Snapshots in Time: Reed Brothers Dodge Then and Now
Reed Brothers Dodge occupies a distinctive place in Montgomery County’s commercial and transportation history, operating as a family-run dealership for nearly a century and weathering profound shifts in American life. Established in 1915 by automobile pioneer Lewis Reed and later joined by his brother Edgar, the firm grew from a modest Rockville garage into one of the nation’s oldest continuously operated Dodge dealerships, surviving two world wars, economic downturns, and repeated upheavals in the auto industry. “Snapshots in Time: Reed Brothers Dodge Then and Now” examines this trajectory through paired historical and contemporary images, inviting readers to view the dealership not simply as a business, but as a long-running institution that helped drive Montgomery County’s transition from rural crossroads to modern suburb. (click images to enlarge)
The black-and-white photograph on the left shows Lewis Reed’s original Rockville Garage in 1915, located at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike. In the early days of the automobile, many dealerships evolved from existing repair garages, and Rockville Garage was no exception. That same year, Lewis Reed became a partner with Robert L. and Griffith Warfield. The Warfield brothers later purchased the building in July 1915 from Lee Ricketts and Sons, who had operated the local Overland agency. The business continued under the Rockville Garage name until, shortly after Edgar Reed joined his brother, it was renamed at the suggestion of the late Judge Edward Peter.
The image on the right is a 1970 artist’s rendering of the new Reed Brothers Dodge dealership, representing a pivotal moment in the company’s history. After 55 years at the original downtown triangle location, Lee Gartner purchased 4.37 acres from Eugene Casey and relocated the business to a modern facility at 15955 Frederick Road in Rockville. Featuring a contemporary showroom and a full Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep service complex, the new site marked the beginning of a new era, while carrying forward a legacy that began nearly six decades earlier in a modest corner garage.
The black and white photograph above, taken by Lewis Reed, shows the original Reed Brothers Dodge dealership nearly 80 years ago… and on the right is the same location today, now known as Veterans Park. In the 1970s, the site was briefly called Francis Scott Key Memorial Park, before being permanently rededicated as Veterans Park in 1988 to honor those who served. During the late 1960s, the State of Maryland acquired the property to widen Route 355. The remaining portion of land was donated to the City of Rockville, and a small street created behind the dealership was named “Dodge Street”—a lasting tribute to the more than 50 years Reed Brothers Dodge called that location home. What was once a center of automotive innovation has been transformed into a quiet place of remembrance, but the legacy of Reed Brothers Dodge remains forever etched in the street signs and stories of Rockville’s past.
These photographs show the intersection of King Farm Boulevard and Frederick Road; the site where Reed Brothers Dodge stood proudly for more than 40 years. The image on the left, captured by Google Street View in April 2012, shows the dealership just before it closed its doors for the last time.
Today, the legacy of Reed Brothers Dodge continues in a new form. On the right, the property is now home to The Reed, a rebranded apartment complex that pays tribute to the site’s deep roots in local history. In early 2025, the familiar Bainbridge name officially disappeared from 15955 Frederick Road in Rockville. Along with the signage, the apartment complex underwent a complete rebranding, now honoring the legacy of the Reed family and the dealership that once stood there. Though the building is gone, the memory of Reed Brothers Dodge remains deeply rooted in the landscape and spirit of the community.
The black and white photograph above was taken by Lewis Reed in 1915, looking west from the site of his original Rockville Garage. Visible in the image is the dealership’s very first “gas station”—a single pump. In the distance, an early trolley car makes its way along Main Street (now Rockville Pike), part of a transit line that operated from 1900 to 1935, running past Reed Brothers Dodge. Also visible in the background is the historic St. Mary’s Cemetery, a landmark that still exists today.
Fast forward to the present, and the same view seen on the right looks dramatically different. The once-quiet corridor has evolved into what locals now affectionately call “the mixing bowl,” a complex web of modern roads, traffic signals, and constant motion. While the landscape has changed, the photo offers a rare window into the early days of Rockville’s automotive and transit history.
