ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

The Montgomery County Department of Public Works grew from a fledgling organization of various roads and facilities maintenance groups into the modern Department of Transportation which was created in 1972. The history of the Department of Public Works has been marked by thr continuous shifting of responsibility between the state and county. Throughout the nineteenth century, the Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners exercised primary authority over road projects county-wide, a function inherited from the colonial levy court. In fact, the Commissioners spent a preponderance of meeting time discussing road maintenance. Citizens frequently charged the Commissioners with favoritism in the distribution of contracts and generally viewed the system as corrupt.

As early as the 1870s, citizens, especially County farmers, pushed for road improvements. In 1874 the Maryland General Assembly passed a law authorizing the County Commissioners to "lay out new roads and to close, alter, and improve old roads, with power to employ an engineer, appoint road supervisors, and generally manage the system of public roads within the County." The Office of the County Engineer first came into existence at this time.

However, between 1898 and 1933, the state gradually assumed control of all County road functions in Maryland for financial reasons. County roads fell into disrepair during the 1890s as a direct result of the popularity of the railroads as a preferred means of transportation. Deteriorating road conditions led to the establishment of a Good Roads Movement within the County. Proponents of road improvements included farmers' clubs, bicycle leagues, and private citizens, such as Samuel Moor Shoemaker who asked the state legislature to finance a study of the roads system by impartial experts. In 1899, Montgomery County had 790 miles of unimproved roads surfaced with stone, gravel, or macadam.

In 1904, the Maryland General Assembly responded to citizens' petitions and provided $200,000 annually to the counties on a matching basis for the construction of macadam roads. Although the County received state aid, the County retained ownership of the roads as well as primary financial responsibility for their upkeep. The creation of a State Roads Commission in 1908 marked the beginning of the centralization of road maintenance under the state's auspices. As a result, the County no longer maintained its own highway engineer. In 1910, however, the office of County Road Superintendent for Montgomery County was authorized, and once again the County had its own engineering office.

In 1927, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) was created to "integrate and co-ordinate the functions of the geographic areas defined by law with reference to the planning and execution of road and park programs; the zoning of residential business and recreational areas; waterways and waterfronts," and "to exert pressure on those primarily responsible for road and street improvements within the commission's defined area to plan and execute such improvements according to a uniform plan of development." The result of the MNCPPC's creation was greater confusion within the transportation administration of the county.

Throughout the 1930s, Montgomery County roads and streets were maintained by three separate governmental agencies: the State Roads Commission, the Montgomery Board of County Commissioners, and various utility companies. In 1931, the office of the County Roads Engineer was created and the previously existing office of Montgomery County Road Superintendent was abolished. However, the law explicitly defined the function of the County Engineer as merely an agent operating under the direct instructions of the Board of County Commissioners. It was also the operating practice of the County Commissioners to exercise supervision over road maintenance in their respective districts. In 1933, Montgomery County once again transferred authority over its road system to the State Roads Commission because it could not support the attendant financial burden of the program during the Depression.

In 1939, the Board of County Commissioners again took back from the state primary responsibility over the maintenance and construction of County roads. However, even after the passage of the 1939 law, the state retained influence in transportation affairs since funds available to the County often came from state-collected revenues. The 1939 law stipulated that the County "maintain a 'roads department' with a competent roads engineer in charge as a prerequisite to exercising initial control over construction work on roads financed from the County's share of the 'lateral' gasoline tax fund."

Throughout the 1940s, primary responsibility for Montgomery County road projects was located in the County Engineering Department headed by a County Roads Engineer. According to the 1941 Brookings Institution survey, The Government of Montgomery County Maryland, the lines of authority and responsibility running between the County Engineer and the Board of County Commissioners were confused and procedures for the creation of new roads convoluted.

As the County became increasingly suburbanized in the 1950s and 1960s, transportation needs escalated. The Department was responsible for planning, designing, and constructing roads, walkways, street drainage, and parking facilities. The Department also acquired rights-of-way, issued necessary permits, and inspected road and drainage projects undertaken by developers throughout Montgomery County. As a result of the 1972 reorganization of county government, the Department of Public Works was subsumed into the Department of Transportation. The newly created department took over all the public works activities except for solid waste management, and the former Bureau of Refuse Collection and Disposal became a part of the Department of Environmental Protection.

PROCESSING PROCEDURES

General processing procedures consisted of discarding duplicates, unnecessary binders, and routine transmittals. Oversized documents and photographs were removed from the original location in their assigned series and placed in separate containers. Separation sheets were inserted in the original location within the folder to indicate the new location of any records placed elsewhere.

Preservation copying of newspaper clippings was performed whenever feasible. Records in folders were arranged, unless otherwise indicated, in forward chronological order, with undated records appearing at the end of the folder.

