Gaithersburg encompasses ten square miles in Montgomery County. Its initial claim to fame was the huge Forest Oak on the property of Benjamin Gaither, for whom the town was named in the early 1800's. The tree lived for over three hundred years until uprooted by a storm in 1997.
Also of historical interest is the Gaithersburg Observatory, built in 1899 as part of an international network and contributing significant findings in the field of astronomy until the 1980's when it was rendered obsolete by the computer age. With a long history of scientific achievement, Gaithersburg attributes its exponential growth in the last fifty years to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, earning the city the epithet of "Science Capital of the United States."
Gaithersburg's population of over 58,000 ranks it the third largest city in Maryland. Combining small town ambience with urban accessibility, it has three stops on the MARC Brunswick line. The median household income is $60,000, with owner-occupied housing averaging $171,000. Gaithersburg includes several examples of the New Urbanism, a movement begun in the 1980's to plan "walkable" communities incorporating a wide range of housing and employment. Kentlands,Lakelands and Washingtonian Center are examples.
Gaithersburg's school system includes sixteen elementary schools, nine middle schools and five high schools. Its Parks and Recreation Department includes Bohrer Park, which houses an activity center, fitness center and water park. Gaithersburg has numerous sports leagues for children and adults, as well as a senior center, aquatic center, skate park and miniature golf course. The Arts Barn houses a theater, exhibition gallery and studios for artists in residents.
To learn more about this unique city or view current residential properties on the market, contact Lavina Samtani at 240-506-1620.