The “then” photograph above was taken by Lewis Reed in 1953 at the corner of East Montgomery Avenue and Dodge Street. It captures the newly constructed building, which housed the showroom along with the parts and service departments. When the State of Maryland widened the surrounding roads in 1970, the connector street behind the dealership’s original location was officially named “Dodge Street,” a nod to the many years Reed Brothers Dodge operated there—from 1915 to 1970.
The “now” image on the right is a Google Maps view of the same location, captured in 2016—64 years later—showing just how dramatically the area has changed over time.
Both of the “then and now” images above are Google Maps Street View photographs taken just ten years apart. The image on the left shows Reed Brothers Dodge in 2007, while the image on the right captures the same site after its transformation into the Bainbridge Shady Grove Metro Apartments.
In early 2025, the familiar Bainbridge name officially disappeared from 15955 Frederick Road in Rockville. Along with the signage, the apartment complex underwent a complete rebranding. Today, the property is known simply as The Reed, a name that pays tribute to the site’s deep roots in local history.
The 1917 photo on the left is the original Rockville Garage located at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike, 100 years ago. Note the unpaved dirt road on Rockville Pike and trolley tracks running past the Rockville Garage. Both photographs were taken by Lewis Reed on the Rockville Pike side of the dealership.
On the right, is the same location 50 years later of the Reed Brothers Dodge Gulf Gasoline station. Due to changes in the highway, Reed Brothers began an extensive remodeling and rebuilding program. Two-thirds of the original location at the junction of then Route 240 and Veirs Mill Road was razed and a modern Gulf Service Station was erected.
On the left is a mid-1960s view from the corner of Veirs Mill Road and Dodge Street showing the new building for Reed Brothers Service Department. On the right is a Google street view image of the same location today, 50 years later.
The photograph on the left shows a side view of the Rockville Garage, including its two-story addition to the original shop, taken nearly a century ago. The first floor housed the service department, while the upper level was used for parts storage. A tall chimney, likely connected to a coal furnace, provided heat, and the abundance of windows flooded the workspace with natural light for servicing early automobiles. By this time, Firestone Tire signage had replaced the earlier Fisk brand sold at Rockville Garage in 1915.
The photograph on the right was taken in 1968 from the same location, roughly 50 years later. By then, major highway changes had dramatically altered the site. Nearly two-thirds of the original property at the junction of what was then Route 240 and Veirs Mill Road had been razed, making way for a modern Gulf service station.
The beginning and the end at 15955 Frederick Road: 1970 and 2013.
The photograph on the left shows the dealership’s newly completed building in 1970, following its move from the original location at the triangle formed by Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike. This modern facility marked Reed Brothers Dodge’s 55th year of selling Dodge vehicles and signaled a new chapter for the business.
The image on the right was taken on May 16, 2013. The building stands vacant, photographed on the very day demolition began, bringing nearly a century of automotive history at this location to a close.
The photograph on the left shows rows of beige and baby-blue cars lined up neatly in the side lot. Just across the road stands King Farm, dominated by its large barn painted with the words “Milk for Thompson’s Dairy,” long before the land was transformed into a dense mixed-use community. At the time, Lawson King’s dairy cows grazed in fields only a few feet from the roadway. At its height, King Farm was the area’s largest milk producer and had remained in agricultural use for nearly 75 years before development was approved in 1996.
The image on the right was taken from the same vantage point in 2009, more than three decades later. The familiar barn still rises in the background, but the surrounding fields are gone, replaced by the streets, buildings, and neighborhoods of what is now known as King Farm.
Looking at these images side by side, it’s clear that progress doesn’t erase history, it builds on it. Streets may widen, buildings may disappear, and businesses may move on, but traces of what once was are still there for those who know where to look. Lewis Reed’s photographs give us a rare anchor to the past, allowing today’s landscape to be seen with new eyes. In comparing then and now, we’re reminded that Rockville’s story is not just about change, but about continuity, memory, and the people who lived and worked along these streets long before us.
The Dodge Brothers’ First Car and the Birth of Reed Brothers Dodge
Horace (left, rear) and John Dodge (right, rear) shown in the first Dodge Model 30-35 on November 14, 1914 marking the beginning of the Dodge Brothers automobile legacy.
