Paths to the Present

Paths to the Present: Montgomery County Stories was a cable television show produced by County Cable Montgomery and Montgomery History from 2000-2014. Produced by Emmy-winner Barbara Grunbaum and hosted by Gail Street, Paths to the Present explores the often overlooked history found right in our own backyards. The series covers a wide variety of topics highlighting this county’s robust history. Interviews, along with historical photographs and video help bring this rich past to life. Watch Paths to the Present and make some links with your past!

A majority of the episodes that were produced may be viewed on the Montgomery County Council’s YouTube Channels. Below is an index to episode content available on YouTube with links to each episode:

Episode 2 (part 1)     Gold Mines

Episode 2 (part 2)     The Lost Town of Triadelphia

Episode 3 (part 1)     Carroll Chapel

Episode 3 (part 2)     National Park Seminary

Episode 4 (part 1)     Fred Swain at Swain’s Lock

Episode 4 (part 2)     C&O Canal

Episode 5 (part 1)     Washington Grove

Episode 5 (part 2)     Emory Grove Camp Meeting

Episode 6 (part 1)     White’s Ferry

Episode 6 (part 2)     Potomac River Crossing During the Civil War

Episode 7                 Integration of the Montgomery County Public Schools

Episode 8 (part 1)     Silver Spring Shopping Center

Episode 8 (part 2)     19th Century General Stores

Episode 8 (part 3)     Raymond Poole of Poole’s Store

Episode 9 (part 1)     Moco Capital Beltway History 

Episode 9 (part 2)     Rustic Roads

Episode 10               Quaker Influence in Sandy Spring

Episode 12               Washington Aqueduct

Episode 13               Founding of Montgomery County

Episode 14 (part 1)   Chester Leishear Dairy Farm

Episode 14 (part 2)   Russell and Minnie Pope of the Pope Farm in Gaithersburg

Episode 14 (part 3)   Jean Phillips of Phillips Farm

Episode 15 (part 1)   Kensington Army

Episode 15 (part 2)   Maryland National Guard

Episode 16               MCHS Quilt Collection

Episode 17 (part 1)   Waters House in Germantown

Episode 17 (part 2)   Early Architecture in Moco     

Episode 18 (part 1)   Aspen Hill Pet Cemetery   

Episode 18 (part 2)   Rockville Cemetery

Episode 19               Bethesda Farmwomen’s Market

Episode 21               Clarksburg, Maryland Before Development

Episode 22/23          On the Homefront in Montgomery County during WWII

Episode 24               Chestnut Lodge

Episode 25( part 1)   Gaithersburg Fire Museum

Episode 25 (part 2)   MC Volunteer Fire Department History

Episode 27               Glen Echo Park (Rewind show)

Episode 28 (part 1)   Hyattstown Mill: How it Operated

Episode 28 (part 2)   Mills in Montgomery County

Episode 29               4-H Clubs (Rewind show)

Episode 30 (part 1)   Cabin John Gardens

Episode 30 (part 2)   David Taylor Model Basin

Episode 31               Anna Maria Weems

Episode 32               19th Century Education

Episode 34               The Jewish Community in Montgomery County (Rewind show)

Episode 40               Montgomery College History

Episode 41 (part 1)   Cold War Sites in Montgomery County

Episode 42 (part 2)   History of Atomic Energy Commission in Germantown

Episode 43               Monocacy Aqueduct and Cemetery

Episode 45               Scotland AME Church and community

Episode 54               Lyttonsville and Clarksburg Store

Episode 55               Clara Barton House and the film “Chances Are”

Episode 56               Brookeville and Polychome Historic District

Episode 57               Sandy Spring Bank Robbery and the Higgins Tavern

Episode 58               Filming of “Lilith” in Montgomery County

Episode 59               AFI Silver Theater and Barnesville town hall restorations

Episode 60               Metropolitan Branch, B&O Railroad

Episode 61               2009 National History Day

Episode 62               Garrett Park walking tour; Montgomery County Connections Project

Episode 63               Loss of Chestnut Lodge; Freida’s Cottage

Episode 64               Stonestreet and the Stonestreet Medical Museum

Episode 65               New Deal architecture; Office of Human Rights – Civil Rights tour

Episode 66 (part 1)    History of Twinbrook

Episode 66 (part 2)    Mid-century architecture in Montgomery County

Episode 67                Montgomery County Airpark; National Capital Trolley Museum

Episode 68                Silver Spring fire transformed; Poole’s Store closes

Episode 69                Montgomery County barns

Episode 70                Browningsville cornet band; Bethesda’s “vacuum repair shop”

Episode 71                Silver Spring historic sites: walking tour

Episode 72                Damascus church organ; Richard Montgomery historical marker

Episode 73                Downtown Bethesda: walking tour

Episode 74                History of the Montgomery County Historical Society

Episode 75                Civil War in Montgomery County, part 1

Episode 76                Seneca Quarry

Episode 77                African American historical sites in the county

Episode 78                Rockville Post Office houses the police department

Episode 79                General Jeb Stuart’s 1863 raid on Rockville: re-enactment (Rewind show)

Episode 80A              History of St.Mary’s Parish: Roger Langley

Episode 80B              Tour of historic St. Mary’s Church

Episode 81                National Park Seminary in Forest Glen

Episode 82                Emancipation Day at MCHS

Episode 83                Civil War in Montgomery County, part 2

Episode 84, part 1      Montgomery County Historical Society: new logo and website

Episode 84, part 2      Eunice Ramsey, Tastee Diner waitress for 60+ years

Episode 84, part 3      Montgomery County Archives reopens

Episode 85                Woodlawn Stone Barn and Visitor Center

Episode 86                History of Germantown

Episode numbers unknown:

History of Rockville (Rewind show)