Montgomery County Heritage AreaManagement Plan

Montgomery County Heritage AreaManagement Plan

Prepared for the

Montgomery County Heritage AreaAdvisory Committee

xPrepared by

Mary Means & Associates, Inc.with Economics Research Associates, Inc.

and Mahan Rykiel Associates

October 2002

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Title Page

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Table of ContentsExecutive Summary

Introduction

Montgomery County’s Heritage

Heritage Area Boundary

Vision & Goals

Resources

Challenges

Markets & Visitation

Marketing & Outreach

Heritage Resource Conservation & Enhancement

Interpretation & Education

Circulation, Transportation & Linkages

Target Investment ZonesPoolesville

Sandy Spring

Implementation

Return on Investment

Endnotes

Appendix A: State of Maryland Heritage Areas Program

Appendix B: Heritage Area Resource Inventory

Appendix C: Zoning & Land Use

Appendix D: Baseline Data

Appendix E: Target Investment Zones Supplemental Information

Appendix F: Criteria for Tax Credit Expansion

Credits

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Executive SummaryIn a region known for the high energy, higheducation levels, and hard, long working hours of itscitizens, it is important that leisure activitiesprovide both a respite for the spirit and intellectualstimulation. In an area with residents from manybackgrounds, countries, ethnicities, and more, it isnecessary to provide varied and multi-disciplinarypursuits that resonate with different populations. Ina county that holds a wealth of natural and historicresources, it is essential that they be protected whileat the same time made accessible for the enjoymentof residents and visitors. A group of county leadersproposes a heritage area to meet all theserequirements.

With a past stretching beyond Colonial times,Montgomery County has a long history evidencedby rich cultural and historical resources. As thepopulation of the area has exploded in recentdecades, there has been a growing awareness of theimportance of heritage programs and a higher profilefor the history and heritage resources of the county.The Montgomery County Heritage Area is aninitiative created by county leaders who seek toraise the profile of the county’s heritage, ensuringthat residents and visitors alike understand andvalue the county’s full past.

Montgomery County Heritage Area

This document is the culmination of three years ofdeliberations and planning by Montgomery County’scultural and preservation leaders, county officials,and business leaders, all of whom see value instrengthening the link between the county’s past andits future. Partly, the group has been responding toan opportunity posed by a new state program; thepurpose of the Maryland Heritage Areas Program isto enhance the state’s appeal to travelers who lovehistory and culture, thereby creating greatereconomic activity and a healthier regional and stateeconomy. Funds from the program can be used torehabilitate historic buildings, develop exhibits andeducational heritage programs, produce guidebooksand communication materials, and even support astaff coordinator. Seizing this opportunity, thegroup has been pursuing designation of theMontgomery County Heritage Area (MCHA).

A key step in the designation process is preparationof the Management Plan for the proposed heritagearea – to give the initiative strategic direction, anaction agenda, and a framework for implementation.A diverse Advisory Committee representing manyperspectives and organizations developed the planwith support from staff at Maryland-National

Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)and assistance from a consultant team of heritageplanners, market analysts, and designers. Advisorygroup meetings have been lively and interactive, ashave the several public workshops held during theplan’s development.

The state program’s goals – tourism and economicdevelopment – presented challenges in MontgomeryCounty for two reasons: many of the county’sheritage resources lie in residential areas, whereincreased activity is not appropriate, and the countyalready has a very strong economy. Nonetheless, theAdvisory Committee successfully addressed theseimportant issues, and what has emerged is a visionand goals that balance benefit to residents andvisitors alike. The Management Plan centers aroundthe vision (which fast-forwards a decade anddescribes what has happened) and four overarchingaims:

Montgomery County’s sense of its place in historytoday is deeper and stronger than one could haveimagined a decade ago. The Montgomery CountyHeritage Area has fostered this recognition inresidents and, increasingly, in visitors who arediscovering the county’s weekend getaway potential.The Heritage Area has been an important vehicle forcollaboration among the county’s several historicalsocieties, historic preservation groups, heritageattractions, parks system, conservation groups,cultural programs, and the Conference & VisitorsBureau. They have worked together to:

Raise the Profile of Montgomery County’s Heritage.By making stronger connections, physically andintellectually, the heritage area initiative has enabledpeople to discover the depth and breadth of historyhere and to find the authentic. The interpretiveframework has become a powerful context that linksour lives today to the stories of people, places andevents that have shaped the county. Engaginginformation materials make better sense of therichness of the county’s formerly ‘hidden’ heritagesites.

Foster Stewardship of Historic Buildings & Sites.Interest in and support for historic preservation hasnever been greater. Because of the strong countyhistoric preservation program under an effectivepreservation ordinance, more resources are beingrecognized and protected. More financial resources,both public and private, are available to fund theconservation and adaptation of historic buildingsand sites. The county government has expanded itsrole as steward of the historic structures that are

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Underground Railroad, and TechnologicalInnovation. Heritage programming within theMCHA is eligible for funding support from the stateprogram. The planning process has fostered stronginterest from heritage organizations in other parts ofthe county, and it is expected that following theearly successes in implementation, the boundaries ofthe MCHA will likely be expanded.

The Technological Innovation theme evolved duringthe planning process, derived from an earlierproposed theme: “Industrial Heritage,” whichcentered on the building of the C & O Canal and theB & O railroad. The current, broader themecaptures these early examples and providesopportunity to explore the strong thread oftechnological innovation underlying the county’sevolution. Since the middle of the last century,Montgomery County has been home to the National

entertainment, and education.

• Provide interesting and accessible heritagetourism opportunities for local residents andfor a broader audience, thereby:

- Increasing the number of county residentswho are knowledgeable about localheritage;

- Increasing visitation at county heritageattractions; and

- Providing more county school childrenwith access to fun, educational activitiesat heritage sites.

• Direct heritage tourism activities to wherethey are wanted and needed and away fromwhere they are inappropriate.

• Strengthen current preservation activities bycreating viable uses for historic structures andcultural landscapes.

• Build a whole that is greater than the sum ofthe parts by linking and marketing diversehistoric, recreational, and cultural resources ascoherent units.

The initial focus for heritage area programming lieswithin the portions of the county proposed fordesignation as a Certified Heritage Area under thestate program (shown on the map in the sectionentitled “Heritage Area Boundaries”). The MCHAencompasses a concentration of heritage resources insettings that retain historic character distinct fromsurrounding contemporary development. Within theMCHA are the physical settings and heritageresources that are key to three initial interpretivethemes: Farming History, Quakers and the

owned by the county or by the county parksdepartment. Preservation and adaptive reuse ofpublic properties include a public-privatepartnership program for park historic sites

Bring the County’s History Alive. The HeritageArea’s key concentration began with three themes:

• Farming History• Quakers & the Underground Railroad• Technological Innovation

Matching funds from the Heritage Area have enabledmany heritage partners to create exhibits, programsand events around these three core ideas. Heritageand nature trails in parks and town centers haveinformative waysides that enable people tounderstand the landscape that surrounds them.Several institutions have expanded their audienceswith enhanced facilities, exhibits, and programs.Major heritage events, including Farm Tour andHarvest Sale, Heritage Weekends, and MarylandEmancipation Day are particularly popular withfamilies and children. As a result of strongpartnerships with Montgomery County Schools,children throughout the county are engaged in avariety of innovative learning experiences and havea strong sense of their community’s heritage.

Encourage Residents to Become Tourists, EnticeVisitors to Stay Longer & Return More Often. Withthe enhanced profile of history and culture, thecontribution of heritage tourism to the county’seconomy is growing. Historic buildings havebecome restaurants, bed & breakfasts, art galleriesand shops. With scenic drives and bicycle routes,and interesting places to stay and eat, MontgomeryCounty has become a nearby weekend getaway, andmore residents are choosing to explore their ownbackyard. The Conference & Visitors Bureau worksclosely with the Heritage Area to promote special‘bring the family’ package offerings to businesstravelers.

The plan’s supporting goals and strategies coverinterpretation and education, marketing andeconomic development, and preservation andstewardship. They are found in the “Vision & Goals”section of the Management Plan. Among the goalsand strategies are:

• Create economic opportunities that makeretaining public and private historic structuresfinancially feasible and worthwhile.

• Optimize the use of historic resources tobenefit the public by providing enjoyment,

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Projects and Programs

The plan contains a full menu of projects andprograms in support of the goals and strategies.Highlights include:

• Creating a “Virtual Visitor Center” on theweb, a place where residents and visitors willbe able to link into the heritage areaexperience. They will be able to explore thecounty’s past and its geography, follow theinterpretive themes and stories, and builditineraries linking heritage sites, events, andactivities. An early focus will be on the threekey themes; others can be added later.

• Developing thematic, self-guided tours for theentire heritage area (and beyond) around thekey interpretive themes. A well-designedfamily of maps/guides and publications willcover a range of geographic locations withinthe heritage area. Lively audio tours can alsobe developed.

• Developing and installing a well-designedsystem of interpretive kiosks and panels atkey locations, initially in Poolesville andSandy Spring as well as key locations thatinterpret the Technological Innovation cluster.They can eventually be added in otherlocations, always along pedestrian routes.

• Developing an engaging orientation gatewayto the Farming History experience inPoolesville, possibly at the historic John PooleHouse. Poolesville itself can be presented asan archetypal mid-Atlantic agriculturalcommunity that has evolved with farming andtransportation changes.

Expansion of the proposed “Industrial Heritage” theme to“Technological Innovation” allows for broader inclusion of thecounty’s heritage while still focusing on the importance ofearly transportation technology developments, such as theB&O Railroad and the C&O Canal.

The John Poole House is a potential site for orientation andgateway experiences to the Farming History theme.

Institutes of Health and the National Institute ofStandards & Technology. Innovations being made inmedicine, genetics, and bioengineering along the I-270 corridor continue two centuries of technologicalinnovation.

From a heritage area planning perspective, however,the expanded theme presents a challenge: theheritage resources associated with it reach wellbeyond the required geographic boundaries of theMCHA, yet the Advisory Committee believes it tobe a promising focus. Initially, interpretive activitieswill focus on the canal and railroad as transportationand engineering innovations within the MCHA, butlater activities will expand the focus to othertechnological innovation, leading to possibleexpansion of the MCHA.

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• Developing an equally engaging orientationgateway for the Quaker/UndergroundRailroad experience, proposed for the historicStone Barn at Woodlawn. Envisioned thereare exhibits, living history, and experientialprograms that engage families and children inthe complex stories of tolerance and couragerunning throughout our history.

• Encouraging “Main Street” revitalizationactivities in Poolesville, scaled to fit with itsrural village quality and possibly includingrestaurants, galleries, shops, and overnightaccommodations.

• Encouraging similar, well-scaled revitalizationactivities in Sandy Spring. For example, thisplan recommends the rehabilitation ofbuildings for restaurants and shops to serveresidents as well as visitors.Recommendations for Sandy Spring alsoinclude sidewalk and traffic calming measuresto create a more pedestrian-friendlyenvironment in the center of the village.

The plan is a framework plan, containing bothcapital projects and programming activities. It has aten-year horizon, with implementation focused onthe early years. Initial cost estimates indicate acapital and programming investment of $2.3million to $3.0 million.

How Will All This Be Accomplished?

Implementation of the heritage area plan requirespartnerships and active collaboration among keyheritage leaders. It also calls for strong continuingsupport from public partners – County Council, M-NCPPC, the Town of Poolesville, the Maryland

Heritage Areas Authority, other state agencies, andmore.

A management entity is needed and required by thestate program, which provides funding to supportstaff and coordination functions. The AdvisoryCommittee is already transitioning into theMontgomery County Heritage Alliance, whose boardwill include representatives of the MontgomeryCounty Historical Society; the Conference andVisitors Bureau of Montgomery County; theMontgomery County Arts & HumanitiesCommission; and Maryland-National Capital Parkand Planning Commission, along with heritage,business and civic leaders. Depending on need, theAlliance may evolve into a separate non-profitorganization in several years.

Initially, a minimally staffed coordination office isproposed to be housed at the Montgomery CountyHistorical Society. Annual operating costs forcoordination are estimated at just under $340,000,including operation of the virtual visitor centerwebsite and seed grants for organizational capacitybuilding. Funding sources are anticipated to includecounty contributions; grants from the MarylandHeritage Areas Authority and other state programs;grants from foundations in the metropolitan area;and private investments and contributions.

Who Benefits?

Montgomery County already enjoys anexceptionally high quality of life, which is a majorfactor in attracting and keeping businesses. Countyresidents appreciate this and strongly supportinvestments in one of the nation’s best public schoolsystems, in an extensive park and trail system, andin the protection of agricultural lands and greenspace. The county owns a number of importanthistoric sites and invests in historic preservationactivities. The heritage area initiative is seen asconnecting residents – newcomers, natives, families,and kids – more consciously to the place they callhome, thereby adding quality of life value. Theprojects and programming are also intended toappeal to travelers. Many already come to stay inthe county, and if only a small percentage extendtheir stay to experience the heritage area, the countywill derive economic benefit. The heritage areainitiative offers the county the opportunity tocapitalize on the growing number of travelers whoseek authenticity and opportunities to learn aboutother times and other cultures. In responding to thisopportunity, we will learn about ourselves.

Sandy Spring (above) and Poolesville hold strong potential for“Main Street” revitalization activities.

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Montgomery County prepared this CertifiedHeritage Area Management Plan for submission tothe Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. In October2000, the Montgomery County Heritage Area(MCHA) received a “Recognized Heritage Area”designation from the Maryland Heritage AreasAuthority, thereby authorizing the MCHA to movetoward certification.1 By bestowing thisdesignation, the state acknowledged thatMontgomery County possesses a significantconcentration of heritage resources; the potential fordeveloping heritage sites, projects, and programs; andcommunity support for heritage tourism promotion.The management plan builds on these strengths byidentifying the strengths and challenges of theheritage area, recommending an organizational andmanagement structure, outlining strategies forprojects and programs, and setting priorities forimplementation.

The plan is a culmination of twelve months’ workby many parties dedicated to conserving andcelebrating Montgomery County’s heritage. Acitizen’s advisory committee comprised ofcommunity leaders worked closely with a team ofprofessional planners, designers, and economists todevelop the plan. Preservation staff at Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commissioncoordinated the project. A series of communitymeetings and briefings held throughout the planningprocess provided critical opportunities for residentsto contribute and comment. Newsletters and aproject web site provided periodic public updatesabout the plan’s development.

Becoming a Certified Heritage Area represents anopportunity to raise the profile of MontgomeryCounty’s heritage for residents and visitors alike.The initiative focuses intensity of funding and efforton specific geographic and thematic portions of thecounty, telling its stories through the enhancementand promotion of its resources. With that in mind,this plan was created both as a means for achievingCertified Heritage Area status from the State ofMaryland and as a guide for the management,development, interpretation, and marketing neededto raise public awareness of Montgomery County’shistory. It also provides a framework for makingfuture changes to the heritage area.

This plan is being put forth by the AdvisoryCommittee, whose leaders are transitioning into thenew management entity for the heritage area. Thismanagement entity will be known as theMontgomery County Heritage Alliance, or theAlliance and will oversee the activities of theheritage area.

Introduction

Community Engagement

Fall 2001• Key Person Interviews• Project Fact Sheet

Winter 2001-02• Newsletter 1• Community Workshops• Website

Spring 2002• Newsletter 2• Community Focus Groups• Constituency Briefings• Community Workshops

Summer/Fall 2002• Public Meeting• Constituency Briefings

Purpose

Throughout Montgomery County, heritage resourcestestify to centuries of complex and interestinghistory. These resources include multi-generationalfarmsteads, architecturally significant buildings,remnants of Underground Railroad activity, evidenceof the ongoing story of the Quaker community, andearly models of technological innovation, such as theWashington Aqueduct and the C&O Canal.However, it can be a challenge to locate andunderstand the county’s heritage, for the region hassuburbanized rapidly and the high-profile heritagesites and attractions in neighboring Washington, DCcan overshadow even important historic sites inneighboring Montgomery County. Moreover, manyof the county’s heritage resources are in need ofstabilization, restoration, and enhancement.

This plan follows theapproval of theRecognized HeritageArea Application (July2000) and is the finalstep in seeking CertifiedHeritage Areadesignation.

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Montgomery County’s HeritageAlthough the earliest inhabitants of the area thatbecame Montgomery County were NativeAmericans, village settlements had long beenabandoned by the time John Smith explored the areain 1608.2 By then, the region had become a bufferzone between the Piscataway Indians of SouthernMaryland and the western Shawnee and northernIroquois. The rich resources of the land made it apopular area for traveling hunting and foraginggroups and for quarrying of stone materials. In fact,long before 1600, Native Americans in the area hadstone quarries around Piney Branch Road, wherethey made bowls, projectile points, and otherequipment. Several major Indian trails from thattime are still traveled by today’s automobilecommuters on Route 355 and River Road.

When the first Europeans arrived to settle Marylandin the 1630s, Montgomery County was part ofCharles, then Prince George’s County. Earlier, a fewexplorers had ventured inland or up the PotomacRiver, and one, Henry Fleet, wrote in his journal ofthe area:

The place is, without question, the mostpleasant place in all this country, and mostconvenient for habitation, the air temperate insummer and not violent in winter. It aboundethwith fish…deer, buffaloes, bears, turkeys, thewoods do swarm with them…the soil is fertilebut above this place where the falls roar it isexceedingly mountainous.

Though there were many farming-based settlementsin Maryland in the 1600s, the land that wouldbecome Montgomery County had several naturalbarriers to large-scale agriculture. There is nonavigable river beyond Great Falls, which is in thePiedmont region of the Potomac River Basin, and thefall line there has steep and rocky terrain.Furthermore, the land was not good for growingtobacco, the cash crop of the 17th and early 18th

centuries. Despite these barriers, landholders fromSouthern Maryland were anxious to expand theirholdings and bought up many land patents in thearea.

By 1715, the land was becoming settled, mostly bytenant farmers renting from absentee landowners,who were tobacco planters and merchants. Thesystem encouraged land speculation because largeamounts of property could be bought andimmediately rented, requiring the tenant to makenecessary improvements. Most housing was built oflogs with one room on the first floor and atticsleeping space. There were outbuildings, including

tobacco sheds. In 1729, the population had grownsufficiently to require appointment of the first roadoverseer, who looked after the roads going fromMonocacy to Annapolis and the road from below thefalls to Frederick.

Tobacco growers from the Tidewater area settled thesouthern part of the county while settlers fromPennsylvania were putting down roots in thenorthern part, growing wheat and other domesticcrops. By 1745, the western frontier of Marylandhad grown so much that Frederick County wasestablished. Tobacco was equal to cash, and thequantity exported led to the creation of Georgetownin 1751 as a tobacco port and inspection station.More and more people settled in the county, whichwas becoming more prosperous; housing wasupgraded to stone and brick, and Georgetownbecame quite a busy port. However, despite theprosperity, Montgomery County remained an area ofsmall farms worked by landowners and tenantfarmers. Many were slave owners, but most enslavedfewer than five individuals of African descent.

What we know as Rockville today was at thecrossroads of the road from Poolesville, theMonocacy to Annapolis, and the main road fromGeorgetown to Frederick. By the late 18th century,Frederick County had become so populated that onSeptember 6, 1776, the Maryland ConstitutionalConventions passed a bill dividing Frederick into 3

Agriculture played a pivotal role in the development ofMontgomery County (Dickerson Farm above). Farming:

• shaped the landscape, creating expanses of open fields withresidential buildings set far apart;

• served as the backbone of the county’s economy untiltransportation advances made other options attractive; and

• influenced society, with the creation of crossroads villagesfor buying, selling, and socializing.

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counties: Frederick, Washington, and Montgomery.The two new counties were named for war heroes.General Montgomery was from upstate New Yorkand died in battle in Quebec in 1775. Theboundaries of our new county were “beginning at themouth of Rock Creek on the Potomac River andrunning thence with the said river to the mouth ofthe Monocacy, then with a straight line to Parr’sSpring (origin of the Patuxent) with the lines of thecounty to beginning.” The Northwest Branch of thePatuxent River, the eastern boundary, was a mainartery of transportation with mills and bridges.(Now the dams at Triadelphi and Duckett havecompletely changed the nature of the river.)

The years from 1775 to 1800 were years of changeand turmoil. The county provided regiments to theContinental Army and to the units that made upGeneral Smallwood’s Maryland Regiment. After thewar, the men came home to a land that was showingthe devastation that tobacco production can create.As the land wore out, many moved west to newland, but other, industrious landowners began tolook at new crops and agricultural methods.

Georgetown grew during the war years and becamea major port and supplier for the army. For a shorttime it was larger and more important than the newport of Baltimore. At the urging of GeorgeWashington, it was decided that the new capital citywould be created from parts of Maryland andVirginia, and the land, including the portion ofMontgomery County that was Georgetown, wasceded in 1792. The new capital, while it broughtmuch wealth and prosperity to the county, took thecounty’s only port and city. Although court andofficial business functions were already taking placein the county seat at Rockville, Georgetownremained county residents’ economic center as wellas the place for shopping and society.

New farming methods brought renewed prosperity,and the building boom in the nation’s capitalcreated employment. Montgomery County becamean agricultural center, with county farmers leadingthe nation in revolutionizing farming methods. Anagricultural exhibition, one of the first in thecountry, was held in 1846. The refrigerator,invented by Thomas Moore of Sandy Spring in 1803,and later the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal,which began construction in 1828, made it possiblefor farmers to bring perishable products, like milkand butter, into the capital.

The building of the C&O Canal stimulated someeconomic activity but failed to become the

economic engine investors had hoped it would. Thecanal itself was, however, an engineering marvel,with locks that could lift or lower a boat abouteight feet and various creative solutions for movingwater and building aqueducts. The C&O, once built,opened up new markets along its route and allowedfor easier trading and transport of goods throughoutthe county and beyond. Many farmers began todiversify crops with wheat, oats, barley, and othergrains. Others added or shifted to dairy farms, beefoperations, and orchards.

The African American population consisted of boththose who were enslaved and many smallsettlements of free Blacks throughout the county.While Maryland was a slave state, there were fewlarge plantations in Montgomery County requiringthe level of slave labor found in other parts of thestate. Because of the large number of free Blackcommunities and the large Quaker and Methodistcommunities, who were sympathetic to theabolitionist movement, the county played animportant role in the Underground Railroad. Mostof this activity occurred in Sandy Spring, where theQuakers had freed their slaves in the early 1800s formoral reasons.

The Civil War divided the county; Marylandremained in the Union, but Montgomery County,because of its geographical importance, wasimmediately occupied by Union troops. Support forthe South was strong, and many young men crossedthe Potomac to join the Confederate Army. Thecounty’s location resulted in both armies marchingand countermarching across the landscape and in anumber skirmishes. The Battle of Ball’s Bluff andGeneral Jubal Early’s unsuccessful attempt to takeWashington, DC, were launched from MontgomeryCounty. However, though continuously occupied bytroops, no major damage occurred, setting the stagefor rapid post-war growth in the county because of

The C&O Canal opened up new markets, enabling localfarmers to diversify crops and ship products to consumersoutside their community and outside the county.

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its proximity to the nation’s capital.

After the Civil War, Montgomery County saw swiftdevelopment, spurred on by the quick advancementof the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad. Openingin 1873, the Metropolitan Branch of the B&O had amajor impact on the county’s economy through itsfreight and passenger service. Passenger service,when combined with the introduction of trolleycars, made it feasible for developers to buildresidential developments in the suburbs ofWashington, DC, and the rail line made the county’sproximity to the District a pivotal factor in itseconomy. Many residents lived in the county andcommuted to work in the capital, and many farmerssold their goods at markets within and surroundingthe city. A metropolitan area was born.

Early suburban development followed the rail andtrolley car routes stretching from Washington, DC,and by the late 19th Century, the county began tosee large scale, organized land development andhomebuilding. Corporations like Chevy Chase LandCompany owned interest in the trolley lines, bought

World War II brought more federal agencies and aninflux of well-educated professionals to themetropolitan area. Many stayed on after the war,creating unprecedented growth; from the war’s enduntil the 1970s, the county’s population doubledevery decade. These new residents brought withthem a new level of sophistication in theirexpectations of local government. A movement tochange the existing commission form of governmentinto one of home-rule began, and in 1948, theCharter Movement passed. The first MontgomeryCounty Council was voted into office in 1949.

The population explosion slowed somewhat in the1970s, but by then the stress of unchecked growthwas showing. This rapid and continuingsuburbanization led to a countywide concern thatthe agricultural heritage of the area would be lost.In 1981, adoption of the Preservation of Agricultureand Open Space Functional Master Plan establishedthe Agricultural Reserve; this 93,000-acre areadesignated for farming activities is predominantlylocated in the northern and western sections of thecounty. A number of county programs operatewithin the reserve, offering easements, grants, andother forms of assistance to farmers. The countywas again a trendsetter through use of creativemethods of urban planning. Today, the average farmsize is 147 acres, and 43 percent of farms are largerthan 50 acres. Within the Agricultural Reserve, 526farms and 350 horticultural enterprises can be found.Elsewhere in the county, growth continues today,reinforced by employment trends and by modernday development of the I-270 corridor, the locationof a long strand of technology businesses thatemploy a multitude of highly educated residents.

Railroad access for towns along the B&O Railroad linefurther opened up the county’s economy and allowed for thedevelopment of suburban housing adjacent to the District ofColumbia (Dickerson Station shown above).

large parcels of land, and participated in bothdeveloping and financing housing in givencommunities. This pattern of development slowlyshifted the character of the county. In 1920, 78percent of the land was used for farming, but by1950, the total acreage in farming was only 67percent. The trend to suburbanization had begun.Southern county housing developments createdconflicting needs with the northern county area,where farms dominated. The demand for new roads,sources of clean water, more schools, and suchspurred the creation of Washington SuburbanSanitation Commission, separate taxing districts, aprofessional police force, and other institutions.

Today, the Agricultural Reserve preserves nearly 100,000acres of Montgomery County’s historic farming landscape.

