Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission

the Preservationist
Summer 2005
8th Annual Montgomery County Heritage Days

Discover “History Where

You Least Expect It”
Spend the weekend of • Focusing primarily on 19th century
June 25 – 26 exploring, schoolhouses, five Historical Schools and Educational
discovering and learning Facilities will be open to the public. Activities
about Montgomery include tours by costumed docents at the Seneca
County’s exciting past Schoolhouse Museum. With guided walking tours
at 33 historic sites and at 1:00 and 2:30 PM on Saturday, Heritage Days
communities open to offers the last opportunity to visit the magical
Woodlawn Manor, where the public with activities, tours, exhibits and more. National Park Seminary Historic District in Silver
Montgomery County Heritage Go on a scavenger hunt, climb on an old fire truck, Spring before the site is renovated.
Days celebration includes a picnic in the country, or ride the Jubal Early ferry
• Many of Montgomery County’s Early Towns
three-course English tea on boat across the Potomac River for free. These are
will be participating in this event as well with open
Sunday June 26. just a few of the things that you can do during
houses and guided tours, including Hyattstown,
Montgomery County Heritage Days.
Sandy Spring, Poolesville, Somerset and Rockville.
Montgomery County Heritage Days is a free The Beall-Dawson House in Rockville will be
In This Issue: countywide event, hosted by Heritage Montgomery, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the French
• Preservation easement that will be held on Saturday and Sunday June 25th and Indian War with reenactors, recreations of mid-
and 26th from noon to 4 PM. 18th century life, and student history performances.
on Bennett-Allnut
House donated. This year’s tour emphasizes seven main themes: • The Early Transportation theme will include
Page 2 African American History, Historical Schools and B&O Railroad sites in Rockville and Silver
Educational Facilities, Early Montgomery County Spring, the newly restored Monocacy Aqueduct
• Celebrate the Towns, Early Transportation, Hidden Treasures, in Dickerson, and rides for children (and children
founding of Historic Agriculture, and Civil War Sites. The at heart) on one of two historic fire trucks at the
Montgomery County. event also includes a number of special features, Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Volunteer Fire
Page 2 such as serving tea at four historic establishments Department Museum.
across the County: the Irish Inn at Glen Echo, the
• Six of the County’s most cherished Hidden
• Disaster plan for newly renovated and re-opened Comus Inn, and
Treasures will be open to the public, including the
protecting historic the Gaithersburg Inn will serve tea both Saturday
Woodlawn Living History Museum, which serves
documents and and Sunday from 3–4 PM. On Sunday only, the
as the trailhead for the Rural Legacy Trail. Family
Woodlawn Manor Living History Museum will
artifacts. Page 2 games and activities will be held at the Glen
feature a three-course English tea, also from 3–4 PM.
Echo Park, featuring rides on the recently restored
• See the County by Reservations are required and the cost is $20 per
carousel, and on Sunday, MNCPPC Park Historian
foot or car. Page 3 person. More information on the teas is available at
Mike Dwyer will be at the Waters House in
www.heritagemontgomery.org.
Germantown answering questions about his exhibit
• Plan now to apply Other highlights include... Lost Montgomery, a collection of photographs of
for 2006 Historic now-gone historic houses, barns and rural scenes.
Preservation Grants. • As part of the theme of African American
History, the MNCPPC-owned Oakley Cabin will For more information on this exciting weekend
Page 3 feature demonstrations of 19th century crafts and of events, please visit the Heritage Montgomery
tours of the cabin. Visitors should also plan to tour website www.heritagemontgomery.org. It includes
a cross-section of a slave clipper ship at the nearby a comprehensive list of sites and events. Or, please
Sandy Spring Slave Museum and hear gospel music call 301-515-0753 for more information.
at the St. Paul Community Church in Poolesville.
 Historic Preservation For more information on donating
News and Notes preservation easements, please call Gwen Wright
at 301-563-3400.
Preservation Easement Donated Celebrate the Founding of
Former HPC Commissioner, Martha Lanigan
Montgomery County
has just donated a preservation easement on
On Sunday, September 11 come help celebrate
the Bennett-Allnut House at 2708 Spencerville
Montgomery County’s 229th birthday at the
Road. This circa 1862 house is an individually
Beall-Dawson House Historical Park, 103 West
designated historic site on the Master Plan for
Montgomery Avenue in Rockville from 1 to
Historic Preservation and is significant as a
5 PM. Explore the county’s history through
rare surviving example of a double-parlor plan
exhibits by local historical groups, living history
I-house. It is one of the only mid-19th century
presentations, videos, an archaeological dig,
Bennett-Allnut House in frame houses in the County that retains sufficient
tour of the house, or historical games. Historical
Spencerville. integrity of location, setting and design to
music and good food, including a birthday cake,
illustrate this amalgam of English and Germanic
will add to the celebration of the birthday of
folk building traditions.
our county. Parking is available at the City
This easement would preclude future of Rockville lot on East Middle Lane and a
subdivision of this designated historic site, which free shuttle bus will take you to the Park two
is situated on approximately two acres of land. blocks away. The event is co-sponsored by the
The zoning of the property is R-200, or one house Montgomery County Historic Preservation
per 1⁄2 acre. By prohibiting further subdivision, Commission and the Montgomery County
the historic open space, which characterizes the Historical Society. For more information call
Bennett-Allnut House and contributes so much 301-762-1492 or www.montgomeryhistory.org.
to its sense of historic time and place, will be
Disaster Plans
preserved for future generations.
Peerless Rockville has recently completed a
The County appreciates this generous “Disaster Plan” with the help of a grant from the
contribution to the preservation of historic Historic Preservation Commission. This plan
open space. Ms. Lanigan is a former HPC outlines policies to set into place and procedures
Commissioner who has fully restored two to follow to protect a collection of historical
important, and very deteriorated, historic papers and artifacts in the event of a disaster
buildings in the County. She has made them such as a fire, flood, explosion, etc. Peerless,
showplaces and should be applauded for her as usual, did an exemplary job in creating this
commitment to the preservation of buildings and Plan, hiring a specialist who conducted seminars
open space for staff and worked with the staff on the Plan,
interviewing key people in the County Fire
and Rescue Department, conducting building