PROVENANCE

Not applicable.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The records of the Department of Public Works contain the earliest records of the Montgomery County Department of Public Works, Office of the Board of County Commissioners, and the County Engineer's Office. The records comprise 4 cubic feet and date primarily from 1935 to 1956 and include contracts, maps, blueprints, construction specifications, citizens' petitions, public hearing transcripts, and some photographs. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence and memoranda between the department director, County Manager, engineers, County Commissioners, attorneys, and citizens. Records detail the planning, design, and construction of County roads, sidewalks, street drainage, and parking facilities.

The record group has been arranged into three series:

Series I: County Commissioner's Projects

Series II: County Engineer's Projects

Series III: Photographs

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Series I: County Commissioner's Projects, 1935-1943 (1.3 cu. ft.)

This series consists of contracts, maps, blueprints, and construction specifications for various road, storm drainage, and right-of-way projects authorized by the Board of County Commissioners. Areas covered include Bethesda, Brookmont, Chevy Chase, Gaithersburg, Kensington, Laytonsville, Silver Spring, and Takoma Park.

The series is arranged alphabetically by town, subdivision, and project title.

Series II: County Engineer's Office Projects, 1937-1956 (2.7 cu.ft)

This series contains the records of the County Engineer's Office. Project areas include Barnesville, Bethesda, Brighton, Burtonsville, Cabin John, Laytonsville, Olney, Cedar Grove, Cedar Heights, Chevy Chase, Clagettsville, Clarksburg, Colesville, Damascus, Darnestown, Derwood, Gaithersburg, Goshen, Garrett Park, Kensington, Poolesville, Potomac, Silver Spring, Somerset, Takoma Park, Travilah, and Wheaton. Record types found in this series include correspondence, topographical maps, and plats.

The series is arranged alphabetically by area.

Series III: Photographs, ca. 1939-1942 (1 folder)

The photographs document the progress of various projects and neighborhood subdivisions, and also include one aerial photograph.

The photographs were transferred to Record Group 19, Audiovisual.

Series I: County Commissioner's Projects

Box 1

Bethesda-Battery Park/Huntington: Custer Road, 1939-1940

Bethesda-Bradley Hills: Fairfax Road, 1937-1938

Bethesda-Bradley Hills: Storm Sewer, 1938

Bethesda-Bradley Hills: Wessling Lane, 1939-1940

Bethesda-Edgemoor: Clarendon Road, 1940-1941

Bethesda-Glen Cove: Saratoga Avenue, 1937-1938

Bethesda-Greenwich Forest & Lambeth Road, 1935-1941

Bethesda-West Chevy Chase Heights: Pearl Street, 1941-1942

Brookmont-Broad Street, 1941-1942

Chevy Chase-Crestview: Allan Road Extension, 1939-1941

Chevy Chase-Crestview: Bayard Boulevard, Crescent Street, Leroy Place, Westway Drive, 1937-1939

Chevy Chase-Kenwood: Dorset Avenue, 1939

Chevy Chase-Rollingwood: Thornapple Street, 1939-1940

Gaithersburg-Goshen Bridge over Whetstone Run, 1936

Kensington-Kensington Parkway, 1940-1943

Kensington-Kensington Parkway Correspondence: Public Support, Petitions, 1940

Kensington-Lincoln Avenue/Country Road, 1939-1940

Laytonsville/Unity Road, 1941

Silver Spring-Blair Selim Road, 1938, 1940

Silver Spring-Branwell Park: Becker Avenue/Oscola Avenue, Wire Avenue, 1939-1940

Silver Spring-Colesville Road/Willow Avenue; Chicago Avenue/Violet Place, 1939-1941

Silver Spring-Fairway: Rogart Road, 1941

Silver Spring-Fenton Street and West Drive, 1938

Silver Spring-Highland Park: Caroline Avenue, 1940-1941

Silver Spring-Jordan and Smith's Addition Alley, Lee's Addition Alley, 1936-1938

Silver Spring-Thayer Avenue, 1941

Silver Spring-Wayne Avenue, 1941

Silver Spring-Woodside: Garfield Place/Street, Locust Grove Road, 1936-1940

Silver Spring-Other Street Projects (Bonifant Street/Thayer Street area), 1937-1940

Takoma Park-Flower Avenue Park: Garland Avenue, 1940-1941

Takoma Park-Flower Avenue Park: Greenwood Avenue and Erie Avenue, 1940-1942

Box 2

Takoma Park-Flower Avenue Park: Holstein Avenue, 1942

Takoma Park-Flower Avenue Park: Hudon Avenue, 1940-1941

Takoma Park-Flower Avenue Park: Kennebec Avenue, 1940-1941

Takoma Park-Flower Avenue Park: Prospect Avenue Front Footage, 1940-1941

Takoma Park-Roger's Subdivision: Greenwood Avenue (front foot benefit), 1941-1942