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The boundary for the Certified Heritage Areacontains most of the geographic area(s) delineated astheme clusters in the Recognized Heritage Areasubmission; organizers of the RHA submission,many of whom are on the Advisory Committee forthis plan, decided to begin with a relatively smallheritage area in order to focus existing resources.

The boundaries are based upon the threeinterpretive themes identified in an earlier stage ofplanning: Quakers & the Underground Railroad,Farming History, and a third, proposed in the RHAapplication as “Industrial Heritage” but now focusedon Technological Innovation. The UndergroundRailroad and Quaker Cluster is in easternMontgomery County and has a boundary that

follows the Rock Creek, Northwest Branch, andSligo Creek Stream Valley Parks, ending up in theSandy Spring and Brookeville communities to thenorth. On the map, this cluster has a finger-likeappearance.

Montgomery County’s earnest commitment topreserving and promoting its agricultural heritagebegan in 1980 with adoption of the nationallyrecognized Master Plan for Preservation of Agricultureand Rural Open Space. This plan included creationof a transfer of development rights program and anAgricultural Reserve. The boundary of the 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve (as described in the 1980plan) basically mirrors the boundary of the FarmingHistory Cluster.

Heritage Area Boundary

Farming History

Quakers & theUnderground Railroad

TechnologicalInnovation

Metropolitan Branch, B&O Railroad

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The third cluster, originally planned as “IndustrialHeritage,” has been expanded into TechnologicalInnovation, which offers more connections to thecounty at large and reflects key trends inMontgomery County’s evolution. The MCHA stillincludes the originally proposed area/boundary forthis third theme because the intent is to begininterpretive development with a focus ontransportation heritage (as exemplified by the C&OCanal and the B&O Railroad). This cluster includestwo distinct and separate components:

1. Resources along the Potomac River and C&OCanal related to pre-history and to growthand change in the industries that helpedMontgomery County grow and prosper fromthe 17th through the 19th centuries

2. Resources along the Metropolitan Branch ofthe B&O Railroad, adjoining a number ofsignificant late 19th century Victoriancommunities.

Within the current boundaries, a number ofcomplementary programs are available to provideinvestment, incentives, or conservation/stewardshipbeyond that provided by the State Heritage AreasProgram. Some of these overlapping programs arelisted below (not inclusive):

• Montgomery County Agricultural EasementProgram

• Montgomery County Transfer ofDevelopment Rights Program

• Maryland Environmental Trust Easements• Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation

Foundation• Rural Legacy Program• Legacy Open Space Program• Local conservation easement programs,

including Potomac Conservancy, GreaterSandy Spring Green Space, and SugarloafCountryside Conservancy.

• Montgomery County Historic EasementProgram

• Montgomery County Historic PreservationGrant Fund

• Art and Humanities Council Grant Fund

The three themes offer distinctive interpretivepotential and create rich opportunities for expansionof the MCHA boundaries and the potential additionof later Target Investment Zones.3 The county’srich and varied heritage reaches well beyond thegeographic boundary and current thematicorganization of the Certified Heritage Area.Heritage area leaders chose to begin with a narrowlyfocused plan – thematically and geographically – toachieve clear and demonstrable results. The need tomeet state program requirements was also a factorin this choice. Thus, while the early focus of theheritage area will be on the topics and placesdescribed herein, there is likely to come a timewhen the activities of the heritage area will outgrowthe original boundaries and themes. Already there isinterest from heritage leaders in Rockville,Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, and elsewhere in beingpart of the Montgomery County Heritage Area.

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As presented below, the vision and goals for theMontgomery County Heritage Area are set ten yearsinto the future. They report what the AdvisoryCommittee and others involved in this managementplan hope the heritage area will have become afterits first decade of work.

V i s i o n : L o o k i n g B a c k f r o m aD e c a d e A h e a d

Montgomery County’s sense of its place in historytoday is deeper and stronger than one could haveimagined a decade ago. The Montgomery CountyHeritage Area has fostered this recognition inresidents and, increasingly, in visitors who arediscovering the county’s weekend getaway potential.The Heritage Area has been an important vehicle forcollaboration among the county’s several historicalsocieties, historic preservation groups, heritageattractions, parks system, and conference & visitorsbureau. They have worked together to:

Raise the Profile of Montgomery County’sHeritage. By making stronger connections,physically and intellectually, the heritage areainitiative has enabled people to discover the depthand breadth of history here and to find theauthentic. The interpretive framework hasbecome a powerful context that links our livestoday to the stories of people, places and eventsthat have shaped the county. Engaging informationmaterials make better sense of the richness of thecounty’s formerly ‘hidden’ heritage sites.

Foster Stewardship of Historic Buildings & Sites.Interest and support for historic preservation hasnever been greater. More resources are availableto conserve and adapt historic buildings and sites.

The county itself has become a stronger stewardof the many historic structures that are part of thepark system, innovatively managing them inpartnership with others.

Bring the County’s History Alive. The HeritageArea’s key concentration began with three themes:

• Farming History• Quakers & the Underground Railroad• Technological Innovation

Matching funds from the Heritage Area haveenabled many heritage partners to create exhibits,programs and events around these three core ideas.Heritage and nature trails in parks and town

Vision & Goalscenters have informative waysides that enablepeople to understand the landscape that surroundsthem. Several institutions have expanded theiraudiences with enhanced facilities, exhibits, andprograms. Major heritage events, including FarmTour and Harvest Sale, Heritage Weekends, andEmancipation Day are particularly popular withfamilies and children. As a result of strongpartnerships with Montgomery County Schools,children throughout the county are engaged in avariety of innovative learning experiences andhave a strong sense of their community’s heritage.The state’s Civil War Trails Program hascomplemented these three themes and enhancedthe historical profile of the county.

Encourage Residents to Become Tourists, EnticeVisitors to Stay Longer & Return More Often.With the enhanced profile of history and culture,the contribution of heritage tourism to thecounty’s economy is growing. Historic buildingshave become restaurants, bed & breakfasts, artgalleries and shops. With scenic drives and bicycleroutes, and interesting places to stay and eat,Montgomery County has become a nearbyweekend getaway, and more residents are choosingto explore their own backyard. The Conference &Visitors Bureau works closely with the HeritageArea to promote special ‘bring the family’ packageofferings to business travelers.

The goals set forth by the advisory committee areformulated as a framework for achieving the vision.

G o a l s : M a r k e t i n g &E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t

Goal: Create economic opportunities that makeretaining public and private historic structuresfinancially worthwhile and feasible.

Goal: Optimize the use of Montgomery County’shistoric resources to benefit the public byproviding enjoyment, entertainment, andeducation.

Goal: Utilize publicly owned historic sites totheir highest potential to make full use of publicinvestments.

G o a l s : I n t e r p r e t a t i o n &E d u c a t i o n

Goal: Provide interesting and accessible heritage

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tourism opportunities for local residents and for abroader audience, thereby:

• Increase the number of county residents whoare knowledgeable about local heritage;

• Increase visitation at county heritageattractions; and

• Provide more county school children withaccess to fun, educational activities at heritagesites.

Goal: Direct heritage tourism activities to wherethey are wanted and needed and away from wherethey are inappropriate.

Goal: Target investment and promotion tolocations desirous of heritage visitors.

Goal: Identify travel routes to guide visitorsthroughout the county.

Goal: Spread knowledge about the county’sheritage and its contribution to regional andnational history.

G o a l s : P r e s e r v a t i o n &S t e w a r d s h i p

Goal: Support existing Montgomery Countyplanning goals for open space conservation byincreasing the economic incentives for retainingrural areas and open spaces.

Goal: Strengthen current preservation activitiesby creating viable uses for historic structures andcultural landscapes.

Goal: Build on the concept that the whole isgreater than the sum of the parts by linking andmarketing diverse historic, recreational andcultural resources as coherent units.

Goal: Provide an “umbrella” effort under whichexisting heritage programs can reach a broaderaudience—there is strength in numbers.

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Inventory

The region’s heritage resources – their diversity,breadth, and quality – are at the core of the heritagearea. The section that follows discusses types andsignificance of resources and gives examples withinthe MCHA. This should not be considered an all-inclusive inventory. A more complete inventory islocated in the section titled “Appendix B: HeritageArea Resource Inventory.”

H i s t o r i c & C u l t u r a lR e s o u r c e s

The county’s history is long and diverse, asevidenced by the wealth of historic buildings andlandscapes located here. These resources fall intothree categories: National Historic Sites, includingNational Historic Landmarks and sites listed on theNational Register of Historic Places; individual sitesin the Montgomery County Master Plan for HistoricPreservation; and historic districts given listing atthe national, state, and local levels. There are 49National Historic Sites, more than 20 locallydesignated historic districts, and 390 individuallydesignated sites listed in the county’s Master Planfor Historic Preservation. Within the proposedMCHA, there are 18 designated historic districts.These districts include the National Register ofHistoric Places district in Poolesville, an area chosenas a TIZ for its rich history as a small commercialcenter for the surrounding rural population and forits archetypal 17th through 19th century architecture.

ResourcesThe MCHA also encompasses assets that might notbe reflected in a designated district or property. Forexample, many farms, especially pick-your-ownoperations, are not locally designated but contributeto the heritage area. Many privately ownedproperties (both buildings and sites) along theUnderground Railroad route have not beendesignated formally but are important to thenarrative of freedom seekers. Properties discussed inA Walking Tour of the Historic Sites of Sandy Spring,Maryland and The Underground Railroad inMontgomery County, Maryland: A History andDriving Guide include both designated andundesignated sites, all of which are important totelling the stories of the Quaker community and theUnderground Railroad. 4

There are 18 designated historic districts within the MCHAboundaries, including Poolesville, a National Register ofHistoric Places district chosen for its history as a ruralcommercial center and for its architectural quality.

Cultural resources – people, arts, crafts, buildings,landscapes, and artifacts – of a region differ fromhistoric resources in that they do not tell a storyfrom the past; rather, they illustrate or explain theway of life, values, and (often ongoing) traditions ofa culture. These can range in form from materialand performance art to small towns with unique,intact traditions and a distinct quality of life.Examples of the latter can be found in the MCHAin towns like Poolesville. The MCHA also containsa number of African American cultural resources,including culturally significant homes, churches,social institutions, historically Black neighborhoods,and more; a number of these are highlighted in theMaryland Commission on African American Historyand Culture’s Inventory of African AmericanHistorical and Cultural Resources for MontgomeryCounty. The myriad assets listed in this survey willbe particularly important as the MCHA begins tointerpret the Underground Railroad and its impacton the county’s population and culture.

Cultural resources also include artifacts, which aremuch smaller tangible evidence of past and presentsocieties. For example, the Montgomery County

The Sandy Spring Museum is a repository of historical andcultural artifacts in the heritage area.

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Historical Society possesses genealogicalinformation, photos, period furniture, and muchmore. The Sandy Spring Slave Museum holds over200 items related to slavery, including shackles, billsof sale, textiles, and rare books. The Sandy SpringMuseum holds many artifacts and archival itemsrelated specifically to Sandy Spring history. Themany museums and heritage collections in thecounty are available to utilize as storytelling toolsfor the MCHA.

N a t u r a l , R e c r e a t i o n a l , &S c e n i c R e s o u r c e s

Montgomery County provides a host ofopportunities to explore outdoor natural,recreational, and scenic resources. Publicly ownedlands (federal, state, and local parks) provide themost extensive access to the region’s naturalresources. These include waterways of regional andnational significance and an abundance of parks,ranging from small community parks to majorrecreational nature areas. Each offers its own levelof scenic beauty and type of activities.

The C&O Canal Historical Park is the principalfederal park in Montgomery County, stretchingalong the Potomac River and providing numerousopportunities for recreation. It celebrates thewaterway designed to connect the Chesapeake Bayand the Ohio River, which had a major impact onthe farming industry of the county in its day. Thealmost level towpath, originally built as a path formules pulling the canal boats, is particularly suitedfor hiking and bicycling and provides views of thescenic Potomac River Valley. The towpath runscontinuously along the canal and links historic sitesalong the way, such as the Great falls Tavern at Lock#20 and the Stone Cutting Mill ruins. Visitors mayalso take a mule-drawn canal boat ride and evencamp overnight along the towpath.

The county contains several state parks, offeringcamping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and creek,river, or lakeside water access. Montgomery Countyalso has a well-developed park and trail system withabout 30,000 acres owned and operated by theMaryland-National Capital Park and PlanningCommission. This system provides typical parkexperiences, such as hiking and biking on maintainedtrails or canoeing, and more community-basedservices, such as children’s archeology and summernature camps.

While the scenic character of the county varies fromopen space and cropland to town centers andcommercial strips, there are opportunities to enjoynatural scenic beauty outside of the parks systems,often from a scenic roadway. For example, the C&OCanal Route State Scenic Byway is partially locatedin Montgomery County. In addition, MontgomeryCounty has a designated rustic roads program, andto date, County Council has designated 66 rustic orexceptional rustic roads. These roads are identifiedin part for their outstanding natural feature borders,scenic vistas, and/or access to historic resources.They are also located primarily in the western andnorthern parts of the county, largely in the proposedheritage area boundaries.

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n & O t h e rP h y s i c a l L i n k a g e s

Given its geographic size and largely suburbannature, the county’s transportation system is largelydominated by the automobile. Major thoroughfares,such as Interstate 270, provide the most expedientway to traverse the region. Key access points to theregion are via Interstate 495, Interstate 270, White’sFerry (and White’s Ferry Road), Wisconsin Avenue(355), and Connecticut Avenue (185). Currently,north/south driving routes are easier to locate andmore often major roadways than east/west routes.

Once in the region, there are a number of networkedtrails and bicycle paths. M-NCPPC alone has over100 miles of trail maps available on its website.These will be augmented with the completion of theLegacy Trail, which runs directly through theMCHA. Additional maps/guides direct bicycletraffic along scenic and historic roadwaysthroughout the county and especially in the heritagearea.

Montgomery County’s extensive park and trail systems offerresidents and visitors many opportunities to enjoy the heritagearea’s natural and scenic resources.

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The railroad played an important role in regionaltransportation in Montgomery County during the19th century and also contributed to development insome areas; the presence of the Metropolitan Branchof the B&O Railroad attracted mills, farms, andother buildings to early suburban communities.Today, the rail line traverses Montgomery County’smajor towns, offering commuter and freight service,with the occasional special excursion trip.

V i s i t o r R e s o u r c e s

Resources available to MCHA visitors consist ofattractions, events, hospitality providers, andinformation sources, all loosely organized.

Attractions are things to see and do that motivate atrip or fill time during a visit. They can be operatedby a private business, a not-for-profit institution, ora governmental entity. Heritage-orientedattractions educate the public about the region’shistory, culture, and landscape. For example, theSandy Spring Museum and Sandy Spring SlaveMuseum will both be active storytellers for theUnderground Railroad theme within the heritagearea. Likewise, the John Poole House will be animportant part of the farming theme’s presentationwithin the heritage area.

There are varying interpretive methods employed atheritage area attractions, ranging from display casesof items with small placards to interpretive panels,from guided tours to occasional first personinterpretative experiences. Many heritage sites arelargely undiscovered and would benefit fromincreased exposure and/or stronger interpretiveprogramming, incorporating a wider array ofmethods.

Special Events and Festivals are scheduled periodicactivities. Some continue the traditions of local life,examples of which are the many regular farmersmarkets within the MCHA. Others are stagedevents, such as reenactments, meant to represent ahistoric time or event. A third category isprogrammed events, which may draw on historicalor cultural backgrounds and include someinterpretation. Festivals and events of note in theheritage area include History Day, EmancipationDay, the Farm Tour and Harvest Sale, and theMontgomery County Agricultural Fair.

Hospitality Providers provide lodging, dining, andshopping opportunities to visitors. Hospitalityproviders with a heritage orientation offer theseservices in a historic setting or style. In theMontgomery County Heritage Area, heritageenterprises are in the minority compared tocommercial chains such as Holiday Inn, Chili’s, andthe Gap. There are, however, some heritageenterprises in the region’s smaller towns, such asBassett’s restaurant in Poolesville and the PleasantSprings Farm Bed & Breakfast in Boyds.

Information Sources provide the informationnecessary for visitors to make choices. Destinations,attractions, hospitality providers, transportation, andmore should be covered in some manner through theMCHA’s information sources, which include touroperators, visitor centers, brochure racks, web sites,guidebooks, maps, driving tour pamphlets, andsignage. Currently, the main information source forthe heritage area is the Conference and VisitorsBureau of Montgomery County (CVB).

Restaurants owned and operated by locals, such as Bassett’sin Poolesville (above), serve as visitor resources while alsoreinforcing the distinct character of historic towns.

Interpretive panels represent one of many ways to conveyinformation at heritage area attractions. (Washington, DC,Downtown Heritage Trail interpretive panel above)

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ChallengesTo be successful, the MCHA will need to addressimportant challenges, most of which involvepackaging and marketing. These challenges includecompetition, development pressures, and publicawareness:

Low Profile

Those historic sites in the Washington/Baltimoreregion that draw significant numbers of visitors aredestinations of substantial national visibility, such asArlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, FortMcHenry, and multiple Civil War battle sites. Thereare also high profile educational/entertainingattractions in the area, such as the zoo, aquariums,monuments, and government buildings, and wellknown “pseudo-historic” attractions like theMaryland Renaissance Festival, which draws about225,000 visitors in 19 days of operation. These sitesand attractions have name recognition while MCHAand Montgomery County’s history in general donot. To succeed, the MCHA must define anddistinguish Montgomery County and its richheritage to its target markets.

Encroaching Development

Heritage experiences are predicated on the offeringof authentic, well preserved history. The experienceof traveling between sites should not be entirely outof context with the heritage sites themselves.Although Montgomery County has preservedthousands of acres of rural open space through its“wedges and corridors” approach to growthmanagement, development still poses a threat to thepreservation of heritage resources. The proximity ofnew, sometimes incompatible suburban residentialdevelopment to historic areas like Sandy Spring,Brookville, and Boyds makes the experience offinding and arriving in historic places less satisfyingfor visitors.

Lack of Critical Mass

Heritage resources are located throughout thecounty, often separated from one another byunexceptional suburban landscapes. Most othersuccessful heritage areas center on one or moregateway locations, where visitors are encouraged tobegin their journeys within the heritage area atlarge. These gateway locations typically offerhistoric character, visitor attractions, lodging, dining,and recreational opportunities in close proximity toone another. At the present time, the MCHA doesnot encompass any singular place possessing all the

above characteristics. Central locations likeRockville and Gaithersburg (possible future TIZs forthe Technological Innovation theme) are stronger invisitor amenities than in historic character andrecreational opportunities while outlying areas likePoolesville and Sandy Spring are more distinct incharacter and have more attractions but lack visitoramenities. Perhaps there will never be one particularplace in the county with ideal critical mass, but thisissue must be considered and addressed for visitors,who will require location information for differentresources and guidance on how to travel betweenthem.

Competition in the Market

Competition to the MCHA comes from twosources: other heritage sites and attractions, whichare manifold and formidable in the Washington area,and all other leisure activities. Leisure activitiesinclude everything from professional/collegesporting events, recreational activities, and shoppingto reading, gardening, and watching television.Potential MCHA visitors are faced with a multitudeof other options competing for their free time.However, with a combined resident and visitormarket of over 30 million people, only a smallpercentage of the area’s market must be accessed inorder to have significant impacts; even a 0.5 percentpenetration rate would mean 150,000 visitors forMCHA.

Competition for visitors from the capital city (above) andother nearby heritage-rich areas is only one of the challengesthe MCHA is preparing to successfully address.

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Visitation Data

The Washington, DC, region is a major tourismdestination. Its plethora of historic and culturalresources and successful market for conventions andbusiness meetings make it one of the nation’s toplocations for leisure and business travel alike. In2000, Washington, DC, hosted 9.3 million leisurevisitors and 9.9 million business visitors, for a totalof 19.2 million visitors.5 The State of Maryland isdivided into five tourism regions, and MontgomeryCounty is located in the Capital Region, which alsoincludes Prince George’s and Frederick counties.6 In1999, the Capital Region had 2.9 million person-trips, or 16 percent of all trips to the state. This is acumulative total of 22.1 million annual visitors toWashington and its Maryland suburbs.

Sixty percent of Maryland’s Capital Region visitors(compared to 43 percent of visitors statewide) stayin private homes; thus expenditures of $235 per tripamong visitor parties to this area are lower than thestatewide average of $312 per trip. This low figuremay also be a function of small average party size of

1.7 people compared to the state’s average of 1.9people. Capital Region visitors ranked shopping asthe top choice for activities; 30 percent said thatthey shopped. 11 percent attended cultural eventsor festivals, and only 7.5 percent of visitors went tohistoric sites or museums, compared with 12 percentof all statewide visitors.

A v a i l a b l e M a r k e t s

The three different visitor markets for MontgomeryCounty, discussed below, are based upon drivingdistance from a central point in the county. Thethree markets are primary (0-30 minute drive),secondary (30-60 minute drive), and tertiary (60-90minute drive). The central point chosen was theinterchange of Interstate 270 and Maryland Route28/Darnestown Road; this interchange is locatedalong the I-270 corridor between the county’s twomain centers (Rockville and Gaithersburg), andRoute 28 connects the Agricultural History clusterwith the Quaker/Underground Railroad cluster.

Markets & Visitation

The graph below shows the primary, secondary, and tertiarymarkets for the Montgomery County Heritage Area.

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Jurisdiction Residents

Fairfax County, Virginia 970,000

Montgomery County, Maryland 873,000

Prince George’s County, Maryland 801,000

Washington, DC 572,000

Howard County, Maryland 248,000

Frederick County, Maryland 195,000

Total Regional Population 3,659,000

Primary Market (0-30 minutes)

The 0-30 minute drive time encompasses all ofMontgomery County, the District of Columbia, andArlington County, Alexandria, and Fairfax Countyin Virginia. It also includes major portions ofHoward, Frederick, and Prince George’s Counties(Maryland), as well as small pieces of Anne ArundelCounty (Maryland) and Loudoun County (Virginia).Within this market, roughly 3.7 million people livein a total of 1.4 million households, creating anaverage household size of 2.52.

The primary market area has a racially diversepopulation; 60 percent of the population is White,28 percent is African-American, 8 percent is Asian,and 4 percent is American Indian or “other.” There isalso a substantial Hispanic population at 9 percent.In terms of sheer numbers, there are more than onemillion African-American and over 330,000Hispanic residents living within a 30-minute drivefrom the center of Montgomery County.

The primary market area is affluent, with a medianhousehold income of $66,000, an average householdincome of $85,000, and a per capita income level of$33,000. The number of affluent households in theprimary area is also tremendous; about 334,000 ofthe area’s households earn more than $100,000 peryear (approximately 23 percent of total households).

Regarding the age profile, the primary area is heavilyweighted towards the middle of the age pyramid, as35 percent of its residents are between the ages of25 and 44, reflecting the number of youngprofessionals living in the Washington area. Fewerthan 10 percent of residents are over the age of 65.

Secondary Market (30-60 minutes)

Outside of Montgomery County and the 30-minutedrive time area, another 5.7 million people can driveto the county within the easy daytrip time of 30 to90 minutes. These populations are, generally, lessethnically diverse, more rooted in the Mid-Atlanticregion, and less affluent than residents of theprimary area. Furthermore, these outlying areasalready contain a tremendous amount of well-knownheritage sites, including Gettysburg, Fort McHenry,Harper’s Ferry, Manassas, St. Mary’s City,Fredericksburg, and Annapolis. For these reasons,the secondary and tertiary resident markets are lesslikely to provide rich sources of heritage visitors toMontgomery County.

The 30-60 minute drive time includes Baltimore

City and most of the outlying areas of the Baltimoreand Washington regions. This secondary market areais nearly as populous as the primary area, with about3.2 million residents in 1.2 million households—anaverage household size of 2.64. However, there isless racial diversity and less affluence; Whites makeup 72 percent of the population, and income levelsare about 25 percent less. The secondary area is21.4 percent children under 14 while the primaryarea is 19.5 percent. The secondary market also hasa higher percentage of senior citizens: 12 percent tothe primary market’s 10 percent.

Tertiary Market (60-90 minutes)

The 60-90 minute drive time area stretches fromMaryland’s Eastern Shore to York and Lancaster(Pennsylvania) to the Eastern Panhandle of WestVirginia, to the northern tip of the Richmond(Virginia) metro area. The tertiary market issparsely populated; 1.4 million people are spreadinto 535,000 households, resulting in an averagehousehold size of 2.65 persons. This area is the leastracially diverse with Whites composing 89 percentof the population. Income levels are by far thelowest of the three areas—average incomes are 30-35 percent below those of the primary market area,and just 10 percent of households earn more than$100,000 per year.

Thus, the MCHA’s ability to draw visitors fromresident markets more than 90 minutes away is notlikely to be strong. However, an importantalternative tertiary market could be drawn from theinflux of visitors already coming to the NationalCapital Region and to the state of Maryland(especially to nearby Baltimore and Annapolis) eachyear.

Area Population Data

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There is a population base of over 3.6 millionpeople in Montgomery County and its neighboringjurisdictions; however, given the enormity of theregional population, it is more comprehensible toexamine the county’s available visitor marketsthrough population by driving distance. 7 Since theoverwhelming majority of non-business visitors toMontgomery County arrive via automobile,understanding the size and characteristics of daytripmarkets is vital to gauging the depth of tourismpotential.

I m p l i c a t i o n s o f V i s i t a t i o n &M a r k e t D a t a

Montgomery County and its immediate neighborsoffer a large, diverse, and affluent population base.Furthermore, the overwhelming majorities of theseresidents – even those who have lived in the area foryears – do not have historic roots in the county andare not likely to know much about its long history.The county and its surrounding area have anaggressive growth pattern: From 1950 to 2000,Montgomery County experienced a 430 percentpopulation increase, growing from 164,000 to873,000. With such an influx of people, manyresidents do not have a deeply rooted sense of thecounty’s history or awareness of its many historicresources. Thus, opportunities abound to educatecounty residents, especially newer arrivals, about itshistory.

