitudes, and politics are simultaneously known and unknowable, hidden in the white space between lines of type and glimpsed in the thinnest threads of her descendants’ memories. Archivist and researcher Sarah Hedlund uncovers the life and career of one of Montgomery County’s most overlooked historical figures, in search of the woman behind the press. Originally presented at the 2023 Fall History Conference.

History Conversations REWIND | When the Stars Came to Gaithersburg: Remembering the Shady Grove Music Fair
2024-10-07 - 2024-10-13
with Ralph Buglass | For most of the 1960s and ’70s, Gaithersburg was an entertainment mecca for the greater DC area. Shady Grove Music Fair—first under a big-top tent and then in a theater-in-the-round venue complete with a revolving stage—hosted Broadway hits and a wide variety of pop, rock and soul singers. Stars included Simon and Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Duke Ellington, and even the Jackson 5 for a full week with tickets starting at $4.75. After only 16 years, the curtain came down in 1978—but what a run! Originally aired April 2023. Rewind available October 7 – 13.

History Conversations REWIND | Historic Preservation: Why Does It Matter?
2024-09-30 - 2024-10-06
with Eileen McGuckian | If we can read history in books, do we need to see historic buildings in person? Many people think so, and this session will feature how local preservation has been accomplished over the past century. The significance of places like cemeteries, the Silver Theatre, the Red Brick Courthouse, the Dickerson Railroad Station, and the Bethesda Meeting House along with towns and communities such as Brookeville and Sugarland will be explored. This session will delve into places worth preserving, local experiences, and current practices in Montgomery County. Originally aired at the January 2023 Montgomery County History Conference.

History Conversations | The History of Reed Brothers Dodge
2024-09-24 14:00 - 15:00
With Jeanne Gartner|Tuesday, September 24 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Reed Brothers Dodge was one of the longest running automobile dealerships in Montgomery County history, operating from two locations in Rockville for more than 97 years. This presentation features historical photographs taken by the dealership’s founder, Lewis Reed, and highlights how Reed Brothers Dodge came into being, and how the company overcame the inevitable changes and challenges throughout almost a century of being in business. From World War I, through the Great Depression and World War II, to economic recessions and numerous Chrysler financial setbacks during the 1970s and 80s, the business rose and fell with the tides of the auto industry and stood the test of time. Register Here

History Conversations | Saving Montgomery County’s Historic Otho Trundle Barn
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00
With Kenny Sholes |Thursday, September 19 at 7:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | Otho Trundle’s barn, thought to have been built around 1830, will turn 200 in a few years. It’s believed that Civil War soldiers spent time resting here when the Confederate Army passed right by on their Maryland Campaign of 1862. Today, the barn is not in great shape – in fact, its roof collapsed as a result of weather in mid August. In this presentation, Kenny Sholes – board member of the Historic Medley District and creator of Historic Ag Reserve Properties – will talk about the history of the barn and ongoing efforts to preserve and stabilize the structure.

Walking Tour | Button Farm Almanac
2024-09-14 10:00 - 12:00 | 16820 Black Rock Road Germantown, MD 20874, 16820 Black Rock Road, Germantown, 20874, United States
At this time, tickets are sold out. Stay tuned for future tour dates! | Join Montgomery History for Button Farm Almanac, a guided tour of the Button Farm Living History Center. Led by historian and Menare founder Tony Cohen, guests will be guided on this behind-the-scenes reveal of the Button Farm in Germantown, its history and environs. Discover how they create immersive experiences on forty acres of Maryland farmland and how they interpret the story of plantation life and the Underground Railroad. Limited tickets available! At this time, tickets are sold out.

History Conversations Rewind | I Have Started for Canaan: Telling the Sugarland Story
2024-09-09 - 2024-09-15
Presented by Gwendora Hebron Reese, Suzanne Johnson, and Jeff Sypeck |Pre-recorded Virtual Event | At its height, the African American town of Sugarland in the northwest corner of Montgomery County was home to a church, a school, a store, a post office, and a practice hall for the town band. In this session, the team behind a new book that traces the history of the town from emancipation to the present will discuss the 150 years of documents, photos, artifacts, and interviews that provide a candid and enlightening look at rural African American life. The panel also will describe ongoing preservation efforts and speculate about some of the intriguing historical questions that remain to be explored. Originally aired in January 2022. Available September 9 – 15.

