Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission

the Preservationist
Winter 2005

Money for Maintenance:

Time To Apply for Tax Credits
Did you paint your house, permit fees, interior work not required to
replace the roof, or finally repair preserve the structure (such as installation of
that back stoop? If so, you could mechanical equipment or interior painting), or
be in for a financial refund new exterior site work such as driveway paving
thanks to the Montgomery and landscaping.
County Historic Preservation
Sounds Great! How Do I Apply?
Tax Credit.
Applying for the tax credit is easy. A complete
Montgomery County rewards application requires:
preservation activities by
• A brief description of the work.
offering a tax credit against
• Photocopies of receipts, cancelled checks, or
real property taxes for 10%
other proof of payment.
of the documented expenses
• Photographs of the structure before (requested)
for exterior maintenance,
and after the work (required).
restoration, rehabilitation,
• A signed two-page application.
or other preservation work
deemed necessary to preserve A tax credit application form for work done
the integrity of both individual and paid for in 2004 is included in this issue
historic sites and properties in of The Preservationist. Completed forms must
historic districts designated on be postmarked by April 1, 2005. Additional
Roof replacement and dormer the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic forms can be obtained, or questions about any
repair at Chiswell’s Inheritance Preservation. All structures within County aspect of the program answered, by calling the
in Poolesville qualified for a historic districts, including new and non- Montgomery County Historic Preservation
County Historic Preservation contributing buildings, are eligible. Commission at 301-563-3400, or by visiting
tax credit. our website at: www.mc-mncppc.org/historic/
The work at each site must be for projects
instructions/info_tax.shtm.
costing, cumulatively, $1,000 or more for the
In This Issue: previous calendar year, and with payments made Tax Credits from the State, Too!
in the year for which the tax credit is sought. Another significant tax incentive for
• Smithville Rosenwald
The credit for qualified work in 2004 will be paid revitalization and rehabilitation of historic
School reopens. to the applicant, after the tax bill issued in 2005 structures is the Heritage Preservation Tax Credit
Page 2 is paid. If the credit is more than you owe, it can Program administered by the Maryland Historical
be carried forward five years, though it does not Trust. This provides Maryland income tax
• Preservation Awards transfer to a new owner. credits equal to 20% of the qualified capital costs
nominations invited. expended on exterior and interior rehabilitation
Page 2 You may not think that you completed
work (with a $5,000 cumulative minimum over a
$1,000 or more of work in any given year, but
24 month period). Unlike the county program,
• Historic Preservation a reduction in the real property tax of at least
the state applications must be completed before
Tax Credit application. $100 should help encourage you to keep track
the work begins. Forms and more information
Insert of all qualified work over the course of a year.
are available on the Maryland Historical Trust
Projects such as storm window/door installation,
website at www.marylandhistoricaltrust.net or
• New life for invasive insect treatment, chimney relining, and
by calling the Office of Preservation Services at
Kensington Cabin. foundation repair qualify for the tax credit. Non-
410-514-7639.
Page 3 qualifying projects include new construction,
 Historic Preservation the Boyds Historical Society, and the Sandy
News and Notes Spring Slave Museum. Refreshments will be
served.
Grand Opening of the Restored
Smithville Rosenwald School Docent Training for Oakley Cabin
The Historic Preservation Section of the Training of volunteer interpreters for the
Montgomery County Department of Park and publicly-owned Oakley Cabin will begin
Planning and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity are February 26. Anyone over the age of 14 may
Restored Smithville sponsoring a Celebration of Preservation at the participate. To qualify, you must take 6 hours of
Rosenwald School reopens newly restored Smithville “Colored” School on training in three separate sessions. Docents will
in February as an African Saturday, February 19 from 2 to 4 PM. The school be asked to volunteer at the Cabin on five to
American history museum is located at 811 East Randolph Road, just east of eight Saturday or Sunday afternoons from April
and education center. Colesville Road. through October, or, if available, to be on call
for group tour requests during the week. Oakley
Built in 1927 with funds from the Rosenwald Cabin was built in the 1820s to house enslaved
Foundation, the former schoolhouse had been people, and later was the center of an African
used for many years by the Board of Education American roadside community. For more
and the County as a storage facility when it information, or to sign up for training call Susan
was acquired in 1997 by the Alpha Phi Alpha Soderberg at 301-563-3405.
Fraternity. The local chapter of this national
organization has been raising money since Preservation Awards
then to restore and convert the building Nominations Invited
into a museum and an education center. The Montgomery Preservation, Inc., invites
museum will highlight African American nominations for the 2005 Montgomery County
education during the time of segregation and Preservation Awards honoring individuals and
integration, and progress in Civil Rights for groups that have made significant contributions
African Americans. The Smithville “Colored” to the preservation or restoration of the County’s
School was one of sixteen Rosenwald Schools historic resources during the past year. Anyone
constructed in Montgomery County, and now is can nominate an individual or group for an
one of two that have been preserved. award. Selection of the winners is made by a
panel of expert judges. All efforts to preserve
At the February 19 celebration, displays on our historic buildings and to educate the general
the historic African American Communities public in the value of our local heritage is
of Montgomery County will be exhibited by: worthwhile, but sometimes a group or individual
the Montgomery County Department of Park deserves special recognition for extraordinary
and Planning, the Lincoln Park Historical efforts. The 2005 Historic Preservation Awards
Foundation, the Warren Historic Site are supported by a grant from the Montgomery
Committee, the St. Paul’s Community Church, County Historic Preservation Commission,