Furthermore, Montgomery County has numerousforeign-born residents, many of whom are recentarrivals as well.  According to the 2000 Census,233,000 of the county’s 873,000 residents (27percent) are foreign born; of these, 73 percent areAsian or Hispanic.  Over 100,000 of this foreign-born population arrived during the 1990s, whichmeans that almost 12 percent of all MontgomeryCounty residents have immigrated to the UnitedStates since 1990. Not only do these foreign-bornpopulations not possess a sense of MontgomeryCounty’s local history; they often lack a strongunderstanding of American history and may have astrong interest in learning as new residents of theUnited States. The MCHA is well positioned toprovide educational activities for this group becausethe themes of the heritage area are themes thatresonate on multiple levels. Farming, slavery andracial issues, and transportation and technology allhave had major impacts both in the United States atlarge and in Montgomery County.

Based on the facts above, MCHA should focuswithin the primary market on its own residents first.Although such a focus may yield less dramaticeconomic gains than targeting outside visitors, thispopulation is more likely to have interest in thestory of Montgomery County’s heritage, is locatedclose to the heritage area, and may well haveinterest in the thematic clusters. For example, theracial/ethnic diversity present in the county’spopulation indicates that the Underground Railroadstory may resonate well with some residents,especially African Americans. The stories oftechnological innovation are likely to interest thoseresidents working in technology-related jobs, ofwhich there are many because the technologycorridor exists along I-270.

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Current Approach

The Conference and Visitors Bureau of MontgomeryCounty (CVB) takes an atypical approach to marketdefinition and targeting. Its primary market isdefined as residents of the Mid-Atlantic States; thismarket is a short driving trip from the county.Leisure visitors from this market are targeted forlodging, recreation, shopping, and diningopportunities as they travel in or near the countyand Washington, DC. A second market targeted bythe CVB is that of business travelers; marketing isaimed at extending the stay of business travelers orconvincing them to bring other family membersalong for leisure purposes. Thus, MontgomeryCounty’s tourism program focuses on generatingeconomic impacts from nearby visitor markets orvisitors already traveling to the region rather thanon drawing new visitors to the region from afar.

The CVB has been working on new initiatives togenerate greater revenue. For example, a conferencecenter is planned at the White Flint Metro Station.This facility includes a 225-room hotel and willallow the county to accommodate much largermeetings and conventions than can be housed inexisting hotel ballrooms and other event venues.Niche marketing through partnerships is anotherway the CVB works to increase visitation. Theorganization works with the Maryland SoccerPlex;the Washington, DC, Convention and TourismCorporation; the Mormon Temple; the NationalCapital Trolley Museum; and other visitorattractions to help define and target niche markets.

Heritage does not presently garner much attentionin the overall marketing of Montgomery County.However, the CVB has an emerging focus on newniche markets that bodes very well for heritagetourism marketing. The MCHA is a critical piece inthis new focus; it has been identified as a source fordeveloping historical tours for business and leisurevisitors, as well as for local residents. The economicgains realized by marketing to residents and nearbyday-trippers will likely be less than those availableshould marketing focus on bringing more overnightvisitors into the county. However, this more narrowfocus will maximize the non-fiscal benefits of theheritage area while still offering modest but tangiblefinancial gains.

Marketing & Outreach

S t r a t e g i e s

Identity and Image Creation. Should the MCHAestablish an identity and image for the heritage areaitself or for the organized effort, the Alliance? Here,the need is to create a higher profile for heritage andheritage sites in a modern suburban/metropolitanenvironment, not to create awareness of the name“Montgomery County Heritage Area.” The creationof a strategic marketing plan focused on meeting thisneed is recommended; this plan should address theMCHA’s goal of raising the profile of heritage inMontgomery County for both visitors and residents.Looking to the experience of DC Heritage, this hasbeen accomplished through a commitment to astrong graphic identity and high quality graphicdesign for its website and publications, includinginterpretive trail panels, maps, guides, etc.

Awareness Campaign. The heritage area mustpenetrate the clamor of information in the regionwith its core message(s) in order to reach itsconstituencies—visitors (including residents),partner organizations, government agencies, electedofficials, and potential funders. The MCHA couldserve as the collective voice for the county’sheritage organizations through marketing,promotion, and awareness raising. To that end, theheritage area should establish an awareness campaignthat consists (at a minimum) of an orientationpackage, a slide show, and a schedule of briefings andpress opportunities. The heritage area could alsoserve as a central clearinghouse, maintaining a

Strategy Recommendations

• Identity and Image Creation

• Awareness Campaign

• Virtual Visitor Center

• Signage

• Packaging through CVB Partners

• Heritage Activities Calendar

• Orientation Gateways

• Themed Days and Tours

• Market the Experience, Not the Heritage Area or the TIZs

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comprehensive contact database and e-maildistribution list for the county’s many smallheritage organizations.

Virtual Visitor Center. Public workshop participantsdiscussed the need for a central, well organized, andreadily accessible source of information on heritageresources in the region. A virtual online visitorcenter could fill this need, using the web sitedeveloped for the planning process(www.montgomeryheritage.org) as a starting point.A good model is the DC Heritage Coalition website (www.dcheritage.org); in addition to providingupdated event information and suggested tours, theDC Heritage web site includes a “make your ownitinerary” feature. Visitors can select sites oractivities that interest them, add them to theirelectronic itinerary, and print relevant information,such as operating hours and directions. The virtualvisitor center should link to the CVB ofMontgomery County and Maryland Office ofTourism Development to allow visitors access toonline travel arrangements. In conjunction with thiseffort, grants could be provided to heritage partnersfor their own web site enhancement, updates, andusability.

Signage. The cost and complexity of producing andinstalling way finding signage along travel routesdictates that this approach be considered a majorendeavor, requiring a great deal of time toaccomplish. An easier approach would be toconsider banners; whole communities could bechosen to receive banners based on a set of MCHAcriteria. The MCHA could adopt a set of standardsfor heritage resources and offer banner signage (inconjunction with web site listing and otherpublicity) to individual sites and attractions meetingthe criteria.

Packages Offered through CVB Partnerships. TheMCHA can offer packaged products to regionalmarkets by partnering with the CVB. The heritagearea can develop heritage products, which can beoffered to hotels as pieces of promotional packagesmeant to increase length of stay. For example,tickets to Olney theater, a map/guide of theUnderground Railroad area, tickets to a polo match,and a biking tour of the Agricultural Reserve are allviable offerings to hotel guests in the county.

Comprehensive Heritage Activities Calendar.Special events, such as festivals, provide a funopportunity to experience facets of the county’sheritage. They attract visitors to sites/communitieslacking a permanent heritage attraction, such as amuseum. Maintaining and publicizing acomprehensive calendar of existent heritage eventsand those in development would minimize double-bookings, call attention to gaps in the calendar,facilitate cross-promotion, and enable visitors toeasily discover what activities are taking place inthe heritage area.

MCHA Gateways. The typical heritage area modeltends to be focused around one or a few centrallocations where visitors arrive, obtain orientation,and enjoy an interpretive experience. Thesegateways frequently have lodging, dining, andentertainment options nearby, forming theunquestioned heart of the heritage area. TheMCHA, however, encompasses three historic themesspread across nearly 500 square miles, wherepotential visitors arrive from different directions.This calls for a modified approach, utilizing multiplegateways of different forms, for a gateway can be anintellectual and/or physical experience. In its mostbasic form, a gateway would provide intellectualentry into the geography and history of the county.Therefore, various gateways could be created,ranging from a visitor center with staff to acomputerized kiosk at the Bethesda Farm Women’sMarket.

“Downcounty” should be included in this gatewaynetwork, likely using the kiosk model. Other kiosksfocusing primarily on the Technological InnovationCluster should be developed in existing passenger(MARC) rail stations along the Metropolitan B&ORailroad Line. The MCHA can begin with sixstations—Silver Spring, Kensington, Rockville,Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Dickerson—at theoutset and develop additional gateway experiencesas this third theme is explored further; these stationsshould introduce visitors not only to the thirdtheme but also to the MCHA at large.

Signage is a usefultool for visitor wayfinding and forcommunityidentificaiion. Whilecreating and placingpermanent signagecan be an expensiveand time-consumingprocess, banners offera more viable option.

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Themed Days and Tours. Well-packaged itinerariesencourage visitors to experience sites and areas theymight not have considered otherwise. Today, ifsomeone who knew little about MontgomeryCounty were interested in taking an historical tourof the county, putting together an itinerary wouldbe a time-consuming and difficult process. This isnot to say that information regarding historical sitesin the county is not available; to the contrary, thereare a myriad of maps, brochures, and websites andother materials available from hotels, museums,historic sites, recreational areas and morethroughout the county. However, there is nocentral, easily accessible source for informationregarding heritage attractions and experiences acrossMontgomery County. A series of themed “days” andtours that can be marketed by the CVB and theMCHA would help guide visitors to the mostappealing of the area’s offerings.

Gateway experiences are typically placed inareas where many visitor services and manyheritage resources are concentrated together. TheMCHA borders encompass areas with manyvisitor services and areas with many heritageresources, but no concentration of both together.Thus, gateway formation requires creativethinking. One recommendation is to placeorientation information and kiosks pertaining tothe heritage area at large and specifically to theTechnological Innovation theme in several trainstations along the Metropolitan Line of the B&ORailroad.

Publicly Accessible Marketing Language. It isimportant that MCHA leaders make a distinctionbetween the state’s heritage area program and itsrequirements, and what Montgomery County wantsits heritage area to be. The heritage area isenvisioned as an opportunity to pilot an interpretiveand heritage tourism program that could eventuallybe expanded throughout the County if sufficientinterest and resources emerge. To take advantage ofstate matching grants and investment incentives thataccompany designation as a Certified Heritage Area,the Advisory Committee has settled on twogeographic areas as “Target Investment Zones.”However, public communication materials about theMontgomery County Heritage Area should not usethe terms ‘target investment zone’ or TIZ to refer toPoolesville or Sandy Spring. Rather, these twocommunities should be referred to as places whereone will find the intellectual gateway to the heritagearea themes.

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The integrity of a heritage area experience rests onthe veracity and quality of its heritage resources—the historic buildings, sites, landscapes, andcommunities that serve as tangible evidence of aregion’s history. Thus, preserving and enhancingheritage resources is a pivotal component of anyheritage development strategy. Rapid growth andsuburbanization in Montgomery County haveresulted in a loss of farmland, open space, andhistoric sites, but steps are being taken in the publicand private sectors to slow and even reverse thistrend through preservation and conservation.8

L a n d C o n s e r v a t i o n

Within the State of Maryland, Montgomery Countyis considered among the most progressive countiesin agricultural land conservation. The county hastaken an active role in conservation, protectingmore than 50% of its agriculturally zoned land. Thecounty has a Master Plan for the Preservation ofAgriculture and Rural Open Space, and it activelyparticipates in state and local programs aimedtoward the preservation of agricultural lands andrural character. These include (not comprehensive):

• Maryland Agricultural Land PreservationFoundation

• Maryland Environmental Trust• Maryland GreenPrint Program• Rural Legacy Program• Montgomery County Agricultural Easements• Montgomery County Transfer of Development

Rights (TDR) Program• Rustic Roads Master Plan

In addition to agricultural land, MontgomeryCounty has been actively conserving open space andcreating parks. The Maryland Department of

Heritage ResourceConservation & Enhancement

Natural Resources’ Open Space Program mandatesthat counties adopt a County Park, Recreation, &Open Space Plan to remain eligible for grant funds.The state guidelines require an increased emphasison natural and historic resource preservation inaddition to projections for future recreationalfacilities.

Legacy Open Space is a county-level initiative topreserve the county’s open spaces and distinctiveresources. Based upon a $100 million, 10-yearcommitment of public and private funds, it is thecounty’s first comprehensive plan of its kind,providing guidelines for the protection ofunprotected open space, watershed lands, andhistoric properties using land or easement purchase.

H i s t o r i c P r e s e r v a t i o nP r o g r a m s & O r d i n a n c e s

Many of Montgomery County’s historic sites anddistricts have been identified and are protected bylocal ordinances. Historic districts are formulatedto provide protection to heritage-rich areas, mostoften through the authority of a HistoricPreservation Commission to review changes withineach district. This provision is made through theMaster Plan for Historic Preservation and the county’sHistoric Preservation Ordinance, which provide thebasis for the preservation of historic and culturalresources.

Montgomery County is fortunate to have manyorganizations dedicated to preserving local history.There are several local preservation organizations;the following list is not comprehensive:

• Historic Medley District, Inc.• Montgomery Preservation, Inc.• Montgomery County Historical Society• Peerless Rockville• Historic Takoma, Inc.• Silver Spring Historical Society

Furthermore, through the county’s open spaceconservation programs, more and more historicresources have come under public ownership. Notall are being utilized to their fullest potential at thistime, and it is in this context that the followingstrategies are recommended.

The open space and agricultural land protected byMontgomery County’s conservation programs form scenic,pastoral vistas and attractive, barely interrupted landscapes.

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S t r a t e g i e s

Preservation Policy for County-owned HistoricResources. The county owns a number of historicstructures, many acquired as portions of farmsbought for open space preservation or parks andtrails. The parks department utilizes a limitednumber of these buildings for offices or programspace; others, such as Woodlawn, have beenmaintained with some level of historical integrityand are available for limited public or private use(receptions, dinners, etc). Farm complexes oftenhave outbuildings, barns, and other structures, someof which are of historical interest. As the countycontinues to pursue its admirable open spaceacquisition policy, it is likely that more historicresources will be added to the portfolio of the parksdepartment. While the staff is sensitive to historicpreservation issues, stewardship of historic buildingsis ancillary to the mission of the department.Stretched public budgets lead to deferredmaintenance.

Because of the synergy between MontgomeryCounty’s extensive trail and park system and itsheritage resources, the MCHA could serve as acatalyst for collaboration between “Parks” and“Planning” at M-NCPPC in developing a morestrategic approach to county-owned historicbuildings. Another partnership opportunity exists inthe many nonprofit organizations with compatiblemissions; some sites could be utilized periodically oreven full-time by organizations working to promoteor protect the county’s heritage, offering furtherpublic benefit from the sites and gaining earnedincome toward costs of upkeep.

Income-producing Opportunities for HistoricBuildings. There is potential to create a morestrategic approach to publicly owned historicbuildings. Around the country a number ofmunicipalities and states have developed creativeapproaches for managing similar inventories ofhistoric properties. Some even derive modestrevenue from leasing properties to appropriate usersor occupants, offsetting maintenance costs and more

consistently populating isolated facilities. Somemight house appropriate visitor-serving uses,including food service and small-scaleaccommodations, which could add to the criticalmass of the heritage area while providing forenhanced maintenance and active stewardship.

Strategy Recommendations• Preservation Policy for County-owned Historic Resources• Income-producing Opportunities for Historic Buildings• B&O Railroad Station Enhancements• Heritage Preservation Grants

The county has been aggressive in its commitmentto agricultural preservation. The large AgriculturalReserve assures that open space and agriculture willcontinue to be part of the county’s traditional wayof life. However, the economic viability of farmingis becoming more strained every day, and incomefrom non-farming sources is of growing importanceto many farm owners as they look ahead to thefuture of farming. A number of historic farms havemarginally used outbuildings (barns, tenant cottages,storage sheds, etc.) that might be suitable foradaptive reuse for bed & breakfast typeaccommodations, restaurants, art galleries, studiospace, etc. The potential to enhance the economicperformance of the Ag Reserve while adding to farmincomes and providing a wider range of lodging andother visitor services in the county’s rural areas isworth exploring. Present land use policies wouldneed revisiting to achieve such changes, and theMCHA could play a catalytic role, conveningstakeholders around these issues should sufficientcommunity support emerge.

Woodlawn and many other county-owned historic resourcescould be more fully utilized and produce greater revenue forthe stewardship of publicly owned historic resources.

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B&O Railroad Station Enhancements. Theremaining railroad stations in Dickerson, SilverSpring, Rockville, and Gaithersburg arearchitecturally distinctive physical reminders of therailroad’s heyday in Montgomery County. Whilewell maintained, most of these buildings areunderutilized. The heritage area could underwrite afeasibility study for these stations to explore howthey might become more active places in the heartof their communities. Any proposed use of thestations should include ways to tell the story of thecounty’s railroad heritage.

The Silver Spring B&O Railroad Station inparticular offers promise for MCHA activities. Thisstructure will soon cease to serve as a MARCpassenger rail station and will undergo fullrestoration. It is owned by MontgomeryPreservation, Inc., and thus offers uniqueopportunities for future interpretive activities.

Heritage Preservation Grants. The challenge ofpreserving historic sites and returning them toviable use is very real in Montgomery County, andboth the state and county have done much to easethe burden of rehabilitation and restoration byoffering tax credits and low interest loans. Theheritage area could further support these efforts byproviding grants for property owners to stabilizeseriously threatened properties; assist with therehabilitation of historic buildings or resources thatdemonstrate the potential to earn income (such asB&Bs); or contribute to the restoration of structurescontributing to the three interpretive themes.

The Montgomery County Heritage Area contains a wealth ofhistoric buildings and landscapes. (Clockwise from top:Agricultural History Farm Park, Quaker Friends Cemetary,Beall-Dawson House, C&O Canal, and Poolesville TownHall.)

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Interpretation is the process of sharing informationin a truthful and emotionally engaging manner. Oneencounters it in museums, in nature centers, ontours, by reading guidebooks, by participating inhistorical reenactments, and in many other ways.Public interpretation draws on methods used byeducators as well as on those usually associated withpublic entertainment. The value of interpretationgoes beyond programming for heritage tourists. Itstrue value is in enabling residents to understand whothey are, what their communities have been, whattheir families and neighbors have accomplished, andwhy some of the community’s persistent traitscontinue. Heritage areas can use interpretiveprograms to actively engage residents and buildfoundations that strengthen community spirit andpride.

When done well, interpretation evokes an emotionalconnection or an “A-ha!” moment and prompts theaudience to learn more and share this experiencewith others. Within heritage areas, interpretationalso should take into consideration its role intourism development, striving to maximize theappeal to the target audience. Interpretiveobjectives for the Montgomery County HeritageArea include:

• Elevate awareness and appreciation of thecounty’s heritage among its residents;

• Foster a conservation-minded constituencyand facilitate the stewardship of heritageresources;

• Reinforce core themes or messages;• Strengthen the connection of young people to

the history and resources of the region;

Interpretation & Education• Stimulate visitation at heritage sites and

attractions; and• Stem the leakage of tourism dollars by

distinguishing Montgomery County as anappealing alternative to other regionalattractions.

S t r a t e g i e s

Develop an interpretive framework plan for theheritage area, beginning with the identified themesof Farming History, Quakers and the UndergroundRailroad, and Technological Innovation.Interpretive methods include guidebooks, tours,videos, exhibits, wayside panels, dramatic programs,living history, and other experiential techniques, butincreasingly, a thoughtful interpretive frameworkplan is developed prior to investing in programs andmaterials. The framework document contains theconceptual synthesis that leads sponsors to thedevelopment of key messages and themes used inprograms and materials and that link individualactivities (a walking tour of Poolesville, for instance)to the overarching themes (Farming History) andlarger meanings (Poolesville as an exemplary farmingcommunity). In this way, audiences can more easilygrasp the context and meaning of the interpretiveexperience. In the case of the TechnologicalInnovation theme, the initial focus should use thedevelopment of the C&O Canal and the B & ORailroad as a springboard for exploring the long andcontinuing presence of technological innovation inMontgomery County’s economy and culture.

Develop significant interpretive orientationexperiences that introduce visitors and residents tothe three themes in imaginative and thought-provoking ways. For example, the Quakers and theUnderground Railroad theme offers particularly richopportunities to make residents and visitors moreaware of these important aspects of county historyand also to explore the evolution of attitudes abouta number of topics. The lens of the UndergroundRailroad experience offers an excellent way toexplore ideas then and now about race, class, work,religion, morality, and other matters that continueto affect county residents and visitors. FarmingHistory could be made more interesting to broaderaudiences if one repositions it to encompasssomething greater, such as food – how has itsproduction changed during the last 200 years, andhow have those changes affected our lives? Thecommitment of Montgomery County to retaining asignificant portion of its land for agriculture is apowerful example of the strength of the value people

Strategies

• Interpretive Framework Plan• Orientation Experiences• Self-guided Tours• Audio Guides• Heritage Area Map• Educational Programs in Schools• Traveling Exhibit Program• Trail Interpretive Program• Thematic Maps and Guides• Gateways to the Three Themes• Train Excursions• Heritage Preservation Grants

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place on “the farm.” What is the motivator behindthis valuation? Exploring this question opens up amyriad of interpretive possibilities and expands thepotential audiences.

residents to customize their own story mix thatcould be downloaded to a compact disc or MP3player.

Develop publications promoting the heritage area,including a comprehensive heritage area map. Thesemight include maps/tours (see aboverecommendations), booklets, brochures, books,professional artwork, and more. For example, thereis currently no single map depicting the variety andlocation of heritage attractions in the county. To gethooked on an area and explore further, visitors needguidance about the broader history of MontgomeryCounty (as framed through the interpretive themes).They also need clear information about the locationof attractions, what can be expected at theattractions, when sites are open, the approximatedistance between places, and information aboutsupport services, such as places to eat, stay, and shop.A large-format, visually striking map provides oneway for residents and visitors to envision the entireheritage area and understand the diversity of itsattractions. The map should include the concisestory of the county’s heritage, the locations ofattractions, landmarks, significant topographicfeatures, and sufficient detail to find one’s way fromattraction to attraction. The map should be widelydistributed at the various attractions, lodging anddining establishments, and visitor informationcenters. While commercial sponsorship of designand production is a possibility, this guide should bea well-designed education and orientation piece, notan advertisement for local businesses.

Partner with Montgomery County schools to developeducational programs. These would be geared to theState Content Standards or Learner Outcomes andIndicators, be built around the interpretive themes,and be suitable to for implementation byparticipating heritage organizations. Not only arechildren an important audience for the heritage area,they represent a means for generating interest in thecounty’s heritage among their parents. Of thethirty-eight field trip sites located in MontgomeryCounty and approved as part of the social studiescurriculum, the following list of seventeen could beconsidered heritage-related.

• Beall-Dawson House• Black Hill Regional Park• Brookside Gardens• Brookside Nature Center• Butler’s Orchard• C&O Canal Historical Park (upper canal)• Clara Barton House• Homestead Farm

The themes, especially “Quakers and the UndergroundRailroad,” provide opportunities for interpretation that linkthe county’s history to the relevant issues of today. (OakleyCabin above)

Develop thematic, self-guided tours for the entireheritage area (and beyond) around key interpretivethemes. Produce attractive maps and professionalquality information guides for each tour. Do one ortwo of these each year. There are already a numberof existing tour itineraries and materials developedby various heritage, tourism, or community groups.They are uneven, and most are graphically lacking.It would not require a great investment in researchtime to use these – giving credit to their creators –as a basis for well-designed and packaged maps/guides around the interpretive themes. These toursshould cover a range of geographic locations withinthe heritage area and should be easily availableonline and in visitor centers countywide. Audioguides (see below) are also highly effective tools forself-guided tours.

Create high quality audio guides. High qualityaudio driving tapes and compact discs are arelatively inexpensive way to make the region’sheritage resources more accessible. The audio guidecould be a series of stories about the area that makeit come alive (along the lines of a National PublicRadio style vignette) rather than a description of theroute. The tapes should be consistent with theinterpretive themes and combine narration, soundeffects, and music. Culling from the MontgomeryCounty Historical Society Archives, actors couldread excerpts from letters or diaries to presentvoices from the past as well as the present. It mightalso be possible to post these stories on the heritagearea website in MP3 format, enabling tech savvy

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• Lathrop E. Smith Environmental EducationCenter

• Locust Grove Nature Center• Meadowside Nature Center• National Capital Trolley Museum• Sandy Spring Museum• Seneca Creek State Park• Seneca Schoolhouse• White Mountain Creamery

Among these seventeen, only a handful incorporateshistory and heritage education into the experience.With its partner organizations, the heritage areacould work with schools to develop field trips andactivity plans that are based on the threeinterpretive themes. By encouraging the schools tomake use of authentic historic resources and hands-on educational experiences, the MCHA could assistin enhancing curriculum offerings and enriching kids’understanding of the place where they live.

Produce a traveling exhibit program. Anotherapproach to heritage education is to bring the storyto the people. The heritage area could developtraveling exhibits organized according to theinterpretive themes. In addition to orientingresidents to the county’s heritage, the exhibits couldmotivate residents, particularly children, to want toexplore the county’s heritage and visit a number ofheritage sites. One specific strategy would be todevelop an attractive, freestanding exhibit on panels(similar to those seen at trade shows) for each of thekey heritage area interpretive themes (Farming,Quakers & Underground Railroad, and TechnologicalInnovation). This could be rotated amongparticipating organizations, displayed at the countyfair, loaned to Montgomery County schools, ormoved around to such popular locations as theBethesda Farm Women’s Market.

Create a trail interpretive program. The county hasdeveloped an outstanding recreational trail system,and these recreation opportunities could beenhanced with a trail interpretive program,consisting of trail signs and interpretive panels.Targeting those trails in close proximity to historicsites or nodes of heritage resources would help tobuild a critical mass of heritage activities. Forexample, MCHA might help to develop interpretivepanels and experiences along M-NCPPC’s LegacyTrail, which links to the Woodlawn property, amongothers. The information presented on theinterpretive panels would also reinforce theinterpretive themes.

Develop a thematic map/guide for the entire heritagearea around the Underground Railroad theme. Thereis evidence of Underground Railroad activity invarious parts of the county, and a thematic map andguide to the Underground Railroad story would linksites together and tell a cohesive story about thequest for freedom. This piece should give specialattention to the Sandy Spring/Brookeville vicinity,where there is the greatest concentration of theseheritage resources.

