Montgomery History Online Exhibit: Reed Brothers Dodge
Opened September 24, 2024
Curated by Jeanne Gartner and Sarah Hedlund
Montgomery History has unveiled a new online exhibition titled “Reed Brothers Dodge – Montgomery County’s Oldest Dodge Dealership.” Officially launched on September 24, 2024, the exhibition was co-curated by Jeanne Gartner, author of the Reed Brothers Dodge History blog and co-owner of the former dealership, in collaboration with Sarah Hedlund, Montgomery History’s Librarian and Archivist.
This digital exhibition presents a comprehensive narrative of Reed Brothers Dodge, tracing its evolution from its founding in the early twentieth century through its decades of service to the Montgomery County community. Organized into distinct historical periods, the exhibition highlights rare artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia; offering insights into not only the dealership’s operations but also broader cultural contexts such as automotive service, local sports, and mid-century fashion. The full exhibition is available online at https://sites.google.com/view/reedbrothersdodge/home
Jeanne Gartner, granddaughter of Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers Dodge, serves as the curator and historian behind the Reed Brothers Dodge History blog. Honored with the 2016 Arthur M. Wagman Award for Historic Preservation Communication from Peerless Rockville, the blog functions as a living digital archive that preserves the dealership’s enduring legacy and its integral role in Montgomery County’s development. Since its debut in April 2012, the site has garnered more than half a million views, documenting over a century of the family business’s history, community engagement, and contributions to the American automobile industry. Drawing from Lewis Reed’s extensive photographic collection and business records, Gartner’s work offers a richly detailed portrait of local enterprise, early transportation, and the entrepreneurial spirit that helped shape both the region and the broader American story.
Montgomery History Online Exhibit: Montgomery County, Then and Now
Montgomery County, Then and Now: Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner
Opened December 6, 2023
Curated by Jeanne Gartner and Sarah Hedlund
Montgomery County: Then and Now, offers a captivating visual journey through more than a century of local history, told through rare photographs by Lewis Reed and his grandson Barry Gartner. This site presents side-by-side comparisons of historic scenes photographed by Reed between 1900 and 1930 and contemporary color images recreated from those same vantage points by Gartner in 2023, illustrating the dramatic changes, and sometimes surprising continuities, in the landscape, infrastructure, and community life of Montgomery County, Maryland.
Visitors are invited to explore stories behind each image, discovering the evolving character of familiar places as trees mature, buildings disappear, roads shift, and horse-drawn buggies give way to automobiles. The exhibit also delves into the personal histories of its featured photographers: Lewis Reed, remembered for his pioneering photography before founding Reed Brothers Dodge in 1915, and Barry Gartner, a third-generation owner who honors his grandfather’s legacy through both automotive restoration and modern photography.
A unique feature of the exhibit is the interactive map links accompanying each photo pair, allowing viewers to pinpoint the exact locations where history meets the present moment. Through this dynamic blend of archival and modern visuals, Montgomery County: Then and Now deepens our appreciation for local heritage and the passage of time, connecting generations through the lens of two accomplished photographers dedicated to capturing the changing face of their community.
This online exhibit opened December 6, 2023, and is thoughtfully curated by Jeanne Gartner and Sarah Hedlund, providing rich historical context and insight into the fascinating process of recreating these historical photographs. The full exhibition is available online at https://sites.google.com/view/mocothenandnow/home
Montgomery History Online Exhibit: Montgomery County 1900-1930: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed
Opened January 7, 2020
Curated by Jeanne Gartner and Sarah Hedlund
Discover Montgomery County in the early 20th century through the remarkable photography of Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers Dodge. An avid photographer and pioneering automobile dealer, Reed documented the region during his motorcycle journeys across Maryland, capturing the transformation of transportation, daily life, recreation, and community scenes from 1900 to 1930. His photographs offer an intimate window into the people, places, and moments that defined the county and shaped broader American history.
This online exhibition was carefully curated by Jeanne Gartner, granddaughter of Lewis Reed and co-owner of Reed Brothers Dodge, in collaboration with Sarah Hedlund, Archivist and Librarian at Montgomery History. Jeanne’s curatorial vision was instrumental in organizing these photographs into thematic galleries that illuminate Reed’s artistic legacy and documentary purpose, from the evolution of transportation and leisure pursuits to innovative photographic techniques and local economic growth.
Together, these images form a vital portrait of Montgomery County over a century ago, revealing Lewis Reed’s deep appreciation for his community and his enduring commitment to preserving its history for future generations.
