Preserving, protecting, and promoting Montgomery County’s rich architectural heritage and historic landscapes.
150th Anniversary
Calendar
Saturday, September 2, 10 am – 2 pm Historic B&O Silver Spring Railroad Station Free Open House
8100 Georgia Ave. at Sligo, Silver Spring, MD
Family Friendly – Bring your Inner Child
Washington Virginia Maryland Garden Railway Society, “LOCAL LOCOS”
Live Steam Model Train layout
An operating model train layout featuring model locomotives that are powered by live steam! Interested in small-scale, live steam but aren’t sure where to start? Local Locos will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about this segment of the hobby!
And, be sure to see the B&O Railroad Historical Society photo exhibit of THE MET Branch
Saturdays July-September, 10–11 AM Kensington Historical Society Summer Concert Series, free. Howard Avenue Park (across from Farmer’s Market at train station) Details at www.kensingtonhistory.org
Sundays, September 3 and October 1, 1-4 pm Kingsley Schoolhouse Tours at Little Bennett Park in Clarksburg, free. https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/little-bennett-regional-park/historic-sites/kingsley-schoolhouse/
2022 MPI Awards
- Michael F. Dwyer Award to Sandy Wright and David Therriault for preservation and adaptive reuse of the historic Franklin Veirs house in Poolesville as a bakery, café, and restaurant— Locals.
- Award to Dale and James Sloan for sensitive renovation and enlargement of their early 20th-century bungalow in the Historic District of Takoma Park.
- Award to Zach Ransom and Boy Scout Troop 496 for an historically appropriate reconstruction of the outhouse behind the 1895 Boyds Negro School.
- Award to architect Miche Booz for adaptive reuse of a 1920s one-car garage in Brookeville as a modern cottage.
- County Executive’s Award to Historic Takoma’s African-American Oral History Project for its efforts to preserve and share memories of life in Takoma Park’s Black community through interviews and three videos.
- Montgomery Prize to the Montgomery Countryside Alliance for more than 20 years of educating the public and creating programs in the Agricultural Reserve that defend and maintain the Reserve as an agricultural area and that preserve the historic rural landscapes of Montgomery County.
B&O STATION SAFETY MEASURES
Montgomery Preservation continues to prioritize the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers, and guests, with social distancing and a masking policy that follows CDC and Montgomery County rules. Anyone inside the building must wear a mask in consideration for vulnerable patrons and staff. Masking is optional outdoors.
Event Rentals
The station is again available to schedule your special event. Submit your rental request and questions via rentals@montgomerypreservation.org
Communities and volunteers along the rail line are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Metropolitan Branch of the B&O Railroad, which in 1873 began service that forever changed the lives of Montgomery Countians. Watch this space for railroad themed events, activities, programs, speakers — before, during, and beyond the anniversary month of May 2023.
To add context to the fun, The Met 150th planning committee offers presentations for your group. Any of these PowerPoint presentations can be scheduled through the Germantown Historical Society at germantownmdhistory@gmail.com
- From Corn to Commuters: How the Railroad Changed Montgomery County
- Viaducts, Trestles and Bridges: Magnificent Structures of The Met branch
- Architect E. F. Baldwin and Station Houses on The Met Branch
See descriptions of each presentation and historian Susan Cooke Soderberg here
Ongoing Events:
-150th The Met banners posted at historic railroad stations in Montgomery County
-B&O 150th The Met talks by Susan Soderberg available for scheduling, June through September
-Window exhibit at Historic Takoma, with large-scale map of The Met line & photos of extant stations
Mary Reardon, Historic Preservation and Social Justice Advocate
MPI is sad to report the passing of Mary Reardon, on July 16. After moving to Silver Spring in the early 1980s and until her untimely death, Mary dedicated her considerable talents and passion to making the world a better place. She advocated for the respect of history, excellence in architecture, sensible development, affordable housing, and fairness to all.
A number of downtown Silver Spring treasures are still standing due to Mary’s work: Canada Dry Building, Falkland Apartments, Montgomery Arms, and Hecht’s Building. Most recently, she was working with others to preserve Weller’s Dry Cleaning building and the historic Jesup Blair mansion and park.
