Seneca, Maryland

Last updated
Seneca, Maryland
Unincorporated community
Seneca Schoolhouse Museum 09.jpg
Seneca Schoolhouse Museum in Seneca, Montgomery County, Maryland
USA Maryland location map.svg
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Seneca
Usa edcp location map.svg
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Seneca
Coordinates: 39°04′43″N77°20′21″W / 39.07861°N 77.33917°W / 39.07861; -77.33917
Country United States
State Maryland
County Montgomery
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
20834

Seneca is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is located near the intersection of River Road and Seneca Creek, not far from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) and Potomac River. Its history goes back before the American Revolutionary War and it thrived when the canal was operating—having several warehouses, mills, a store, a hotel, and a school. Fighting occurred in the area on more than one occasion during the American Civil War. The community declined as the C&O Canal declined.

Contents

Today (2020), the community uses a Poolesville ZIP code, but is part of the Darnestown census-designated place. The Seneca schoolhouse is a museum, and nearby Riley's Lock and lock house are part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The community is located near the Dierssen Wildlife Management Area and the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. Since 1978, Seneca and additional territory have been part of the Seneca Historic District.

History

Seneca is close to Seneca Creek, sandstone mines, the C&O Canal, and the Potomac River. Darnestown-Seneca 1865.png
Seneca is close to Seneca Creek, sandstone mines, the C&O Canal, and the Potomac River.

The community of Seneca exists in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Seneca Creek near the Potomac River. The creek was once very powerful, and eight of Montgomery County's 44 mills in existence before 1800 were located on this creek or its tributaries. The Seneca Mill, a gristmill, began operation around 1780, and was located on Seneca Creek close to the Potomac River. [1] In 1781, the state of Maryland confiscated the lands of Daniel Dulany the Younger, a prominent Loyalist to the Crown from Annapolis. His land along the Potomac River included a portion along Seneca Creek, and it was sold to help the state pay for the American Revolutionary War. Robert Peter purchased 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) of the Dulany property in Montgomery County, including the land that contained red sandstone. Not far from Peter's property, John Garrett laid out a community in 1787. He called it Newport, and it was located on the west side of the mouth of Great Seneca Creek, on the Potomac River and about 22 miles (35 km) upriver from Georgetown. The Newport name did not last long—the locals called the community Seneca. [2] Robert Peter died in 1806, and his eldest son Thomas inherited land near Seneca including the quarry. [Note 1]

Construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (a.k.a. C&O Canal) along the Potomac River began on July 4, 1828. [6] The canal was necessary because portions of the river were too shallow and rocky for freight boat traffic. By that time, the Seneca Quarry and some nearby land on the Potomac River were owned by John Parke Custis Peter, the eldest son of Thomas and Martha Peter. [5] The canal increased the importance of Seneca, and C&O Canal Lock 24, now known as Riley's Lock, is located where the Seneca Aqueduct carries the canal over Seneca Creek near the community. By 1833, enough of the canal was completed to enable canal service between Georgetown and Lock 24, and further upriver—providing access to new markets for Peter's sandstone quarry. Portions of the canal locks and lock houses were constructed using the quarry's distinctive red sandstone. The same quarry, with its own stone-cutting mill, was used to produce material for buildings in Washington such as the Smithsonian Institution Building. [5] [7] The canal also opened markets for area farmers. John Darby, and his son Upton, purchased the Seneca grist mill in 1855. [8] In addition to milling operations, Darby's company shipped products on the C&O Canal. They had a warehouse on the creek (near Lock 24) and their own canal boats. [9]

Peak and decline

The American Civil War was difficult for the Peter family. Several skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops occurred nearby, including an attack in 1863 that damaged nearby canal infrastructure. [Note 2] After the war in 1866, the Peter family sold the quarry and nearby property to the newly created Seneca Sandstone Company. Upton Darby donated land for a one-room schoolhouse that was built using red sandstone from the local quarry. [13] An 1879 Montgomery County directory lists Seneca as having "public schools and churches in the vicinity". The community also had a store and post office. [14] However, freight traffic on the C&O Canal had already peaked in 1871, starting a downward trend that would end with the canal closing permanently in 1924. [15] As the canal declined, Seneca declined, and the permanent closure of the canal caused Seneca to lose its relevance. [16] [17] The school closed in 1910. [13]