View the full exhibition online: https://sites.google.com/view/lewis-reed-photography/home
Reed Photo Collection (1898-1960)
Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers Dodge, was one of the most prolific photographers in Montgomery County at the turn of the 20th century. A self-taught photographer, he used a darkroom set up in his kitchen, sometimes working late at night to develop the negatives.
About This Collection:
Since launching this blog, it has been possible to explore an extraordinary archive: Lewis Reed’s photographs, taken across Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, and well beyond. The Reed Photo Collection (1898-1960) highlights the images that have been researched and identified, gathered into 200+ blog posts that offer vivid glimpses of everyday life more than a century ago.
Featured subjects range from the Black Rock Grist Mill, Rockville Water Tower, and C&O Canal to the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair, Rockville Fair dirt track races, trolley cars, the Wright Brothers’ airplane, and the Quebec Bridge, once called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Particularly striking are the images documenting the devastation of the 1936 Gainesville, Georgia tornado, one of the deadliest in U.S. history; many photographs in this collection have never before appeared in print.
Lewis Reed’s legacy
Lewis Reed’s photographs have become an essential visual resource for local historians and have appeared in respected publications as well as historical television programs, including American Pickers, Science Channel’s Impossible Engineering, Maryland Public Television, and the PBS American Experience series.
In Montgomery County, his work is woven into the landscape: if you see a historical marker by the roadside, there is a good chance it features one of his images. His photographs appear on markers such as the Andrew Small Academy and Origins of Darnestown markers, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station marker in Gaithersburg, From Trolley to Trail in Bethesda, the African American Heritage Walking Tour in Rockville, and the 19th Century Crossroads marker in Darnestown, as well as on an interpretive sign along the trail at Watters Smith Memorial State Park in West Virginia.
Early photographic “special effects”
One especially intriguing part of the collection is Lewis Reed’s experimentation with manipulated images. Long before digital cameras and Photoshop, he was creating imaginative “special effects,” a full century ahead of his time. His techniques included hand-tinting, double exposures, applied handwork, and playful compositions that introduce ghostly figures into the frame, all achieved with the limited tools of the early twentieth century. These experiments reveal not only technical skill but also a remarkable sense of creativity and humor.
Preserving historical authenticity
All images presented here are scanned from prints made from Lewis Reed’s original glass plate negatives, which were commonly used from the 1880s through the late 1920s. No digital retouching or alteration has been applied, preserving the photographs as faithfully as possible and maintaining their historical character.
Click here to step back in time and explore the lives, places, and stories captured through Lewis Reed’s camera.
The Day Auto Racing Came to Rockville: Rare Photos from 1923
On Saturday, August 25, 1923, spectators gathered at the Rockville Fairgrounds for something never before seen there: automobile racing.
Professional drivers brought their high-powered racing machines to the half-mile dirt track for the first automobile races ever held at the Rockville Fair. Standing trackside with his camera was Rockville automobile dealer and photographer Lewis Reed, who captured a remarkable series of photographs of the action.
More than a century later, his images preserve the day auto racing came to Rockville.
Rockville drew a large crowd for its first automobile races at the Rockville Fair, August 25, 1923. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Rockville’s First Auto Races
The automobile races were the featured attraction on the final day of the 1923 Fair. Contemporary newspaper accounts described them as an innovation for Rockville and confirmed that they were the first automobile races ever held there.
Seven high-powered cars competed in events ranging from one to ten miles, driven by some of the leading professional racers of the day. Canadian dirt-track racer Frank Ripple was among the featured drivers and was expected to attempt speed records in a powerful machine equipped with a 140-horsepower airplane engine.
The new attraction proved popular. Except for Thursday, traditionally the Fair’s biggest day, the Saturday automobile races reportedly drew the largest crowd of the five-day event.
Five racers charge around the dirt track at the Rockville Fairgrounds, August 25, 1923. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Racing on the Dirt Track
Lewis Reed’s photographs show just how exciting early automobile racing could be. Cars raced closely together on the unpaved oval, their narrow tires throwing enormous clouds of dust into the air as drivers fought for position around the sweeping curves.
Spectators stood remarkably close to the action.
Race cars disappear into a cloud of dust while rounding the Rockville Fairgrounds track. Print made from a Lewis Reed glass negative.