Mary Reardon was adventurous, thoughtful, intelligent, thorough, kind, and fun to be with. From every aspect of her life Mary left friends and admirers, many of whom were honored to connect with and visit her in her final months. Mary was a founding member and Preservation Chair of Silver Spring Historical Society, and she played a strong role as Vice President of MPI. You can read a complete obituary here: https://www.rinaldifuneralservice.com/obituary/Mary-Reardon. A reception to follow Mary’s memorial celebration will be held at the B&O Station on September 30.
A Tale of Two Historic Churches
With religion a vital aspect of life for early settlers, places of worship are among our oldest and most valued historic structures and landscapes. Two Montgomery County churches are currently in the news.
Germantown Museum of Banking
Share your stories
The Germantown Historical Society is creating a Museum of Banking History inside this historic bank building that closed in 1988. They are looking for stories from bank customers and employees, photos of the interior and exterior, and artifacts – any items related to this bank. Contact germantownmdhistory@gmail.com or 301-972-0795.
Thanks to excursion riders — all 712 of you! We heard how much you enjoyed the Memorial Day train ride from Silver Spring to Brunswick on The Met branch of the B&O Railroad.
“Wow. Simply Wow. What a wonderful event! Our grandkids had a blast. How fun :-)”
“It was a unique and wonderful trip!”
“I had a great time and it looked like everyone else did too! I especially want to know how you made the rain stay away until after the event : ) Thank you for putting together such a cool thing for the County!”
What happens when hundreds of rail fans — from young kids to adults young at heart — board a special MARC train at six historic rail stops in Montgomery County for a daytime excursion? All enjoyed a memorable, smoothly engineered day in the Maryland countryside, that in addition to beautiful scenery included some narrated history and geography, plus a visit to the friendly town of Brunswick.
Almost half of the riders boarded at Kensington, where townspeople gathered for a full weekend of events. Many learned about the excursion from Susan Soderberg’s excellent talks on The Met’s history, architecture, and engineering feats; others heard about it from friends and neighbors in Silver Spring, Garrett Park, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Dickerson. All marveled at The Met line’s surviving historic stations and enjoyed their time in Brunswick. They returned home with a souvenir excursion guide and button, Heritage Days flyer, information from Operation Lifesaver, and wonderful memories.
And there’s more!! During this anniversary year, visit more historic Montgomery County sites in June, attend more programs and special events throughout the rest of the year, and appreciate your local history everywhere! Return often to this calendar and to www.Heritagemontgomery.org for details.
MPI and our local preservation partners express appreciation to MARC train service, Maryland Transit Administration, Heritage Montgomery, Montgomery County government, National Railway Historical Society, Montgomery Municipal Cable, and the many, many volunteers who made this excursion possible.
Historic Preservation in Montgomery County
Open House at the Station
MPI Open House programs at the Silver Spring B&O Railroad station the first Saturday of each month from 10 am – 2 pm.
This is a drop-in program for families. Admission is free. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
MPI will keep close watch on COVID numbers to determine on a month-by-month basis whether in-person public programs can be presented.
Please return to this webpage for updates.
In accordance with Montgomery County public policy, mask-wearing indoors is optional.
While we feel that the wearing of masks indoors is still beneficial, we are leaving that decision to our individual visitors.
Silver Spring B&O Station
The historic train station is a beloved historic landmark and a community resource. After a disastrous car accident that severely damaged the station’s main facade in 1997, MPI rescued the station and, with assistance from private and public sources, restored it to its 1945 appearance. Today this museum of 20th century rail history regularly welcomes visitors, meetings, celebrations, and the general public.
The station is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is designated on the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation, and is protected by an easement held by the Maryland Historical Trust. Visit the Silver Spring B&O Railroad Station tab for more detailed information about station history, open houses, and rentals.
Getting Started?
New to historic preservation or to how it works in Montgomery County? Visiting and learning about Montgomery County’s bountiful historic sites is a great way to start. Getting involved with any of the groups that share your interest in local historic places is the next step. Do you prefer Victorian homes, African American history, former schoolhouses, public buildings, Modernist architecture, rural cemeteries, or transportation history? Montgomery County has them all!
You can sample local history at Montgomery County Heritage Days. Check out individual groups and historic sites on the RESOURCES section of this website. And please return here to follow the (future) link to help you get started in Historic Preservation in Montgomery County!