Early Images of Gaithersburg and Surrounding Area
Early 1900s aerial view of Braddock Heights. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Old photos have an amazing way of showing us what life was like years ago and depicting how our communities once looked. You might not realize how much things have changed until you look back and see what it looked like in the past. Lewis Reed grew up in Darnestown and later lived in Gaithersburg, so many of his photographs depict that specific region of Montgomery County. Take a journey back in time through the lens of Lewis Reed and see what Gaithersburg and the surrounding area looked like more than one hundred years ago. As always, click the photos to get a better look.
Philip Reed Blacksmith Shop and Farmhouse in Darnestown, early 1900s
Philip Reed farmhouse and blacksmith shop located on Darnestown Road near the intersection of Seneca Road. Photo by Lewis Reed, early 1900.
Philip Reed (1845-1918), father of Lewis Reed, was an early settler in Darnestown and operated a blacksmith, wheelwright, and cabinet making business next to his home. Darnestown residents of that time included a doctor, a merchant, a blacksmith and a wheelwright. As late as 1910, there were still approximately 60 blacksmith shops in the county.
Hunting Hill, 1903
Buggies traversed rutted dirt roads across the Montgomery County countryside — sometimes their occupants needed a rest in the shade from the jolting motion of the carriage and the pounding heat of the sun. The photo above was taken by Lewis Reed on Hunting Hill Road ca. 1903.
The area along Darnestown Road between Travilah and Muddy Branch Roads was once a small rural community known as Hunting Hill. The village included a blacksmith shop, two general stores, and a schoolhouse. This photograph of Darnestown Road looking west shows the Magruder house at the corner of Travilah Road.
General Store at Quince Orchard, 1906
General Store at Quince Orchard. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1906
A small school for white children was established on the northeast corner of Darnestown and Quince Orchard Roads around 1850. It was damaged during the Civil War and eventually burned down in 1873. The school was rebuilt on the same site in 1875 but was moved across the road next to Pleasant View Methodist Church in 1902 after the fire destroyed the school for black children. The General Store at Quince Orchard was built on the same site shortly after the school building was moved.
Barnesville B&O Train Station, 1912
Barnesville B&O Train Station, 1912. Photo by Lewis Reed.
The original station building was torn down in the late 1950s, and for many years there was no shelter at this popular up-county stop. It was finally decided to move to the site a 16-by-22-foot historic metering station owned by the Washington Gas Light Company, with the gas company, the county, and the city and residents of Barnesville sharing the costs. The squarish little structure had a makeover after the move. It was painted inside and out and a wide overhanging roof was added just below the original roof line, giving the building more an authentic “train station” look, and it was re-dedicated on October 10, 1977. Snuggled up against the woods, surrounded by trees and shrubbery in a rural area just south of Barnesville on Route 109 (Beallsville Road), the station today is a pretty sight.
Martin Thompson House, 1907
Route 28, Darnestown Road Circa 1907 – Martin Thompson House, owned by Lewis Reed’s maternal grandfather. Photo by Lewis Reed.
The home in the photo was owned by James Martin Thompson (1825–1902), Lewis Reed’s maternal grandfather. It was then called “Pleasant Hills”, which was located just opposite of the Thomas Kelly farm. In the early days, it was common practice for a family to give a name to their property. The house was accessed from Darnestown Road by a long tree-lined drive.
Route 28, in Darnestown is depicted in this photo before paving. What is now Route 28 is one of the earliest roads in the county, and was one of the main ways farmers in Poolesville, Darnestown, Dickerson, and Barnesville reached the courthouse in Rockville. Darnestown Road has existed since before the Civil war, and it remained a mud path for years into the automobile age.
Most houses in the Darnestown “Pleasant Hills” area were not very large and most were made of wood rather than brick. According to the 1860 Federal Census, Martin Thompson’s occupations were listed as Carpenter and Farmer living in Darnestown, Montgomery County, Maryland.
This photograph won an honorable mention in a contest sponsored by Rotary International for Lewis Reed.
Germantown Road at Seneca Creek, 1907
Germantown Road at Seneca Creek looking West. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1907
Germantown Road at Seneca Creek. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1907.
This view of Route 118 looking west shows the old one-lane stone bridge over the creek. In the 1930s, many of these old bridges were replaced with concrete bridges, and concrete roads were installed. Today, the rolling hills are covered with trees, and hikers can enjoy the Seneca Creek Ridge Trails, which runs directly through the land in this photograph.
Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg, 1911
Left to Right: Belt’s Store, (sign) Charlie Foo’s Laundry, Nicholl’s Harness Shop, Etchison’s Drug Store (now Diamond Drugs), First National Bank of Gaithersburg, Jacob Miller’s Livery Stable. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1911
After the arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1873, Gaithersburg’s business district had diversified to include John Belt’s mercantile store, reportedly the largest general store in the county. Many of the business owners probably lived above their shops. When constructed in 1903, the Belt building was the most ornate and substantial commercial structure in Gaithersburg.
Etchison’s Drug Store was one of the two first commercial buildings that sprang up near the business center of Gaithersburg. Earlier, two upstairs rooms of the drug store had been occupied as the dental office of Bates Etchison, DDS. Dr. Etchison would on occasion throw extracted teeth out his window, to the curious amazement of young boys below.
The second of the two nineteenth century commercial buildings was the Nicholl’s Harness shop. Nicholls Harness Shop claimed to have the best selection of harnesses and related merchandise in the state. Charlie Foo, a Chinese immigrant, owned and operated a laundry shop. The First National Bank of Gaithersburg opened on the northeast corner of Diamond and Summit Avenues in 1891.
Gaithersburg B&O Train Station, 1911
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station in Gaithersburg. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1911.
The station was originally built as the Gaithersburg B&O Railroad Station and Freight Shed in 1884, for the Metropolitan Branch of te 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.
Montgomery County Almshouse, 1912
Montgomery County Almshouse. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1912
Before nursing homes, there were almshouses. The Montgomery County Almshouse was built in 1789 to provide for the County’s Indigent. The Almshouse never housed a large number of people. Over the years, the maximum number of residents appeared to range between 20 and 30. Occasionally, the Almshouse sheltered migrants, hitchhikers, or others in need of short-term temporary quarters. The 50-acre tract also included a pauper’s graveyard. As the 19th century began to unwind, women and church groups began founding Homes for the Aged.
Clarksburg Main Street, 1913
Main street (Frederick Road Rt 355) Clarksburg, 1913. Photo by Lewis Reed
By the early 20th Century, Clarksburg was the third largest town in Montgomery County after Rockville and Poolesville. Clarksburg had four general stores, two hotels, and an academy of learning. It also had a blacksmith, a doctor’s office, tanneries, shoemakers, winemakers, tailors, wheelwrights, fertilizer businesses, skilled farmers, master carpenters and two town bands.
Thomas & Company Cannery, 1917
Circa 1917 photo taken behind the Thomas and Company Cannery in Gaithersburg. The Cannery was the first and largest vegetable cannery in Montgomery County. It closed in 1963 after fire damage and lay empty until its recent restoration. Photo by Lewis Reed.
The largest and longest-lived cannery in Montgomery County, the Thomas and Company Cannery operated from 1917 until 1962. While Baltimore had been the center of the canning industry in the 19th century, the outbreak of World War I created a need to rationalize. Frank and Clyde Thomas were leaders in the 20th century canning industry in Maryland. In 1917, the Thomas family opened a cannery in Gaithersburg, the first in Montgomery County. The factory was the focus of local industry and economy, providing an important market for farmers, and employment for local migrant workers.
The factory canned peas, pumpkin and corn, supplied both the local retail market and the war effort during WW I and II. During the war years, the cannery expanded operations and functioned on a three shift schedule to provide vegetables for shipment to troops. After the war, the cannery continued to produce vegetables under the brand names MY-T-NICE, EVER-GOOD, BARBARA FRITCHIE and ON-TOP corn, peas and succotash.
Built along the B & O Railroad to facilitate shipping, the brick cannery had three main parts: the central processing station, the shipping section and boiler plant. The cannery was designated a Gaithersburg landmark in 1987.
Walker Avenue in Gaithersburg, late 1920s
Walker Avenue in Gaithersburg taken from the steeple of Grace United Methodist Church, late 1920s. Photo by Lewis Reed
This photo of Walker Avenue in Gaithersburg was taken by Lewis Reed from the steeple of Grace United Methodist Church in the late 1920s. The street is named after John Walker, whose farm became Walker Avenue when he decided to subdivide the front end in 1904. Walker was mayor of Gaithersburg from 1906 to 1908 and again from 1918 to 1924. In June 1913, Walker Avenue was the first street in Gaithersburg to have electric streetlights installed along its full length. This period saw major advances in technology, communication, and transportation. Most of its houses were built between 1904 and 1930.
Thomas Hardware Store, 1928
Thomas Hardware Store, originally built and operated by Thomas I. Fulks. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1928
The above 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.