One of Lewis Reed’s most interesting photographs from the races shows a car carrying two men. The passenger was a riding mechanic, once a familiar figure in early automobile racing. In addition to watching the mechanical condition of the car, he served as an extra set of eyes for the driver, keeping watch on competitors approaching from behind.
Driver and riding mechanic on the dirt track at the Rockville Fairgrounds, August 25, 1923. Photo by Lewis Reed.
A Future Indianapolis 500 Driver Raced at Rockville
Years after I first published these photographs, the story took an unexpected turn.
I received a message from John Snowberger, whose father, Russ Snowberger, raced at the Rockville Fairgrounds during the early 1920s. John told me that he had photographs of his father in his race car and believed that my grandfather, Lewis Reed, may have taken them.
Russ Snowberger, born in Denton, Maryland, raced throughout the region before going on to become a nationally known driver and a veteran of the Indianapolis 500.
Although I have not been able to establish that Snowberger competed specifically in the August 25, 1923 races, his son’s recollection provides a fascinating connection between Rockville’s early dirt-track racing and a driver who would later compete on one of the world’s most famous speedways.
It also raises an intriguing possibility: somewhere among Lewis Reed’s surviving photographs of early race cars and drivers may be an unidentified image of a young Russ Snowberger.
A Moment Preserved in Photographs
More than a century later, Lewis Reed’s photographs provide a rare visual record of the day automobile racing first came to the Rockville Fair.
They capture speeding cars, clouds of dust, spectators lining the track, and an era when automobile racing was still new enough to be a major local attraction.
And thanks to a message received nearly a century later from the son of an Indianapolis 500 driver, we now know that the old Rockville dirt track had connections extending well beyond Montgomery County.
For one dusty Saturday in August 1923, Rockville became a racing town.
From Rockville to Gaithersburg: The Montgomery County Fair Through the Lens of Lewis Reed
Special Feature for Montgomery County Agricultural Fair Week
August 14–22, 2026
A look back at the fair’s early years through the lens of Lewis Reed.
Every August, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair to enjoy livestock exhibitions, agricultural displays, carnival rides, competitions, concerts, and family traditions that have endured for generations. While today’s fairgrounds in Gaithersburg are familiar to many, the fair itself began long before the current site existed.
Organized in 1846 by the Montgomery County Agricultural Society, the annual fair was established to promote agriculture, encourage innovation, and strengthen the county’s farming community. For decades, it brought together farmers, merchants, craftsmen, and families from across Montgomery County to exchange ideas, exhibit their finest livestock and crops, and celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage.
By the time Lewis Reed began photographing Montgomery County around the turn of the twentieth century, the fair had become one of the county’s largest and most anticipated annual events. Carrying his camera throughout the fairgrounds, Reed documented not only the exhibits and attractions but also the people who made the fair an enduring community tradition.
Fairgoers stroll along the midway in their Sunday best, ca. 1910. Broad-brimmed hats, long flowing dresses, and tailored suits reflected the fashion of the era, when dressing for the county fair was as much a social occasion as the event itself.
Reed’s photographs reveal a fair that was both educational and entertaining. Agriculture remained its foundation, but visitors also came to enjoy the excitement of the midway, where amusement rides, games, and food vendors transformed the fairgrounds into a festive gathering place for young and old alike.
Ferris Wheel at the Montgomery County Fair, Rockville, ca. 1910. One of the fair’s most popular attractions towered above the fairgrounds, symbolizing how the annual exhibition combined agricultural traditions with modern entertainment.
Behind the excitement of the midway was the fair’s original purpose. Exhibition halls displayed the county’s finest produce, flowers, baked goods, preserves, and handcrafted items, while nearby barns housed prize-winning livestock representing the best of Montgomery County’s farms. Manufacturers exhibited the latest farm machinery and equipment, giving visitors an opportunity to see how new technology was steadily transforming rural life.
Agriculture remained the heart of the fair. Manufacturers displayed the latest farm machinery, giving local farmers an opportunity to compare new equipment and modern farming methods.
Visitors explored displays celebrating Montgomery County’s agricultural achievements, local craftsmanship, and community pride.
An exhibitor captures the attention of fairgoers.
One of Lewis Reed’s most compelling photographs captures hundreds of automobiles parked throughout the fairgrounds. As a lifelong automobile enthusiast and future founder of Reed Brothers Dodge, Reed recognized that the motorcar was transforming Montgomery County. His photograph preserves that moment when the automobile had become an integral part of daily life and community gatherings.
Hundreds of cars in the parking lot.
