Tag Archive | old town Gaithersburg
July 5, 2018  

Then & Now: Gaithersburg B&O Railroad Station

This post is a continuation of a series of “Then & Now” images that will show photographs of buildings, street scenes, and other historical locales from Lewis Reed’s Photo Collection alongside photographs of how they appear today.

Gaithersburg B&O Train Station (THEN): The station was originally built as the Gaithersburg B&O Railroad Station and Freight Shed in 1884, for the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). A freight house, which currently houses the Gaithersburg Community Museum, allowed farmers to easily ship their products. Over the years, the station buildings gradually fell into disrepair and by the 1960’s were slated for demolition. According to the Gaithersburg city website, they were purchased by the city from the Chessie Systems in 1984 and restored. The Station and Freight House have been listed in the National Register of Historical Places since 1978.

Gaithersburg Train Station

Gaithersburg B&O Railroad Station (looking north up the tracks), 1911. Photo by Lewis Reed

Gaithersburg B&O Train Station (NOW): The same view 107 years later. The station has limited hours but still serves as a ticket office for MARC train daily commuters going to and from Washington, DC. Amtrak trains rumble through Gaithersburg but this is no longer a scheduled stop on their routes. As many as 50 freight trains travel through Gaithersburg each day.

Gaithersburg B & O Railroad Station

Gaithersburg B&O Railroad Station today

Source: Maryland Historical Trust

March 29, 2018  

Thomas Hardware Store, Gaithersburg ca. 1928

Diamond Avenue Gaitherburg

Thomas Hardware Store, originally built and operated by Thomas I. Fulks. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. late 1920s

This photo was taken by Lewis Reed when the first system of water mains and sewers were installed by the WSSC in Gaithersburg, circa 1926-1928. The store in the background is the Thomas Hardware Store, originally built and operated by Thomas Iraneous Fulks. The water pipes to be laid are resting by the side of the road. The child on the right in the photograph is Lewis Reed’s daughter, Mary Jane (Reed) Gartner.

T. I. Fulks was a businessman and farmer. He worked as a bookkeeper for the Gaithersburg Milling and Manufacturing Company and then opened a hardware store at 219 East Diamond Avenue.

Source: Gaithersburg: History of a City