Lilly Stone, with the flag she designed for Montgomery County, at the first meeting of the Montgomery Historical Society in 1944.

The Lilly Stone Circle

 

Montgomery History is pleased to present the Lilly Stone Circle: a special group representing Montgomery History’s most active and committed supporters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lilly Stone, a lifelong Montgomery County resident, inherited farmland and several homes near Bethesda including Glenmore and Stoneyhurst. She operated several businesses during her lifetime; most notably, she was the first woman to own and operate a stone quarry–Stoneyhurst–which she opened in 1923 when she was a widow in her 60s. She also had a long-standing connection to the Maryland Historical Society, as the first woman to present a paper to that organization (on General Braddock’s March) in 1909, and with the Daughters of the American Revolution, as the designer, in 1939, of the first flag to represent Montgomery County, based on the family crest of its namesake Richard Montgomery. On a summer evening in 1944, she convened an impressive number of her acquaintance – 24 people who shared her love and appreciation for the history of Montgomery County – and established the Montgomery County Historical Society.

 

Lilly led an extraordinary life and was proof that an individual, driven by passion and guided by an optimistic vision, could leave a lasting mark. As the founder and first president of the Society, Lilly personified the qualities that continue to inspire us today: strength, intelligence, generosity, and grit.

 

The Lilly Stone Circle recognizes those who follow in her footsteps. Donors to Montgomery History who invest $1,000 or more each year, include the organization in their estate plans, or provide over 500 hours of volunteer service annually will receive: 

 

  • Invitations to exclusive Lilly Stone Circle events;
  • Special recognition in our quarterly History Matters newsletter and other publications;
  • Periodic insider updates from the Executive Director; and
  • Satisfaction knowing that Lilly’s legacy is being passed forward to future generations.

 

We invite you to join the Lilly Stone Circle today. For more information, please contact us at 301-340-2825 or by email.