In 1914, the Dodge Brothers, John and Horace, made automotive history when they introduced their first automobile: the Dodge Model 30-35. What began as a bold move from building parts for Henry Ford’s Model T to designing a car of their own would forever change the American automobile industry, and soon after, shape the legacy of a small family dealership in Rockville, Maryland known as Reed Brothers Dodge.
The Car That Started It All
Before the Dodge Brothers built their own car, they were already well-known in Detroit as trusted machinists and suppliers of quality automobile parts. Their reputation for precision and durability earned them a major role in producing engines, transmissions, and axles for the Ford Motor Company. But by 1913, the brothers were ready to make their mark under their own name.
Interestingly, Lewis Reed shared that same mechanical foundation. The 1910 U.S. Census lists a 23-year-old Lewis Reed working as a machinist in Montgomery County, Maryland, developing the same kind of technical skill and hands-on craftsmanship that defined the Dodge Brothers’ early success. Like John and Horace Dodge, Reed’s mechanical aptitude and curiosity about the emerging world of automobiles would soon set him on an entrepreneurial path of his own.
When the Dodge Brothers Model 30-35 debuted in November 1914, it was a sensation. Unlike the bare-bones Ford Model T, the Dodge offered steel body construction instead of wood, an electric starter and lights, a 12-volt electrical system (twice the voltage of most competitors), and a powerful 35-horsepower engine. It was marketed as “the dependable Dodge,” and it lived up to that promise: rugged, reliable, and beautifully built.
Priced slightly higher than the Model T, the Dodge appealed to middle-class buyers who wanted quality and innovation without extravagance. Within a year, Dodge was the fourth-largest car manufacturer in the United States.
A New Dealership Takes Root in Rockville
That same year, in 1915, Lewis Reed, a young man from Rockville, Maryland, saw an opportunity in the rapidly growing automobile market. He became one of the nation’s first Dodge Brothers dealers, founding what would become Reed Brothers Dodge.
Operating out of a modest garage at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike, Lewis Reed began selling and servicing the new Dodge automobiles. His timing could not have been better: America was embracing the automobile, and the Dodge Brothers’ new car was among the most sought-after models on the road.
Lewis’s brother Edgar Reed joined the business a few years later, in 1919, helping expand operations as the dealership grew. Together, the Reed brothers built a family business grounded in service, honesty, and the same “dependable” spirit that defined the Dodge brand.
Lewis Reed, an early automobile enthusiast and skilled photographer, documented much of those early years. His images of the original Dodge touring cars, early showrooms, and Rockville’s unpaved roads offer a rare and fascinating glimpse into the dawn of motoring in Montgomery County.
A Legacy of Dependability
From that first 1914 Dodge to the final vehicles sold under the Reed Brothers Dodge name nearly a century later, the same spirit of innovation and reliability endured. Both the Dodge Brothers and the Reed Brothers shared a philosophy rooted in craftsmanship, honesty, and community, a partnership that would last through generations.
Today, the story of the Dodge Brothers’ first car and the birth of Reed Brothers Dodge stands as a testament to American ingenuity and small-town enterprise: two brothers in Detroit who built a car that made history, and two brothers in Rockville who helped keep that history alive.
Reed Brothers Car Stories: The 1928 Dodge That Started at $100
Where every car has a story — and every story has a little Reed Brothers history.
1928 Dodge Brothers Standard Six in the Service Department
Sometimes history rolls into your life when you least expect it. Over a half century ago, a phone call from a Montgomery County used car dealer changed the course of Reed Brothers’ history. The dealer told my dad, “Lee, I have something I want you to see.” What he had was a 1928 Dodge Brothers Standard Six — priced at just $100!
Lee knew the car was in rough shape, but he also knew it was something special. With its vintage charm and connection to Dodge history, the Standard Six was exactly the kind of treasure that belonged with Reed Brothers.
Reed Brothers Restoration: Preserving Automotive History
1928 Dodge Brothers Standard Six in the Service Department
In dealer ownership for more than fifty years, the Standard Six became a long-term project and point of pride. Restored and maintained by the Reed Brothers Body Shop and Service Department, the car was not just preserved but celebrated.