Asbury Methodist Village, late 1920s
“Methodist Home for the Aged”. Photo by Lewis Reed, ca. late 1920s
Asbury Methodist Home for the Aged, predecessor of the Village, was established in Montgomery County almost 100 years ago. When care for the elders of the community failed, aged citizens with no funds were designated paupers and sent to the Montgomery County Almshouse on Seven Locks Road in Rockville.
Built in 1926 on the 106-acre dairy farm of William Magruder, called Rolling Acres, Asbury Methodist Home for the Aged opened its doors for residents on April 15, 1926, and the first five elderly residents moved in. The community changed its name to Asbury Methodist Village in 1969. Today, Asbury Methodist Village is the largest continuing care retirement community in Montgomery County, Maryland, and the 14th largest in the United States.
Montgomery County F3 Tornado (Aftermath) May 2, 1929
At about 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, 1929, northeastern Montgomery County was struck by an F3 tornado, part of a large storm system that caused devastation from Florida to Ohio. The weekly Montgomery County Sentinel reported on May 10th that the “wind storm of cyclonic power . . . was of limited width and serpentine on its course. Everything in its path met with destruction.” These photographs were taken by Lewis Reed “after the tornado of May 2, 1929”.
Spectators view the destruction at the Benson farm, May 1929. Photo by Lewis Reed
The damage in the county was limited to the rural Unity area, north of Brookeville. The Sentinel article detailed each affected farm, noting that “thousands of persons from far and near visited the scene for several days to look upon the indescribable wreckage.”
May 1929. Photo by Lewis Reed
From the Sentinel: “The storm showed its first violence upon the farm of Mr. J. William Benson. There it destroyed every building – the dwelling house, large barn, 117 feet long, including an attached shed, and all other outbuildings.” The farm was unoccupied, but furniture belonging to “a prospective tenant” was destroyed. Mr. Benson’s apple orchard was also significantly damaged, and the article claimed that “many [trees] were lifted into the air, carried over woods and landed several miles away.”
The fire departments of Rockville, Gaithersburg and Sandy Spring responded to the call made by farm worker James Leizear, who “extricated himself from the wreckage” and ran half a mile to a neighbor’s house to summon help.
The Post reported on May 4th that 28 people in Maryland and Virginia had been killed by tornadoes during the storm; most of the casualties were in Virginia, where an elementary school was struck full-force and at least 18 children died. In Montgomery County, the local Red Cross Chapter formed a citizen committee to raise funds “for relief of the sufferers.”
Rockville’s Park Avenue Motorcycle Club, 1912
First motorcycle club in Rockville, Maryland. One Harley Davidson, one Indian, and Three Excelsior motorcycles on Park Avenue, 1912. Lewis Reed, far left.
Take a step back in time with this glimpse into an almost forgotten era of Montgomery County history in the early 20th century… the motorcycle era.
Motorcycle clubs began forming in the early 1900s as manufacturers stressed the social, sporting, and healthy outdoors potential of the motorcycle. Both Lewis and Edgar Reed, along with brother-in-law Bernard Hanshew, began their riding adventures with a group of friends from the Park Avenue community in Rockville in the early 1900s.
Historically, riding motorized bikes, like horses, began as a gentleman’s sport. In the early days of motorcycling, propriety dictated that a gentleman be presentable when he went out for a spin. Full-length boots derived from horseback riding and a sporty cap with goggles were adapted to the new pursuit of motorcycle riding.
On Park Avenue, ca. 1912. L-R: “Happy” Hicks, Lewis and Edgar Reed, Frank Higgins, and Alvin Luctor.
Lewis (back) & Edgar Reed
Early motorcyclists were often pictured in riding groups. From its beginnings, motorcycling developed very much as a social activity. Gentlemen of the day often used it to spice up their sunny weekends and impress ladies.
The Reed motorcycle gang on Rt 118 in Darnestown.
Edgar Reed and an unidentified lady on an Excelsior motorcycle.
Motorcyclists on Rt 118 in Darnestown. Edgar Reed, middle
Left – right: Lewis Reed with camera, Edgar Reed, Bernard Hanshew. The photo was taken 1914 in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. The wooden frame Victorian-style train station dating from 1889 can be seen in the background.
Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, 1914
Batter Up! Reed Brothers Company Softball Team
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.
Reed Brothers Softball Team playing on a field set up inside the Rockville Fair racetrack oval, circa early 1920s. Photo by Lewis Reed
From the 1920s through the 1940s, Reed Brothers had their own company softball team that played on the fields at the Rockville Fairgrounds where Richard Montgomery High School now stands. In 1939, the Rockville Fire Department and Reed Brothers Dodge, two top-ranking teams, inaugurated the Montgomery Softball Association championship series at the newly renovated Welsh Field in Rockville. Situated in the heart of Rockville’s business district, the field was renovated and illuminated in 1939.