Develop an orientation and gateway experience forfarming history in Poolesville. Candidate locationsinclude the John Poole House or another nearbyhistoric building. Develop maps/guides for drivingand bicycling itineraries, enabling residents andvisitors to follow key threads of the farming themethrough the Ag Reserve and villages like Barnesville,Boyds, and Dickerson.

Develop orientation and gateway exhibits in thestone barn at Woodlawn. Here there is both parkingand a setting evocative of the area’s 19th centuryrural nature. The Menare Foundation, a nonprofitdedicated to the documentation, preservation, andrestoration of Underground Railroad safe houses andenvironments, is already operating occasionalinterpretive activities and programs at this facility.Interpretive panels would be strong additions atWoodlawn, Sandy Spring (in vicinity of the QuakerMeeting House), Boddy Center, and other keylocations important to the telling the story ofQuakers and the Underground Railroad.

Use gateway kiosks for interpretive activities. Inparticular, the six railroad stations (Silver Spring,Kensington, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown,and Dickerson) recommended to receive marketing

Placing interpretive panels along Montgomery County’sextensive trail system within the heritage area will connectthose who already enjoy its natural and scenic resources to itshistoric and cultural resources.

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kiosks should also provide interpretive informationcentered on the MCHA as a whole and specificallyon the third theme, Technological Innovation. Asformer/current rail stations, these buildings are idealto provide an authentic experience to visitorsinterested in the development of technology,especially transportation technologies, in the county.

Offer annual or semi-annual train excursions.MCHA should work in partnership with theMaryland Transit Administration to offer special,annual or semi-annual, interpretive experiencesthrough MARC train excursions along the B&OLine. This line, which runs through numeroushistoric areas of the county, is an ideal route fromwhich to interpret the Technological Innovationtheme.

The John Poole House (right) in Poolesvilleand the Woodlawn Barn (below) near SandySpring offer unique and historic settings fororientation and gateway exhibits for theFarming History and Quakers and theUnderground Railroad Clusters.

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While portions of Montgomery County areaccessible by bus, metro rail, and other mass transit,most of the heritage area is not. The B&O Railroadline offers passenger service through the county andparts of the heritage area. The distances betweenheritage area sites renders trail usage from site tosite generally unrealistic, but once at a givendestination, one often has access to the county’sextensive trail system and can enjoy it inconjunction with other heritage area experiences.Thus, visitors and residents wishing to spend time inthe heritage area will have to reach theirdestinations via automobile. Traffic congestion andpoor signage can make it difficult to traverse thearea and find one’s way to heritage sites. Thefollowing strategies seek to enhance circulation,transportation, and linkages in the heritage area.

S t r a t e g i e s

Geographically Strategic Connections BetweenHeritage Sites and Attractions. The locations of andease of access between different heritage resourcesare factors for consideration when creatingitineraries, maps, tours, and other marketing/promotional materials. Itineraries and other moredirective materials might focus visitors on oneregion of the MCHA at a time, place sites in anorder that maximizes ease of travel, reduce“inauthentic” experiences (extensive suburbanlandscape, etc.) between sites, and minimize traveltime.

Excellent Heritage Touring Maps. MCHA-widemaps, theme-specific maps, and all other mappublications of the heritage area should be producedto the highest quality, ease of use, and accuracypossible to facilitate visitor movement within theregion.

Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan.Maryland’s state scenic byway program hasdesignated the “C&O Canal Route” scenic byway, aportion of which traverses Montgomery County(generally located along C&O Canal throughPoolesville, Beallsville and Dickerson, continuinginto Frederick and Allegany Counties). Through itsState Scenic Byways Program, the Maryland StateHighway Administration is facilitating thedevelopment of corridor management plans. Theplans help communities develop policies andstrategies to conserve the historical, cultural,natural, archaeological, and/or recreational qualitiesof scenic roads and to enhance road operation andsafety. Once a corridor management plan iscompleted, communities are eligible to pursue

funding for projects such as overlooks and rest areas,interpretive facilities, access and safetyimprovements and land protection easements. Inpartnership with Frederick and Allegany Counties,Montgomery County could pursue a state grant todevelop a corridor management plan for the C&OCanal Route. This type of initiative would link theMCHA in an appealing way to locales outside itsown boundaries and provide an attractive way totraverse a portion of the MCHA itself. Alsoimportant, it could bring eligibility for scenic bywayfunds for implementation of interpretive materials.

Roadway Signage Improvements. Unless visitorstravel on the highways or major county roads it canbe tricky for them to find their way around,particularly in the rural western part ofMontgomery County. Replacing missing or poorlymaintained street and route signs would go a longway toward helping visitors navigate the county.The heritage area could work with the MontgomeryCounty Department of Public Works andTransportation, the State Highway Administration,county municipalities, and heritage sites to improveroad signage at key intersections.

Coordinated Heritage Site Signage System.Implementing a comprehensive heritage area signagesystem can be an overwhelming task. Starting smallby installing destination signs (also called arrivalsigns) at key heritage attractions would beginmarking visitor-ready attractions and providing asense of cohesion and presence in the MCHA atlarge. A relatively inexpensive option is to usebanner signage or flags. Graphically distinctivesignage, consistent with print materials distributedby the MCHA, can help to create a recognized“look” for the heritage area. The Lancaster HeritageTourism Program in Pennsylvania might serve as amodel; there, a banner program was designed to helpvisitors distinguish high-quality, authentic heritageattractions from the multitude of commercialattractions. To date, more than 100 historic sites,museums, shops, restaurants, and inns have met thequality and authenticity standards, fly the LancasterHeritage banner, and are included in itineraries,maps, and guides.

Circulation, Transportation, & Linkages

Strategy Recommendations

• Connections• Maps & Guides• Scenic Byway Corridor• Roadway Signage• Heritage Site Signage

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Summary

A Target Investment Zone (TIZ) is a specific areawithin the Certified Heritage Area (CHA) that is apriority for private investment. It is meant toencourage measurable results within a relativelyshort period of time. To that end, while all of theCHA is eligible for funding of various heritagetourism/development activities, there are a numberof specific program benefits associated with TIZdesignation:

• Grants and loans for acquisition,development, preservation, or restoration

• Loans from revenue bond proceeds to be usedfor economic development

• Heritage Preservation Tax Credit forstructures not already designated locally or inthe National Register of Historic Places

Selection Criteria

The state program requires that TIZs be chosenbased on the following criteria:

• High potential to leverage private investmentand expenditures

• Capability to utilize program incentives toattain measurable results9

• Overlap with other local, state, and federalrevitalization designations

• Commitment of resources from localgovernments and private interests

• Boundaries that facilitate collection ofperformance data

Other considerations include the following:

• Accessibility – reasonably linked totransportation routes, a minimum of oneinterpreting heritage site open to the public

• Themes/orientation – suitable to providegateway orientation to the theme

• Critical mass/proximity to visitorinfrastructure

• Encroaching development – physical settingsretain sufficient historical character and scaleto live up to heritage travelers’ expectations

Two areas meet these criteria best at this time:Poolesville, which will make a strong unofficialgateway to the Farming History Cluster, and SandySpring, which can serve as unofficial gateway to theQuaker and Underground Railroad Cluster. Thisplan does not designate a third TIZ for the thirdtheme, Technological Innovation. Once the MCHA

Target Investment Zoneshas begun to experience some success, it isrecommended that the third TIZ be added, possiblyin conjunction with an expansion of MCHAboundary lines. A location along the MetropolitanLine of the B&O Railroad, such as Rockville, SilverSpring, or Gaithersburg, would offer access to thehistory of the third theme while also providing morevisitor resources than the two current TIZs do.

Poolesville and Sandy Spring (above) best meet the TIZrequirements at this time. These two communities will serveas gateways to the Farming History and Quaker/Underground Railroad themes, respectively. The third TIZwill be chosen at a later date and will serve as a gateway tothe Technological Innovation theme.

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Boundaries & Location

Poolesville is at the edge of the 78,000-acreAgricultural Reserve in the western section of thecounty. Most visitors can access the area byautomobile via I-270 and a pleasant country drivealong Route 109. Visitors from West Virginia andVirginia’s western suburbs may choose to arrive viaWhite’s Ferry, the last remaining operational ferryon the Potomac, entering Poolesville from the weston White’s Ferry Road/Route 107. No foot orequestrian trails currently lead to Poolesville, but anexisting on-road, scenic bike route runs into townfrom the Agricultural Reserve.

The approximate proposed boundaries for thePoolesville TIZ are shown on the map below.10

Heritage

English, Dutch, and German families who movednorth from the Tidewater region and south fromPennsylvania settled the Poolesville area in the1740s. At the crossroads where the boundaries offour family plantations met, Poolesville wasestablished in 1793 by John Poole, Jr., who built astore in the southern corner of his father’s property.It was a strategic crossroads. One of the roads ledfrom Edward’s Ferry – at Goose Creek on thePotomac – to Frederick. The other led fromConran’s Ferry – across the Potomac from Leesburg– to Hungerford Tavern (Montgomery Courthouse,Rockville).

The town quickly grew into a rural village withstores, taverns, a tailor shop, a wheelwright, andeventually, churches and a school. Prosperity cameto the town with the agricultural revolution thatbegan in the 1820s. Shipping by road coast twentytimes per wagonload more than the cost of shipping

Poolesville

The Poolesville TIZ Framework Map shows the boundaries of thePoolesville TIZ, the community’s core and gateway areas, and itshistoric resources.

Legend

Town Gateway

Historic Center ‘Arrival’

Heritage Property Resource

Potential Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvements

Potential ‘Historic Town’ Improvements

Proposed Pedestrian & Bicycle Route

Parking, Vacant, and Potentially Underutilized Properties

Campbell Park

Heritage C onservation Resources

1 . Old Town Hall

2. 1 785 House

3. St. Peter’s Church

4. J. Hall/William D Poole House

5. Dr. Thomas Poole House

6. Baptist Church/Hardware

7. Frederick Poole House

8. Presbyterian Church

9. Hall/M ilford/Jamison Bldg.

1 0. Viers/Sellman/Stevens/Gift Shop

1 1 . Town Hall

1 2. John Poole House

13. Baptist Church/Norris Bldg.

1 4. Hoskinson House

15. William’s Store

16. William W. Poole/Watkins House

1 7. Elias Price House

18. Thomas Plater/Hauck House

19. Talbott/Willard/Cubitt House

20. Hersperger House

21 . Beall House

22. Willlard House

23. Seymour House

24. Presbyterian Manse

25. St. Peter’s Rectory/Evans House

26. Gray House

27. Darby/Fyffe/Chiswell House

28. Norris/Morningstar House

29. Norris/Fisher/Hickman

30. Jones/BernsdorffHouse

31 . SellmanHouse

32. WoottonHouse

33. Thompson/Hillard House

34. Joseph Poole/M ilford House

35. St. Peter’s Rectory

36.HempstoneHouse

37. John Poole Farm House

38. Dr. Elijah White House

39. Hodgson House

40. Elgin/Maxwell House

41 . Bessie Grubb House

42.Cator/Elgin/Meadowlark I nn

43. Benjamin White House

44. Hughes/Leaply/Banach House

45.Spurrier/Munger/Campbell House

46. Jacob BodmerHouse

47. Fletchall/Wise/Conlon Farm House

48. United Memorial Church

49. Old Methodist Church Parsonage

50. Frank Davis/Carl Fisher House

51 .HorraceDavis/Hersperger House

52. Henry Norris/George ChiswellHouse

53. RichardPyles/Raymond BeallHouse

54. EliasBeall/CompherHouse

55. Dr. Walling/HalmosHouse

(Per the 1996 Poo les v i l l e M aster P lan)

Whalen Commons

Approximate Town TIZ Boundary

POOLESVILLE TIZ Framework MapMontgomery County Heritage Area Plan

Legend

Town Gateway

Historic Center ‘Arrival’

Heritage Property Resource

Potential Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvements

Potential ‘Historic Town’ Improvements

Proposed Pedestrian & Bicycle Route

Parking, Vacant, and Potentially Underutilized Properties

Campbell Park

Heritage C onservation Resources

1 . Old Town Hall

2. 1 785 House

3. St. Peter’s Church

4. J. Hall/William D Poole House

5. Dr. Thomas Poole House

6. Baptist Church/Hardware

7. Frederick Poole House

8. Presbyterian Church

9. Hall/M ilford/Jamison Bldg.

1 0. Viers/Sellman/Stevens/Gift Shop

1 1 . Town Hall

1 2. John Poole House

13. Baptist Church/Norris Bldg.

1 4. Hoskinson House

15. William’s Store

16. William W. Poole/Watkins House

1 7. Elias Price House

18. Thomas Plater/Hauck House

19. Talbott/Willard/Cubitt House

20. Hersperger House

21 . Beall House

22. Willlard House

23. Seymour House

24. Presbyterian Manse

25. St. Peter’s Rectory/Evans House

26. Gray House

27. Darby/Fyffe/Chiswell House

28. Norris/Morningstar House

29. Norris/Fisher/Hickman

30. Jones/BernsdorffHouse

31 . SellmanHouse

32. WoottonHouse

33. Thompson/Hillard House

34. Joseph Poole/M ilford House

35. St. Peter’s Rectory

36.HempstoneHouse

37. John Poole Farm House

38. Dr. Elijah White House

39. Hodgson House

40. Elgin/Maxwell House

41 . Bessie Grubb House

42.Cator/Elgin/Meadowlark I nn

43. Benjamin White House

44. Hughes/Leaply/Banach House

45.Spurrier/Munger/Campbell House

46. Jacob BodmerHouse

47. Fletchall/Wise/Conlon Farm House

48. United Memorial Church

49. Old Methodist Church Parsonage

50. Frank Davis/Carl Fisher House

51 .HorraceDavis/Hersperger House

52. Henry Norris/George ChiswellHouse

53. RichardPyles/Raymond BeallHouse

54. EliasBeall/CompherHouse

55. Dr. Walling/HalmosHouse

(Per the 1996 Poo les v i l l e M aster P lan)

Heritage C onservation Resources

1 . Old Town Hall

2. 1 785 House

3. St. Peter’s Church

4. J. Hall/William D Poole House

5. Dr. Thomas Poole House

6. Baptist Church/Hardware

7. Frederick Poole House

8. Presbyterian Church

9. Hall/M ilford/Jamison Bldg.

1 0. Viers/Sellman/Stevens/Gift Shop

1 1 . Town Hall

1 2. John Poole House

13. Baptist Church/Norris Bldg.

1 4. Hoskinson House

15. William’s Store

16. William W. Poole/Watkins House

1 7. Elias Price House

18. Thomas Plater/Hauck House

19. Talbott/Willard/Cubitt House

20. Hersperger House

21 . Beall House

22. Willlard House

23. Seymour House

24. Presbyterian Manse

25. St. Peter’s Rectory/Evans House

26. Gray House

27. Darby/Fyffe/Chiswell House

28. Norris/Morningstar House

29. Norris/Fisher/Hickman

30. Jones/BernsdorffHouse

31 . SellmanHouse

32. WoottonHouse

33. Thompson/Hillard House

34. Joseph Poole/M ilford House

35. St. Peter’s Rectory

36.HempstoneHouse

37. John Poole Farm House

38. Dr. Elijah White House

39. Hodgson House

40. Elgin/Maxwell House

41 . Bessie Grubb House

42.Cator/Elgin/Meadowlark I nn

43. Benjamin White House

44. Hughes/Leaply/Banach House

45.Spurrier/Munger/Campbell House

46. Jacob BodmerHouse

47. Fletchall/Wise/Conlon Farm House

48. United Memorial Church

49. Old Methodist Church Parsonage

50. Frank Davis/Carl Fisher House

51 .HorraceDavis/Hersperger House

52. Henry Norris/George ChiswellHouse

53. RichardPyles/Raymond BeallHouse

54. EliasBeall/CompherHouse

55. Dr. Walling/HalmosHouse

(Per the 1996 Poo les v i l l e M aster P lan)

Whalen Commons

Approximate Town TIZ Boundary

POOLESVILLE TIZ Framework MapMontgomery County Heritage Area Plan

35

by boat. Thus, the arrival of the C&O Canal, begunin 1828 in Georgetown and completed inCumberland in the 1850s, added to thetransportation opportunities for the town; thisestablished Poolesville as the commercial center ofthe area.

By 1850, the Federal Census of Poolesville listed 51buildings (the most it was to have until after WorldWar II) and occupations that included blacksmiths,cabinetmakers, tailors, merchants, physicians,bankers, a teacher, and wheelwrights.11 Coal, grain,farm equipment, produce, stone, and sundriestraveled back and forth in canal boats until early inthe 20th century. Poolesville served as atransportation hub although it was not close to therailroad. After the rail line was built in 1871, thelocal hotel owner would meet every train in anomnibus to transport the traveling salesmen back toPoolesville and rent them a horse and buggy to maketheir rounds of surrounding villages.

Because of its proximity to the Potomac River andto the Confederacy in Virginia, the town andsurrounding farms saw frequent military activityfrom 1861 through 1865. More than 12,000 Uniontroops were stationed there. Although Marylandwas in the Union, the troops were treated as anoccupation army since the sympathies of Poolesvilleresidents were more southern than northern. Manyof the area’s men crossed the river to fight for theConfederacy. The town’s Methodist congregationbroke apart because members’ loyalties were dividedbetween north and south. The town andsurrounding area were left intact but impoverishedby the war. Dairy farming and the railroad broughtprosperity in the decades to follow until the GreatDepression slowed the town to a sleepy countryvillage.

Town Character

Despite three major fires – in 1923, 1935, and195312 - that destroyed some central buildings andleft gaps in the heart of town, Poolesville’s villagecenter retains a few 18th century structures and asignificant amount of 19th through early 20th centurycharacter, reminding visitors of a time when thetown was surrounded by many highly productivefarms. There is a diversity of architectural styles intown, including Victorian, Federal, log, farmhouse,and even neoclassical. Most residential buildings aresituated on spacious, treed lots. Buildings along MD107/White’s Ferry Road are set close to the roadwith smaller lots.

There are a significant number of historic propertiesin the Poolesville area. The town has been aNational Register Historic District since 1975. Itwas designated for its architecture and for its role inMontgomery County’s commercial, military, andtransportation history. National Register listingoffers protection only when projects receive federalfunds.

Poolesville contains a number of properties listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, either as individualproperties or as contributing properties within an historicdistrict.

There are approximately 55 county-designatedhistoric sites in and around town, the majoritywithin a ten-minute drive of the village center.Each of these individually designated structures isafforded protection through the county’s historicpreservation programs. Furthermore, the 1996 Townof Poolesville Master Plan includes municipal designguidelines for new structures in the commercialdistrict—plans for new or remodeled structuresmust address these sufficiently to receive approvalby the town’s Planning Board. These guidelines donot address site plan or build-to lines, but do offerprotection to the historic architectural fabric ofPoolesville.

On the east side of town, suburban-quality growth isincreasing, representing a marked change from thetraditional character of town and blurring the edgesbetween village and countryside. To the north, west,and south, the Agricultural Reserve carriesrestrictions on development—one home per 25acres—ensuring the protection of open space andrural character and creating a distinct transitionbetween the village center and countryside in thesedirections.

Poolesville is well prepared to begin handling themodest increase in visitors likely to result from theheritage area initiative. There are some visitor

36

services already operating within town, includingrestaurants, a service station, a food store, somechain retail, and at least one historic site—the JohnPoole House, which is open to the public on aregular basis.

- People are less in contact with the cyclesof growing because we have year-roundavailability of foods grown in otherclimates.

- There has been an increase in organic andcommunity-supported agriculture asconsumers seek authenticity.

As the gateway to the Farming History Cluster,Poolesville offers an excellent opportunity forinterpretation as an archetype of the Maryland/Mid-Atlantic agriculture village. Few other examplesremain in this region. Engaging interpretivepresentations in Poolesville would encourage visitorsto park and walk the compact village center, ideallybrowsing in shops and eating a meal in the process.To facilitate understanding of the town’ssignificance, a heritage trail could be developed,utilizing kiosks, panels, and walking tour brochures.

Where might the interpretive experience begin? Inthe town’s center, the 1793 John Poole House/Storeis owned and operated by Historic Medley, Inc., andis open Sunday afternoons from April 15 throughNovember 15 and by appointment. Historic Medleyis receptive to ideas for interpretation andprogramming, using the John Poole House and otherproperties the non-profit organization has boughtand rehabilitated. On the ground floor of the JohnPoole House, the front room could be an appropriatelocation for an orientation exhibit on the farminghistory theme, broadened as suggested above. Thehouse itself could be presented as not merelyanother 18th century house furnished with antiques,but as the home of an important and influentialfamily in the region.

Urban Design & Preservation Strategies

Overall, Poolesville’s compact form and geographyoffer a unique, walkable town area with numerousheritage resources for interpretation and economicbenefit. Every effort should be made to reinforce theintegrity of remaining historic resources whileproviding infill development, adaptive reuse, andpreservation of public and private properties.13

Poolesville’s 18th, 19th, and early 20th century villagecharacter and scale can be reinforced throughrehabilitation of historic and contributing buildings,compatible infill development, and appropriatepublic spaces and streets. The design guidelines inthe 1996 town plan serve as a strong starting pointfor guidance on new development and could beexpanded to include the issues of site plan, build-tolines, and more. The village’s traditional character is

Poolesville already has some visitor services in place, includingretail and eating establishments.

Interpretive Strategies

With thought and imagination, the interpretiveframework can convey information about farminghistory from a larger perspective likely to engagemore people. Possible questions to consider inframing interpretive activities include the following:

• What were farms like in this area 100 yearsago?

• How had they changed by 1950?

• How has farming changed since 1950? Someof the technologies that prompted agriculturalchanges had their start in MontgomeryCounty, the home of biotech and otherinnovations.

• How has our relationship with foodproduction in the metropolitan area changedsince 1950? This question offers aspringboard into exploration of technology’sdramatic effect on how food is raised andbrought to market.

• How have changes in farming affected the waywe live today? Possible story lines include:

- Because fewer people make a living fromfarming, farmland is more and more oftenutilized for housing and commercialdevelopment.

- Forward-thinking counties likeMontgomery adopted land use policies toguide development in ways that conserveagricultural land and green space forpublic use.

37

formed by one-, two-, and three-story buildingsbuilt flush with the sidewalk or near the street.Conversely, the typical pattern of moderncommercial development includes setting buildingsback from the street and placing parking in front.This erodes and weakens the historic character ofolder, traditional towns. In Poolesville, the buildingon the southeast corner of Whites Ferry Road andWest Willard Road is an example of this negativeeffect.

While Poolesville still feels like a traditional village,it is in danger of rapid homogenization unless newdevelopment is guided intentionally to reinforcescale and massing. There is a critical need toprevent further loss of historic fabric, for there arealready several noticeable gaps and vacant lots.However, there are opportunities to strengthen thetraditional village scale and character as these keylocations are developed. To be compatible with thisgoal, new development in the village core needs tobe two-story and sit at or near the property line.Parking should be located in the rear or, in somecases, to the side. Where parking has been placed infront, landscape screening can create a sense ofenclosure.

Infill Development and Architecture

Poolesville has several vacant or underutilized sites(many used for parking) within the historic center.Carefully planned, compatible infill developmentthere could complement existing land use types,building types, and development scale whilestrengthening the historic character of the town. Ofparticular importance are the sites at theintersection of Whites Ferry Road and West WillardRoad. Two-story buildings with sympatheticmaterials, compatible architectural details, andbuild-to lines at or near the edge of the lot wouldreduce the “missing teeth” look of the village corewhile also reinforcing the historic character ofexisting buildings.

Pedestrian/Streetscape

Streetscape is a key element to tying together theretail area, town edge, and historic village. There areseveral points at which the current walkway systemis broken. Contiguous sidewalk connections shouldbe made throughout the village center, not only forvisitors to the town but also for local residents, whowish to have better access to their neighborhoods.Additionally, walk connections to off-street parkingresources are needed; these should be clearlymarked, safe, well lit, and readily accessible. Thecharacter of these walking areas can vary as thereare transitions in and out of town.

Parking

Parking is one of the most influential factors in thedevelopment of historic towns. Parking can becarefully done to avoid creating major impacts onthe character and visual qualities of the town.Several small, accessible, and carefully sitedlocations are preferable to large expanses of pavedhigh-capacity lots. Placement of these lots isimportant; lots placed to the rear or behindbuildings complements traditional communitiesbetter than lots placed to the front or side.

Placemaking: The Experience

Often, the most influential aspect of successfulhistoric town planning is care and attention todetails. Careful design guideline parameters shouldbe placed on parking, development techniques,architecture, streetscape, signage, and lighting in amanner that reinforces the historic village in anauthentic fashion:

• Historical elements, features, and open

Without build-to lines and site plan guidelines, Poolesville’svillage character (above) is at risk of erosion. Unsympatheticnew developments, especially those placing parking at thefront (below), have already begun to influence theappearance of the town’s core.

38

spaces should be preserved, maintained, andeven recreated in some cases;

• Careful selection of low maintenance streetfurniture (lighting, benches, trashreceptacles, etc.) reinforces historiccharacter and timeframe; and

• Design parameters for elements such asbanners, way finding signage, and businesssignage creates a “family” of informationthat is legible and unimposing on existingtown character.

Development Strategies

Poolesville is a growing area, having added 1,200residents in 400 households between 1990 and 2000.Given the area’s strong residential real estate prices,new households seem to be upscale. Despite thesefactors, Poolesville has not emerged as much of aretail center, and there is no major retail centernearby. Presently, the town contains a modest IGAgrocery store and a lower-end beer and wine shop;the nearest full-service supermarket is about fivemiles away in Germantown, and the nearest upscalewine shop is eight miles away in Gaithersburg.

