Gaithersburg

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The Gaithersburg area, as we’re defining it, included 20 historic Black communities large and small. Methodist and Baptist churches served as the heart of these communities, as they did in the rest of the county. These churches provided spiritual sustenance, a community that prayed, ate, played, and served the community together, and even, early on, as a place where community disputes could be heard and resolved.

There were only a few Baptist churches in the county, including Jerusalem in Poolesville, Poplar Spring in what is now North Potomac, Mount Cavalry in Rockville, and others. However, 40 Methodist churches were founded, linking communities by shared camp meetings held for three weekends in August every year. Each meeting was sponsored by a connected group of churches called charges. The Rockville charge in the early 20th century included Emory Grove United Methodist, Brooke Grove Methodist Episcopal, Jerusalem/Mt. Pleasant, Fairview, Mt. Zion, Howard Chapel, Quince Orchard, Brownstown and Seneca. Family and friends would come from around the county and even from other states to pray, sing, feast and enjoy the strength found in community and faith.

Brooke Grove

Laytonsville, Md

In 1870, the Black congregants of the local Methodist church broke away to start their own church, where they would not be required to sit in the balcony and to take communion after the whites had finished and left.

“In this period of slavery and drudgery, they (Black people) were permitted to unite with the White people in the public worship of God at old Goshen Church. As the years rolled on, the strong continued to oppress the weak, the master continued to crush the slave until Ethiopia stretched forth her hands to God and from every section of this country the pleadings and cries of broken hearted fathers, mothers and children went up as one man’s prayer until God was moved upon His throne and spoke the word thus far shalt thou go and no further. Soon the war clouds of slavery disappeared and the sunshine of freedom suddenly dawned upon the face of the country. Truly it was a day of rejoicing for every heart of the Black race.”

—Rev. Howard Brooks, 55th Anniversary of Brooke Grove Church

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Archival photo courtesy of Goshen UMC

Cooper's Lane

Norbeck, MD

If you have more information or a story about this community, please contact us!

Archival photo courtesy of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)

Emory Grove

Gaithersburg, Md

"We (Emory Grove) were really the hub of activity for a long time and the community is famous for a camp meeting that happened from the mid-1800s until about 1960....The people of Emory Grove had the power to bring speakers, ministers, singers and worshippers from all along the East Coast, and there were thousands of people who celebrated for many, many years."

—Carolyn Taylor, Emory Grove descendent

Emory Grove was part of the "Chitlin' Circuit." Before integration, African Americans entertained in African American communities. So Ray Charles...

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Martinsburg

Etchison (connected with Fairview & Ragtown)

, Md

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Fairview (connected with Etchison and Ragtown)

Owensville

, Md

Fellowship

, Md

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Sellman

Froggy Bottom

We can't find any information on this community. Please contact us if you have any stories to share!

Turnertown

King Fish

Location, Md

We can't find any information on Thompson's Corner. Please contact us if you have any stories to share!

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Owensville

Metropolitan Grove

Gaithersburg, MD

Sellman

Mt. Pleasant (linked with Norbeck)

Derwood, MD

Turnertown

Newmantown

Derwood, MD

The Newmans came from Virginia and had been enslaved near Bull Run. Like Sarah Gibson of Gibson Grove, Albert and Mary were released at the battle of Bull Run and fled north. By 1879 they had worked and saved enough money to buy 36 acres from the Pooles in Derwood, eventually building three homes for family members there. The Newmans lived there for almost a century, traveling the three miles by horse and wagon to the Mt. Zion church and on foot weekdays to the Griffith school.

The marker notes that Morton Newman became noted in the county for his knowledge of orchard fruits, especially the apple, peach, sour cherry and peach trees that grow well in this region. The family, like other Black families in the county, sustained themselves with backyard vegetable gardens and raised their own hogs and chickens.

The Newmantown community has been torn down to create the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood. At that time the buildings had fallen into disrepair. Plaques explain the history of the Newman family and homecomings are still held there regularly.

For more information, see the historic marker information here: (https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=197859), or visit the farm park.

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Plowtown

Owensville

Gaithersburg, MD

Plummer's Meadow

Gaithersburg, MD

Sellman

Prathertown

Gaithersburg, MD

Turnertown

Ragtown (linked with Etchison & Fairview)

Gaithersburg, MD

Rothtown (Rosstown?)

Owensville

Gaithersburg, MD

Rt. 124

Gaithersburg, MD

Sellman

Stewartown

Gaithersburg, MD

Turnertown

Tea Rose

Gaithersburg, MD

Waters

Owensville

Gaithersburg, MD

Woodpecker's Rest (connected with Stewartown)

Gaithersburg, MD

Sellman

Goshen United Methodist Church sanctuary, Gaithersburg

Poplar Grove Baptist Church (old and new buildings), North Potomac

The Role of the Church

The Gaithersburg area, as we’re defining it, included 20 historic Black communities large and small. Methodist and Baptist churches served as the heart of these communities, as they did in the rest of the county. These churches provided spiritual sustenance, a community that prayed, ate, played, honored the ancestors, and served the community together, and even, early on, as a place where community disputes could be heard and resolved.

There were only a few Baptist churches in the county, including Jerusalem in Poolesville, Poplar Spring in what is now North Potomac, Mount Cavalry in Rockville, and others.

However, 40 Methodist churches were founded, linking communities by shared camp meetings held for three weekends in August every year. Each meeting was sponsored by a connected group of churches called charges. Emory Grove United Methodist was part of the Rockville Circuit, whose charge included Brooke Grove Methodist Episcopal Church, Jerusalem/Mt. Pleasant, Fairview, Mt. Zion, Howard Chapel, Quince Orchard, Brownstown and Seneca. Family and friends would come from around the county and even from other states to pray, sing, feast and enjoy the strength found in community and faith.

Turnertown

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References

Buglass, Ralph. 2025. “Montgomery County, Maryland’s Historic African-American Communities,” Communities, Benevolent Societies, Baseball teams. Montgomery History. https://montgomeryhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Montgomery-County-African-American-communities.pdf.

Clarke, Nina H., and Lillian B. Brown. 1978. History of the Black Public Schools of Montgomery County, Maryland, 1872-1961. D.C., Washington: Vintage Press.

Heritage Emory Grove. c. 2025. “Heritage Emory Grove History. https://heritageemorygrove.org/about-heg/.

Montgomery History. 2023. “Black Baseball in Montgomery County.” The Montgomery County Story: Montgomery County's Periodical for Historical Research 66, no. 1 (Spring): 10-17. https://mchdr.montgomeryhistory.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/6b1816dc-a8ae-49db-b6fb-eff25aa220d2/content.