Preservationist
surveys, and inventorying their collection. They
the have informed Park and Planning staff that Mr.
Arthur Dutil, their consultant, not only is very
The Preservationist is the official publication of the Montgomery County Historic well qualified, but is personally interested in
Preservation Commission, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Phone: creating these disaster plans to protect museum
301-563-3400. Statements herein do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the collections and is very willing to work with other
Commission. Created by the Historic Resources Preservation Ordinance (Chapter
24A, Montgomery County Code) the Commission is responsible for identification, groups on a practically volunteer basis. The
designation, and regulation for purposes of protection, preservation, continued use, Peerless Rockville Disaster Plan is available to
and enhancement of sites and structures of historical, archeological, architectural, read at the Peerless office in Rockville (301-762-
or cultural value. Commission members are appointed by the Montgomery County 0096) or at the Historic Preservation section
Executive and confirmed by the Montgomery County Council. of the Montgomery County Department of
Commission Park and Planning (301-563-3400). Mr. Dutil’s
Julia O’Malley, Chair Jef Fuller, AIA, Vice Chair contact information is also available at these
Steven Breslin, AIA Lynne B. Watkins Kimberly Prothro Williams places.
Nuray Anahtar, AIA Lee Burstyn Caroline Alderson David S. Rotenstein
Historic Preservation Coordinator Gwen Wright
Requests to be on the mailing list and content information
should be directed to the Commission.