Demonstrated growth, rising income levels, and alack of existing retail goods and services indicate aneed for additional shopping opportunities in

Poolesville. Demographics suggest a potentialmarket for quality dining, a small gourmet food/wine shop, home furnishings/accessories, andgalleries – all of which would be attractive totravelers as well as local residents. Furtheropportunities are likely to come about for uses thatserve visitors. Other potential uses appropriate tothe village center include senior/retirement housing,lodging (see below), and office space for professionalservices, such as law, accounting, dentistry, etc.14

One promising development concept is a small,high-end inn of approximately eight to ten roomswith an upmarket restaurant. The Inn at LittleWashington is an example of this type ofdevelopment. There does not seem to be anappropriate available historic building for this use inthe town’s core area, so compatible new infill isrecommended. One strong site possibility is theland presently occupied by the vacant conveniencestore next to the John Poole House, offering a viewof green space and the John Poole complex. Asubstantial client base for this type of project couldbe generated by such activities as Potomac PoloClub’s approximately 30 polo matches near towneach June through October. Attendees at thesematches are generally traveling from some distanceand require overnight accommodations, which arescarce in this area.

Whites Ferry Road

2 Way - Turn Lane

Walk Zone

Businesses/ Retail/ Residences

Parking Walk Zone

Businesses/Retail/

Residences

Sidewalk Retail/

Food Service Opportunities

Historical ‘Themed’ Lighting

Street Tree

Plantin

Traffic Calming/ Landscape

POOLESVILLE TIZ Typical Conceptual Streetscape Improvements

@ Town Center Streetscape improvements, such as unbroken pedestrian walkways and period lighting, will improve both residents’ and travelers’experiences in Poolesville.

39

Due to its prominent location, future developmenton the large L-shaped parcel (now used for parking)surrounding the Odd Fellows Hall will be critical.A new building can either enhance the villagecharacter or permanently erode what remains of itshistorical scale. The market suggests potential for amixed-use development or a small office building.Contemporary development practices would likelylead to a new single-story building sited on the rearhalf of the lot with parking in front. The wideexpanse of pavement and cars would further erodethe sense of containment one experiences whenbuildings are located flush with the sidewalk, as isthe case at Bassett’s. A more context-sensitiveapproach on this critical parcel would be a two-story building, placed flush with the sidewalk andaligned with the Jamison realty office building.Ample parking could be placed in the rear withaccessibility via a side drive. A new single-storybuilding would present fewer ADA issues, but theadditional cost of a two-story building could beoffset by additional income from residential orcommercial rents. Furthermore, attractive taxincentives are available in TIZs for non-historicbuildings whose design and use contribute to theheritage area.

One benefit of the Maryland Heritage Area Programis a tax credit expansion, allowing properties withinthe TIZs that are eligible for National Register ofHistoric Places (NRHP) listing to receive theHeritage Preservation Tax Credit Program,administered by the Maryland Historical Trust. This

program provides Maryland income tax credits equalto 20% of the qualified capital costs expended in therehabilitation of a “certified heritage structure.” Thecredit can be used on owner-occupied residentialproperty or income producing property, but therehabilitation must conform with the Secretary ofthe Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and mustbe certified by the Maryland Historical Trust.

Normally, determining which properties are NRHPeligible would mean that survey of the TIZ, meantto locate and approve NRHP eligible properties,would be warranted. However, the primary TIZarea in Poolesville is almost entirely within analready-designated National Register HistoricDistrict. Tax incentives have been available therefor some time but could perhaps be publicizedbetter and more strategically. The MCHA couldpromote the benefits of rehabilitating a historicbuilding for commercial use as a way to accomplishsensitive development in the village core, and thebenefits of restoration for private use may encourageresidents to contribute to the historic character oftheir town.

A preliminary (incomplete) list of potentiallyNRHP eligible properties in or near Poolesvillewould include properties listed in the MarylandCommission on African American History andCulture Inventory of African American Historical andCultural Resources (available at http://www.sailor.lib.md.us/docs/af_am/montgoco.html)that are not included in the NRHP or locallydesignated.15

Furthermore, rehabilitation of non-historicstructures within or (in some cases) outside the TIZsmay be eligible for the tax credits. Such a projectmust meet a set of criteria proving its benefit to theheritage area.16

Development on the site adjacentto the Odd Fellows Hall (hall,above; vacant site, right) willhave a major influence on thecharacter of the town’s maincorner. In particular, it will beimportant to keep parking to therear of new construction and to encourage two-story construction compatible with surrounding historic buildings.

40

Boundaries & Location

Sandy Spring is located to the west of theintersection of New Hampshire Avenue and MD108/Sandy Spring Road in a largely suburban area ofMontgomery County. The edges of the town meetother jurisdictions’ edges, making it somewhatdifficult upon first visit to discern where SandySpring begins and its neighbors end. There are anumber of well-known county historic sites nearby,including Woodlawn, Norwood, Clifton, and CherryGrove.

The approximate proposed boundaries for the SandySpring TIZ are shown on the map below.17

S a n d y S p r i n g

Legend

Town Gateway

Historic Center ‘Arrival’

Heritage Property Resource

Potential Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvements

Potential ‘Historic Town’ I mprovements

Proposed Pedestrian & Bicycle Route

Parking, Vacant, and Potentially Underutilized Properties

SherwoodHigh School

Fire Station

Preliminary TIZ Boundary

SANDY SPRING TIZ Framework MapMontgomery County Heritage Area Plan

Ligon Homestead

Bank & I nsurance Co.

Old FireStation

LansdaleProperty Lansdale

Homestead

Sandy SpringMuseum Shopping

Center

KimballMarket

The MeetingHouse

Slave

Museum

Legend

Town Gateway

Historic Center ‘Arrival’

Heritage Property Resource

Potential Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvements

Potential ‘Historic Town’ I mprovements

Proposed Pedestrian & Bicycle Route

Parking, Vacant, and Potentially Underutilized Properties

SherwoodHigh School

Fire Station

Preliminary TIZ Boundary

SANDY SPRING TIZ Framework MapMontgomery County Heritage Area Plan

Ligon Homestead

Bank & I nsurance Co.

Old FireStation

LansdaleProperty Lansdale

Homestead

Sandy SpringMuseum Shopping

Center

KimballMarket

The MeetingHouse

Slave

Museum

The Sandy Spring TIZ Framework Map shows the boundaries of theSandy Spring TIZ, the community’s core and gateway areas, and itshistoric resources.

Heritage

Members of the Religious Society of Friends,popularly known as Quakers, settled Sandy Spring inthe first half of the 18th Century and established ameeting house, schools, banking institutions, farms,and more in the area. As it grew, the communityevolved into a small, successful 19th centuryfarming and commercial center. Not all citizenswere Quakers, but the population was connected bya strong community spirit, as evidenced by otherchurch denominations, active social clubs and theexchange of ideas about important social andpolitical issues.

The Quakers’ community life was centered on theSandy Spring Friends Meeting House. The currentmeetinghouse is the third, built in 1817. It sharesits rural setting with an historic cemetery, whichholds generations of Friends, and an 1859 framebuilding, which has served as day school, women’sclub/lyceum, and Friends Community House; theframe building housed many social/politicalmeetings and activities. The founding and early

41

families in the Quaker community are stillrepresented by their descendants in Sandy Springtoday.

There is historical evidence of 19th century

lending an impression of vast, flat pavement. Thereis also a large gap, currently serving as a parking lot,between the primary row of buildings and the poolstore; this gap adds to the flat, paved feel in thecommercial core.

Sandy Spring has a locally designated historicdistrict, composed primarily of the Quaker Friendsbuildings and the historic insurance companybuilding on MD 108. Several nearby individualproperties have been designated as well; for example,Sharp Street Church, Oakley, Bloomfield, Cloverly,and the Sandy Spring itself are all local historic sites,carrying the protection of local review.Furthermore, the Quaker Friends Meeting House hasbeen listed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces since 1972, and the nearby historic site ofClifton is National Register listed as well.The first settlers of Sandy Spring were Quakers, and their

community life centered on the Sandy Spring Friends MeetingHouse.

Underground Railroad activity here; slaves makingtheir way to freedom came through this part of thecounty, utilizing the stream valleys and marshes andrelying on the assistance of this small community.Most Sandy Spring Quakers had freed their slaves bythe early 19th century, and many were ardentabolitionists. Local oral history includesremembrances of northward-pointing candles,tunnels, and trapdoors utilized by runaway slaves.Today, the Sandy Spring community includes anumber of African American residents whoseancestors fled slavery to find safe harbor here.

Town Character

The intersection of MD 108/Sandy Spring Road,Brooke Road, and Meeting House Lane is the heartof the ‘village center;’ however, Sandy Spring as awhole is stretched out along MD 108, which is abusy, noisy road with growing traffic volumes. Thepedestrian environment along and near 108 isdifficult at best because there is a dearth ofsidewalks and a lack of clear divisions betweenpedestrian and automobile zones. To the north andsouth of 108 in Sandy Spring, the environmentrapidly becomes rural and less trafficked, and anumber of historic farmsteads can be found,especially south of 108.

The buildings in Sandy Spring’s “village center” aremainly two-story, brick, Federal style commercialstructures abutting a sidewalk. There is head-inparking between the sidewalks and MD 108, but thearea between the road and the commercial buildingsis without landscaping or other visual interest,

Sandy Spring’s village center has a number of two-story, brickstructures stretched along a high-traffic roadway withinsufficient pedestrian connections.

Interpretative Strategies

Successful interpretation, more than thepresentation of historical ‘fact,’ makes an emotionalconnection with visitors and seeks to answer theoften unspoken question, “How does this relate tome and to today?” The demographics of themetropolitan area are increasingly diverse, with agrowing number of foreign-born residents who areunfamiliar with the story of Whites and free Blackswho operated the Underground Railroad and of theslaves following it toward freedom. The importanceof sharing this story offers rich opportunities for thistheme to be developed.

The Underground Railroad is a popular topic, butbecause the nature of its operation was secretive,much of the documentation surrounding it is basedon oral history. Lack of material evidence concernssome historians and museum professionals and

42

makes strictly artifact-based interpretation difficult.However, the stories that reference houses, barns,and streams where fleeing slaves were shelteredcould be made accessible to the public through othertechniques, such as a themed heritage touring route.

Furthermore, this theme offers an opportunity forexpansion; other stories could be told using theperspective or starting point of the UndergroundRailroad. For example, the following topics allrationally link to the activities of the UndergroundRailroad:

• Religion and tolerance• Civil society• Race and slavery• Life of free Blacks pre- and post-Civil War• Maryland’s status during the Civil War as a

border state and what that meant to residentsand families here

The rehabilitation and conversion of the Woodlawnbarn into an interpretive center devoted to theUnderground Railroad could provide a strong andmemorable introduction to the theme. The barncould contain orientation exhibits, visitorinformation about the cluster and the heritage areaat large, and educational programming spaces largeenough to seat a school class or motor coach,approximately 45 – 50 people. Thisrecommendation is well timed to coincide with arehabilitation feasibility study that has beenapproved for the barn, appearing in the county’sCapital Improvement Program for 2003.

Should the barn be developed into an interpretivecenter, the opportunity for greater interpretation of

the Woodlawn mansion would arise. Panels andprogramming could be developed around the historyof Woodlawn itself, bringing into focus theprominent Quaker family who built it.

The county has planned a Legacy Trail from thesouth through Woodlawn and Sandy Spring to thenorth of 108. Potential routes for the trail includehistoric rural homes, the Quaker Friends MeetingHouse, and other significant sites in the area. Awalking tour could be developed utilizing this trailand appropriate locations in Sandy Spring villagearea. Informational brochures, maps, and/or kioskscould provide visitors with information regardingsites along the way.

Another tour could be done by automobile orbicycle and could include both historic buildingsknown to have been involved in UndergroundRailroad activity and contemporary expressions ofthe Sandy Spring African American community, suchas Oakley Cabin, the Slave Museum, and BoddyCenter.

Both past and present Sandy Spring communityactivity revolves around the Quaker FriendsMeeting House, making it one of the mostsignificant historic sites in the area. The currentcongregation is interested in developing interpretiveprogramming, potentially including docent guidesand living history, perhaps produced by the Friendsthemselves. It might also be beneficial to includethe community house and cemetery in interpretiveactivities since each piece of the overall site had asignificant role to play in Sandy Spring’s history. Apossible partner in this endeavor might be the SandySpring Museum, which is a repository of Quakerartifacts and stories.

Urban Design & Preservation Strategies

There is great opportunity to reinforce the ‘villagecenter’ around the aforementioned intersection.18

Several existing buildings could accommodate avariety of uses that would enhance visitorexperiences and resident community lifestyle.Currently, the village’s character is well establishedalong the southern side of MD 108 with the FriendsMeeting House, Montgomery Insurance Company,Sandy Spring National Bank, and Old Sandy SpringFire Station. Along the north side of 108, the villagecharacter is somewhat lost due to the setback of theexisting structures, the general state of thearchitecture, and tenant usage. However, thesestructures could be renovated, perhaps with infillbuildings to reinforce the architectural edge. In

The barn at Woodlawn offers a unique facility forinterpretation of the Underground Railroad.

43

addition, there is an exciting opportunity to create atown “green” or plaza.

In the 1997 Sandy Spring/Ashton Master Plan, thereare several recommendations incorporating land useand zoning, transportation, pedestrian/recreationalimprovements, and parking that address the villagecenter. In keeping with the spirit of thoserecommendations, primary goals for the preservationand urban design strategy within the TIZ should:

• Reinforce the village center• Create a safer pedestrian and vehicular

corridor• Improve pedestrian linkages and wayfinding• Improve streetscape and landscape

enhancements• Provide public parking resources

Reinforce the Village Center

There are opportunities to strengthen the traditionalvillage scale and character within Sandy Springthrough renovation of existing buildings andselective infill building projects. Architecture,parking, landscape, roadway design, and walkwayswill be most effective if looked at as acomprehensive whole rather than several disjointedpieces. In particular, build-to lines and thecompatibility of infill architecture with existingbuildings will be important to strengthening thescale and design of the village center.

the automobile driver as well. Left-turns into andout of businesses and adjoining streets areparticularly difficult and somewhat dangerous.Traffic calming and creation of a cohesivepedestrian-oriented zone would significantlyimprove these conditions.

Improve Pedestrian Linkages and Wayfinding

There are currently several areas in which walkwaysare not continuous. A key element to tying togetherthe existing retail area, town edges, and historicvillage is a connected and accessible walkwaysystem. These walk connections should help tievisitors to the town and local residents to theirneighborhoods. Additionally, clearly denoted, safe,well lit, and readily accessible walk connectionsshould be made to off-street parking resources. Thecharacter of these walking areas can vary as onetransitions into or out of town, and wayfinding canbe achieved in several ways, including signage,mapped brochure routes, street elements (i.e. themedpaving inlays), and streetscape types. Pedestrianimprovements through sidewalks, lighting, signage,and graphics will create a more dynamicenvironment while reconnecting the town edgeswith the village center.

Improve Streetscape and LandscapeEnhancements

As mentioned in the strategy for Poolesville,particular care and attention to details is critical.Careful design guideline parameters should be placedon parking, development techniques, architecture,streetscape, signage, and lighting in a manner thatreinforces the historic village and rural landscape inan authentic fashion. The preservation andrestoration of historic elements are especiallyimportant to maintaining authenticity.

This plan attempts to identify, categorize, place inhierarchy, and envision the landscape elements/walkway improvements typical to rural villages.These include the following:

Rural Streetscapes. These areas are on the “edges”or outermost regions of the town proper, justoutside town “gateways.” Street elements includelarge shade trees, some walkway connections toresidences, street-level lighting, and often fencingthat creates a public/private edge to the landscapewhile reinforcing the rural character. Typically,recreational bike paths are either incorporated as apart of the roadway/shoulder design or, whereright of way permits, the more desirable solution

With sensitive renovation, appropriate infill development, andlandscaping/streetscape improvements, the structures alongthe northern edge of MD 108 could better contribute to thevillage character.

Create a Friendlier Pedestrian and VehicularCorridor

There is a significant volume of traffic along MD108, the arterial route through Sandy Spring. Thevolumes and speed have created a challenging andimposing impact upon not only the pedestrian but

44

is to set them back from the roadway withlandscape and a green buffer.

Town Gateways. These are the “arrival” pointsinto the town proper. Many Maryland towns haveincorporated signage and lighting that has ahistoric theme and design. Walkway connectionsshould begin at these points. In addition, gatewaysites are opportune areas for local garden clubs orvolunteers to design and maintain seasonalornamental planting, which creates a uniqueidentity while reflecting community pride.

Town Streetscapes. The most important elementwithin this zone is the need for contiguous, safe,accessible, well-lit pedestrian walkway zones. Asimple five to six foot wide walkway canminimally accomplish this. Adjoining walks shouldprovide access to buildings and uses warrantingpedestrian connections, such as retail centers,businesses, and public parking facilities. Wherethese walks abut public parking facilities,landscape screening should be provided betweenparking and pedestrian areas.

Walkway locations can vary from curbside tosetback from the roadway, according to individualsite features. Particularly, a walk connection isneeded at the existing trellis in front of SandySpring Museum; this should be set back from MD108. Pedestrian-scaled lighting, often ornamentalor modeled in an historic theme, should beintroduced and combined with graphics, banners,

or other historical elements. Where possible, aconsistent palette of indigenous shade trees shouldbe planted. On-street parallel parking in this zonecan be explored as a traffic calming and functionaltool. Recreational paths should be separated fromthe roadway where space and land ownershippermits.

Village Gateways or Arrival Points. These areoften very subtle in detail. Changes in pavingtypes and textures, lighting types, landscapeelements (i.e. hanging baskets on light poles), orsignage can signal this. Often, these are tools fordefining the edges of a historic or special placewithin a town.

Village Streetscape. This should be done in thehighest quality of finish and detail. Walk materialsand width should change dramatically (often inbrick) where necessary. Street furniture, such astrash receptacles, benches, signage, and bike rackscan be introduced–in a similar theme or family ofmaterial or color. Lighting should be exclusivelypedestrian scaled. Storefront and walkway usesshould be encouraged (i.e. cafes, seating, andoutdoor vending) where possible. Ornamentallandscaping is encouraged at building fronts andentryways. Crosswalks should be clearly definedthrough pattern/texture and signage. Bump-outs,providing they meet Maryland State HighwayAdministration requirements, are employed as ameans of providing shortened pedestrian crosswalkareas, landscaping opportunities, street lighting,

Sandy Spring Road 2 Way – Through w/Turning

Lane

Town Village Outdoor

Terrace/Plaza

Walk Zone

Continuous Street Tree

SANDY SPRING TIZ Typical Conceptual Streetscape Improvements

Potential Town & Community Identity through Lighting, Signage & Landscape

Landscape Zone

Town Green/

Landscape Zone

Walk Zone

Potential Village Uses that Incorporate Outdoor Dining,

Shopping, & Gathering

Streetscape improvements, such as traffic calming and pedestrian walkways, would improve the experience of both visitors and residents.

45

and a heightened sense of arrival.

Public Parking Resources. Parking is a necessity forresidents, businesspersons, and visitors, butcreation of a village green will generate a need forrelocated public and retail parking. Accessibleparking can be created without significantlyimpacting the character and visual qualities of thetown with attention to certain details. Inparticular, placement of parking is important, withparking to the rear of buildings having much lowernegative impact than parking placed alongsidebuildings or, worse, in front of buildings atentrance points.

Development Strategies

Due to the proximity of residential areas and heavycommuting traffic on Route 108, Sandy Spring isbest suited for modest growth in visitors andtourism activity. The small scale of the village’scommercial buildings and the surrounding areapopulation indicate that retail, food, and servicesthat target local markets as well as visitors would bethe strongest additions. Some potentialdevelopment projects might be:19

• Coffee shop • Ice cream shop• Gourmet foods store • Restaurant• Art gallery

Similar development activities have recently takenplace; a French pastry shop opened near the towncenter, and the old firehouse was purchased and is tobecome a restaurant and bakery.

A market worth exploring in the Sandy Springvicinity is the equestrian niche. The areasurrounding the town has a number of horse farms,and the coming Legacy Trail, which is forpedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians alike, promisesto bring more horse-related activity to the area. Atack shop or other equine-friendly business might besustainable, especially on a location near the trail.

A general way to promote development that utilizesexisting and/or historic buildings is to establish alist of properties eligible for the Maryland HeritageArea Program’s tax credit expansions. The programallows properties within the TIZs that are eligiblefor the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)to receive the state tax credit; thus, a survey ofpotentially eligible properties, followed by thesubmission of a list of approved properties to thestate, will enable more property owners within theTIZs to take advantage of the tax credits while

contributing to the viability of the heritage area.The MCHA and Sandy Spring leaders should workwith architectural historians, the staff of M-NCPPC,and the historic preservation commission to identifyeligible properties. A preliminary (incomplete) listof potentially eligible properties in Sandy Springwould include:

• Properties in The Underground Railroad inMontgomery County, Maryland: A History andDriving Guide by Anthony Cohen(Montgomery County Historical Society) thatare not already designated.

• Properties in A Walking Tour of the HistoricSites of Sandy Spring, Maryland by GreaterSandy Spring Green Space, Inc., that are notalready designated. This includes the originalfirehouse on MD 108, which could serve as aninteresting site for a commercial use.

• Properties in the Maryland Commission onAfrican American History and CultureInventory of African American Historical andCultural Resources (available at http://www.sailor.lib.md.us/docs/af_am/montgoco.html) that are not designated.

Furthermore, rehabilitation of non-historicstructures within or outside the TIZs may be eligiblefor the tax credits. Such a project must meet a setof criteria proving its benefit to the heritage area.20

The old firehouse on MD 108 in the Sandy Spring TIZ couldbe adapted for community and commercial purposes.

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Organization and Management

The following considerations were taken intoaccount when developing a recommendedmanagement structure:

• Many organizations and agencies are alreadypursuing projects and programs that fit underthe umbrella of heritage tourismdevelopment.

• Multiple and, in some cases, strugglingheritage-related non-profit organizationscompete for funds and volunteers.

• Philanthropy tends to be directed moretoward cultural organizations and facilities inthe national capital rather than towardMontgomery County.

This plan recommends that the structure of themanagement organization be a Heritage AreaCoordinating Committee established through amemorandum of agreement. This committee wouldbe led by members from M-NCPPC, theMontgomery County Historical Society, Conferenceand Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County, and theArts and Humanities Council of MontgomeryCounty, all of which have been active in arriving atthis recommendation. This diversity in leadershipwill ensure that a number of perspectives areincluded in discussions and decision-making relatedto the heritage area. Other possible coordinatingcommittee members will likely be identified as theheritage area grows. The participation of bothpublic – governmental and quasi-governmental –and private non-profit entities would allow forflexibility in pursuing, receiving, and disbursingfunds. Special project committees withrepresentatives from key constituencies would beestablished as needed. The entire body ofparticipating organizations would operate under theauspices of one recognized name, such asMontgomery County Heritage Alliance (theAlliance).

Initially, at least one full-time staff person would benecessary to coordinate the implementation ofheritage area projects and programs. This personwould provide support for the coordinatingcommittee’s activities, implement projects andprograms initiated by the heritage area, andcoordinate with funders, partners, and other relatedorganizations. Through negotiated agreement andwith partial financial support, administrativeassistance would be provided by one of the

Implementationcoordinating committee partners. This planrecommends making the staff person’s “home base”at the Montgomery County Historical Society(MCHS). MCHS has been an active participant inthe heritage area planning process and is activelyconsidering this arrangement.

Montgomery County Heritage Alliance is a way ofcreating partnerships among the county’s manyhistoric sites, museums, tourism organizations, andconservation, preservation, arts, and recreationgroups. The organization is pictured as a modifiedmodel of nearby DC Heritage and will (non-inclusive):

• Create an advisory board for the Alliancewith representatives from participatinggroups. With that board’s participation, obtainfunding through grants, donations, andunderwriting to undertake collaborativeprograms that benefit all and enrich residentand visitor experiences.

• Create a state-of-the-art website for theMontgomery County Heritage Area, whereusers can learn about the county’s heritageand plan their own experiences. Organize itaround the themes, appealing to variousinterest groups or audiences. Provide on itinformation about sites and facilities open tothe public, special events, activities, etc. Havea link to the websites of all participatinggroups and other organizations relevant to theheritage area. Include a central countywidecalendar of heritage events, which should beup to date at all times.

• Develop and plan itineraries that linktogether sites, trails, and touring routes thatmay be used to explore the interpretivethemes while having an enjoyable leisureexperience. Develop maps and guides for theitineraries, and make them readily available inboth online and paper versions.

• Assist in planning potential changes to theCertified Heritage Area, including expansionof boundaries, the addition or removal ofTarget Investment Zones, the approval ofcriteria for project tax incentive eligibility,and more.

• Create partnerships for marketing, economicdevelopment, education, and more.

47P o t e n t i a l P a r t n e r s h i p s

Montgomery County has a substantial infrastructurein place for tourism marketing, and as a fledglinginitiative, the heritage area is viewed as acomplement to existing marketing and visitorcultivation efforts. The Alliance should worktoward enhancing heritage products throughimproved coordination and interpretation ratherthan attempt to mount a new, independent, andisolated program. The pursuit of active partnershipswith the types of organizations below will maximizethe benefits of the initiative:

State of Maryland

The State of Maryland Office of TourismDevelopment has an excellent website(www.mdisfun.org) with a tremendous amount ofinformation, including an interactive trip planningprogram. Also at the state level, the MarylandHistorical Trust’s management of the state’s heritageprogram helps expose individual heritage areas to awider audience. A partnership here would provide avehicle for the heritage area’s destinations to reach agreater number of people.

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)

The CVB of Montgomery County(www.visitmontgomery.com) is the recipient oftourism marketing dollars from the county’s hotel

occupancy tax and has responsibility for marketingthe county. The CVB has begun to market heritagetourism within the county, and its current Marketingand Media Plan calls for an active relationship withthe heritage area. Since the CVB already marketsthe county in major media and travel industryoutlets, its participation in marketing the heritagearea is essential. The Montgomery County CVB isalso working with its counterpart in Prince George’sCounty to market heritage tourism throughout theNational Capital area.