1950s, 1960s, and today

Seneca Creek in 2016, as seen looking north from the walkway on the aqueduct Seneca Creek as seen from the Seneca Aqueduct.jpg
Seneca Creek in 2016, as seen looking north from the walkway on the aqueduct

Seneca was the location of the Mills Cross Array, once the world's largest radio telescope which, in 1955, was used to make the first observations of radio waves emitted from a planet. [18] In this case, the planet was Jupiter, and the discovery led to the growth of a new field of radio astronomy. The Seneca Mill, a gristmill also known as the Darby Mill and later the Tchiffely Mill, was located on the west side of Seneca Creek about 0.5 miles north of River Road. The mill burned around 1956 and the ruins were destroyed when River Road was widened in the 1960s. [19]

In 2021, the radio telescope is gone and the site is now part of the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. A historical marker commemorating the discovery is located on River Road at the management area's parking lot. [18] All that remains of Seneca are a few homes, the schoolhouse as a museum, the store, and ruins of the stone-cutting mill and quarry. The community is still listed by the United States Geological Survey as a populated place. [20]

Geography

Seneca, Maryland, and surrounding area Seneca MD USGS map.png
Seneca, Maryland, and surrounding area

Seneca is a populated place that is not a census-designated or incorporated place having an official federally recognized name. Previous names for the community are Newport and possibly Middlebrook Mills. Seneca is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. [20] The USGS defines a populated place as a place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village). A populated place is usually not incorporated and by definition has no legal boundaries. However, a populated place may have a corresponding "civil" record, the legal boundaries of which may or may not coincide with the perceived populated place. [21]

Seneca is located close to the intersection of River Road (Maryland Route 190), Seneca Road (Maryland route 112), and Rileys Lock Road, east of Great Seneca Creek and north of the Potomac River. The C&O Canal runs along the river, and Riley's Lock is the closest canal lock. The southern portion of Seneca Creek State Park is nearby, as is the Bretton Woods Golf Course. [22] The United States Geological Survey (USGS) lists the community's elevation as 187 feet (57 meters). [20]

Climate

Climate data for Poolesville, MD (same zip code as Seneca)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Average high °F (°C)39
(4)		44
(7)		53
(12)		65
(18)		75
(24)		83
(28)		89
(32)		87
(31)		79
(26)		67
(19)		54
(12)		45
(7)		65
(18)
Average low °F (°C)27
(−3)		29
(−2)		36
(2)		46
(8)		56
(13)		64
(18)		69
(21)		67
(19)		61
(16)		51
(11)		39
(4)		33
(1)		48
(9)
Average precipitation inches (mm)3.7
(94)		4.4
(110)		4.6
(120)		4.4
(110)		5.9
(150)		5.0
(130)		5.4
(140)		5.4
(140)		5.0
(130)		5.6
(140)		3.6
(91)		4.8
(120)		57.8
(1,475)
Source: WeatherWX [23]

Demographics

Darnestown CDP and Seneca DarnestownAndSeneca.png
Darnestown CDP and Seneca

Seneca is part of the Darnestown census-designated place (CDP), an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. The CDP is 17.70 square miles (45.8 km2) with the Potomac River as its southern border and the Muddy Branch as much of its eastern border. Seneca Creek borders portions of its north and west sides. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the Darnestown CDP population was 6,802—and Seneca's population is a small subset of the CDP total. [24] Total land area for the CDP was 16.39 square miles (42.4 km2) out of a total area of 17.70 square miles (45.8 km2). The population density for the CDP was 415.0 inhabitants per square mile (160.2/km2). The CDP had 2,275 housing units at an average density of 138.8 units per square mile (53.6 units/km2). [25] These densities were much lower than county seat Rockville, where the District 4 portion had a population density of 4,403.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,700.1/km2) and a housing density of 1,779.3 units per square mile (687.0 units/km2). [26]

Government

Citizens of Seneca are part of District 1 of the Montgomery County Council. [27] The county council has representatives from each of five districts plus four at-large members. All members are elected at once and serve four-year terms. [28]