The grandstand and one-third-mile dirt race track were among the fair’s most popular attractions. Horse racing remained a favorite event, while bicycle races, motorcycle exhibitions, and eventually automobile competitions reflected America’s growing fascination with speed and mechanical innovation. Reed’s photographs preserve these moments at a time when transportation itself was rapidly changing.
Bicycle races became very popular throughout the country and were a novel event at the Rockville Fairgrounds as early as 1915. The track was a half-mile dirt racing oval with wide, sweeping curves and a grandstand for spectators, which made for clear views. Notice the riders are in shirts and ties.
Harness racing was one of the main attractions at the race track before the introduction of the automobile and the subsequent popularity of racing cars.
Spectators pack the grandstand for the automobile races at the Rockville Fair, August 25, 1923. Racing events drew visitors from across the region and showcased the excitement of the new motor age.
The Rockville fairgrounds continued to host the Montgomery County Fair until 1932, when financial hardships brought on by the Great Depression forced the Agricultural Society to sell the property. The site would later become the home of Richard Montgomery High School. In 1949, hundreds of volunteers joined together to establish the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg, where the fair continues today.
Winter at the Rockville Fairgrounds, 1910. Lewis Reed’s photograph captures a rare, tranquil view of the fairgrounds between seasons, preserving a landscape that would eventually disappear from Montgomery County.
Much has changed since Lewis Reed walked the fairgrounds with his camera. The original race track has disappeared, the Rockville fairgrounds exist only in photographs, and Montgomery County has grown from a rural farming community into one of Maryland’s most populous counties. Yet the fair’s mission has remained remarkably consistent: celebrating agriculture, education, community, and innovation.
As visitors gather for this year’s Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, Lewis Reed’s photographs offer a rare opportunity to look back at the fair’s early years and experience a tradition that has united generations of Montgomery County residents for nearly 180 years.
Two New Books Featuring Lewis Reed’s Historic Montgomery County Photographs
More than 125 years ago, a young boy named Lewis Reed picked up a camera and began photographing the world around him. What started as a youthful fascination with photography grew into one of the most important visual records of Montgomery County’s history.
From the late 1890s through the mid-twentieth century, Lewis Reed documented a county in transition. His photographs preserve everyday life during an era when dirt roads gradually gave way to paved highways, horse-drawn wagons shared the road with the first automobiles, and small rural communities evolved into the suburban landscape we know today. Today, the Lewis Reed Photograph Collection contains more than 2,500 photographs and continues to serve as an invaluable resource for historians, educators, museums, and local preservation projects.
For a little more than a decade, I have been privileged to preserve, research, and share this remarkable collection through books, online exhibits, presentations, historical markers, and hundreds of articles published here on Reed Brothers Dodge History. It has been my goal to ensure that Lewis Reed’s photographs remain accessible to everyone interested in Montgomery County’s rich heritage.
I am pleased to announce the completion of two new softcover companion books inspired by the Montgomery History online exhibits that celebrate Lewis Reed’s photographic legacy and introduce these remarkable images to an even wider audience.
Montgomery County: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed
Created as a companion volume to Montgomery History’s online exhibit of the same name, this compact book presents a carefully selected collection of Lewis Reed’s finest photographs. Inspired by the online exhibit, it preserves a remarkable visual record of a Montgomery County that has largely disappeared.
Taken during the first decades of the twentieth century, these photographs capture a county undergoing profound change while demonstrating Lewis Reed’s remarkable gift for documenting history as it unfolded. Today, they stand among the most significant visual records of Montgomery County’s early history.
Montgomery County: Then and Now – Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner
Also created as a companion volume to Montgomery History’s online exhibit of the same name, this full-color book pairs Lewis Reed’s historic photographs with modern images recreated from the same locations by his grandson, Barry Gartner. Together, the photographic pairs reveal more than a century of change while preserving a visual connection between Montgomery County’s past and present.
The result is a unique comparison of familiar landscapes, demonstrating how photography can bridge generations and deepen our understanding of the communities that continue to evolve.
Now Available
I’m excited to share that Montgomery County: Then and Now – Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner is now available to preview or purchase through Blurb’s print-on-demand bookstore.
Readers can browse the entire book online before ordering, making it easy to explore this unique photographic journey through Montgomery County’s past and present.
Preview or order your copy here:
Montgomery County: Then and Now – Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner
The companion volume, Montgomery County: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed, will also be available soon.