Heritage & Preservation Groups

Montgomery County’s large size and extensivehistory have resulted in the existence of a wealth ofcountywide and local heritage/preservation groups.At the county level, Montgomery Preservation, Inc.(www.montgomerypreservation.org), theMontgomery County Historical Society(www.montgomeryhistory.org), and the Arts &Humanities Council of Montgomery County(www.ahcmc.org) all promote historical and culturalactivities in the county. In local areas, organizationslike Peerless Rockville and Historic Medley Inc.produce their own marketing materials. Theheritage area can also tap into the resources ofnational organizations like the National Trust forHistoric Preservation (www.nthp.org). Strategicpartnering with heritage and preservation

Montgomery County

Department of Park & Planning

Montgomery County

Historical Society

Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery

County

Arts & Humanities Council of

Montgomery County

Heritage Area Coordinating Committee

Heritage Area Coordinator Staff

The structure of the Montgomery County Heritage Alliance allows for an initial staff of one full-time coordinator and an initialCoordinating Committee made up of four primary partner organizations.

48

organizations will provide the heritage area withgreater exposure and access to specific targetaudiences through their memberships.

Lodging, Restaurant, & Retail Businesses

Although contacts with lodging, dining, and retailoperators can be accessed through a partnership withthe CVB, it may be useful for MCHA to establishdirect links with certain individual businesses,particularly those operating smaller properties.Partnership on this scale could be especiallyadvantageous with inns, restaurants, antique shops,etc., located in smaller towns or rural areas. Theoverall strategy for the heritage area depends onhaving places to stay, eat, and shop, especially in thegateway areas, and active relationships with thesebusinesses could provide the heritage area withvenues to distribute its marketing pieces and viableservices for visitors while also providing thebusinesses with customers.

Recreational & Environmental Organizations

Recreational and environmental advocacy groupsreach broad audiences in the region, and creatinglinks between recreational opportunities and nearbyheritage sites or adding MCHA links to theirwebsites represents a relatively easy and inexpensiveway to generate exposure and even create uniquelypackaged opportunities for guests. Some examplesof potential partner organizations of this type are:

• The Potomac Conservancy(www.potomac.org) i s a regional land andwater conservation organization dedicated toprotecting and enhancing the natural, scenic,recreational, and historical qualities of thePotomac River and its watershed lands. Itsland protection program is compatible withmany of the open space and farmlandpreservation programs in MontgomeryCounty, and the organization maintains listsof recreational and historical resources alongthe Potomac River and its tributaries on itswebsite.

• The Washington Area Bicyclist Association(www.waba.org) serves as a clearinghouse ofinformation for bicyclists throughout themetropolitan area. The group organizes ridesand events and provides information tocyclists wishing to ride on their own. Thewebsite has guides to bike routes throughoutthe region, including historical landmarks andpoints of interest along the way.

• General recreation websites like GreatOutdoor Recreation Pages (www.gorp.com)offer trip-planning interfaces, which allowusers to choose a trip by location, cost, andtype of experience. GORP has a separatecategory for “education/learning” and “culturalinteraction” trips. Although most of thesetrips are of the eco-tourism/high adventurevariety, there may be interest in promotingheritage tourism in combination with biking,paddling, or hiking.

• A number of private canoe and kayak clubsorganize trips along area waterways and arealways looking for interesting programs,including historically themed paddling tours.

GORP’s website (Great Outdoor Recreation Pages) is one ofmany potential partners in marketing the heritage area.

Community, Religious, & School Groups

Montgomery County is home to a constellation ofcommunity, religious, and school organizations.Many citizens plan their weekend activities andexcursions through such organizations, and teamingup with these groups would provide an importantlink to the heritage area’s primary market: countyresidents. An interesting partner in this effort wouldbe Things 2 Do (www.things2do.org), a websitecreated by and for teens in Montgomery County,which provides ideas for free time activities. Theorganization behind this website has also establisheddiscount arrangements with businesses around thecounty. County public and private schools couldoffer a direct link to students and partnershipopportunities for educational programming.

Other Jurisdictions

Montgomery County’s history, especially that of theCivil War and Underground Railroad, provides manyopportunities for partnership with other counties inMaryland. For example, Frederick County would

49

make a viable partner for Civil War themed travelbecause of its complementary Civil War history andlocation next to the MCHA. Other partnershipsmight be explored that would allow theUnderground Railroad story to be linked wheremany escaping slaves entered the county and wherethey left it to continue northward.

T i m e l i n e f o r I m p l e m e n t a t i o n

Early Actions

Early actions should be carried out within the firsttwo years of MCHA operation. During the firsttwo years following designation of the MCHA, thefocus should be on building the organization andproducing tangible results – accomplishments thatgive the heritage area visibility and demonstrate itspotential.

Organize and staff the Montgomery County HeritageAlliance. Start with a core board or advisory groupcomprised of two or three representatives of theseallied interests:

• Montgomery County Historical Society• Conference & Visitors Bureau of Montgomery

County• Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery

County• Maryland – National Capital Parks & Planning

Commission

The advisory group should also include among itsmembers at least one representative of each of thetwo Target Investment Zones and at least threerepresentatives from the larger certified heritagearea.

Develop documents outlining broad purposes andoperating by-laws. Operate in a collaborative way,seeking decisions via consensus when possible andhaving procedures spelled out for reaching a decisionwhen a consensus is not forthcoming. Forfundraising activities, utilize one of the nonprofitorganizations (preferably the MCHS) as the fiscalagent, providing donors to MCHA with a taxdeduction.

Begin regularly convening heritage attraction boardsand staff to promote collaboration under the heritagetourism banner. Encourage and support efforts toenhance the audience appeal of heritage attractionprograms and exhibits. Seek funds from foundationsand the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority to

support educational workshops, communications,marketing, and development of the collaborativecountywide program, starting with severalitineraries centered on farming history, theUnderground Railroad, and other topics that appealto specific market segments: families with kids,residents with visiting family, persons accompanyingbusiness travelers, etc.

Work supportively with M-NCPPC on the proposedfeasibility study for converting the barn at Woodlawninto an interpretive and orientation facility. Here,the interpretive focus will be the role of Quakersover three centuries, culminating in UndergroundRailroad activity in the 19th century. Explore thepotential for partnerships that enhance the strengthsof M-NCPPC through the strengths of partneringorganizations. It would be ideal for a heritageprogramming organization to operate the stone barn,which would be rehabilitated by M-NCPPC.MCHA should seek an approach that focuses beyondappropriate building renovation, tapping into thewealth of formats for conveying information in waysthat are engaging and stimulating – immersionexhibits, living history presentations, and otherpublic programs.

Encourage Historic Medley, Inc., to plan and beginconversion of the John Poole House to an engagingorientation/gateway experience for visitors to theAgricultural Reserve and the western county’sfarming heritage story.

Seek the highest quality of communications andmarketing materials. Fund the creation of a strategicmarketing plan for the heritage area, which wouldaim to raise the profile of heritage in MontgomeryCounty. Seek funds for and develop a graphicidentity family for the MCHA, including websitedesign, templates for tour brochures and eventsignage, color/logo guidelines, etc. Launch a terrificwebsite.

Produce at least two themed map/activity guides,using the new graphic identity. Explore partnershipswith appropriate county companies to produce anddistribute these. Rather than have them only at theCVB and participating MCHA sites, approach localbanks or hotel chains to offer them to customers aspremiums or part of promotional packages. Majorcounty companies could also offer them to theiremployees.

Prepare case statements and grant proposals toMHAA and to local and regional foundations andother grant-makers to attract funding for:

50

• A staff coordinator for MCHA• Development of a great website• Seed funds to encourage heritage sites to

develop public programming focused on theinterpretive theme lines

• Design and production of two or more map/guides in a potentially larger series

• An interpretive plan for the stone barn atWoodlawn and for other key presentationsand installations (kiosks, wayside markers,etc) in the Sandy Spring and Poolesvillevicinities.

Prepare annual requests and advocate for annualfunding support from Montgomery County Councilat levels sufficient to match MHAA operating grants.Monitor progress toward heritage area goals,utilizing the reporting measures required by MHAA.Annually, produce a brief journalistic report ofprogress, posting it on the website and distributing itto key funders and supporters.

Provide active outreach assistance in the two TIZs topromote opportunities for private investment inbuilding rehabilitation and in new or expandedheritage tourism-serving businesses, such asrestaurants, shopping, and accommodations. Workwith interested property owners to obtaininformation on incentives, tax breaks, and grants forwhich they are eligible.

Down the Road

These actions should be goals for implementation inthree to five years and beyond.

Re-visit and evaluate the performance of theMontgomery County Heritage Alliance and itsgovernance structure, as well as its relationship tothe host organization that has served as its “homebase.” Modify as seems appropriate, retaining theinformal “alliance” structure or moving towardsbecoming a separate not-for-profit organization.

Continue to serve as a convener of the county’sheritage attractions and sites, supporting theirincreased efforts to become more outreach-orientedand to create more engaging programming.

Consider making more formal the relationshipbetween the MCHA and collaborating heritageorganizations through a membership or dues-payingstructure, similar to the nearby DC HeritageCoalition.

Launch heritage programs with Montgomery Countyschools. Using sites and interpretive programmingwithin the heritage area, begin education initiativesfor school children.

Explore the potential for expansion of heritage areaboundary and potential for additional TargetInvestment Zones. Work with proponents to developinterpretive themes and heritage developmentprograms that could benefit from heritage areadesignation.

In three to five years, the Alliance should work with thoseinterested in the Technological Innovation theme or otherfacets of Montgomery County’s history to add new TargetInvestment Zones or to make changes to the MCHAboundaries. (Monocacy Aqueduct on the C&O Canalabove)

Continue to work with participating heritage sites todevelop and publish themed map/guides geared todrivers and cyclists, especially those with specializedinterests.

The chart on the following page outlines a tentativetimeline for implementation.

51

Timeline for Implementation

Capital Projects

Planning & Development Projects

Staffing & Operations

Early Action: Year 1

Mid-term Action:

Years 2-4

Long-term Action: Year 5 +

Woodlawn Barn rehabilitated as exhibit/educational facility k mk m kk H

Farming History Gateway Exhibit (Poolesville) H

Hire Heritage Area Coordinator H

Create and post a website H

Launch capacity building grant program k mk m H

Plan k

Obtain Funding m

Implement/Execute H

Interpretive framework plan H

Strategic marketing plan HGraphic identity system: website, templates for publications, signage, etc. (Strategic Marketing Plan) H

Audio guides: planning & development for 1 of 3 tapes H

Heritage area map/guide: plan, design, & produce 5,000 H

School programs H

Traveling exhibits: planning, design, & fabrication kk HTrail interpretive panels: design, plan, fabricate, & install 10 kk mm k k H

Underground Railroad thematic map of MCHA: design, write, & produce H

Farming History maps/guides: design, write, & produce HScenic Byway Corridor Management Plan: C & O Canal Scenic Byway mm HCoordinated heritage site signage system: design, fabricate, & install 10 mm HPoolesville interpretive kiosks & waysides: design, fabricate, & install 4 mm H

Sandy Spring/Woodlawn interpretive kiosks & waysides: 4 mm H

Technological Innovation Cluster interpretive kiosks: 6 kk H

52

M a k i n g C h a n g e s t o t h eM C H A

The county’s rich and varied heritage reaches wellbeyond the geographic boundary and currentthematic organization of the Certified HeritageArea. The heritage area leaders consciously decidedto begin with a narrowly focused plan to achieveclear and demonstrable results. The need to meetstate program requirements was also a factor in thischoice. Thus, while the early focus of the heritagearea will be on the topics and places describedherein, there is likely to come a time when theactivities of the heritage area will outgrow theoriginal boundaries and themes. Already there isinterest from heritage leaders in Rockville,Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, and elsewhere in beingpart of the Montgomery County Heritage Area.

A first step toward expansion of the heritage areawould be to expand the Alliance’s board size andrepresentation to include leaders from communitiesoutside the heritage area boundaries with ademonstrated commitment to and interest inheritage tourism. After progress has been madetowards implementing the early actions in thismanagement plan, it will likely become advisable toamend the boundaries of the Certified Heritage Areaand/or add Target Investment Zones. Suchamendments require approval by the MarylandHeritage Areas Authority.

E x p a n d i n g M C H A B o u n d a r i e s

An expansion of the heritage area boundaries mustbe submitted to Maryland Heritage Areas Authorityas a management plan revision, at which pointMHAA will hold a public hearing, act on theproposal, and publish the appropriate documentationon the change (should it be accepted). Criteria toguide the Montgomery County Heritage Alliancewhen this time arises are listed below:

• The management plan revision submissionmust include an indication of localgovernment support in the form of resolutionsfrom each local government located withinthe new boundaries. These resolutions shouldstate approval of the revision, authorization ofthe submission, and guarantee amendment tothe master plan, incorporating themanagement plan as revised.

• A concentration of heritage resources (historic

buildings, districts, museums, and natural areasand settings) must exist in the additionalgeographic area, lending it distinction in themodern suburban landscape.

• Within the revision, a proposal for aninterpretive approach that can engageresidents and visitors with the history andculture of the county must be outlined.

• There must be significant public participationin the deliberations leading to the request.

A d d i n g T a r g e t I n v e s t m e n tZ o n e s

The state program envisions Target InvestmentZones as places where significant activity isunderway or intended and where the benefitsavailable to TIZs could make a difference throughenhanced quality, capacity, or leveraged investment.To be considered as a new Target Investment Zone, acommunity would have to comply with therequirements of the Maryland Heritage AreasAuthority first and foremost. MCHA would makethe formal application to the state for the TIZaddition, but prior to making such an application, itis recommended that MCHA consider the potentialTIZ, seeking at a minimum:

• A concentration of heritage resources (historicbuildings, districts, museums, natural areas andsettings) that give it distinction in the modernsuburban landscape;

• A proposed approach to interpretation thatcan engage residents and visitors with thehistory and culture of the county;

• Suitability of the proposed TIZ (which isintended to increase tourism activity) interms of compatibility with surroundingresidential areas;

• Market analysis supporting the existence ofopportunities for private investment (buildingrenovation or new/expanded businesses) inways that add to visitor services and theoverall experience;

• Evidence of significant public participation inthe deliberations that led to the request forTIZ status; and

• Local government support, signified byadoption of the TIZ into local planningpolicies and by a resolution of the governingboard requesting TIZ designation.

In other words, a new TIZ submission should contain

53

a “mini-plan,” similar to those for Poolesville andSandy Spring contained herein. Professionalassistance may be needed to prepare such a plan, andsuch assistance would be an eligible activity forfunding support from the MHAA.

C o s t E s t i m a t e s

The chart on page 54 contains reasonable cost rangesfor key components of the implementationstrategies. Costs include capital projects (buildingsand other things to be built), planning andprogramming, and staff/operational. Capital costsare presented here as “order of magnitude.” Further,more detailed program and facility planning willenable a finer grain of cost estimating at later stage;therefore, the estimates are viewed as preliminaryand are likely to be adjusted as the MCHA movesforward into implementation.

54

Capital Projects *Cost Low Cost High

Woodlawn Barn rehabilitated as exhibit/educational facility4,000 square foot stone barn quality rehabilitation $200 $720,000 $880,000All new HVAC, electric, plumbing, & sprinkler systems $50 $180,000 $220,0001,000 square feet of interactive exhibits $250 $225,000 $275,000400 square feet of classroom w/ AV equipment $100 $36,000 $44,000600 square feet of circulation, restrooms, etc. $100 $54,000 $60,000

Subtotal $1,215,000 $1,626,900Architect/planning fees @ 10% $1,336,500 $1,789,590Contingency @ 10% Subtotal $1,470,150 $1,968,549

Poolesville Farming History Gateway Exhibit (at John Poole house?)Building rehabilitation, lighting, etc. (1,000 square feet) $225,000 $275,000Exhibit design, fabrication, and installation (600 square feet) $135,000 $165,000

Subtotal $324,000 $484,000Contingency @ 10% Subtotal $356,400 $532,400*These figures do not include long-term operations or staffing costs for these projects.

Planning & Development ProjectsInterpretive framework plan $50,000Graphic identity system: website, templates for publications, signage, etc. $50,000Audio guides: planning & development for 1 of 3 tapes $25,000Heritage area map/guide: plan, design, & produce 5,000 copies @ $1 copy $30,000School programs (including consultant curriculum specialist) $40,0002 traveling exhibits: planning, design, & fabrication $40,000Trail interpretive panels: design, plan, fabricate, & install 10 @ $4500 each $45,000Underground Railroad thematic map of MCHA: design, write, & produce camera ready $15,000Farming History maps/guides: design, write, & produce camera ready $15,000Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan: C & O Canal Scenic Byway $80,000Coordinated heritage site signage system: design, fabricate, & install 10 @ $2000 each $20,000Poolesville interpretive kiosks & waysides: design, fabricate, & install 4 @ 3000 ea $12,000Sandy Spring/Woodlawn interpretive kiosks & waysides: 4 @ $3000 each $12,000Technological Innovation Cluster interpretive kiosks; 6 @ $3000 each $18,000

Subtotal $452,000 Contingency @ 10% Subtotal $497,200

Total Capital, Planning, & Development Cost Estimates $2,323,750 $2,998,149

Staffing & Operations*This section covers annual coordination functions.Heritage Area CoordinatorSalary $45,000Benefits (25%) $11,250Office Operations $12,000Subtotal $68,250

Website services $20,000Capacity building grants $250,000Seed grants for private, nonprofit preservation groups, museums, and historical attractions seeking more extensive

operations/hours

Total Annual Staffing & Operations Cost Estimates $338,250

55

F u n d i n g S o u r c e s

MHAA funding is awarded on a 50 percentmatching basis and through a competitive process;this means implementation of the strategies andprograms presented here calls for an enterprising andpartnership-oriented approach to funding. Moneyneeds to come from a variety of public andphilanthropic sources, and under the rightcircumstances, there may even be earned incomepossibilities.

Public Sources

Montgomery County Government. County Councilhas been an early and strong supporter of theheritage area initiative. Implementation of thestrategies and programs presented in themanagement plan will bring significant tangible andintangible benefit to the county and its residents.One would expect the County Council to continueto provide funding for operations of the managemententity leading implementation.

Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. This stateagency provides matching funds for a wide range ofprograms and activities: planning, program support,exhibit development and fabrication, publications,marketing, and even staff for the management entity.Funding is awarded on a competitive and on amatching (50 percent) basis, and there iscompetition with now nearly a dozen heritage areas.

Maryland Historical Trust. This state agencyadministers grant funds for historic site survey,planning, and publications and also provides modestgrants for museums and historic sites seeking toenhance their programming. MHT also has verylimited funds for restoration of historic buildings.Nearly all MHT grants require matching monies.

Maryland Dept. of Housing & CommunityDevelopment. MHCD administers several fundingprograms that could have application within theHeritage Area. One of them is Maryland MainStreet, a comprehensive downtown revitalizationprogram that provides funding and programmaticsupport. This program is of relevance tocommunities like Poolesville. MHCD alsoadministers several grant and loan programs forsmall business development, which could beimportant to revitalization activities in the twoTIZs. For instance, the Maryland Capital AccessProgram is a small business credit enhancementprogram that enables private lenders to establish a

loan loss reserve fund from fees paid by lenders,borrowers, and the State of Maryland. An enrolledloan, or portion of a loan, may range from $10,000to $1,000,000. Most Maryland small businesses,including nonprofit organizations, are eligible.

Foundations

The metropolitan region has a number offoundations whose interests are in alignment withthe vision and strategies of the heritage area. Anumber of the proposed projects for implementingthe heritage area’s interpretive programs can beframed in ways that attract support from certainfoundations. These include the Eugene & AgnesMeyer Foundation (which has supported historicpreservation efforts in the region), the Morris &Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Fannie MaeFoundation, the Community Foundation for theWashington DC Area (the Montgomery CountyCommunity Foundation is an affiliate), the KiplingerFoundation, and the J. Willard and Alice MarriottFoundation (which has supported tourismorganizations).

Corporate Support

Even in an era of diminished corporate earnings,companies should not be overlooked as potentialfunding partners. Savvy non-profits are becomingmore enterprising as they approach corporations andbusinesses for funds. Some corporations havephilanthropic arms or foundations that have anannual budget and nearly every large corporation hastwo other sources of potential funding: marketingand human relations. Usually funds in the latter twocategories are much larger than the budget forcharitable giving. Enterprising non-profits re-frametheir activities and programs in ways that can bepresented to corporations as partnershipopportunities where there is direct benefit to thecompany. An example might be to sell an area hotelchain multiple copies of map/guides that they canprovide as a premium to guests for staying withthem.

The important message for leaders of the heritagearea is that there are sources of funds in addition tothe Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. Even whilewaiting for formal approval as a Certified HeritageArea, the Advisory Committee could be preparingfunding submissions for foundations and others. Thechart on page 56 outlines potential funding sourcesfor the projects included in the preliminary budget.

56

Potential Funding Sources

Capital Projects

Estimated Cost MHAA

Other State Funds

County Funds

Grants/ Philanthropic

FundsIn-

kindPartnerships

Woodlawn Barn rehabilitated as exhibit/educational facility $1,470,150 to X X X4,000 square foot stone barn quality rehabilitation $1,968,549

Poolesville Farming History Gateway Exhibit $356,400 to X X XBuilding rehabilitation, lighting, etc. (1,000 square feet) $532,400

Planning & Development ProjectsInterpretive framework plan $50,000 X XGraphic identity system $50,000 X XAudio guides $25,000 XHeritage area map/guide $30,000 X X X XSchool programs $40,000 X X2 traveling exhibits $40,000 X X X XTrail interpretive panels $45,000 X X XUnderground Railroad thematic map $15,000 X X XFarming History maps/guides $15,000 X X XScenic Byway Corridor Management Plan $80,000 X XCoordinated heritage site signage system $20,000 X X X XPoolesville interpretive kiosks & waysides $12,000 X X X X

Sandy Spring/Woodlawn interpretive kiosks & waysides $12,000 X X X XTechnological Innovation Cluster interpretive kiosks $18,000 X* X X X

Staffing & OperationsHeritage Area Coordinator/Operations $68,250 X XWebsite services $20,000 X XCapacity building grants $250,000 X X X

*Any activities taking place outside the official MCHA geographic boundaries would not receive MHAA funds.

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Meaningful Returns

Montgomery County already has a strong tourismand visitation market in place. Furthermore,population analysis indicates that a large market forheritage area activities exists within the county’sown boundaries in the form of many residents whoare not yet familiar with the exciting stories of theircounty’s heritage. Thus, this plan focuses stronglyon interpretation and awareness raising rather thanon creating a basic tourism and visitation market oron strategies for attracting new visitors from outsidethe region.

Because the plan is heavily weighted towardinterpretation and packaging, its benefits will differfrom the benefits of a more capital-intensiveheritage area plan. Interpretive activities yieldvaluable benefits outside the economic realm,mostly as a result of an increased awareness of andvalue for the county’s heritage. These benefits oftenfall under the umbrella of quality of life, and aretherefore hard to quantify. However, these qualityof life benefits are by no means insubstantial. Someexamples are as follows:

Shared Understanding and Community Identity.A transient suburban environment with manyforeign-born or recently transplanted residentstypically does not possess a feeling ofcommunity identity and cohesiveness. Theheritage area promises to create a countywideappreciation of local history and how theMontgomery County of today owes a great dealto its historical foundations. Raising thecollective understanding of the area’s identity islikely to help create a greater bond amongneighbors, both locally and throughout.

Attraction and retention of businesses andresidents. Quality of life is a major issue - if aslightly intangible one - for the recruitment andretention of both businesses and residents.Businesses are drawn to jurisdictions thatattract people, and people are drawn tocommunities with positive identities andcultural resources. Montgomery County’sability to attract economic development haslong been due to its educational, cultural,recreational, and human resources. Preservingand interpreting its historical resources willfurther augment the county’s identity.

Return on Investment

Educational Resources. Local history is animportant part of any school’s curriculum. InMontgomery County, students learn a great dealabout local history, but do not have many placesto experience it and instead travel to otherhistorical sites elsewhere in the state,Washington, DC, or Virginia. Having a networkof heritage experiences would benefit the publicschool system and its students.

More things to see and do. The leisure visitormarket in Montgomery County is almostentirely driven by people visiting their friendsand relatives who live in the area; these visitorsare known as VFRs. VFR travelers tend to comeyear after year and are always looking for newthings to see and do beyond the archetypalattractions of the Washington area. Improvingheritage attractions within Montgomery Countywill allow residents to take their visitors to newand interesting things closer to home. Morevisitation from VFRs will also lead to economicbenefits, as discussed later in this section.

E c o n o m i c R e t u r n s

Because capital projects tend to result in thecreation of new buildings and organizations or toincrease the scale of existing ones, a capital projecttypically creates a quantifiable number of jobs,amount of admissions fees, increase in taxes, etc.Since this plan is not heavily weighted with capitalprojects, the MCHA’s implementation plan will notresult in as obvious an economic impact as a morecapital-intensive heritage area plan might. As thecounty is already a popular place for visitors to stay,it is appropriate to use resources typically dedicatedto large capital projects that are meant to bring invisitors for other uses, such as interpretation,education, and outreach.

That said, though they may be smaller and perhapsless easily measured than those created throughcapital activities, interpretive and awareness-raisingactivities do yield economic returns. As notedearlier, the economic benefits from the MCHA planwill accrue to Montgomery County primarily byretaining visitor spending that currently occurselsewhere in the Washington/Baltimore area, not bydrawing in new visitation. These economic benefitswill originate from two sources: people alreadyvisiting Montgomery County and residents of thecounty

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Within each of these categories there are multiplesub-categories. The points below summarize thecategories and sub-categories.

• People Visiting Montgomery County. In the2000, about 1.8 million people visited thecounty (reported by the CVB of MontgomeryCounty). Of this total, about 581,000 camefor business purposes and/or for a conferenceor seminar. The remaining 1.22 millionvisitors to the county came at least partiallyfor a pleasure trip. It is assumed that purelybusiness travelers will not be converted intopleasure travelers, so this group is excludedfrom the analysis. There are three categoriesof people analyzed:

- Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRs).VFRs are reliable visitors who comerepeatedly to visit their friends andrelatives in the county. In 2000, VFRsrepresented over 80 percent of all non-business visitors to the county, or about990,000 people.