Infrastructure

Transportation

River Road at Seneca Road in 2016 2016-10-21 14 11 06 View east along Maryland State Route 190 (River Road) at Maryland State Route 112 (Seneca Road) in Darnestown, Montgomery County, Maryland.jpg
River Road at Seneca Road in 2016

Seneca's major roads are River Road (Maryland Route 190) and Seneca Road (Maryland Route 112). [29] Three Interstate Highways are reasonably close. Maryland's Interstate 270 is a major north–south Interstate Highway for Montgomery County that connects with Washington's Capital Beltway (a.k.a. Interstate 495). [30] Interstate 95 is a major north–south highway for the nation's east coast. Portions of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Metrorail system are located in Montgomery County, and Red Line stations on the west side of the county are closest to Seneca. [31] Among those west side Metro stations with ample parking lots is the Grosvenor-Strathmore station. [32]

Utilities

Seneca's electric power is provided by Pepco (Potomac Electric Power Company), which serves much of Montgomery County, portions of Prince George's County, and all of the District of Columbia. [33] Washington Gas provides natural gas service to residents and businesses. [34] The Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station, a county waste collection facility located in Rockville, is available for drop off of garbage, recycling, and yard debris. [35]

Healthcare

The nearest general hospital is the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville. [36] This medical facility has a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. [37] Adventist Health Care has multiple satellite locations throughout the county. [38]

Education

Darnestown Elementary School in 2020 Darnestown Elementary School.jpg
Darnestown Elementary School in 2020

Seneca is served by Montgomery County Public Schools. Those that live on, or east of, Rileys Lock Road attend Darnestown Elementary, Lakelands Park Middle School, and Northwest High School. [39] [40] Northwest High School is located in Germantown. [41] Those that live west of Seneca Creek attend Poolesville elementary, middle, and high schools. [39] Private schools in the area include Butler Montessori, Mary of Nazareth Catholic School, and Seneca Academy. [42] [43] [44] Bullis School, which serves kindergarten through high school, is located slightly further away on a 102-acre campus in Potomac, Maryland. [45]

Higher education

Montgomery College has a Germantown campus known as the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology. [46] It also has a campus in Rockville and a training center in Gaithersburg. [47] The Universities at Shady Grove is located within North Potomac and offers select degree programs from nine public Maryland universities. [48] Instead of being a university itself, this campus partners with other universities and offers courses for 80 upper-level undergraduate, graduate degree, and certificate programs. The participating universities handle admissions. [49] Johns Hopkins University has a campus in Rockville near the Universities at Shady Grove. [50]

Public library

Two libraries, part of the Montgomery County Public Library system, are located less than 10 miles (16 km) from Seneca. Poolesville Library, also known as Maggie Nightingale Library, is northwest of Seneca in Poolesville. [51] Potomac Library, constructed in 1985 by the county, is located east of Seneca in Potomac. [52] Priddy Library is part of the University of Maryland Libraries system and is located at the Universities at Shady Grove in North Potomac. [53] The Priddy Library opened in 2007 and is available to the public. [54] [55]

Culture

Arts

The Seneca Schoolhouse Museum provides tours to schoolchildren so that they can experience a typical school day as it would have been on March 13, 1880. [56] [57] Glenstone Modern Art Museum is about six miles east of Seneca near the intersection of Travilah Road and Glen Road. [58] [59] The Strathmore Music and Arts Center in North Bethesda has a concert hall and art exhibits. [60]

Recreation

Seneca Creek State Park near Black Rock Mill Seneca Ridge Trail sign.jpg
Seneca Creek State Park near Black Rock Mill

Seneca Creek State Park is an irregular-shaped park of 6,300 acres (2,500 ha) that follows Seneca Creek for 14 miles (23 km) to the Potomac River. The park has 50 miles (80 km) of trails for hiking, horseback riding and biking. [61] [9] Riley's Lock and Violette's Lock are in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, as is the nearby Pennyfield Lock. [62] [63] [64] These locks are used by kayakers, bikers, and hikers, and are also good places to observe wildlife. [65] The 40–acre (16 ha) Dierssen Waterfowl Sanctuary is located at towpath marker 20.0 between Violette's Lock and the Pennyfield Lock. [66] The McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area is located on River Road west of Seneca in Montgomery County, and borders the C&O National Park and Seneca Creek State Park. It is a 1,971 acres (798 ha) tract that provides habitat for deer, turkeys, squirrels, songbirds, and waterfowl. [67]