Participating teams at the time included Pepco, Takoma Phil-Gas Company, Marine Barracks, Rockmont Motor Company, St Mary’s Boys’ Club, Lawyers and Businessmen, among others.
The Evening Star, 9 May 1939
Reed Brothers Dodge Softball Team playing on Welsh Field in Rockville, circa early 1920s. Photo by Lewis Reed
Note the player with the five finger glove in the photo above. Out of all of these photos, this is the only glove that can be seen on a player. The use of gloves wasn’t original to the first years of the game; needing a padded glove was viewed as pretty wimpy. (According to an article in the Smithsonian Magazine, one of the first players to wear a glove tried – and failed – to find one that would be invisible to fans.) By the 1880s gloves were accepted equipment, however, and soon inventors and manufacturers were coming up with new and improved gloves (more padding, deeper webbing…)
Reed Brothers Dodge Softball Team, circa early 1920s. This photo was taken at Welsh Field, which is the site of the County Office Building. The house in the background was in right field. Photo by Lewis Reed
Leo (Pat) Murray, the company’s first Parts Department Manager, is keeping score on the sidelines. Pat worked at Reed Brothers for more than 21 years. Photo by Lewis Reed
From the about the 1920s through the 1940s, Reed Brothers Dodge also sponsored a bowling team that competed locally in the Rockville Duck Pin League. Participating teams at the time included Post Office, Chevrolet, Fire Department, Question Marks, Mechanics, Reed Brothers, Holy Rollers, and Potomac.
The Evening Star Feb 9, 1932
Online Exhibit: Daily Life in 20th Century MoCo
Montgomery History has launched a new “Daily Life“ section of their recent exhibit, “Montgomery County 1900-1930: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed“. A pioneering automobile dealer and one of the most prolific photographers in Montgomery County, Maryland at the turn of the 20th century. The photographs in this newly launched section reveal how residents lived, worked, played, and went to school in Montgomery County at the turn of the 20th Century. Categories include House & Home, Social Visits, Fun & Games, Family Pets, Music, and School Days. Visit https://sites.google.com/…/lewis-reed…/daily-life and immerse yourself in hundreds of photographs of days gone by! The majority of the photos in the “Fun and Games” section are of Lewis Reed’s daughter, Mary Jane. Like many parents, he never missed a chance to take a photo of his daughter, who frequently appears in many of his photos. This exhibit was co-developed by Blog Author, Jeanne Gartner and Montgomery History Librarian & Archivist, Sarah Hedlund.
Roots of a 97 Year Old Auto Business
Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers Dodge, grew up on a farm in rural Darnestown and for much of his young life had no running water or electricity. He was the son of a Blacksmith, raised in a family that survived on knowledge and hard work. Philip (1845-1918), father of Lewis Reed was an early settler in Darnestown who came from the Medley’s District of Poolesville in 1880. The Reed family farmhouse was located west of the James Windsor Store and Post Office as indicated on the map. In 1880, Philip Reed bought this lot from Windsor on which he built his house. The house was later owned by Kelley Rice who ran the farm at “Pleasant Hills.” 
In 1870, at age 25, Philip Reed’s occupation is listed as a Blacksmith and Cabinet Maker. Darnestown residents of that time included a doctor, a merchant, a blacksmith and a wheelwright. It seems Philip may not have considered his primary occupation as a wheelwright, but I do know he worked with both cabinetmaker and blacksmith skills. Blacksmiths were once important members of this thriving crossroads community. They provided a vital trade that continued up to the mid-20th century. It wasn’t until I traced the Reed family tree, that I found that the Blacksmithing trade goes back about four generations. Back then, it was commonplace for sons to follow their father’s professions.
“T. H. S. Boyd, The History of Montgomery County, Maryland, from Its Earliest Settlement in 1650 to 1879” gives a population of 200 in the Darnestown area in 1879. The inhabitants of the town at that time are recorded in G.M. Hopkins’ Atlas from which the map reproduced above is taken.
Formerly located on Darnestown Road near the intersection of Seneca Road, Lewis Reed’s father, Philip (1845-1918), operated a blacksmith, wheelwright, and cabinet making business next to his home. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Lewis Reed’s passion for cars began at a very early age. He was a young man full of curiosity, with an insatiable desire to know details, how things worked, and why. Early vehicles were terrifyingly loud and could be heard coming from at least a mile away on rural country roads. As a child, he would watch cars go past the family farm and then take off running across the fields to catch up with them until they would go out of sight. The “normal” speed during this time was so slow that drivers had difficulty keeping their cars from stalling out. It was my mother, Mary Jane Gartner (Lewis Reed’s daughter) who told me this story.
