Description:
Montgomery County, Maryland: Gateway to the Nation's Capital.
One of the wealthiest counties not just in Maryland but in the United States, Montgomery County is home to a number of federal agencies, as well as scientific research and learning centers and business campuses, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 with postgraduate degrees. Established in 1776, Montgomery has always held the government as its highest priority, seeing protestations against British taxation long before the American Revolution, and representatives of the area were instrumental in helping Maryland draft a state constitution and form a new, strong federal government. Today, Montgomery County consists of urban centers like Bethesda and Silver Spring; suburban neighborhoods like Wheaton, Germantown, and Potomac; and scenic rolling farmland interspersed with historic villages like Brookeville and Barnesville. An additional 50,000 acres of federal, state, and county parkland provide numerous recreational opportunities for its residents and visitors alike.
Brief description: Author Michael Dwyer is a lifelong resident of the county who has always been intrigued by its history and historic sites. As the first historian hired by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission more than 30 years ago, he conducted a comprehensive survey of historic resources during the early to mid-1970s. The introductory chapters present a rare visual record of Montgomery County's early development, while Dwyer's photographs document changes that the county has experienced, particularly the transition from its rural past. Despite the loss of a number of these landmarks, many still remain due to citizens' protective interest in their unique county.