On the Potomac River, the Seneca Landing Special Park has a boat landing near Riley's Lock. [68] The 630-acre (250-hectare) Blockhouse Point Conservation Park, which has views of the Potomac River and ruins from the American Civil War, is also located along the Potomac River and C&O Canal. [69] The Callithea Farm Special Park is a 91-acre (37 ha) horse farm. [70] The Montgomery County Park System has over 200 miles (320 km) of hiking trails. [71] Among those trails is the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail, which has a 9-mile (14 km) route between Darnestown Road and Blockhouse Point Conservation Park near the Potomac River. [72]

Notes

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Thomas Peter was married to Martha Parke "Patty" Custis, step–granddaughter of George Washington. [3] [4] Thomas and Martha's oldest son was John Parke Custis Peter, who developed the Seneca Quarry and constructed its stone-cutting mill around 1837. He died in 1848, and his eldest son Thomas gained control of the mill. The quarry and mill were sold to the Seneca Sandstone Company in 1866. The company went bankrupt in 1876, causing a minor scandal for former president Ulysses S. Grant. In 1901, the mill was closed permanently. [5]
  2. ↑ On June 27, 1863, 5,000 cavalry troops under the command of Confederate Major General James "Jeb" Stuart crossed the Potomac River near Lock 24. Intent on disrupting Union supply lines, they seized the canal between Locks 23 and 24, and damaged lock gates, drained water from the canal, and burned canal boats. [10] [11] On July 11, 1864, Confederate partisian rangers led by Colonel John S. Mosby crossed the Potomac River and burned the camp of the 8th Illinois Cavalry Regiment, which was at Blockhouse Point about two miles (3.2 km) southeast of Seneca. [12]

