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GAITHERSBURG The city of Gaithersburg continues to function thanks to the hard work of various people, from its roughly 250 full-time city staff to the countless residents who volunteer to serve the city. The 10-square-mile municipality in the center of Montgomery County can be called a hightech business hub. It also is the home of Olde Towne, a historic downtown area featuring shops, offices and restaurants that is undergoing a revitalization effort. Before it was Gaithersburg, residents called the area Log Town. In 1802, Benjamin Gaither built a house and several retail establishments at Frederick and Diamond avenues. The town’s name was changed shortly thereafter. The Gaither family also helped to bring the railroad to the city in the 1850s. Gaithersburg’s 2010 population was 59,933, giving it the fourthhighest population in Maryland, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city, which was incorporated in 1878, operates under a council-manager form of municipal government. The city manager is appointed by the five-member city council and serves as a city employee. The manager acts as the city’s chief executive officer and answers to the mayor and council concern-
ing city affairs. The mayor and city council are elected officials who serve staggered four-year terms. The mayor serves as the president of the city council and offers input without voting on the issues. Other municipalities around Gaithersburg include Washington Grove, with a population of 555 at the edge of East Diamond Avenue, and Laytonsville, an incorporated town with a population of about 350 north of Gaithersburg. The original full name of Washington Grove was the Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association of the District of Columbia and Maryland, reflecting the town’s founding as an outdoor religious summer camp. Washington probably was chosen because the majority of the people who founded the camp were from Washington, D.C., churches, and “grove” was chosen to advertise that meetings would take place in a place filled with trees. Laytonsville was established in 1789 on a tract of land granted to James Brooke. It originally was known as Cracklintown, named after the popular cracklin bread — bacon corn bread — that was baked locally. Laytonsville received its name after the local post office was moved to John Layton’s saddle shop.
The town was incorporated as a municipality in 1892.
POLICE
Gaithersburg has its ownpolice department. Mark P. Sroka is police chief. Gaithersburg also is served by the county’s Fifth District police station in Germantown and the Sixth District station in Gaithersburg. For police stations, see page 17.
FIRE SERVICES
Served by Gaithersburg-Washington Grove, Rockvilleand Laytonsville volunteer fire departments. For a full list of stations, see page 16.
LIBRARIES
The Gaithersburg and Quince Orchard libraries are part of the county library system. For a full list of libraries, see page 14.
BUSINESS
The area is served by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. For a full list of chambers, see page 20.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Darnestown Civic Association Members who pay an annual fee of $35 per individual or family can vote during meetings. Town meetings take place quarterly at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of March, June and September and the second Thursday in December in the Darnestown Presbyterian Church on Turkey Foot Road. Monthly board meetings take place in the association’s office, address above, at 7:30 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month. 14132 Darnestown Road, Suite B Darnestown, MD 20874 301-548-0999 www.darnestowncivic.org Gaithersburg Coalition of Providers The Gaithersburg Coalition of Providers is a coalition of more
than 60 nonprofit agencies that serve individuals and families in the Gaithersburg area. It is coordinated by the city of Gaithersburg Community Services Office. The coalition meets quarterly for trainings and social service information updates with the goal of ensuring coordinated and comprehensive services for the residents of Gaithersburg. 301-258-6395 Gaithersburg/Germantown Jaycees Meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at various locations in Gaithersburg. P.O. Box 2516 Germantown, MD 20875 301-230-4930 www.ggjaycees.org Gaithersburg Rotary Club Meets at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesdays at Gaithersburg Hilton, 620 Perry Parkway. 301-947-8150 www.gaithersburgrotary.org Gaithersburg Area Newcomers Club Meets at 10 a.m. on the second Friday of each month at locations around Gaithersburg. www.gancmd.com GANCmd@yahoo.com Gaithersburg Community Museum Open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, or by appointment. Free admission. 9 S. Summit Ave. Gaithersburg, MD 301-258-6160 www.gaithersburgmd.gov/museum Izaak Walton League of America Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at 8721 Snouffer School Road. Lois Green/Sligo Chapter 301-330-5970
www.lgsc-iwla.org Kentlands Garden Club Meets at 7:15 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, September through June, at 485 Tschiffely Square Road, Gaithersburg. Nina Chase, 301-330-4713 Laytonsville Historical Center The center is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall, 21607 Laytonsville Road. wolffmad.com/laytonsville HistoricLaytonsville@gmail.com Montgomery Central Derwood Lions Club Meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Outta the Way Cafe, 17503 Redland Road. membership@derwoodlions.com MOMS Club of Gaithersburg Meets at 10 a.m. on the third Friday of each month at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, 610 S. Frederick Ave. www.gaithersburgmomsclub. blogspot.com momsclubgaithersburg@hotmail.com Seneca Valley Sugarloafers Volksmarch Club Inc. Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland, 9909 Medical Center Drive, Rockville 301-946-5496 www.sugarloafers.org La Leche League of Western Montgomery County Meets from 10 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Emeritus Senior Living, 11215 Seven Locks Road, Potomac. Also meets at 6:30 p.m.. on the third Wednesday of odd months at Northwest High School, 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown www.lllofmd-de-dc.org
MONTGOMERY VILLAGE Located 17 miles outside Washington, D.C., Montgomery Village has about 40,000 residents and 12,471 single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums and apartments. Developed in the late 1960s, it covers 2,500 acres that were once farmland. The Montgomery Village Foundation is a nonprofit organization that services one of the largest planned communities in the country. It includes 10
homes corporations, 11 condominium associations, four apartment complexes and the Poplar Spring subdivision. The foundation maintains parks, recreation centers and some road within the village. It has a roughly $7.5 million budget, which comes mostly from homeowner assessments and fees collected from recreational programs. The foundation is governed by a nine-member
board of directors whose members serve three-year terms. The president and vice president are selected annually and serve oneyear terms.
LOCAL SCHOOLS
Montgomery Village is served by the Gaithersburg and Watkins Mill clusters, which include 12 elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools. For a full list of schools, see page 27.
POLICE
Montgomery Village is served by the county’s Gaithersburg District Station. For a full list of police stations, see page 17.
FIRE SERVICES
Montgomery Village is served by the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove and Laytonsville volunteer fire departments. For a full list of stations, see page 16.
LIBRARIES
The Gaithersburg Library is part of the county public library system. For
a list of libraries, see page 14.
BUSINESS
The area is served by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. For a list of chambers, see page 20.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
Montgomery Village Foundation Board president: John Driscoll
See MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, Page 52