Philip Reed family farmhouse and blacksmith shop. Photo by Lewis Reed
At the beginning of the 20th century, farming was done with the power of horses and the skills of a blacksmith were important to the local economy. The shop was a popular destination, to wait for repairs of equipment, have horses shod and hear the latest news.
According to the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Philip Reed worked as a Blacksmith in Darnestown until about age 65, after which time he moved his family to the Park Avenue community in Rockville. In July 1910, Philip purchased lot #3 of the east side of Park Avenue. In 1916, Lewis purchased lots 4-9 and started a garage and automobile dealership which became Reed Brothers Dodge. In 1923, he sold lots 4-7 to Edgar at which time Edgar then constructed a bungalow home and resided there until sold in 1947.
The Park Subdivision in Rockville, Lot #3 purchased by Philip Reed in 1910
From Miscellaneous For Sale Section: The Washington Post, (Washington, D.C.) April 21, 1910
The classic anvil and hammer, in addition to tongs, forms, wedges, and chisels were all key tools of the Blacksmith; many of which were hand-made by each individual blacksmith. If they did not possess the tools required for a specific job, blacksmiths would make their own. Over the span of a blacksmith’s career, he could accumulate hundreds of different tools that existed solely for the completion of one particular item.
A young Lewis is shown inside his father’s Blacksmith Shop, ca. early 1900. The identity of the man on the right is unknown. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Special note: Lewis Reed’s love of photography began at a very young age, at a time when most families did not own a camera. The oldest photo in his collection is dated 1898, which would have made him around 11-12 years old when he started using a camera. I am relatively certain that Lewis took the photograph above himself by stabilizing the camera on a nearby tripod or some other object, and because of the long exposure times in early photography, he was able to run into the shot himself for a minute or more.
When the car was first invented there was no such thing as an automotive mechanic. When a car broke down, people turned to blacksmiths and bicycle mechanics for repair work. When using horses for farming and transportation came to an end, it forever changed the blacksmith’s role in the community. The traditional, small town blacksmith’s shop gradually went out of business, or evolved into the first automobile repair shops, as the horsepower of mechanical engines replaced the power of horses. Having grown up in a blacksmith family, Lewis Reed was well positioned to move to the new technology.
1916 – Rockville Garage first shop force. Lewis Reed, (first name unknown) Long and Phillip Reed. Photo by Lewis Reed.
One hundred years ago, the direction of the auto industry was uncharted territory to be explored by many people. Lewis Reed was an enterprising young man who put his future in the fledgling automobile industry. Although the specific motivation for Lewis to go into the automobile business is not clear, the 1910s was a period of exponential growth in the American automobile industry, and with a location on the major east-west route through Rockville, a town that was on its way to becoming a satellite community of Washington, D.C., he was well positioned for success. The 1910 census indicates that 23-year old Lewis Reed was working as a machinist.
In 1914, Lewis Reed became a partner in Rockville Garage with Robert L. and Griffith Warfield, a business he purchased in 1918. His brother Edgar joined the business in 1919 upon his return from World War I, and the name became Reed Brothers Dodge. In October 1915, Lewis Reed signed a franchise agreement with brothers Horace and John Dodge in Detroit. He was just 27 years old. Since then, the business grew and transformed into the oldest Dodge dealership in Maryland history and one of the oldest in the entire nation.
1916 – The original owners of Rockville Garage. From left: Roy Warfield – Lewis Reed – Griffith Warfield. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Over 100 years later, the only name that remains familiar to Rockville car buyers is Lewis Reed. Reed Brothers Dodge was one of the longest running automobile dealers in Montgomery County Maryland, serving Rockville and the area for over 97 years. Along with St. Mary’s Church (1813), King Farm (1925), Red Brick Courthouse (1891), and the B&O Railroad Station (1873) — Reed Brothers Dodge (1915) — became a “Peerless Place” in 2015, the year marking its 100th Anniversary. Today, Bainbridge Shady Grove Metro Apartments pays homage to the oldest Dodge dealership in Maryland history with commemorative art on the former site of the iconic Reed Brothers dealership.
Credit to: Jane C. Sween, The Montgomery County Story, “Darnestown, As It Was” (Feb 1982)
Other sources of information: Newspapers.com, Montgomery History, and Montgomery County Land Records
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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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