Originally selling for $835, the Dodge Brothers Standard Six was powered by a 6-cylinder L-head engine rated at 27.34 hp and had just 46,504 original miles. Over the decades, Reed Brothers’ Body Shop and Service Department meticulously restored and maintained it, giving the vintage Dodge a second life.
A Showroom Conversation Piece
1928 Dodge Brothers Standard Six on the Showroom Floor
Once fully restored, the car was showcased prominently in the showroom, where it became more than just an antique; it was a conversation starter, a link to the past, and a tangible reminder of Dodge heritage. For years, visitors admired it, marveled at its history, and swapped their own car stories in front of it.
In 2012, with the closing of the dealership, the 1928 Dodge Brothers Standard Six ended its decades-long stay with the Reed Brothers family. But the memories of that $100 find, and the dedication it took to bring it back to life, remain an enduring part of Reed Brothers’ story.
The Great Rockville Fair: A Snapshot of Agriculture and Race Cars
For nearly a century, from 1846 to 1932, the Agricultural Fair was a cherished community tradition marking the close of summer in Montgomery County. Often called the “Rockville Fair” this event was organized by the Montgomery County Agricultural Society and brought neighbors together to celebrate farming, innovation, and local culture. The photos featured in this blog taken by Lewis Reed provide a unique window into the early years of the fair’s rich history.
The Montgomery County Sentinel, August 20, 1915
In 1846, when James K. Polk was president, the U.S. flag had just 28 stars, and fewer than 1,500 people called Rockville home, a new tradition was quietly taking root. That year, a group of forward-thinking Rockville farmers formed the Montgomery County Agricultural Society, setting the stage for what would become the Montgomery County Fair.
Led by John P. C. Peter and an inaugural 12-member board of directors, the Society was established with the goal of promoting agricultural progress in the region. Just two years later, in 1848, the inaugural fair took place around Court House Square in downtown Rockville. That early fair wasn’t just about showcasing crops and livestock. It was a true community event. Court House Square bustled with displays of the latest farm tools, and county government offices were transformed into makeshift exhibition halls. The register of wills opened his office to display household goods, while the county clerk’s office filled with locally grown fruits and vegetables. Women competed for prizes in categories ranging from homespun fabrics and needlework to pickles, preserves, butter, cheese, and honey. Men showcased livestock on the grounds of the historic Beall-Dawson House.
As the fair grew in popularity, it moved to the wooded lot owned by Samuel T. Stonestreet, adjacent to St. Mary’s Church, in the early 1850s. While the exact year is not clearly documented, historical references place the move shortly after the first fair was held in 1848 at Court House Square. This relocation allowed for more space and helped transform the fair into a larger, more community-focused event. By settling into Stonestreet’s lot, the fair evolved from a modest agricultural exhibition into a festive annual gathering where locals came not only to display crops and livestock, but also to enjoy races, food, entertainment, and each other’s company.
The fair moved to the 26-acre site along Rockville Pike (where Richard Montgomery High School now stands) in 1917. This new location provided ample space for expanded exhibits, racing events, and other attractions, allowing the fair to grow significantly during the early 20th century until it ceased operations at that site in 1932. The land was eventually repurposed, becoming home to Richard Montgomery High School.
Though the Great Rockville Fair is no more, its legacy lives on in the modern Montgomery County Agricultural Fair held in Gaithersburg, and in the deep agricultural roots and community pride that helped shape Rockville into the vibrant city it is today.
The Most Delightful Way to Reach the Fair: A Trolley Ride from Washington, DC
View of the trolley line from Tennalytown, passing through the rural Montgomery County landscape. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910
For visitors coming from Washington, DC, the most charming way to arrive at the Montgomery County Fair was by trolley. The route meandered through picturesque suburbs before opening into the rich, fertile farmland of Montgomery County. Along the way, travelers would be treated to a stunning glimpse of early autumn: vast cornfields heavy with mature ears, orchards bursting with colorful apples, lush green meadows nearing harvest, and freshly plowed fields ready for wheat planting. This scenic journey set the perfect tone for a day at the fair, offering a peaceful, rural escape just outside the city.