History Conversations Rewind | Canavest: A Final Piscataway Outpost in Colonial Maryland
2024-09-02 - 2024-09-08
with retired Maryland Historical Trust Chief Archeologist Dennis Curry |Virtual Event | Canavest (located on Heater’s Island) was the last permanent village of the Piscataway Indians in Maryland. Various aspects of the site—which was occupied from 1699 to at least 1712—are vividly described in a series of colonial documents from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. These archival records are paired with analysis of archeological remains to provide a glimpse of late 17th and early 18th century Piscataway life. Retired Maryland Historic Trust Chief Archeologist Dennis Curry will discuss Piscataway movements over time, Piscataway material culture and lifeways, and Piscataway–English interactions. Originally presented in October 2023. Available September 2 – 8.

History Conversations | The U.S. National Bureau of Standards moves to Gaithersburg, Maryland
2024-08-27 14:00 - 15:00
With Bert Coursey, PhD, NIST Retired, Chairman of NIST Alumni History Committee |Tuesday, August 27 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began in 1901 as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). For 65 years the main activities of the NBS were carried out on a small wooded campus 3 ½ miles from the White House. In 1966, the NBS moved to new research facilities in Gaithersburg. This presentation, with period photos, will focus on the reasons for the move, the people (scientific staff, administrators, and architects), and the construction of the new facilities in Gaithersburg.

History Conversations REWIND | Remembering Rockwood
2024-08-19 - 2024-08-25
with Ann Robertson | Before it was a county park and wedding destination, Rockwood Manor Special Park was a national Girl Scout Camp. When GSUSA sold the camp to residential developers, neighbors and individual Girl Scouts fought to stop the sale. Join Author Ann Robertson as she shares why Rockwood was so important to save, and how the Girl Scouts fought back. Originally presented in 2023. Available August 19-25.

History Conversations REWIND | Lilly Stone - A Daring Woman
2024-08-12 - 2024-08-18
with Judy Welles | | Virtual Event | In this talk based on her book about the prominent Montgomery County socialite and businesswoman Lilly Stone, Judy Welles tells the story of a daring woman whose remarkable life extended from the Civil War through the Cold War. Lilly’s papers and letters, documented by Welles, describe the divided loyalties of County residents living close to the Potomac River during the Civil War, detail her son’s experience as a soldier in World War I, and tell how German POWs came to work at her quarry during World War II. Through her accomplishments in business and her passion for preserving history, Lilly Stone made history herself. Originally aired September 2023 REWIND available August 12 – 18.

History Conversations REWIND | On the Homefront in Montgomery County During WWII
2024-08-05 - 2024-08-11
from Paths to the Present | In the early 1940s, all across the country, we were swing dancing to the music of Glenn Miller. Starlets like Ginger Rogers and Mary Martin, were lighting up the silver screen. Esquire magazine featured Petty girls. Gasoline was about 20 cents a gallon, bread about 8 cents a loaf, and a movie cost a quarter. And there was a war going on. Here in Montgomery County, people were affected by the war in a myriad of ways. Through interviews with people who were there, learn how Montgomery County residents supported the war effort, dealt with food shortages, entertained troops, protected civilians, and managed the labor shortage during this challenging time in our history. Originally aired in 2002. Available August 5 – 11.

Annual Ice Cream Social
2024-07-31 18:30 - 19:30 | Shirly Povich Field, 10600 Westlake Dr, Rockville, MD, 20852, United States
Join Montgomery History at Shirley Povich field for our annual Ice Cream Social! Coach Bob Milloy will be on hand to share some personal stories from his time as a football coach. RSVP Here

History Conversations | Crossing the River: The Historical Significance of Montgomery County’s Potomac Ferries
2024-07-30 14:00 - 15:00 | 51 Mannakee St. Rockville, MD, 51 Mannakee St. Rockville, MD, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States
with Ralph Buglass | Tuesday, July 30 at 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Event | White’s Ferry–until recently closed–was a living history example of a long tradition of Potomac River ferries tying together Montgomery County and northern Virginia. And when the C&O Canal was operational for nearly 90 years, White’s, along with Edwards and Spinks ferries upcountry, took on added importance. This presentation offers a wealth of new research conducted to support reopening White’s Ferry.

History Conversations REWIND: The History and Preservation of Brick and Stone Masonry
2024-07-22 - 2024-07-28
with Brien Poffenberger, President of Gruber-Latimer Restoration| Brick and stone masonry has changed little over the past six thousand years. The basic construction of your garden wall would be familiar to the folks who built the Pyramids or The Great Wall of China. And yet, there are things going on in historic masonry that escape our notice. How does water move through a wall? Are all bricks created equal? How do masonry techniques “date stamp” a building? Why is the mortar in my stonework turning to dust? (And what do I do about it!) Brien Poffenberger, Architectural Historian and owner of Gruber-Latimer Restoration, will cover the basics of historic masonry, how to maintain it, and – when necessary – what to know about repairing it. Originally aired August 2023 Available July 22 – July 28.