Citations

  1. ↑ "Capsule Summary Seneca Creek State Park" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Maryland government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  2. ↑ Scharf 1882 , p. 728
  3. ↑ Peck 2013, Ch.2
  4. ↑ "The Builders of Tudor Place - Thomas and Martha Peter". The White House Historical Association. Archived from the original on 2021-07-19. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  5. 1 2 3 Bisceglio, Paul (2013-04-09). "The Story Behind Smithsonian Castle's Red Sandstone". Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 2022-09-09. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  6. ↑ "C&O Canal versus the B&O Railroad". C&O Canal Trust. Archived from the original on 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  7. ↑ Romigh, Philip S.; Mackintosh, Barry (1979). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal". National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (National Archives). Archived from the original on 2020-07-21. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  8. ↑ Kelly & Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission 2011 , p. 153
  9. 1 2 "Capsule Summary - Seneca Creek State Park" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Maryland Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  10. ↑ "Rowsers Ford". C&O Canal Trust. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  11. ↑ Scott 1889, p. 114
  12. ↑ "Blockhouse Point Conservation Park Master Plan, Proposed Public Hearing Draft - November 2003" (PDF). Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  13. 1 2 Peck 2013 , Ch.1
  14. ↑ Boyd 1879 , p. 142
  15. ↑ "Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park". National Park Service . U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  16. ↑ "Tour of Historic Seneca Maryland with the Historical Society of Washington, DC". DC Preservation League. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  17. ↑ "Tschiffely Mill at Seneca". Gaithersburg Then and Now. Shaun Curtis. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  18. 1 2 "Field of Dreams". National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2021-07-29. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  19. ↑ Brian Cleven, Jeff Maymon, Chris Heidenrich, Dan Grose (2003). "Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Form: Seneca Creek State Park" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. 1 2 3 "Seneca". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. September 12, 1979. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  21. ↑ "USGS Feature Class Definitions". USGS, U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  22. ↑ United States Geological Survey (2021). Seneca (Map). Washington, DC: USGS, U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  23. ↑ "Poolesville Monthly Averages". WeatherWX. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  24. ↑ United States Census Bureau 2012 , p. 44
  25. ↑ United States Census Bureau 2012 , pp. 28–29
  26. ↑ United States Census Bureau 2012 , p. 18
  27. ↑ "Montgomery County Council (map)". Montgomery County Council. Montgomery County Government. Archived from the original on 2020-10-17. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  28. ↑ "Montgomery County Council - About the Council". Montgomery County Council. Montgomery County Government. Archived from the original on 2020-10-17. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  29. ↑ "Darnestown, CDP, Maryland - Place Selection Map". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  30. ↑ United States Department of Transportation & Maryland Department of Transportation 2002 , p. 12
  31. ↑ "Montgomery, Maryland - Washington DC". MD DC Montgomery, Maryland. Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County, MD, Inc. Archived from the original on 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  32. ↑ "Metro System Map" (PDF). Metro System Map. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  33. ↑ "Pepco - About Us". Potomac Electric Power Company. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  34. ↑ "Washington Gas Service Territory". Washington Gas. WGL Holdings, Inc. Archived from the original on 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  35. ↑ "Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station". Department of Environmental Protection of Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County Government. Archived from the original on 2020-05-13. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  36. ↑ "Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center". Adventist HealthCare. Archived from the original on 2020-05-23. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  37. ↑ "Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center Earns Five-Star Rating from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services". Adventist HealthCare. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  38. ↑ "Adventist HealthCare - Locations". Adventist HealthCare. Archived from the original on 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  39. 1 2 Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland) (2021). Address Found - 16800 River Road (Map). Rockville, Maryland: Montgomery County Public Schools. Archived from the original on 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  40. ↑ Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland) (2020). Northwest HS Service Area 2021-2022 (PDF) (Map). Rockville, Maryland: Montgomery County Public Schools Division of Capital Planning. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-17. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  41. ↑ "Northwest High School". Montgomery County Public Schools. Archived from the original on 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  42. ↑ "Butler Montessori". Butler Montessori. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  43. ↑ "Mary of Nazareth Catholic School". Mary of Nazareth School. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  44. ↑ "Seneca Academy". Seneca Academy. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  45. ↑ "Bullis". Bullis. Archived from the original on 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  46. ↑ "Montgomery College Germantown Campus - Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology (PIC MC)". Montgomery College. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  47. ↑ "Montgomery College". Montgomery College. Archived from the original on 2020-03-14. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  48. ↑ "The Universities at Shady Grove - About USG". The Universities at Shady Grove. Archived from the original on 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  49. ↑ "The Universities at Shady Grove - USG at a Glance" (PDF). The Universities at Shady Grove. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  50. ↑ "Johns Hopkins University - Montgomery County". Johns Hopkins University - Montgomery County. Archived from the original on 2020-03-28. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
  51. ↑ "Maggie Nightingale Library". Montgomery County Government. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  52. ↑ Welles 2019 , p. 121
  53. ↑ "The Universities at Shady Grove - Priddy Library". The Universities at Shady Grove. Archived from the original on 2020-05-25. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  54. ↑ Zdravkovska 2011 , p. 135
  55. ↑ "Discover USG - Students & Alumni: The Priddy Library is here to Help You!". The Universities at Shady Grove. Archived from the original on 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  56. ↑ Sheir, Rebecca (2015-03-20). "Kids Live History At One-Room Seneca Schoolhouse In Maryland". WAMU 88.5. Archived from the original on 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
  57. ↑ "Seneca Schoolhouse". Historic Medley District, Preserving the Historic Heritage of Western Montgomery County, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2015-09-30. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
  58. ↑ "Glenstone". Glenstone. Archived from the original on 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  59. ↑ Ramanathan, Lavanya; Hahn, Fritz (2018-10-03). "Going to Glenstone? Here's what you need to know about D.C.'s new must-see art museum". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  60. ↑ Mir, A.; Spivack, Matthew; Mosk, A. (2005-02-06). "Strathmore A High Note For County". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  61. ↑ "Seneca Creek State Park". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Maryland government. Archived from the original on 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  62. ↑ "Chesapeake & Ohio Canal - National Historical Park". National Park Service. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2020-04-16. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  63. ↑ "Riley's Lock & Seneca". C&O Canal Trust. Archived from the original on 2020-09-26. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  64. ↑ "Lock 23 (Violettes Lock) & Dam No. 2". C&O Canal Trust. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  65. ↑ "C&O Canal – Pennyfield, Violette's & Riley's Locks". The Maryland Ornithological Society. Archived from the original on 2020-06-28. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  66. ↑ "Dierssen Waterfowl Sanctuary". C&O Canal Trust. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  67. ↑ "McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 2021-07-19. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  68. ↑ "Seneca Landing Special Park". Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks. Montgomery County, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  69. ↑ "Blockhouse Point Conservation Park & Trails". Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks. Montgomery County, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2020-04-12. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  70. ↑ "Callithea Farm Special Park". Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks. Montgomery County, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  71. ↑ "Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks - Park Trails". Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks. Montgomery County, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2020-04-10. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  72. ↑ "Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks - Muddy Branch Greenway Trail". Montgomery County, Maryland - Montgomery Parks. Montgomery County, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2020-03-17.