Fair-goers in their finest stroll along the midway. Hats were a fashion requirement at the time, as were long flowing dresses and suits. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910
All the latest improved machinery in farm and garden implements were there, together with wagons, carriages, automobiles, trucks, and tractors. The display of cattle, sheep and hogs had long been one of the leading features at the Rockville Fair. Many fine herds of cattle, including Jerseys, Guernseys and other varieties were on exhibition. Two hundred of the finest horses in Montgomery County, along with many from the District of Columbia, nearby Virginia, and elsewhere were on exhibition.
Ferris Wheel at the Rockville Fair. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910
The fair offered a wide variety of attractions to entertain visitors of all ages. Crowds flocked to the lively midway, where they could enjoy the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, and an assortment of side shows. Daily events in front of the grandstand featured free exhibitions, thrilling horse, pony, and mule races, and lively automobile contests. Additional highlights included parades of livestock, horse and dog shows, poultry exhibits, and a popular automobile display. One of the standout events was the clay pigeon shoot. The clay-pigeon shoot was one of the biggest events of its kind ever held in Maryland.
Agricultural and various farm equipment exhibits. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910
The various departments were filled to overflowing with high-class exhibits. The main exhibition hall was devoted to farm products and garden products, household displays, flowers, fruits, etc. The household department had an endless array of preserves, jellies, canned fruits, bread, cakes, candles, pies, fancy articles, and works of art. Sanders & Stayman and E. F. Droop & Co. of Washington, had excellent displays of musical instruments in this hall. Examples of locally grown produce were abundant in the main hall. Peaches, apples, plums, damsons, cantaloupes and watermelons were piled up in tempting array. The poultry show was also a place of interest. Many fine chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks and pigeons were being shown.
Getting the attention of the crowd. Can you hear me now? Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910
Hundreds of cars parked in the fair parking lot. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910.
The Fair was always attended by large numbers of out-of-town visitors from other Maryland counties like Frederick, Howard, and Carroll counties, as well as attracting out-of-state fair-goers from the District of Columbia and neighboring counties in Virginia. Vehicles were assigned places all around the fairgrounds, and the park was completely surrounded. What I find especially amusing is the thought of trying to find your car afterward when nearly every early automobile was painted black, how could anyone tell them apart?
The Race Track
The dirt race track at the Rockville Fairgrounds played a central role in the county’s early motorsport history. Established in the late 19th century after the fairgrounds expanded in size, the one-third mile oval dirt track quickly became a popular venue for bicycle and harness racing before automobiles arrived on the scene. By the early 1900s, as car racing grew in popularity, the track welcomed high-powered race cars driven by some of the era’s top speed enthusiasts. The grandstand overlooking the track witnessed thrilling competitions featuring horses, bicycles, motorcycles, and cars, making the Rockville Fairgrounds a beloved hub for racing fans until the fair moved and the track was eventually retired in the early 1930s.
From a recent email: Racing from Rockville to the Indy 500
I was truly thrilled to receive an email from the grandson of one of the early Rockville race car drivers. It’s moments like these that bring history to life and remind me how deeply personal and interconnected these stories really are. Here’s what he shared:
“Hello Jeanne, I just ran across your blog about the Rockville Fairgrounds race track. My dad raced there in the early 1920s and I have a couple of photos of him in his race car. My dad, Russ Snowberger, was born in Denton, Maryland, and raced all over that area before he went on to become a famous Indianapolis 500 driver.”
What makes this connection even more fascinating is that his last name is Snowberger — also a name in my extended family! It’s amazing how history can weave our stories together in unexpected ways.
Learning about Russ Snowberger’s connection to the Rockville track and his racing legacy adds a fascinating layer to this local history. I’m incredibly grateful to have the chance to preserve and share these stories that might otherwise fade with time.
Bicycle Races
Bicycle racing was a rising trend nationwide, and by 1915 it had become a popular feature at the Rockville Fairgrounds. The dirt oval track, stretching one-third of a mile with its gentle curves and elevated grandstand, provided an ideal setting for both racers and spectators. Early photos show riders dressed in shirts and ties, typical attire of the time, even in competition. Behind the track, buildings visible in the background were identified in the 1903 Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas as cattle pens, highlighting the fairgrounds’ dual role as both a racing venue and agricultural showcase.
