Sunday, October 21, 2012
During World War II Prisoners of War from Germany helped farmers in Germantown plant the seeds and harvest the crops. Many of the farmers said that they could not have done it without them because so many of their workers had gone to war.
When the United States entered World War II on Dec. 8, 1841 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, thousands of men and women volunteered for the armed forces. Thousands more were drafted into service. This left many farms and peacetime industries short of manpower. Often, women stepped in to fill the vacancies, but farms, especially at harvest time, were feeling the pinch. Farms all over the nation were struggling to produce more crops to feed both the nation and the armed forces. Here in Germantown, Liberty Mill—the second largest mill in the state—ground local wheat into flour that was bagged and sent directly to the Army. So in the fall of 1942, when the local farmers found out that more than 2,000 prisoners of war were being held …
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Politics and Passion Lead to Tragedy in Germantown
Editor's Note: Occasionally, Patch will highlight notable stories from our archives. This story was originally published Oct. 31, 2010. — It was just before the election in 1920 and several men were gathered informally at the Waters General Store in Germantown discussing the pros and cons of the various candidates. When it came up that a local citizen, John Bolton, was refusing to vote, one of the men, Guy Vernon Thompson, volunteered to try to persuade him to do his civic duty. What was not known to the others was that Thompson had more on his mind than the election. He had a suspicion that Bolton was having an affair with his wife. When he knocked on the door of the miller's house for the Waters Mill where Bolton was living, Bolton …
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tickets are still on sale for the second annual Park After Dark fundraiser benefiting the C&O Canal.
Our local national park hosts its largest fundraiser of the year Saturday, allowing visitors a chance to see the C&O Canal National Historical Park in a state few regular visitors have seen before. Tickets are still on sale for the C&O Canal Trust's Park After Dark, an evening benefit that will allowing event-goers to view the canal at twilight while supporting the C&O Park and the Canal Trust. Traditionally, the C&O Park closes at dusk. With nearly 250 guests in attendance, last year’s benefit was a sold out event. This year, event organizers have upped the attendance to allow for 300 guests. According to Matthew Logan, president of the Canal Trust, the 2011 Park After Dark benefit raised around $60,000 to support park programs including …
Thursday, September 15, 2011
A birthday party for Montgomery County, a free acoustic rock concert and more are on tap this weekend.
1. Culture Kids - The Big Build: A Hands-On Family Festival Where: National Building Museum, 401 F St., NW, Washington, D.C. When: Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. What: The National Building Museum presents The Big Build 2011. The event allows participants to explore tools, trucks, and building arts at the museum. Activities and demonstrations are best suited for kids ages 4-12, and the youngest are encouraged to join in a sing along with Bob the Builder, live and on stage. Price: Free 2. Happy Birthday Montgomery County! Where: Beall-Dawson Historical Park, 103 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD. When: Sunday, Sept. 18, from 2-5 p.m. What: Celebrate the 235th birthday of Montgomery County, MD. Join community members for a …
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Travilah Oak is worthy to be the Maryland State Tree, some Travilah residents argued.
Travilah is a small community, but its heart is as large as a great white oak. In fact, some residents would like to see their favorite white oak, located in the Potomac Oaks Shopping Center, become the State Tree of Maryland. The Travilah White Oak, estimated to be more than 250 years old, stands 98 feet high with its crown spreading about 100 feet. The tree's circumference is 17 feet 6 inches, according to documents at the Montgomery County Historical Society. While the tree at Travilah is impressive, it is not the oldest nor largest white oak in Maryland — or even in Montgomery County. Big Tree Champions of Maryland volunteer John Bennett said the current white oak champion resides in Cecil County and the Montgomery County champion is …
39.067236
-77.263255
Travilah Oak Market
12944 Travilah Rd, Potomac, MD
/articles/travilah-residents-want-historic-white-oak-to-be-next-state-tree
467655
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Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Travilah Elementary School is about a mile away from the original school.
The original Travilah School served students in the Travilah area from 1886 to 1943. The one-room school house sat on Travilah Road near Glen Mill Road, according to the Travilah Elementary School's Travilah area history page. The Travilah Elementary School, which stands today at the corner of Dufief Mill and Travilah Roads, was built in 1960. Travilah Elementary was modernized in 1992 and an additional six classrooms and a courtyard were added in 2008. Then and Now is a regular photo feature comparing the past and present at places around North Potomac and Darnestown. Send your historical photos to jillian@patch.com. (Past stories in this series: Then and Now: Quince Orchard Shopping Center; Then and Now: Darnestown General Store; Then …
39.081595
-77.249703
Travilah Elementary School
13801 Dufief Mill Rd, North Potomac, MD
/articles/then-and-now-the-travilah-school
467883
/locations/2289310
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Comparing the past and the present commercial spaces
Today, residents know the area at the intersection of Quince Orchard and Darnestown Road as a bustling commercial center featuring restaurants, a Starbucks and fitness center. In 1971, the Quince Orchard Shopping Center was a small strip of shops and a Safeway. Nancy Speicher moved into a townhouse behind the Quince Orchard Shopping Center in 1973. She said she remembers shopping at the Safeway and the other stores in this commercial center. In addition to the Safeway, there was a Peoples Drug store, a hardware store, a High's, a fabric store and a Civil War bookstore, among other stores, Speicher told Patch in an email. In place of the Safeway and hardware store, there are now restaurants, a gym, a dry cleaner and a liquor store. An …
39.141501
-77.221293
624 Quince Orchard Rd, North Potomac, MD
/articles/then-and-now-quince-orchard-shopping-center
/locations/2215420
Thursday, September 30, 2010
What's changed at Darnestown and Seneca Road
The Windsor Store sold general merchandise at the corner of Seneca and Darnestown Road at the turn of the 20th century. The Montgomery County Historical Society estimates that this picture of James Windsor's store was taken around 1900, given the horse and buggy in the left corner. James Windsor was born in 1839. According to the Montgomery County Historical Society, Windsor operated the store from as early as 1890. In the 1920 census, Windsor was still reported as a clerk in the store. He died in 1934. His daughter Effie Waters and her husband Hatton Waters continued to run the store, followed by their daughter, Alice Waters Gaffaway, and her husband William A. Gaffaway. At some point in the 1930's they also offered a few rooms as a hotel…
39.103322
-77.29179
6 Twelve Convenient Mart
14100 Darnestown Rd, Germantown, MD
/articles/then-and-now-darnestown-general-store
387439
/locations/2114755
Fran Asbeck
8:56 am on Monday, October 22, 2012
It would be interesting to hear about the after-war experiences of the German workers from employer-families that stayed in touch with them after repatriation, or from the descendents of the workers who stayed here after the war. more ›