- Other Pleasure Visitors. This market isvery small in Montgomery County, asonly about 99,000 visitors per year fitthis profile. These visitors come to thecounty specifically for cultural, historic,or recreational purposes.

- Business/Pleasure Visitors – This marketrepresents people who come to thecounty for business, but also participate inleisure activities during the trip. TheCVB reports the size of this market atabout 130,000 people.

• Residents of Montgomery County. Asdiscussed before, the primary target marketfor the MCHA is its resident population. Asof the 2000 Census, the county’s populationwas about 873,300. Based on the heritagetourism program, the county’s population cangenerally be divided into four smaller targetgroups, as follows:

- Children Under 15. In 2000, there were188,400 children aged 0-14 living inMontgomery County. A large percentageof these children are enrolled in theMontgomery County public schoolsystem, and will be candidates to visitheritage sites as part of school groups.Students will have additionalopportunities on weekends and school

breaks to visit sites with their families.Furthermore, children who are not yetschool age or are not enrolled in countyschools may visit heritage sites with theirfamilies.

- Senior Citizens. Since the majority of thecounty’s 93,500 residents over the age of65 are retired, they have more free time.Senior citizens are known to visit culturaland historic sites at non-peak times, asthey can go on weekdays when suchdestinations are not as busy.

- Adults in Minority Races. MontgomeryCounty residents of African-American,Asian, and Hispanic heritage should be aprimary target for heritage tourism withinthe county. In 2000, there were roughly208,300 people in minority ethnic groupsbetween the ages of 15 and 64, and thispopulation forms a unique targetdemographic.

- White Adults. In 2000, there were383,100 white adults aged 15 to 64 livingin Montgomery County, representing theremainder of the county’s population.This segment is the largest among thefour.

Economic Returns from Visitors

Economic returns from the Montgomery CountyHeritage Area are estimated in this section. Asdiscussed above, economic return is examined in twocategories: impacts from visitors and impacts fromresidents. All economic return estimates shown hererepresent annual impacts, and are calculated for afuture year after the plan has been completelyimplemented.

The first step in estimating visitor impacts is tounderstand the current visitation level within thecounty. TravelScope research commissioned by theMaryland Office of Tourism estimated whatpercentages of visitors to Montgomery Countycurrently participate in heritage tourism relatedactivities in the state of Maryland. Since theseactivities could be conducted outside ofMontgomery County, a further refinement is neededto determine how many visitors the county actuallyhosts.

It has been estimated that 50 percent of culturalparticipants stay in the county, as do 25 percent of

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historic/museum visitors and 60 percent of parksvisitors. So, after completing these calculations, it isestimated that about 160,900 visitors currentlyparticipate in heritage-related activities inMontgomery County.

To calculate future use by visitors to the county, thevariable adjusted is not how many peopleparticipate in activities, but rather how many stay inthe county to participate. Future estimates for thethree categories of uses are expected to increasefollowing the completion of the plan to 60 percentfor cultural events, 40 percent for historic/museum,and 65 percent for parks.

A study of heritage tourism in Pennsylvania foundthat the typical heritage visitor spends $273 duringthe course of a trip. This spending figure has beenadjusted for each of the three different visitorcategories, as each will behave somewhatdifferently—VFRs will spend far less on lodging andfood because they stay and eat with residents whilebusiness/ pleasure visitors will probably spend more,as their trips are likely to be longer and they are aptto have more expensive tastes.

Based on these assumptions, it is estimated that theimplementation of the MCHA plan will result in anet increase of 36,100 heritage visitors to the county,resulting an increase in annual spending of $6.44million.

Economic Returns from Residents

The calculation of economic returns fromMontgomery County residents focuses on how theheritage initiative will be likely to influencedifferent groups of residents to visit heritage sites intheir home county. Again, the county’s populationhas been divided into four target groups: ChildrenUnder 15, Senior Citizens, Minority Adults, andWhite Adults.

For each of these four populations, a penetration ratewas estimated. These rates represent the percentageby which heritage visitation within the county willincrease for each group—it does not attempt toquantify existing visitation. These rates wereestablished understanding the extent to which eachgroup will be targeted by the plan.

Based on these penetration rates, it is estimated thatresidents will make an additional 48,300 visits toheritage sites in Montgomery County per year.Assuming that the typical resident will spend about

$27.50 per day on a heritage visit within the county,the annual economic return from residents would be$1.33 million.

Total Economic Returns and TaxBenefits

The final step in calculating total economic returnsis to combine the returns from the visitor andresident groups. The total returns by category are asfollows:

The heritage area initiative can be expected to draw132,700 additional visits to heritage sites inMontgomery County, resulting in $7.76 million inadditional economic activity. About 50 percent ofthe spending will be for food and retail purchases, 42percent on other purchases (including entertainmentand transportation), and the remaining 8 percentwill be for lodging expenses.

Assuming a typical annual wage of $20,000 per jobcreated by visitor and resident spending, there willbe an additional 116 jobs created in the county bythe heritage initiative.

This economic activity will result in increases forthree different types of taxes: sales tax, lodging tax,and income tax. These tax benefits will be realizedby both the State of Maryland and by MontgomeryCounty. The state collects the entire 5 percent salestax and 3.8 percent of taxable income in incometaxes. Montgomery County collects the entire 12percent lodging tax and 2.5 percent of taxableincome in income taxes.

In all, the county will receive about $137,400 inannual tax benefits and the state will receiveadditional $443,800; a total of $581,200 in new taxrevenues per year.

The charts on the following pages summarize theabove data.

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Potential Impacts from Residents

Estimated Size of Population SegmentsChildren Under 15 188,400Senior Citizens 93,500Adults in Minority Races 208,300White Adults 383,100Total Visitors 873,300

Additional Penetration by SegmentAdd'l % Add'l No.

Penetrated PenetratedChildren Under 15 8% 15,100Senior Citizens 5% 4,700Adults in Minority Races 10% 20,800White Adults 2% 7,700Total 48,300

Spending In County from Resident VisitorsNew Visits from Residents 48,300Per Capita Daily Spending by Category

Food/Drink $6.00Retail $10.00Entertainment/Rec $4.00Transp/Other $7.50Total Daily Spending $27.50

Total New Spending from Residents $1,328,250

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census; Economics Research Associates

Tax Revenues

Tax Revenue by CategoryState Sales TaxTotal Retail Sales $5,777,200 $1,328,250 $7,105,450Sales Taxes 5% $288,900 $66,400 $355,300

County Lodging TaxTotal Lodging Spending $659,300 $0 $659,300Lodging Taxes 12% $79,100 $0 $79,100

Income TaxTotal Income $1,931,000 $398,500 $2,329,500State Income Taxes 3.8% $73,400 $15,100 $88,500County Income Taxes 2.5% $48,300 $10,000 $58,300Total Income Taxes $121,700 $25,100 $146,800

Total Annual Tax RevenueTo County $127,400 $10,000 $137,400To State $362,300 $81,500 $443,800Total Tax Revenue $489,700 $91,500 $581,200

Source: Economics Research Associates

These charts summarize the datadiscussed on pages 57 through 59. Allcharts provided by EconomicsResearch Associates.

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Potential Impacts from Visitors

By Visitors By Residents Totals

Number of New Annual Visits 36,100 48,300 132,700

Additional Spending by CategoryLodging $659,300 $0 $659,300Food/Retail $3,074,900 $772,800 $3,847,700Other $2,702,300 $555,450 $3,257,750Total Additional Spending $6,436,500 $1,328,250 $7,764,750

Employment and Wages GeneratedWages as % of Sales 30% $1,931,000 $398,500 $2,329,500Number of Jobs @ Wage of: $20,000 97 20 116

Size of Target MarketsVFRs 990,000Other Pleasure 99,000Bus/Pleasure 130,000Total Visitors 1,219,000

Current Activities% Doing No. % in Co. No.

Cultural Event 12.4% 151,200 50.0% 75,600Historic/Museum 8.8% 107,300 25.0% 26,800Parks 8.0% 97,500 60.0% 58,500Total 356,000 160,900

Future Activities Change from% in Co. No. Current

Cultural Event 60.0% 90,700 15,100Historic/Museum 40.0% 42,900 16,100Parks 65.0% 63,400 4,900Total 197,000 36,100

Spending per Visit by Visitor TypeTotal Spending/Visit: Food/ Total

$273 Lodging Retail Other SpendingVFRs $10 $68 $70 $148Other Pleasure $49 $123 $87 $259Bus/Pleasure $59 $191 $105 $355Total Visitors $49 $137 $87 $273

Total Potential Impacts No. of Food/ Total(Change in Spending) Visitors Lodging Retail Other Spending

VFRs 29,300 $293,000 $1,992,400 $2,051,000 $4,336,400Other Pleasure 2,900 $142,100 $356,700 $252,300 $751,100Bus/Pleasure 3,800 $224,200 $725,800 $399,000 $1,349,000Total Visitor Spending Change $659,300 $3,074,900 $2,702,300 $6,436,500

Source: Maryland Office of Tourism; TravelScope; Economics Research Associates

Total in MD Amount in Mont. Co.

Amount in Mont. Co.

Summary of Return on Investment

Source: Economics Research Associates

*VFR: Visiting Friends or Relatives

*

*

*

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Endnotes1. See “Appendix A: State of Maryland Heritage

Areas Program” for further information on thestate’s program.

2. All historical information in “MontgomeryCounty’s Heritage” provided by MontgomeryCounty Historical Society.

3. For explanation and discussion of TargetInvestment Zones, see sections titled “PoolesvilleTarget Investment Zone” and “Sandy Spring TargetInvestment Zone.”

4. Greater Sandy Spring Green Space, Inc., producedthe walking tour, and Anthony Cohen, along withthe Montgomery County Historical Society (1994),authored the driving tour.

5. Data was taken from the annual report of theWashington, DC, Convention and TourismCorporation.

6. The source for all statewide and regional Marylandtourism data is the Maryland Office of Tourism’s2000 Annual Report.

7. All population numbers are Census 2000 data.

8. See “Appendix C: Zoning & Land Use” for moreinformation.

9. For baseline economic data on the TIZs and thecounty, see “Appendix D: Baseline Data.”

10. For a text description of the boundaries, see“Appendix E: Target Investment ZonesSupplemental Information.”

11. Information source is the Poolesville HistoricDistrict register form for the National Registerof Historic Places Inventory, prepared by J.Richard Rivoire.

12. Information source is the Poolesville HistoricDistrict register form for the National Registerof Historic Places Inventory, prepared by J.Richard Rivoire.

13. For more urban design and preservationrecommendations, see “Appendix E: TargetInvestment Zones Supplemental Information.”

14. For a list of economic performance indicators,see “Appendix E: Target Investment ZonesSupplemental Information.”

15. Properties are meant to illustrate what types ofresources should be considered and is not all-inclusive. Some of these properties are beyondthe TIZ boundary.

16. For a discussion of these criteria, see “AppendixF: Criteria for Tax Credit Expansion.”

17. For a text description of the boundaries, see“Appendix E: Target Investment ZonesSupplemental Information.”

18. For more recommendations on urban design andpreservation, see “Appendix E: TargetInvestment Zones Supplemental Information.”

19. For economic performance indicators, see“Appendix E: Target Investment ZonesSupplemental Information.”

20. For a discussion of these criteria, see “Appendix F:Criteria for Tax Credit Expansion.”

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To date, ten state heritage areas have been designatedor are seeking designation.

Program Intentions. A strong driver behind thestate heritage areas program is a desire to heighteneconomic activity through increased heritagetourism, either by attracting more visitors or bycausing existing visitors to lengthen their stays.Other intentions of the Maryland Heritage AreasProgram include:

· Promoting the economic potential of thestate’s many historic, cultural, andnatural resources;

· Encouraging better interpretiveprogramming to connect residents andtourists with Maryland’s heritage;

· Encouraging preservation and re-use ofhistoric buildings; and

· Fostering partnerships between heritage,economic development, tourism, historicpreservation, and other relevantorganizations.

Program Benefits. The MD Heritage Areas programprovides matching grants for staffing and operations,as well as for program development, includingexhibits, facilities, and interpretive plans/materials.Further, the program offers tax credits to privateinvestors for renovation of historic buildings and, insome cases, for renovation of non-historic buildingsrelated to the purposes of the heritage area. Heritageareas also benefit from the state’s tourism marketingefforts.

Requi rements . The legislation establishing theMD Heritage Areas program requires that – to beapproved as a Certified Heritage Area – a RegisteredHeritage Area must submit a management planaddressing the following:

1) Organizers of potential heritage areas mustset clear geographic boundaries for theCertified Heritage Area. The area may benon-contiguous.

2) All political jurisdictions within the heritagearea must formally agree to amend theircomprehensive plans to adopt the heritagearea management plan.

Appendix A:State of Maryland Heritage Areas Program

3) The heritage area must include specificTarget Investment Zones, which are muchsmaller geographic areas that are importantto the heritage theme and where privateinvestment in heritage-related properties orbusinesses can be reasonably expected tooccur.

4) There must be a non-profit organization orgovernment agency to serve as themanagement entity for the heritage area,and the plan must address the structure andoperation of that organization and provide aschedule for heritage area implementation.

5) The management entity must track anumber of economic indicators and reportperiodically to the State of MarylandHeritage Areas Authority. Thus, ease oftracking using available or attainable datasources should be considered whendetermining the CHA boundaries.

6) The heritage area must includeconsideration of the land userecommendations currently in localjurisdictions’ plans and those advisable forsensitive development of the heritage area.

7) An inventory of significant natural, cultural,and heritage resources is needed.

8) The management plan must describepossible programming, development, andinterpretation activities for the heritagearea.

9) Performance measures for the CHA must beoutlined, and baseline performance datashould be included.

10) An analysis of costs and benefits over bothshort and long term is necessary.

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Appendix B:Heritage Area Resource InventoryThe lists below were obtained from HeritagePreservation and Tourism Initiative: MontgomeryCounty, Maryland, the Recognized Heritage AreaApplication submitted July 2000.21

L a n dLand Area 497 square milesWater Area 10 square milesParkland (1997) 28,435 acresLand in Farms (acres) 92,466% of Land in Farms 29.18# of Farms 526# of Horticulture Businesses 350Harvested Crop Land (acres) 58,800Pasture Land (acres) 45,878

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

Air

Baltimore Washington International AirportWashington Dulles International AirportRonald Reagan Washington National AirportMontgomery County Airpark

Rai l

AmtrakMARC Commuter TrainMetro Rail & MetroBus

Bus

Greyhound Bus LinesMetroBusRide-On Bus ServiceWashington Flyer

L o d g i n g

Establishments within a heritage cluster are markedwith an asterisk * and letter denoting the(U)nderground Railroad, (F)arming, or (I)ndustrialcluster.

HotelsAmerican Inn BethesdaBest Western Washington Gateway (Rockville)Bethesda Court HotelBethesda MarriottBethesda Ramada HotelChevy Chase Holiday InnComfort Inn Shady Grove

Courtyard by Marriott, GaithersburgCourtyard by Marriott, RockvilleCourtyard by Marriott, Silver SpringDays Inn RockvilleDays Inn Silver SpringDouble Tree Hotel (Rockville)Econo Lodge Silver SpringEconolodge GaithersburgFour Points by Sheraton (Bethesda)Hampton Inn (Germantown)Hilton Silver SpringHilton Washington D.C., North GaithersburgHoliday Inn GaithersburgHoliday Inn Select BethesdaHoliday Inn Silver SpringHomestead Village GermantownHyatt Regency BethesdaMarriott Suites BethesdaMarriott Washingtonian Center (Gaithersburg)National 4-H Center (Chevy Chase)Park Inn International (Rockville)Quality Suites (Rockville)Ramada Inn RockvilleRamada Limited Silver SpringResidence Inn by Marriott (Bethesda)Residence Inn by Marriott (Gaithersburg)Sleep Inn (Rockville)Springhill Suites (Gaithersburg)Summerfield Suites GaithersburgTownPlace Suites by Marriot (Gaithersburg)Woodfin Suites (Rockville)

Bed and Breakfasts

The Reynolds of DerwoodChevy Chase Bed & BreakfastThe Little House at Windswept*Longwood Manor Bed & Breakfast (U)Lucy’s Bed & Breakfast*Pleasant Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast (F)Davis Warner Inn*HavenSpring (F)The Sea Voice InnThe Betty Newmann CottageThoroughbred Bed and Breakfast

Campgrounds

*Little Bennett Regional Park (F)

Extended Stay AccommodationsThe Colony at GermantownExecuStay By MarriottHomestead Studio Suites HotelOakwood Worldwide

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L i n k a g e s

Greenways

Trail facilities within greenways range frominformal, unpaved footpaths to paved rail-trailprojects crossing jurisdictional boundaries.

Booze CreekBuck BranchBucklodge BranchCabin CreekCabin John CreekCapital Crescent TrailCrabbs BranchDry Seneca CreekGlenmont GreenwayGoshen BranchGreat Seneca CreekGreat Seneca ExtensionHawlings RiverKensington ParkwayKilgour BranchLittle Bennett CreekLittle Falls CreekLittle Paint BranchLittle SenecaLong BranchMagruder BranchMatthew Henson GreenwayMatthew Henson State ParkMetropolitan Branch TrailMill CreekMuddy BranchNorth BranchNorth Germantown GreenwayNorthwest BranchOvid Hazen WellsPaint BranchPatuxent Regional GreenwayPotomac River GreenwayReedy BranchRock CreekRock RunSeneca CreekSligo CreekTen Mile CreekTilden WoodsWatts BranchWildcat Branch

Tour Operators

Accent on Tours, Inc.Beyond Guide

Capital City SightsEyre Bus, Tour & TravelTourmobile Sightseeing

Historic Walking, Cycling, and DrivingTours

Quaker/Underground Railroad ClusterRock Creek Park and Hiker/Biker TrailNorthwest Branch Stream Valley ParkBrookeville Walking TourSandy Spring Walking ToursSandy Spring Cycling Tours“The Underground Railroad in Montgomery County,Maryland: A History and Driving Guide”Rural Legacy Trail

Agriculture Cluster

Poolesville Town Trail*22

Hyattstown Walking Trail*Boyds Biking Trail*Dickerson Biking Trail*The Farm Trail*The Builder Designer Trail*Seneca Sandstone Biking Trail*A Canoe Trail*Approximately six hiking trails on SugarloafMountain, maintained by Stronghold, Inc.Farm Tour and Harvest Sale (annual event)Seneca Creek Greenway Trail, including 10 historicmill sites

Technological Innovation Cluster

C&O Towpath, C&O Canal National ParkA number of trails and loops associated with theC&O Canal within the park.Capital Crescent TrailSeneca Creek State Park (and associated trails)The Rail Trail*Potomac Bottomlands Trail*The Canal Trail*Potomac Crossroads Canoe Trail*Little Bennett Regional Park Mill TrailCabin John Stream Valley TrailSligo Creek Trail (Waterworks site)Paint Branch Trail (Rachel Carson site)

State Designated Scenic RoadsClara Barton ParkwayMacArthur BlvdRoute 189 (Falls Rd.) between Clara Barton and

River RoadRiver Road from Rt 189 to Rt 112Rt 112 to Rt 28

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Rt 28 to county lineWhites Ferry Rd, from Poolesville to Whites FerryRt. 109 to Rt. 355 (Beallsville and Old Hundred)Rte 355 from northern county line to Rt 121Rte 121 (Clarksburg Rd going north), from Rt 355

to Rt 108, and 650 to 108 west in Ashton to216

Rt. 216 to Rt. 29, NE portion

Rustic Roads

The following roadways have been determined byMontgomery County to have a scenic quality that isfitting to protect and preserve “for the benefit ofpresent and future generations.”

Exceptional Rustic RoadsEdwards Ferry Rd. W. Offutt to Canal Rd.Hoyles Mill Rd., White Ground Rd to the planning

area boundaryHunting Quarter Rd, entire lengthKingsley Rd, Burnt Hill To Stringtown Rd.Martinsburg Rd, Whites Ferry Rd to North PEPCO

entranceMontevideo Rd, entire lengthMouth of Monocacy Rd, Mt Ephriam Rd to Bridge

over Little Monocacy RiverMouth of Monocacy Rd, C&O Canal to MD 28River Rd, Edwards Ferry to Whites Ferry RdSugarland Rd, Sugarland Ln to MD 107Swains Lock RdWest Old Baltimore Rd, Barnesville Rd to MD 121

Rustic Roads

Barnesville Rd, Bucklodge Rd (MD 117) to Mt.Ephriam Rd.Beallsville/Old Hundred Rd. (MD 109), MD 28 toMD 355Belle Cote Dr, entire lengthBig Woods Rd, entire lengthBlack Rock Rd, entire lengthBrookeville Rd, entire lengthBudd Rd, entire lengthBurdette Ln, entire lengthBurnt Hill Rd, entire lengthCattail Rd, MD 28 to end of County MaintenanceClub Hollow Rd, entire lengthComus Rd, Reach Tree Rd to county LineDavis Mill Rd, Brink Rd to MD 27Dustin Rd, W of US 29Edwards Ferry Rd, Whites Ferry Rd to W. Offutt RdElmer School Rd, entire lengthElton Farm Rd, entire lengthFrederick Rd, between recommended bypassintersections with MD 355

Gregg Rd, Riggs Rd to Georgia Ave.Haines Rd, entire lengthHawkes Rd, entire lengthHipsley Mill Rd, entire lengthHoward Chapel Rd, MD 650 to County LineHughes Rd, River Rd to County LineHyattstown Mill Rd, MD 355 to Prescott RdJerusalem Rd, entire lengthJonesville Rd, Jerusalem Rd to Jonesville TerrraceKingstead Rd, Burnt Hill to Kings Valley RdMoore Rd, entire lengthMount Ephriam Rd, entire lengthMount Nebo Rd, entire lengthMouth of Monocacy Rd, MD 28 to Mt. Ephriam Rd.Moxley Rd, entire lengthOld Buckhouse Ln, entire lengthOld River Rd, entire lengthPeach Tree Rd, entire lengthPennyfield Lock Rd, entire lengthPiedmont Rd, Stringtown Rd to Hawkes RdPrescott Rd, Hyattstown Mill Rd to MD 355Prices Distillery Road, entire lengthRiggs Rd, Zion to Gregg RdRileys Lock Rd, entire lengthRiver Rd, W. Willard to Mt Nebo Rd.Rock Rd, entire lengthSantini Rd, entire lengthSchaeffer Rd, White Ground Rd. to new parkentranceStringtown Rd, from possible Midcounty Hwy toKings Valley Rd.Sugarland Ln, entire lengthSugarland Rd, Hughes Rd to Sugarland Ln.Sugarland Rd, MD 107 to MD 28Sycamore Landing Rd, entire lengthTrundle Rd, entire lengthTschiffely Mill Rd, entire lengthViolettes Lock Rd, entire lengthWasche Rd, entire lengthWest Hunter Rd, entire lengthWest Offutt Rd, entire lengthWest Willard Rd, entire lengthWesterly Rd, Edwards Ferry Rd to County LineWhite Ground Rd, entire lengthWhites Ferry Rd, Wasche Rd to River RdWhites Store Rd, entire lengthWildcat Rd, entire lengthZion Rd, Riggs to Sundown Rd.

P a r k s & G a r d e n s

National Parks

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National HistoricalPark / Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center

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Clara Barton National Historic SiteGlen Echo Park

State Parks

Seneca Creek State ParkPatuxent River State Park

State Wildlife Areas

McKee Beshers Wildlife Management Area

Regional & Other Sites

Audubon Naturalist SocietyBlack Hills Regional ParkBrighton Azalea GardensBrighton Dam Road, BrookevilleBrookside GardensCabin John Regional ParkGardens at Glenview MansionRockville Civic Center ParkLittle Bennett Regional ParkMcCrillis Gardens and GalleryMeadowside Nature CenterRock Creek Regional ParkSeneca Creek State ParkWheaton Regional Park / Brookside GardensShorefield Road, WheatonAgricultural History Farm Park

A t t r a c t i o n s

Museums

Boyds Negro SchoolClara Barton National Historic SiteEdward Stock Historical ArboretumNational Capital Trolley MuseumGreat Falls Tavern Visitor CenterMontgomery County Historical Museum / Beall-

Dawson HouseGaithersburg Community MuseumOakley CabinPhillip Ratner MuseumJohn Poole Store MuseumRiley’s LockhouseSandy Spring MuseumSandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art GallerySilver Spring Train StationSeneca Schoolhouse MuseumStonestreet Medical MuseumWaters House

Attractions Under DevelopmentBussard Farmhouse and Barn (Agricultural HistoryFarm Park)Germantown Community MuseumKing Dairy Mooseum at South GermantownRecreational ParkWarren African American Community

Performance Centers and Theaters

Adventure Theatre at Glen Echo ParkBethesda Academy of Performing ArtsBlackrock Center for the ArtsThe Montgomery PlayhouseOlney Theatre Center for the ArtsF. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville CivicCenter ParkStrathmore Hall Arts CenterAmerican Film Institute (under construction)

Farms Participating in the MontgomeryCounty Farm Tour (2000)

Red Wiggler Foundation, ClarksburgJehovah-Jireh Farm, DickersonLinden Farms, DickersonPoplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, PoolesvilleStadler Nursery, LaytonsvilleCamp Olympic, RockvilleAlden Farms, BeallsvilleBucklodge Christmas Trees, BoydsCatoctin Vineyards, BrookevilleFarmhouse Flowers and Plants, BrookevilleLewis Orchards, DickersonButler’s Orchard, GermantownPhillips Farm Produce, GermantownRock Hill Orchard, Mount AiryHomestead Farm, PoolesvilleHeyser Farms, Silver SpringPong’s Asian-Pear Orchard, Silver Spring

Other Unique Facilities

Audubon Naturalist SocietyBrookside GardensComus InnGarrett Park Town HallGudelsky GalleryHigh Point FarmHollywood BallroomHyattstown MillJohn Poole HouseKentlands MansionMaryland College of Art and DesignMcCrillis Gardens

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Montgomery County Agricultural Center, Inc. FairGroundsMontgomery County Department of Parks & Planning(Conference Centers)National Capital Trolley MuseumOlney Theatre Center for the ArtsPotomac Valley LodgeRockville Civic Center Park (Glenview Mansion)Rockwood Manor ParkSandy Spring MuseumSeneca Schoolhouse MuseumSmokey Glen FarmStrathmore Hall Arts CenterThe Lodge at Little Seneca CreekWaters HouseWoodlawn Manor

H i s t o r i c a l S u p p o r tO r g a n i z a t i o n s

Art Deco Society of WashingtonBlack Cultural History AllianceBoyds/Clarksburg Historical SocietyC&O Canal AssociationCapitol View Historical SocietyChevy Chase Historical SocietyDarnestown Historical SocietyFriends of Riley’s LockhouseFriends of Oakley Cabin and the Underground RailroadFriends of Agricultural History Farm ParkFriends of Historic HyattstownFriends of Great Falls TavernGaithersburg Historical AssociationGermantown Historical SocietyGreater Sandy Spring Green Space, Inc.Historic Medley District, Inc.Jewish Historical SocietyKensington Historical SocietyLaytonsville Historical SocietyLincoln Park Historical SocietyMenare FoundationMontgomery County Historical SocietyMontgomery Preservation, Inc.National Railway Historical Society, Potomac DivisionPeerless RockvilleSave our SeminarySilver Spring Historical SocietySons of Confederate VeteransSugarloaf TrailsSons of Union VeteransHistoric TakomaWarren Historic Site committeeWashington Grove Historical CommissionWoodside Historical Committee

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77

Appendix C:Zoning & Land Use

County General Plan

Although refined and revised several times since itsfirst adoption, the precepts laid out in On Wedges& Corridors: A General Plan for the Maryland-Washington Regional District in Montgomery andPrince George’s Counties (1964) remain guidingprinciples of the county’s development today.Updates of the plan reaffirm its “wedges andcorridors” approach, which is a regional land usepattern channeling growth into developmentcorridors and preserving wedges of open space,farmland, and lower density residential uses.

