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Montgomery County
Montgomery County is a great place to live, work and play.
Conveniently located between Baltimore and Washington, DC it offers many
educational, cultural and employment opportunities.
Maryland is a state rich in history. Montgomery County was
established in 1776 by the State Convention. It was named after General Richard
Montgomery. There are many historical sites in Maryland that are fascinating to
both adults and children.
This County is the most populated county in Maryland. It is
also the most affluent. Businesses thrive here, and the commute to either
Baltimore or Washington is easy.
There are also many cultural offerings and outdoor enjoyments both
here or in neighboring metropolises. Locally you can visit galleries,
museums, historic sites, theaters or parks. Civil War buffs enjoy the County's
proximity to historic battlegrounds. Theater-goers enjoy the Bethesda Academy
of Performing Arts, the Montgomery Playhouse and the Strathmore Hall Arts
Center to name a few. In addition to everything Montgomery County has to offer,
Washington, DC teems with major public institutions such as the National
Gallery of Art, the National Zoo and the Smithsonian Institute.
Montgomery County includes 497 square miles of land that is
generally flat with gently rolling hills. 28,000 acres of this land is
parkland offering hiking, fishing, camping and sports like golf, tennis and
horseback riding. The land is very green and beautiful most of the year,
because the annual 40 inches of rainfall is spread evenly throughout the year.
The region also enjoys the full spectrum of seasons being located in the middle
of the Eastern Seaboard.
Gaithersburg
Located in Montgomery County, Gaithersburg is a gem of a
community. It is located near the freeway I 270 which is a major artery
into Rockville and Washington, DC. so the commute is easy if you don't work "in
town". This community is only 13 miles northwest of DC. (If you prefer not to
drive at all there are great public transportation options. Those are discussed
below.)
Gaithersburg began as "Log Town" in 1765. 85 years later it
was called "Forest Oak"-literally named after a grand tree in town that was 150
years old at the time. This tree survived to the ripe old age of 297 when it
was knocked down by a storm in 1997. The town name changed to "Gaithersburg" in
1878 when it was officially incorporated. It was finally named after Benjamin
Gaither whose house sat on the land of the Great Tree.
Gaithersburg started as a small agricultural town and eventually
added a large summer population when the railroad allowed DC residents to
escape the hot city. With a population of a little over 50,000 residents it
still offers respite from the intensity of complete urban living (yet it is
close enough to big cities to easily enjoy all the cultural benefits). Over the
years the town has also grown to include a large governmental, scientific and
high tech community. These industries have largely replaced the agrarian
economic base.
 Aside from cultural and sports events in Baltimore and Washington,
Gaithersburg itself hosts many affairs. There are art exhibits year round
as well as many theaters hosting plays and musical concerts. Festivals add
extra fun. Olde Towne Gaithersburg Day is a big one-for this festival the
streets of the Olde Town district are opened to foot traffic with lots of
booths offering food, crafts and fun. The fullness of life doesn't end with
summer. In the winter Seneca Creek State Park becomes a holiday wonderland of
light. People come from all around to enjoy the 3.5 mile drive decorated with
colorful lights.
Gaithersburg Transportation
- Bus - The city Metrobus and county Ride-On buses connect with
the Metrorail subway at Shady Grove Station.
- Subway - Gaithersburg is on the Metrorail Red Line. The Shady
Grove Metro Station is accessed by I-370 or Shady Grove Road. (As well as using
the Metrorail to commute to work or shopping, you can also take it to Reagan
National airport.)
- Train - MARC passenger trains arrive at the downtown
Gaithersburg Train Station, the Metropolitan Grove stop in Gaithersburg and the
nearby Washington Grove stop.
- Airports - Gaithersburg is within an hour's drive from three
different major airports--Baltimore-Washington International, Dulles
International and Reagan National. (You can take the Metrorail to Reagan
National.) The Montgomery County Airport, less than 15 minutes away is also
convenient for private and business airplanes.
Regional Major League Sports Teams
In
the sections above we have described much of what Montgomery County and
Gaithersburg have to offer historically, culturally and outdoors, but no
regional information is complete without mentioning sports. Since all near-by
major league teams are located in Baltimore or Washington, DC we are grouping
"Sports" in its own category rather than by county or town. If you are a
sports fan here is what our area has to offer:
- Football: Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens
- Baseball: Baltimore Orioles
- Men's basketball: Washington Wizards
- Women's basketball: Washington Mystics
- Hockey: Washington Capitals
| REAL ESTATE TRIVIA |
| Q |
What are three of the best indicators of real estate market trends?
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| A |
Existing home sales, new home building and mortgage interest rates.
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