This circa 1915 photo of an early bicycle race at the Rockville Fairgrounds gives a sense of just how popular the sport was at the time. Photo by Lewis Reed
Harness Races
Harness racing was one of the main attractions at the new race track before the introduction of the automobile and the subsequent popularity of racing cars. Horses were harnessed to lightweight one-seater buggies called sulkies, and would race around the track at a trot, as opposed to the galloping gait of horses ridden by jockeys.
Rockville drew huge crowds for harness races. Photo by Lewis Reed, circa 1910
Harness race at the Rockville Fair, circa 1910. All those throngs of people had plenty to see. Photo by Lewis Reed
Harness racers rounding the bend on the racetrack, Rockville Fairground circa 1910. Photo by Lewis Reed
Race horses and two-wheeled sulkies (for trotting races) at the Rockville Fairground stables, Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. 1910.
First Auto Races at Rockville Fair Speedway
From The Baltimore Sun, August 27, 1923:
This is the first year that a Rockville Fair has continued through Saturday. The extra day was added this time as an experiment, the management believing that by substituting new features the additional day could be made a success. Automobile races, the first ever held at Rockville, were the day’s principal attraction and they attracted a good-sized crowd.
Early action shots like the ones below are exceptionally rare, however, Lewis Reed was there to capture six epic moments of race history through the lens of his camera that day.
Rockville drew huge crowds for auto races. Rockville Fair, August 25, 1923. Photo by Lewis Reed
Dusty Action – 1923 photo of the exciting auto races at Rockville Fair. Five racers are just coming around the bend on this dirt track with their tires spinning up dust in their wake. Photo by Lewis Reed
Race car drivers deep in dust round a turn at the Rockville Fair auto races. Print made from a Lewis Reed glass negative.
High-powered race cars rounding a wide, sweeping curve at the Rockville Fair auto races, August 25, 1923. Print made from a Lewis Reed glass negative
Two-man race car. Some early race cars included both a driver and a ‘riding mechanic’. One of the key jobs of the second man in a race car was to look backward and alert the driver to what was going on behind him. Photo by Lewis Reed
In the early era of race car driving, it wasn’t unusual to see two people in a speeding vehicle, one being the driver, the other a riding mechanic. While sometimes optional, riding mechanics were often required and played a crucial role during races. They served as navigators and spotters, kept a close eye on tire conditions, and were even known to leap from the car mid-race to fetch fuel across the infield. These behind-the-scenes heroes were essential to early racing success. A photograph capturing this unique aspect of racing history, taken by Lewis Reed, was featured on the London Array episode of “Impossible Engineering”, which aired January 24, 2019, on Discovery’s Science Channel. The image was used in a segment on the development of the race car, highlighting the important, and now obsolete, role of the riding mechanic.
Rockville Garage Displaying New Model Cars at the Rockville Fair, 1918
The Rockville Fair wasn’t just about livestock and produce, it also served as a valuable platform for local businesses, including automobile dealers. In 1918, a young Lewis Reed took advantage of the fair’s popularity to showcase the latest cars from the Rockville Garage. Pictured below is the dealership’s new car tent, where fair goers got their first look at the newest models on display. It was a prime opportunity for Lewis Reed to introduce the public to the rapidly evolving world of automobiles, and to the future of transportation in Montgomery County.
Anybody for a demonstration drive? Identified by the triangle logo on the grill and the number of passengers seated in it, the car appears to be a 1918 Hudson Super Six Seven Passenger Touring. Photo by Lewis Reed
Hudson Super Six, Oldsmobile, and Dodge Brothers Motor Cars on display. Lewis Reed in drivers seat.
Rockville Garage displaying their new models at the Rockville Fair Grounds. Photo by Lewis Reed
At Your Service Rockville Garage. Lewis Reed on the left
Reed Brothers Company Softball Team at the Rockville Fairgrounds, late 1920s
From a distance, it looks and sounds like a regular baseball game: the crack of the bat, the cheering from the bench, the sliding into home plate. But a closer look at the field shows something is very different. They’re playing on a rough grass field, no one is using a batting helmet, fielding glove, or catcher’s mask. From the 1920s through the 1940s, Reed Brothers Dodge sponsored their own company softball team that played on the fields at the Rockville Fairgrounds where Richard Montgomery High School now stands. It was a win-win: for the company, it offered great publicity, a strong community presence, and promoted employee wellness. For the players, it was simply a fun and spirited way to unwind and connect outside of work.