2
A Walk With History
With summer approaching, it’s time to get outdoors Some of these walking tours were completed with 2006 Historic
for some fresh air and those long walks you have help from a Historic Preservation Commission Preservation
been promising yourself. You can combine health grant (see the column at right for details about the Grants Available
and nature with a lesson in local history by upcoming grant application process). Brochures are The Montgomery County
enjoying a hike on one of the county’s trails, or a available in one stop by visiting the Montgomery Historic Preservation
walking tour of a historic district in the county. County Conference and Visitors Bureau at 12900 Commission administers a
Middlebrook Road, Germantown. Call them at Historic Preservation Grant
Following are links to just a few of the many sites Fund of $30,000 that will be
301-428-9702.
that offer such a pleasurable learning experience. available for disbursement
in fiscal year 2006. These
Explore our County by Foot. See More than You Expected! grants are given to non-
profit groups or municipal
Historic Districts governments for historical
Brookeville townofbrookevillemd.org/cover. activities and must be
html matched with local funding
or in kind services by the
Cabin John [email protected]
group. These grants cannot
Gaithersburg 301-258-6160 be used for capital projects
or staffing.
Kensington [email protected]
2006 Grant Fund Schedule
Poolesville 301-428-8927
Early August 2005:
Rockville www.rockvillemd.gov/historic/ Applications mailed
walkingtour.html to interested parties,
Rockville African American sites advertisements placed in
www.rockvillemd.gov/historic/ newspapers.
AAHwalkingtour.html September 30, 2005:
Deadline for completed
Sandy Spring 301-260-8860 Construction of the 1931 Courthouse provided work
applications.
for skilled and unskilled African American laborers.
Takoma Park 301-270-2831 Visit it on the Walking Tour of Rockville’s African September/October:
Trails American Heritage. Applications processed.
Underground Railroad Experience on the October:
Rural Legacy Trail The 18-mile Rock Creek A committee of Historic
mc-mncppc.org/trails/trails_MAPS/Rural_legacy.shtm Hiker-Biker Trail is one Preservation Commission
of the most popular in the members reviews
Rock Creek Trail applications and makes
mc-mncppc.org/trails/trails_maps/rock_creek.shtm Washington area. Now
recommendations to the
you can follow it into the full Commission, who then
Seneca Greenway District of Columbia where votes on the proposals.
mc-mncppc.org/trails/trails_maps/Seneca.shtm the National Park Service
closes Beach Drive to October 31:
Jeb Stuart’s Ride on the Woodstock Trail Applicants notified
montgomerytrails.org automobiles on weekends
of awards. Notice to
and holidays.
Driving Tours proceed with projects is
Civil War Trails issued around January 1,
depending on completion
Maryland Office of Tourism Development
of executed documents.
www.civilwartrails.org Completed projects are due
Maryland Scenic Byways the end of December 2006.
Montgomery County section If you would like to receive
www.sha.state.md.us/exploremd/oed/ an application for an HPC
scenicByways/scenicByways.asp Historic Preservation Grant
please call: 301-563-3400.

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Calendar July 28 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium,
13 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563-
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563- 3400. www.mc-mncppc.org
3400. www.mc-mncppc.org
October
27 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium, 1 Harvest Festival at the Agricultural History
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563- Farm Park in Derwood. 11 AM to 4 PM. Call 301-
3400. www.mc-mncppc.org 670-4661. www.montgomeryparksfnd.org
August 12 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium,
17 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563-
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563- 3400. www.mc-mncppc.org
3400. www.mc-mncppc.org
26 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium,
September 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563-
14 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium, 3400. www.mc-mncppc.org
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-563-
November
3400. www.mc-mncppc.org
5 Maryland Emancipation Day celebration.
11 Happy Birthday Montgomery County Oakley Cabin. 12 noon to 4 PM. Call 301-258-
Celebration, Beall-Dawson House, 111 West 4044. www.montgomeryparksfnd.org
Montgomery Ave., Rockville. Call 762-1492.
www.montgomeryhistory.org

Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission

8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Support Acknowledged: This publication has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, made available
through the Maryland Historical Trust, a division of the Department of Housing and Community Development, State of Maryland. However, the contents and opinions
do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of these agencies. Nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommenda-
tion by these agencies.
Non-discrimination: The Montgomery County historic preservation program receives Federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations of the U.S. Department
of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any
person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operation by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director
of Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC., 20013-37127.