Continuing the Legacy
Every publication built around the Lewis Reed Photograph Collection helps preserve a remarkable visual record of Montgomery County’s history. More than historic images, these photographs connect us with the people, places, and landscapes that shaped our communities and remind us how much can be learned from a single photograph.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported this work over the years. Your interest in Lewis Reed’s photography has helped ensure that this extraordinary collection continues to educate, inspire, and preserve Montgomery County’s history for future generations.
To explore these and my other publications, please visit the Featured Publications page here on Reed Brothers Dodge History.
High Flying History: When the Goodyear Blimp Came to Rockville
A Night on the Mooring Mast
According to a 1938 report from The Montgomery County Sentinel, the visit was far more than a simple flyover; it was a full-scale community event that turned Rockville into a temporary hub of aeronautical wonder. Local residents, who had long wondered how such a massive airship could be anchored away from a permanent dock, were given the rare opportunity to see a mobile mooring mast in action as the Enterprise stayed overnight.
The spectacle wasn’t limited to the skies, as Reed Brothers also sponsored a “Life Guard” tire demonstration to prove the safety of Goodyear’s latest technology. In a display that had to be seen to be believed, a car traveling at upwards of 60 miles per hour underwent a deliberate blowout to demonstrate that it could maintain control without serious consequences. This high-speed event was conducted with the full cooperation of local police authorities, who assisted in managing the crowds that gathered to witness the future of automotive safety and aviation.
A Ride to Remember (From the Womb)
History is often best told through the personal stories of those who lived it. One of the most charming accounts of the Enterprise’s visit comes from Janice Beall Taylor, whose parents both worked at the dealership in the 1930s.
Her mother, Mary Anna Slater, was the bookkeeper at Reed Brothers and was eight and a half months pregnant at the time of the blimp’s arrival. Not wanting to miss the chance of a lifetime, Mary Anna called her physician, Dr. Hartley, to ask if it was safe to fly.
Only if I can go, too!” the doctor reportedly replied.
True to his word, the doctor and the expectant mother took to the skies. Janice often jokes with her children that she technically enjoyed her first blimp ride two weeks before she was even born!
Preserving the Legacy
The visit of the Goodyear Blimp was more than a marketing stunt; it was a moment that captured the imagination of a generation. Thanks to Lewis Reed’s foresight in bringing his camera into the cockpit, we have a permanent record of Rockville’s landscape from a time when “aerial photography” was a daring new frontier.
Today, these images serve as a bridge to the past, reminding us of the days when a silver giant in the sky could bring an entire city to a standstill.
July 7, 1928: The Automobile That Helped Build Chrysler and Became Part of Rockville History
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘇’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲-𝗣𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁. Embroidered with the dealership’s name, it reflects the years when Reed Brothers proudly represented both Dodge and Plymouth.
In 1930, Reed Brothers expanded its showroom by adding the Plymouth line, marking an important milestone in the dealership’s history. When Plymouth debuted in 1928, franchises were reserved exclusively for Chrysler dealers. Two years later, Chrysler opened the brand to Dodge and DeSoto dealerships, allowing established dealers like Reed Brothers to offer the new low-priced automobile. With the addition of Plymouth, the dealership officially became Reed Brothers Dodge-Plymouth, broadening its appeal to a growing market of budget-conscious buyers.
The timing proved ideal. As the nation entered the Great Depression, Plymouth quickly emerged as one of America’s three best-selling automobile brands, joining Ford and Chevrolet at the top of the industry. More than just a successful new model, Plymouth became the financial backbone of Chrysler Corporation. Its combination of affordability, dependability, and advanced engineering attracted thousands of customers during the country’s most difficult economic years. The steady sales of Plymouth automobiles helped sustain Chrysler through the Depression and played a pivotal role in securing the company’s future as one of Detroit’s major automakers.
For Reed Brothers Dodge-Plymouth, the addition of the Plymouth franchise brought many new customers through the showroom doors in Rockville. Families who wanted the quality and engineering of a Chrysler-built automobile at an affordable price found exactly what they were looking for in Plymouth. The brand would remain an important part of the dealership’s identity for nearly four decades.
Below: Salesman Raleigh Chinn’s business card, printed after 1930, reflects the dealership’s new identity as Reed Brothers Dodge-Plymouth following the addition of the Plymouth franchise.
Business card courtesy of Jane C. Sween,
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Copyright Notice
Reed Brothers Dodge History (1915-2012) by Jeanne Gartner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 – 2012 
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