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Montgomery History Online Exhibit: Montgomery County 1900-1930: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed

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

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About Reed Brothers

I am a co-owner of the former Reed Brothers Dodge in Rockville, Maryland. Lewis Reed, the founder of Reed Brothers Dodge was my grandfather. We were a family-owned and operated car dealership in Rockville for almost a century. I served in the United States Air Force for 30 years before retiring in the top enlisted grade of Chief Master Sergeant in July 2006. In 2016, I received the Arthur M. Wagman Award for Historic Preservation Communication from Peerless Rockville for documenting the history of Reed Brothers Dodge in both blog and book format. This distinguished honor recognizes outstanding achievement by writers, educators, and historians whose work has heightened public awareness of Rockville’s architectural and cultural heritage, growth and development.

2 responses to “Montgomery History Online Exhibit: Montgomery County 1900-1930: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed”

  1. Doris Bready's avatar
    Doris Bready says :

    I just came across this site (Montgomery History) and I’m viewing the photos taken by Lewis Reed. How great it is that the photos were saved and taken care of. I’ll be looking at this site again and again. Lock 25, Edwards Ferry where my grandfather was the lock tender. I have never seen these photos before. I’ve been doing the Beall genealogy for 40+ years and have been looking up photos of lock boats to copy and put into my report. But these photos are for real and are amazing!! Is it possible I could get a copy of some of the photos? It is like someone just gave me a great gift! The photos of the towns are fantastic — the history!

    Reply
    • Reed Brothers's avatar
      Reed Brothers says :

      Hi Doris, So happy you enjoyed the online exhibit! Montgomery County’s history is fascinating and the project was a wonderful learning experience for me.

      The scenic C&O Canal was obviously a favorite spot for my grandfather to take photographs. The exhibit does not display all of the photos he took of Lock 25. If you are interested, I have about 7-8 additional photos stored on my computer I would be happy to share with you. If you would like to correspond further, feel free to reach out to me on my personal e-mail at: jtgartner@live.com.

      Sincerely and wishing you good health,
      Jeanne

      Reply

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