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Northwest High School (NWHS) is a public high school in Germantown, Maryland. It is part of the Montgomery County Public Schools public school system. As of 2019, its enrollment was around 2,650 students. It is one of two high schools in Germantown, the other being Seneca Valley High School, with which Northwest shares an athletic rivalry. The school also serves small sections of the cities of Gaithersburg and Darnestown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneca Creek (Potomac River tributary)</span> Tributary of the Potomac River in Maryland, United States

Seneca Creek is a 5.8-mile-long (9.3 km) stream in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, roughly 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Washington, D.C. It drains into the Potomac River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneca Creek State Park</span> State park in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Seneca Creek State Park is a public recreation area encompassing more than 6,300 acres (2,500 ha) along 14 miles of Seneca Creek in its run to the Potomac River in Montgomery County, Maryland. The park features facilities for boating and fishing as well as trails for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding. It is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Route 190</span> Highway in Maryland, United States

Maryland Route 190 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as River Road, the highway runs 15.88 miles (25.56 km) from MD 112 near Seneca east to Western Avenue at the District of Columbia boundary in Bethesda. MD 190 parallels the Potomac River through the affluent southwestern Montgomery County communities of Potomac and Bethesda and connects those suburbs with Interstate 495 (I-495). River Road was paved from Washington, D.C. west through part of Bethesda in the early 1910s. A second section of MD 190 was constructed through Potomac in the mid-1920s. The Bethesda and Potomac portions of the route were unified in the late 1920s. MD 190 was extended west toward Seneca in two steps in 1950 and the early 1970s. The highway was expanded to a four-lane divided highway through Bethesda in the early 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Route 28</span> State highway in Maryland, US

Maryland Route 28 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs 37.38 miles (60.16 km) from U.S. Route 15 in Point of Rocks east to MD 182 in Norwood. The western portion of MD 28 is a rural highway connecting several villages in southern Frederick County and western Montgomery County. By contrast, the eastern portion of the state highway is a major east–west commuter route, particularly within Gaithersburg and Rockville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Route 119</span> State highway in Montgomery County, Maryland, US, known as Great Seneca Hwy

Maryland Route 119 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Also known as Great Seneca Highway, the highway runs 7.47 miles (12.02 km) from MD 28 in Rockville north to Middlebrook Road in Germantown. MD 119 is a four- to six-lane divided highway that connects several residential and commercial neighborhoods in Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Germantown. Great Seneca Highway was planned by Montgomery County in the late 1960s as a local relief route for traffic on parallel Interstate 270 (I-270) between the three communities. By the early 1980s, the highway had become controversial because it was proposed to pass through Seneca Creek State Park. A coalition of civic and environmental groups unsuccessfully pursued litigation to stop the highway. The National Park Service refused permission for the county to build the highway in 1985 but reversed itself two years later, by which time the first segment of the highway in Germantown was nearing completion. The Rockville–Gaithersburg section was completed in 1989 and the controversial segment through the state park was finished in 1990. Almost all of Great Seneca Highway became MD 119 in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneca Quarry</span> United States historic place

Seneca Quarry is a historic site located at Seneca, Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal on the north bank of the Potomac River, just west of Seneca Creek. The quarry was the source of stone for two Potomac River canals: the Patowmack Canal on the Virginia side of Great Falls; and the C&O Canal, having supplied red sandstone for the latter for locks 9, 11, 15 - 27, and 30, the accompanying lock houses, and Aqueduct No. 1, better known as Seneca Aqueduct, constructed from 1828 to 1833.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneca Historic District (Poolesville, Maryland)</span> Historic district in Maryland, United States