Reed Brothers Softball Team playing on a field set up inside the Rockville Fair racetrack oval, circa late 1920s. Photo by Lewis Reed
Fair Now History
From The Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland) 23 Aug 1933:
The historic Rockville Fairgrounds, scene of many harness race programs, will be sold at a sheriff’s sale Friday afternoon at Rockville. The property consists of 26 acres, a dwelling and numerous stables, exhibition buildings and other structures. The sale is being made to satisfy a claim of a bank. It is rumored that the Montgomery County Board of Education will try to buy the grounds as a site for an elementary school and a future location for the entire Rockville educational plant.
Fair Ground Auctioned
From The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) 26 Aug 1933:
The Montgomery County National Bank submitted the only bid for the historic Rockville Fair Grounds at a public auction on August 25, 1933 to satisfy a bank’s claim. Its bid was $19,500.00 subject to a mortgage held by the Sandy Spring Savings Institution, and unpaid interest and taxes.
The Montgomery County Fair was reborn in 1949 and again started holding its annual Fair in Gaithersburg. On June 4th, 1949, hundreds of volunteers participated in an old-fashioned barn raising and 12 outbuildings were constructed in one day. The site of the new Montgomery County Agricultural Center was created.
June 4, 1949 – Construction of the cattle barns along the railroad tracks. Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Agricultural Fair photo archives.
End of An Era
While much about the fair has evolved over time – from its location to its attractions – its core mission has remained unchanged. Since its beginnings in 1846, the fair has provided a vital platform for 4-H and FFA members to showcase their livestock, homemaking, and craft projects. It continues to promote agricultural science, preservation, and education throughout Montgomery County. That commitment has endured for generations, and today, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair stands as one of the largest and most celebrated county fairs in the state of Maryland; a lasting legacy of its humble beginnings in 1846.
Find photos like these and much more on Montgomery History’s online exhibit, “Montgomery County 1900-1930: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed“.
References:
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress
Newspapers.com: newspaper archive
Rockville, Portrait Of A City, Eileen S. McGuckian
Ag Center History
A Ride Through Time: The History of School Buses in Montgomery County
Shown are the chassis of the first school busses for Montgomery County purchased from Reed Brothers Dodge in 1922.
Before the yellow school buses we know today, getting to school was a very different experience—especially for rural children. In the late 1800s, student transportation began with horse-drawn wagons affectionately called “kid hacks.” These basic, uncovered wagons were far from comfortable, but they served the essential purpose of getting children to and from school, no matter how rough the ride.
A step toward improvement came in 1892 when Wayne Works introduced the first “school car,” a horse-drawn wagon outfitted with wooden bench seating and a protective roof. Still, these early models lacked any of the safety features or durability we now associate with school buses.
As automobiles gained popularity in the early 20th century, the transition to motorized school transportation began. The 1920s marked a pivotal moment when manufacturers started building school buses specifically for that purpose, mounting them on automobile chassis for greater reliability and performance.
In Montgomery County, Maryland, one local business helped usher in this new era: Reed Brothers Dodge. Established in 1915 in Rockville, Reed Brothers Dodge played a key role in modernizing student transportation by providing some of the county’s first motorized school buses. By 1922, they were delivering school buses built on Dodge car chassis—vehicles that represented a significant leap forward in safety, comfort, and efficiency for schoolchildren.
From The Montgomery County Sentinel, May 21, 1959
Today, school buses across Montgomery County are sophisticated, safety-focused vehicles equipped with cutting-edge technology and designed with sustainability in mind. Yet, their legacy can be traced back to the early innovations—both mechanical and community-driven—that made student transportation more reliable. Companies like Reed Brothers Dodge were instrumental in that progress, helping pave the road for the safe and efficient school bus systems we depend on today.
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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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