Land use is central to this plan, which describes adesired development pattern for the county. The1993 General Plan Refinement describes nine majorobjectives for land use and development:

1. Direct the major portion of MontgomeryCounty’s future growth to the Urban Ringand I-270 Corridor, especially to transitstation locales.

2. Recognize the importance of identifiablecenters of community activity at all levels:city, town, neighborhood, and ruralcommunity.

3. Provide for moderate density residentially-based Suburban Communities locatedbetween the Urban Ring and Corridors, andthe Wedges.

4. Preserve farmland and rural open space inthe Agricultural Wedge.

5. Maintain a low-density Residential Wedgeto provide a large-lot housing resource andas one way to help protect sensitiveenvironmental areas.

6. Provide zoned land for different types andintensities of housing and employment uses.

7. Provide a coordinated and comprehensivesystem of parks, recreation, and open space.

8. Recognize the importance of implementingthe goals, objectives, and strategies of the1993 plan refinement when allocatingpublic investments in community facilities.

Beyond land use, other topics covered in the generalplan include housing, employment/economicactivity, transportation, environment, andregionalism. Of special note is the section providingfive major objectives for community identity anddesign:

1. Recognize, reinforce, or create each

community’s unique character and identity.

2. Ensure that centers are attractive,functional, visible, safe, and highly accessibleto their communities.

3. Identify and preserve significant historic,scenic, and cultural features and promote artin public areas.

4. Strive for government facilities with serviceboundaries that foster a sense ofcommunity.

5. Create and maintain attractive, functional,and safe communities utilizing innovativeapproaches and regulatory processes.

C o u n t y M a s t e r P l a n s

In concert with the General Plan, MontgomeryCounty also utilizes master plans, sector plans, andfunctional plans. These are created throughcommunity-based planning within seven geographicregions in the county and adopted as amendments tothe General Plan. The boundaries of the MCHAtouch upon or fall within the following masterplanning areas:

§ Rural Planning Area (Town of Poolesville,Dickerson, Boyds)

§ Eastern County Planning Area (Cloverly,Sandy Spring/Ashton)

§ Georgia Avenue Planning Area (Olney)§ Bethesda-Chevy Chase/North Bethesda

Planning Area§ Potomac Planning Area

Continued on next page

78

M u n i c i p a l P l a n s

The only municipality within the MCHA is theTown of Poolesville. The town is preparing anupdate to the 1996 plan, has responded positively tothe concepts presented in the management plan, andis considering them for potential integration into theplan update.

Land development regulations in the 1996 planallow for seven total zones spread overapproximately 2,400 acres. The bulk of commercialusage is along MD 107/White’s Ferry Road, andresidential uses are by far the most common.Acreage breaks down as follows:

Rural Density Transfer 595.6 acres

Residential (1/2 acre) 1,1441.1 acres

Residential (1/3 acre) 539 acres

Multiple-Residential 30 acres

Commercial 59.7 acres

Special Commercial 3.7 acres

Industrial 2.1 acres

Total Acreage 2,374.2 acres

The Town of Poolesville Master Plan also providesdesign rules for commercial development. Theseprovide guidance on structure height, front façadeproportions, porch projections, spacing of buildingmasses, ground cover, landscaping, and more. Allnew commercial development in the Town ofPoolesville must address the design guidelines inorder to be approved by the town’s Planning Board.

79

County

Although the Maryland Office of Tourism does not report visitation data at the county level, it does tracktax receipts from visitor industry businesses at the county level. For hotel and motel taxes, MontgomeryCounty ranks second in the state for tax receipts ($11.1 million), trailing only Baltimore City ($13.7million), and well ahead of all other counties—third place Baltimore County’s collections were $5.9 million.For amusement/admission taxes, Montgomery County’s receipts rank fourth in the state at $4.4 million, wellbehind Prince George’s County ($9.0 million), Baltimore City ($6.9 million), and Baltimore County ($6.3million).

P o o l e s v i l l e T I ZPoolesville Data, ZIP Code 20837

Number of establishments: 116First quarter payroll: $4,042,000Number of employees: 845Annual payroll: $18,650,000Average Annual Pay: $22,071

Number of Establishments by Employment Size Class

Total Estabs 1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99

Forestry, fishing, hunting, and Agriculture 2 2 0 0 0 0Construction 22 13 3 2 4 0Manufacturing 1 1 0 0 0 0Wholesale trade 2 2 0 0 0 0Retail trade 13 6 1 3 2 1Hardware stores 1 1 0 0 0 0Grocery (except convenience) stores 3 0 1 1 0 1Convenience stores 1 0 1 0 0 0Beer, wine & liquor stores 2 2 0 0 0 0Pharmacies & drug stores 1 0 0 0 1 0Optical goods stores 1 1 0 0 0 0Other gasoline stations 2 0 0 2 0 0Other clothing stores 1 1 0 0 0 0Sporting goods stores 2 2 0 0 0 0Hobby, toy & game stores 1 1 0 0 0 0Transportation & warehousing 2 2 0 0 0 0Finance & insurance 6 4 2 0 0 0Real estate & rental & leasing 5 4 1 0 0 0Professional, scientific & technical services 20 16 1 2 1 0Admin, support, waste mgt, remediation services 12 6 1 4 1 0Educational services 1 1 0 0 0 0Health care and social assistance 9 5 1 2 1 0Arts, entertainment & recreation 4 3 0 0 1 0Accommodation & food services 6 2 0 2 1 1Other services (except public administration) 11 8 2 0 1 0Total 116 75 12 15 12 2

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1999 County Business Patterns; Economics Research Associates

Appendix D:Baseline Data

80

S a n d y S p r i n g T I ZSandy Spring Data, ZIP Code 20860

Number of establishments: 41First quarter payroll: $6,019,000Number of employees: 875Annual payroll: $25,924,000Average Annual Pay: $29,627

Number of Establishments by Employment Size Class Total Estabs 1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99 100-249

Construction 9 3 2 2 1 1 0Wholesale trade 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Retail trade 4 3 0 1 0 0 0All other home furnishings stores 1 1 0 0 0 0 0Grocery (except convenience) stores 1 1 0 0 0 0 0Food (health) supplement stores 1 1 0 0 0 0 0Other gasoline stations 1 0 0 1 0 0 0Women’s clothing stores 1 1 0 0 0 0 0Transportation & warehousing 2 2 0 0 0 0 0Finance & insurance 2 1 0 0 0 0 1Real estate, rental, leasing 3 1 1 0 0 1 0Professional, scientific, technical service 2 1 0 1 0 0 0Management of companies & enterprises 2 1 0 0 1 0 0Admin, support, waste mgt, remediation 2 1 1 0 0 0 0Educational services 1 0 0 0 0 0 1Health care & social assistance 7 1 2 0 3 0 1Arts, entertainment, recreation 1 1 0 0 0 0 0Accommodation & food services 2 1 1 0 0 0 0Other services (except public admin.) 3 1 2 0 0 0 0Total 41 18 9 4 5 2 3

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1999 County Business Patterns; Economics Research Associates

81

Program Parameters

A Target Investment Zone (TIZ) is a specific areawithin the Certified Heritage Area (CHA) that is apriority for private investment. It is meant toencourage measurable results within a relativelyshort period of time. To that end, while all of theCHA is eligible for funding of various heritagetourism/development activities, there are a numberof specific program benefits associated with TIZdesignation:

• Grants and loans for acquisition,development, preservation, orrestoration

• Loans from revenue bond proceeds tobe used for economic development

• Heritage Preservation Tax Credit forstructures not already designatedlocally or in the National Register ofHistoric Places

P o o l e s v i l l e

Boundaries

The boundaries, working clockwise from the easternedge of Poolesville, are as follows:

• Beginning at a point just south of theintersections of MD Route 107/WhitesFerry Road and Wootton Avenue;

• Running northwest along WoottonAvenue paralleling MD 107 to a pointjust west of West Willard Road, thenproceeding northward at approximatelythe existing town gateway (approachingfrom the west on MD 107) to thenorthern side of MD 107/Whites FerryRoad;

• From this point eastward and parallelto Whites Ferry Road until just beforeElgin Road;

• Proceeding northward and parallel tothe west side of Elgin Road until justbeyond the intersection of Elgin Roadand Route 109;

• From this point proceeding southwardagain parallel to Elgin Road on the eastside until just north of Whites FerryRoad/MD 107; and

Appendix E:Target Investment ZonesSupplemental Information

• Finally running eastward and parallel tothe north side of Whites Ferry Road/MD 107 till the point of beginning.

Infill Development and Architecture

Existing Buildings

• Preserve and maintain original facadesand storefronts. Every effort should bemade to preserve original elements,particularly along the streets’ edges.

• Original elements that are toodeteriorated to restore should bereplaced with new elements matchingthe original design and intent.

• Maintain/create a pedestrian-orientedatmosphere with window displays.Window display areas both attractcustomers and provide visual interest.This can be a means of street sideinterpretation as well.

• Restoration of historic structuresshould be based on historicdocumentation. Avoid new shapes,forms, and designs that are awkwardwith the original architecture.

• The use of awnings, color, signs, andfiner details are encouraged whereappropriate to create a special identityor attraction.

• Color palettes should be establishedthat are consistent with historicprecedence.

New or Infill Development

• Reinforce the existing adjacent builtenvironment by using compatible newor infill development.

• Building uses should lend to the visitorexperience and resident population.

• Complement existing buildings andtheir patterns through the use of scaleand massing.

• Particularly at the street level, newarchitecture should be consistent withexisting building styles.

• Use materials consistent with those ofexisting buildings; in particular,encourage wood, brick, stone, and

82

Economic Performance Indicators

Since the Poolesville TIZ work program calls for anumber of different investments, the futureeconomic performance of the TIZ can be measuredin a number of different ways:

• Increase in property assessment ofcommercial land within TIZ boundaries

• Increase in residential property valuesthroughout Town of Poolesville andsurrounding unincorporated areas

• Number of heritage attractions open to thepublic

• Number of new businesses

• Amount of private investment inconstruction and rehabilitation of buildingsin TIZ area

• Amount of public investment ininfrastructure, landscaping, and publicfacilities in area

• Increase in bed tax collections from bothexisting and new lodging properties

Other indicators that might be useful in the futurewith sufficient support for implementation are

• Sales tax collections by local businesses(must be done voluntarily by businesses, asdata are only officially tracked at thecounty level)

• Pedestrian counts along sidewalks indowntown Poolesville

• Occupied square footage of retail space inTIZ

S a n d y S p r i n g

Boundaries

These boundaries, working clockwise from theeastern edge are as follows:

• Beginning just to the east of theintersection of New Hampshire Avenueand MD 108 and running south;

• Proceeding westerly along the southernedge lying parallel to MD 108/SandySpring Road;

• West to the identified gateway sitealong MD 108 just west of NorwoodRoad;

stucco. Avoid using non-traditionalmaterials.

• Where new utilities are to be installed,make every effort to screen themvisually from public view usinglandscaping and architectural solutions.

Pedestrian/Streetscape

• Consistent plantings, lighting, site furniture,signage, and materials can create a harmonioussetting for the historical features of the town.

• Traffic calming devices- such as bump-outs,planters, and crosswalks- can be employed aslandscaping opportunities, pedestrian wayfinding, and safety improvements.

• Although the cost of burying utility wiresunderground is often impossibly high, wires canbe placed in alleyways or consolidated behindproperties to reduce visual impact. Utilitywires that are too expensive or difficult torelocate can be screened from view withappropriate street trees; these are normallysmaller, more compact trees that do notinterfere with overhead wires, even at fullgrowth. This can be accomplished through acoordinated, concentrated planting effort orthrough site-by-site landscaping.

Parking

• Locate surface parking in the rear or behindbuildings.

• Landscaped walkway linkages pleasantly movepeople from their cars to the public streetenvironment.

• Where appropriate, make parking accessiblefrom side streets and alleyways.

• Create clearly legible, accessible, and easy-to-use parking layouts. Avoid varying parkinglayouts in one location.

• Minimize the number of curb cuts for parkingaccess in the pedestrian environment.

• Screen parking lot edges with the use oflandscape, fencing, low walls, or otherarchitectural solutions.

• Keep parking areas well lit and well landscapedwith shade trees; create the feeling of “outdoorrooms.”

• Consider the use of permeable surfaces wherepossible.

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• Northward, parallel to again MD 108/Sandy Spring Road including BrookeRoad region and the Slave Museum;

• Eastward and parallel to the north sideto MD 108 to the point of beginning

• In addition, Woodlawn and the Legacytrail connection up to Route 108 asoutlier.

Reinforce the Village Center

Existing Buildings

• Restore and preserve existing historic structures,storefronts and facades - Original elements thatare too deteriorated should be replaced withnew elements that match the original design andintent.

• Restoration of historic structures should bebased on historic documentation. Avoid newshapes, forms, and designs that are awkward tothe original architecture.

• The use of awnings, color, signs, and finerdetailing are encouraged where appropriate increating a special identity or attraction.

• Color palettes should be established that areconsistent with historic precedence.

• Pursue exciting, creative, adaptive uses forexisting buildings that benefit the visitor andresident alike. Examples include restaurants,galleries, coffee shops, antique stores, deli/cafes,and boutiques.

• Create a pedestrian-oriented atmosphere withwindow displays for commercial uses as well asinterpretive and story telling opportunities.

New or Infill Development

• Infill development should match the scale,height, and architectural character of theexisting historic buildings. Whenever possible,2-story buildings should be built.

• A build-to line should be established thatmatches the existing built edge in an effort tostrengthen the street presence and historiccharacter of the village.

• New building uses should reinforce thevisitor experience and meet residentpopulation needs.

• New building materials should beconsistent with existing buildingmaterials; in particular, wood, brick,and stone should be encouraged. Avoid

using non-traditional materials.

• Where new utilities are to be installed,every effort should be made to screenthem visually from public view throughlandscaping and architectural solutions.

• Incorporate a village green or plazaarea.

• Utilize streetscape enhancements,materials, and site furniture thatexemplify the village theme and ruralcharacter.

Create a Friendlier Pedestrian andVehicular Corridor

• Realign Brooke Road and subsequently improvethe intersection of Brooke Road and MD 108.

• Incorporate traffic calming measures along MD108. Some of these tools include – incorporatingparallel parking along MD 108, trafficsignalization, narrowing the roadway width,creating pinch points or bump-outs with curblines, changes in textures or paving materials,lowering the designated speed, and landscaping.

• Is there an opportunity to provide turn lanes atcritical points?

• Create and delineate clear, accessible crosswalkzones that define pedestrian priority.

• It is not uncommon for communities to utilizetemporary regulatory signage and crossingguards at peak times or special events

• Investigate with MD State HighwayAdministration the aforementionedimprovements and the opportunities for statefunding and implementation.

Improve Pedestrian Linkages andWayfinding

• Incorporate the Legacy Trail where it emergesat/near MD 108. A pronounced connectionshould be established through a plaza,interpretive signage, or other feature(s).

• Remove existing parking areas immediatelyalong the north side of 108 and redesign tocreate open space in front of the existingbuildings.

• Consistent walkways, plantings, lighting, sitefurniture, signage, and materials should beutilized to create a harmonious setting not onlyalong MD 108, but also in surroundingneighborhoods.

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alleyways (i.e. Brooke Road).

• Parking layouts should be clearlylegible, accessible, and easy to use.Avoid varying parking layouts in thesame locations.

• Minimize the number of curb cuts inthe pedestrian environment for parkingaccess.

• Parking lot edges should be screenedfrom streets with the use of landscape,fencing, low walls, or otherarchitectural solutions.

• Parking areas should be well lit and welllandscaped with shade trees to createthe feel of “outdoor rooms.”

• Where possible, the use of permeablesurfaces should be considered.

Economic Performance Indicators

Because the Sandy Spring TIZ work program doesnot anticipate substantial commercial developmentas a result of the heritage area, measuring economicperformance in the TIZ will require a fine grain ofanalysis. The following indicators offer a startingpoint for measuring success in this TIZ:

• Increase in property assessment ofcommercial land along Route 108

• Increase in residential property values inSandy Spring census tracts

• Number of historical attractions open tothe public

• Number of new business start-ups

• Amount of public investment ininfrastructure, landscaping, and publicfacilities in area

• Number of visits to heritage attractions(i.e., Sandy Spring Museum, FriendsMeeting House, Woodlawn, etc.)

Other indicators that might be useful in the futurewith sufficient support for implementation are

• Occupied square footage of retail space in TIZ;

• Pedestrian counts along sidewalks in TIZ area; and

• Number of people using new trails and measures of retail spending of trail users.

• Traffic calming devices, such as bump-outs,planters, and crosswalks can be employed aslandscaping opportunities as well as pedestrianwayfinding and safety improvements.

• Alternative means of transportation,particularly walking, biking, and otherrecreational methods, should be encouraged.

• As recommended in the 1997 Master Plan, adedicated recreational/bike route should beimplemented.

Improve Streetscape and LandscapeEnhancements

• Maintain, embellish, and preserve the rurallandscape character – historical elements,features, and open spaces should be preserved,maintained, and in some cases recreated.

• Create a village green or plaza, which can serveas a community-gathering place while providinga “dumbbell” effect—anchor and linkage withthe village and Sandy Spring Museum.

• Carefully select low-maintenance streetfurniture (lighting, benches, trash receptacles,etc.) that reinforces the historic character andperiod of town.

• Design parameters for other elements, such asbanners, way finding signage, and businesssignage should be implemented to create a“family” of information that is legible and is notimposing on the existing town character.

Provide Public Parking Resources

• The possibility of a consolidated, off-streetpublic parking facility behind the existingvillage buildings should be explored. Very small“parklets” with limited spaces may be feasible aswell between existing buildings throughout thevillage center.

• In general, for new infill buildings, surfaceparking should be located in the rear or behindbuildings. Landscaped walkways can link peoplefrom their cars to the public streetenvironment.

• On street parallel parking should be exploredwhere possible.

• Public and private entities should work togetherto create consolidated parking facilities. Oftenwhen multiple business owners work together, agreater parking yield is achieved.

• Where possible, parking should beaccessed from side access ways or

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One benefit of the Maryland Heritage AreasProgram is the expansion of the HeritagePreservation Tax Credit. The credit can be extendedto certain rehabilitation projects for structures thatare not designated as a historic property (1) within aNational Register or by local law and (2) that arenot located within a local or National Registerhistoric district. Undesignated, National Registereligible properties are permitted to receive the taxcredit only within the TIZ boundaries. Non-historicstructures may be eligible to receive the tax creditwithin the heritage area boundary as a whole if theMontgomery County Heritage Alliance candemonstrate that the rehabilitation will have asignificant effect on the development of the heritagearea. In order to receive the expanded tax credit, aproperty or rehabilitation project must be certifiedby MHAA as contributing to the significance of theCHA.

National Register Eligible Properties

The Alliance should work with state and localhistoric preservationists to determine whichproperties within the TIZs are eligible for NationalRegister listing. The list below provides somesuggested sources for beginning such aninvestigation:

• Properties included in The Underground Railroadin Montgomery County, Maryland: A History andDriving Guide by Anthony Cohen (MontgomeryCounty Historical Society) that are not alreadyincluded on the NRHP or designated locally.

• Properties included in A Walking Tour of theHistoric Sites of Sandy Spring, Maryland by GreaterSandy Spring Green Space, Inc., that are not alreadyincluded on the NRHP or designated locally. Thisincludes the original firehouse on MD 108, whichcould serve as an interesting site for a commercialuse.

• Properties included in the Maryland Commissionon African American History and Culture Inventoryof African American Historical and Cultural Resources(available at http://www.sailor.lib.md.us/docs/af_am/montgoco.html) that are not included in theNRHP or locally designated.

Non-Historic Properties

In order to be considered by MHAA forcertification, a rehabilitation of a non-historicstructure must significantly enhance the cultural,historical, or architectural quality of the heritage

Appendix F:Criteria for Tax Credit Expansion

area and visitor experience. In order to berecommended to MHAA for approval, it must meetthe following conditions of the Montgomery CountyHeritage Area:

Uses

• All uses must support the goals and objectives ofthe MCHA as stated in this plan or subsequent planamendments.

• All uses must be compatible with local existing oranticipated zoning and land use regulations.

• Rehabilitations should create or improve aheritage area attraction (John Poole House, SandySpring Museum) or visitor service (bicycle rentalnear a heritage trail, restaurant near a historicdistrict).

• All uses must be directly or indirectly related toheritage or cultural tourism. Not every use willinclude extensive interpretive activity, but all willsupport the creation and maintenance of a distinctheritage and cultural experience. Some examples ofpermitted uses are listed below (non inclusive):

- Gourmet, organic, or locally owned/operatedfood shops

- Equestrian services, including tack shops andhorseback riding stables

- Local businesses that enhance and reinforcelocal character, including antique shops,boutiques, crafts/artisan products shops, etc.

- Art-related uses, including performance art,fine arts, music, gallery space, and artist/artisansupply stores

- Dining establishments and restaurants withthe exception of fast food chains

- Recreation services, including bicycle rental,retail shops for recreation gear, kayak or canoerental, etc.

- Transportation services within/through theheritage area, including tour buses, car rental,shuttle services, etc.

- Independently owned inns and bed andbreakfasts

• General uses unrelated to heritage tourism willnot be permitted to receive the tax credits unless

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special circumstances render a particular projectimportant to the development of the heritage area.General uses that will not typically berecommended to MHAA for approval under thenon-historic properties tax credit include:

- Gasoline stations and automobile engine/bodyrepair shops

- Most national or major regional, franchise orchain, corporate establishments, including retail,convenience and chain grocery stores, chain drugstores, and fast food chains

- Those uses that would not be used by visitors;for example, general contractors, architects,graphic designers, plumbing, etc.

Characteristics of Physical Improvements

• All rehabilitations must be compatible with thearchitectural, historical, and cultural characterof the area. This includes retaining the scale,massing, setbacks, and architectural character ofthe project’s surrounding streetscape. It alsoincludes designing features that complementexisting historic structures.

• All rehabilitations must meet local permit andreview requirements.

• Projects should eradicate prominent visualblight by significantly improving the conditionof a non-historic structure.

Economic Benefits

Projects must generate economic activity in theheritage area. This may include generation of newjobs, increased tax benefits, and/or greater visitationnumbers.

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CreditsAdvisory Committee

Leo Bassett, Bassett’sTheresa Cameron, Arts and Humanities Council of

Montgomery CountyJulie Carroll, Meadowside Nature Center, Maryland-

National Capital Park and Planning CommissionJudy Christensen, Montgomery Preservation Inc.Tony Cohen, Menare FoundationLyn Coleman, Maryland-National Capital Park and

Planning CommissionPeg Coleman, Pleasant Springs FarmJeremy Criss, Ag Services Division, Montgomery

County Department of Economic DevelopmentDouglas Faris, C&O Canal National Historical ParkSteven Goldberg, Hearthside Antiques & Collectibles,

Inc.Kelly Groff, Conference & Visitors Bureau of

Montgomery CountyDouglas Harbit, Davis-Warner InnMary Kay Harper, Montgomery County Historical

SocietyDebbie Heibein, Sandy Spring MuseumMaria Hoey, Montgomery Preservation, Inc.Nancy Long, Town of Glen EchoDon McCandless, Sandy Spring Meeting of FriendsAnita Powell, Lincoln Park Historical SocietyRod Sauter, Great Falls Tavern, C&O Canal National

Historical Park

Maryland-National Capital Park and PlanningCommission Staff

Gwen Marcus Wright, Historic PreservationCoordinator

Perry Kephart Kapsch, Historic Preservation PlannerSusan Soderberg, Preservation Outreach Planner

Consultant Team

Mary Means & Associates, Inc.Mary MeansLeslie SmithJackie Barton

Economics Research Associates, Inc.William W. OwensDavid Versel

Mahan Rykiel AssociatesAndrew Kalbach

Images

All images provided by consultant team unlessotherwise noted.