The Seneca Historic District is a national historic district located at Poolesville, Montgomery County, Maryland. The district comprises 3,850 acres (1,560 ha) of federal, state, and county parkland and farmland in which 15 historic buildings are situated. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, including Seneca Aqueduct, Lock No. 24, the adjacent lock house; as well as the Seneca Quarry and quarry masters house above the quarry also stand within the district and are also within Seneca Creek State Park. The 15 historic structures are surrounded by dependencies of various periods, in most cases dating from the period of the dwelling. There are slave quarters, smokehouses, springhouses, corn cribs, and tobacco barns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muddy Branch</span> Tributary of the Potomac River in Maryland, United States

Muddy Branch is a tributary stream of the Potomac River in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, located about 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneca Aqueduct</span> United States historic place

Seneca Aqueduct — or Aqueduct No. 1 — is a naviduct that carries the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O) over Seneca Creek in Montgomery County, Maryland. The C&O built eleven aqueducts along its 184.5 miles (296.9 km) length. Seneca Aqueduct is a unique structure, not only being the first built, but also the only red sandstone aqueduct on the C&O−and the only aqueduct that is also a lock. It is located at the end of Riley's Lock Road in Seneca, Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennyfield Lock</span> Lock on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in Travilah, Maryland, United States

The Pennyfield Lock and lockhouse are part of the 184.5-mile (296.9 km) Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that operated in the United States along the Potomac River from the 1830s through 1923. The lock, located at towpath mile-marker 19.7, is near River Road in Montgomery County, Maryland. The original lock house was built in 1830, and its lock was completed in 1831.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swains Lock</span> Lock on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in Travilah, Maryland, United States

Swains Lock and lock house are part of the 184.5-mile (296.9 km) Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that operated in the United States along the Potomac River from the 1830s through 1923. It is located at towpath mile-marker 16.7 near Potomac, Maryland, and within the Travilah census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland. The lock and lock house were built in the early 1830s and began operating shortly thereafter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riley's Lock</span> Lock on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in Darnestown, Maryland, United States

Riley's Lock (Lock 24) and lock house are part of the 184.5-mile (296.9 km) Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that operated in the United States along the Potomac River from the 1830s through 1923. They are located at towpath mile-marker 22.7 adjacent to Seneca Creek, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The lock is sometimes identified as Seneca because of the Seneca Aqueduct that carried the canal over the creek to the lift lock. The name Riley comes from John C. Riley, who was lock keeper from 1892 until the canal closed permanently in 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneca Creek Greenway Trail</span> Hiking trail along Seneca Creek in Maryland

The Seneca Creek Greenway Trail is a 24.2-mile (38.9 km) long trail that runs along Seneca Creek from the Potomac River to Watkins Mill Road, with some parts maintained by the state of Maryland and some parts maintained by Montgomery County, MD

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muddy Branch Greenway Trail</span> Hiking trail along Muddy Branch Creek in Maryland

The Muddy Branch Greenway Trail is a 9 miles (14 km) long natural surface trail that runs from the Potomac River to Darnestown Road in Montgomery County, MD. The trail runs near the course of Muddy Branch, a tributary stream of the Potomac River that originates in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violette's Lock</span> Lock on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal

Violette's Lock is part of the 184.5-mile Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that operated in the United States along the Potomac River from the 1830s through 1923. It is located at towpath mile-marker 22.1, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The name Violette comes from Alfred L. "Ap" Violette and his wife Kate, who were lock keepers from the beginning of the 20th century through the permanent closure of the canal in 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darnestown Presbyterian Church</span> Historic 19th Century Presbyterian church in Darnestown, Maryland, United States

The Darnestown Presbyterian Church dates back to the 1850s, and is located in Darnestown, Maryland. It is a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation and a member of the National Capital Presbytery. Behind the church building is a cemetery with the graves of many of the early settlers of western Montgomery County, and some of the local roads and villages are namesakes of members of those pioneering families. The first European landowner in the Darnestown area was Ninian Beall, who settled around 1749. Some Beall family members are buried in the church cemetery.

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