Books

About the Books & Why I Chose to Self-Publish

My books center on preserving local history through a deeply personal perspective. Portrait of an Automobile Dealer traces the story of my family’s multi-generational car dealership, one of the earliest in Montgomery County, Maryland. It blends family memories, photographs, and historical documents to capture more than a hundred years of transformation in both the automobile industry and the surrounding community.

I chose self-publishing because it allowed me the freedom to tell these stories authentically and without compromise. Traditional publishing often emphasizes commercial appeal, but my goal was different: to preserve local and family histories that might otherwise be forgotten. Though my books may not fit traditional publishing molds, they are the result of careful research, rooted in local heritage, and filled with personal meaning.

“Portrait Of An Automobile Dealer, Fourth Edition” The book, “Portrait Of An Automobile Dealer” began as a personal journey to document the legacy of a family business with deep roots in Rockville, Maryland. What started with the First Edition in September 2012 eventually grew into something much larger, earning recognition from local historians and preservationists, and evolving into a definitive historical archive.

The Third Edition, published in 2016, received the Arthur M. Wagman Award for Historic Preservation Communication from Peerless Rockville. This prestigious award honors writers and historians whose work promotes a greater understanding of Rockville’s architectural and cultural heritage. It was a tremendous honor to receive this acknowledgment—not only for the book itself but also for the role it plays in preserving our community’s past.

One of the greatest advantages of self-publishing, is the ability to revise and enhance the book over time. Each edition has allowed me to build on the last, adding newly discovered photos, correcting dates, and incorporating fresh material from archives like the now-digitized Montgomery County Sentinel.

The newly released Fourth Edition is the most comprehensive version yet. Highlights include:

• Over 70 new images
• A new cover image and dust jacket color to differentiate it from earlier editions
• Updated historical dates and timelines
• Previously unpublished material unearthed during recent research

This final edition is the result of over a decade of research, dedication, and the flexibility that only self-publishing could offer. It’s more than just a book, it’s a living record of Montgomery County’s automotive history, seen through the lens of a family legacy.

Whether you’re revisiting this story or discovering it for the first time, I hope this edition of Portrait Of An Automobile Dealer offers a meaningful glimpse into the history of Reed Brothers Dodge and the enduring spirit of Rockville’s past.

“Lewis Reed Photograph Collection (1898-1960)” contains 374 pages and 2500+ photographs, the majority of them more than 100 years old, taken by Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers Dodge. It has informative captions throughout that provide small snippets of history on the people and places pictured. Many photographic images in this collection have never before been seen publicly in print until now, making this collection a rare window into the past.

Lewis Reed was a well-known photographer in the county and many of his early photographs are now part of Montgomery History’s photo archives. His photography has appeared as a resource in highly regarded historical publications including, “Rockville Images of America” by Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation (with Ralph Buglass), “Montgomery County Mills, A Field Guide” by Michael Dwyer,  “Montgomery County: Two Centuries of Change” by Jane C. Sween, “Montgomery County (Then & Now)” by Mark Walston, “Montgomery County (MD) Images of America”, by Michael Dwyer, “Rockville: Portrait of a City” by Eileen S. McGuckian, Montgomery Magazine, historic landmarks “Then & Now”, and “Gaithersburg: History of a City”, and by the media, including on the national television show, American Pickers, Science Channel ‘Impossible Engineering’, Maryland Public Television, and on TV’s most watched history series, American Experience on PBS.

Preserving the Legacy

Reed Brothers Dodge is more than a story about automobiles, it’s a story about people, perseverance, and place. Capturing nearly 100 years of history, the books were created to ensure that the voices, faces, and milestones of the past are not forgotten. They serve as a lasting tribute to those who built the business and the community around it, preserving their memory for future generations.

Today, both books are part of Montgomery County’s historical record. They’re available in digital form through Montgomery History’s online collections and in print at the Jane C. Sween Research Library.

To find out more or to order a copy, visit the “BOOKS” tab at the top of this page and select a title from the drop-down menu.