Preservationist
however, program operation, judges, and
the selection of the recipients are entirely the
responsibility of Montgomery Preservation, Inc.
The Preservationist is the official publication of the Montgomery County Historic The awards will be presented at a reception in
Preservation Commission, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Phone: the renovated Thomas Cannery in Gaithersburg
301-563-3400. Statements herein do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the on Friday, June 3 from 6-9 PM.
Commission. Created by the Historic Resources Preservation Ordinance (Chapter
24A, Montgomery County Code) the Commission is responsible for identification, The deadline for submitting nominations for
designation, and regulation for purposes of protection, preservation, continued use, 2005 Montgomery County Historic Preservation
and enhancement of sites and structures of historical, archeological, architectural, Awards is March 31, 2005. For more information
or cultural value. Commission members are appointed by the Montgomery County
Executive and confirmed by the Montgomery County Council.
or to receive a nomination form, contact
the 2005 Preservation Awards Chair, Judy
Commission Christensen, email: Jchriste@rockvillemd.
Julia O’Malley, Chair Jef Fuller, AIA, Vice Chair gov or visit the MPI website: www.
Steven Breslin, AIA Lynne B. Watkins Kimberly Prothro Williams montgomerypreservation.org.
Nuray Anahtar, AIA Lee Burstyn Caroline Alderson David S. Rotenstein
Historic Preservation Coordinator Gwen Wright continued on page 3
Requests to be on the mailing list and content information
should be directed to the Commission.

2
Kensington Cabin to Be Restored
On December 9, 2004, the Montgomery County then assume
Planning Board enthusiastically approved a management
proposal by the Town of Kensington to enter responsibilities
into a partnership with MNCPPC for operation for the facility.
of the Kensington Cabin. The Town
proposes to use the
The Kensington Cabin is a historically
Kensington Cabin
significant Park property. It was built circa 1934
to host a variety of
and may, in fact, be one of the earliest structures
programs of public
in the Montgomery County Parks system. It
benefit consistent
has not yet been listed on the Locational Atlas
with the Cabin’s
and Index of Historic Sites or the Montgomery
original use in
County Master Plan for Historic Preservation;
the 1930s as a
however, it is a very important resource and would
community center.
merit official historic designation in the future.
The Town’s proposed multi functional uses of Possibly the oldest existing
The Cabin is a one-room structure and the historic Kensington Cabin include summer building in the County
functioned as a community meeting place camps and recreational programs for children, Parks system, the 1930s-
within Kensington Cabin Local Park until 1992, adult classes, meeting space for community era Kensington Cabin will
when it was closed down and boarded up. The groups, and event space for lectures and become an active community
reason for closing it was that it needed capital workshops. resource managed by the
improvements and maintenance, but there were Town of Kensington.
These events will make the Cabin available
not sufficient funds in the Park Department’s
to the public on a regular basis. The primary
budget to do this work. Since then, the small
goal for the Kensington Cabin is to have the
building has remained vacant and boarded up in
community participate and feel involved in the
this local park.
use of the property.
Since 2001, the Town of Kensington
The Planning Board felt that this partnership
has expressed an interest in entering into a
will be an excellent opportunity to bring an
partnership with MNCPPC to renovate the
important building back to life. Kensington
Kensington Cabin and to operate it. The Town
Cabin has been vacant for a number of years.
of Kensington wishes to use the Kensington
Its current condition is very deteriorated.
Cabin as a historic and recreational resource for
However, it can and should be an important
the surrounding communities.
community resource which will not only provide
Under the partnership agreement, the Town much-needed space for community events and
would assume responsibilities for overseeing gatherings, but will also serve to remind all the
the renovation of the Cabin (utilizing a one- citizens of Montgomery County of the history of
time grant from MNCPPC). The Town would our park system and of Kensington.

Preservation News & Notes, from page 2

County. HM! Heritage Montgomery-History
To nominate Endangered Historic Sites for Where You Least Expect It notes 16 historic sites
the annual list to be presented at the ceremony in the county that are open to the public on a
please contact Jerry McCoy, 800 Thayer Ave., regular basis. It also explains the three themes
Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-565-2519, in the Montgomery County heritage initiative:
[email protected]. The deadline for the Farming History, Quaker/Underground Railroad,
Endangered Historic Sites nominations is April 1. and Technological Innovation. The brochure is
available at Montgomery County visitor centers,
New Heritage Montgomery
but if you would like one mailed to you, contact:
Brochure
Heritage Tourism Alliance, 12535 Milestone
The Heritage Tourism Alliance of Montgomery
Manor Lane, Germantown, MD 20876, 301-515-
County has just published a new brochure
0753, www.heritagemontgomery.org.
about historical places to visit in Montgomery

3
Calendar February
Through March 6 Exhibit: Beall-Dawson
19 Celebration of Preservation at the newly
restored Smithville Colored School from 2 to
House, Rockville. Brown vs the Board of 4 PM. 811 East Randolph Road. (see article on
Education: Public School Integration in Montgomery page 2) For information call 301-563-3400.
County. Tuesdays through Sundays,12:30-4:30
March
PM. Call 301-762-1492. montgomeryhistory.org.
9 & 23 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO
Feb. 19-April 30 Exhibit: The Story of Harness Auditorium, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.
Racing by Currier and Ives. Waters House, Call 301-563-3400. mc-mncppc.org.
12535 Milestone Manor Lane, Germantown.
31 Deadline for Montgomery Preservation, Inc.
Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 AM-4 PM. Call
Preservation Award nominations.
301-515-2887. montgomeryhistory.org.
April
9 & 23 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO
13 HPC Meeting, 7:30 PM, MRO Auditorium,
Auditorium, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.
Call 301-563-3400. mc-mncppc.org.
Call 301-563-3400. www.mc-mncppc.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.