Takoma Park-Takoma Avenue: Bridge over B & O Railroad, 1942

Takoma Park: Other Street Projects, 1937-1941

General, 1939-1943

Barnesville, 1946

Bethesda: Battery Park (Glenbrook and Goddard Roads), 1939-1940

Bethesda: BCC High School through Bradmoor, 1939-1951

Bethesda: Bradley Hills, 1939-1952

Bethesda: Edgemoor, English Village, 1940-1951

Bethesda: Georgetown Village; Glen Cove, 1938-1950

Bethesda: Glenbrook Village, 1939-1948

Bethesda: Highland Park, Hillmead, 1939-1951

Bethesda: Huntington Terrace; Huntington, 1939-1951

Bethesda: Locust Hills through North Bethesda Grove, 1939-1952

Bethesda: Old Georgetown Estates through Tulip Hill, 1939-1951

Bethesda: Westboro, 1939-1951

Bethesda: Westbrook, 1939-1950

Bethesda: West Chevy Chase Heights, 1939-1947

Bethesda: Wisconsin Avenue (including side streets from Cedar Lane to Bethesda Avenue, 1939-1953

Bethesda: Wisconsin Avenue traffic signals, 1939-1941

Bethesda: Wisconsin Avenue dedication plats/right-of-ways, 1941-1950

Box 3

Bethesda: Wisconsin Avenue (plats, memos, correspondence, etc.), 1948-1950

Bethesda: Woodacres; Woodhaven, Torktown Village, 1939-1952

Bethesda: Woodmont, Old Georgetown Road toGlenbrook Road Drainage, 1939-1951

Brighton, Laytonsville, Olney, 1939-1949

Burtonsville: Road near Liberty Grove Methodist Church, Columbia Pike, 1939-1942, 1952

Cabin John, 1941-1952

Cedar Grove/Cedar Heights [Kings Valley Road], 1946

Chevy Chase: Chevy Chase Park/Terrace/Village; Crestview, 1939-1952

Chevy Chase: Drummond, Dunlop Hills, Friendship Heights, Rock Creek Forest, Rolling Hills,

Tarrytown, Sumner, White Hall, 1938-1954

Chevy Chase: Martin's Addition [Meadow Brook Village], 1937-1954

Clagettsville: Clagettsville - Brownsville Road, c. 1940

Clarksburg: Cedar Grove - Kingsley Road; Miles Corner - Comus Road, 1937-1952

Clarksburg: Clarksburg - Lewisdale Road and Nealsville - Burdett Road, 1945-1946

Colesville: Commonwealth Farm; Leibig, 1939, 1941-1942

(See also Silver Spring for other subdivisions within Colesville area)

Darnestown: Black Rock Mill Bridge, 1944-1946

Derwood: Derwood and Redlands (or Redland) Roads, 1940-1945

Gaithersburg - Goshen: Goshen Road, 1945-1952

Garrett Park, 1938-1952

Kensington: Kensington Heights, Kensington Hermitage, Kensington Park, Kensington

Terrace, Kensington View, North Kensington, Rock Creek Hills, Swarthmore Terrace,

1939-1952

Poolesville: Jerusalem Road, Poolesville High School, White's Ferry Road, Edwards

Ferry Road, 1939-1949

Potomac: River Road (folder 1 of 2), 1937-1947

Potomac: River Road (folder 2 of 2), 1948-1949

Potomac - Travilah: Tuckerman's Lane, New Cut Road, Glen Road (North and South), Glen

Mill Road, Glen Road - Kilgour's Bridge, Brickyard Road, Green Branch Road,

Persimmon Tree Road, 1937-1952

Box 4

Rockville: Contents include Lux Manor, Fairgrounds, Horner's Lane, Tilden Lane,

Grandin Street drainage, Courthouse parking lot, North Washington Street

relocation, 1939-1952

Silver Spring: Birgfeld Tract (Cowles Broadcasting Company), closing Creston Way,

South Birgfeld Drive, Birgfeld Drive, Branwell Park, Buckingham Terrace, Compton

Street, Burnt Mills, Capitol View, Cissel's Addition, Cloverly, 1939-1951

Silver Spring: Drumelda Hills, Easley, Four Corners, Franklin Knolls, Gabel, Glen

Haven, Hardin Street (downtown Silver Spring?), Hickey - Offut (Washington Avenue),

Hillandale, Kalmia Road, Lindon Forest, 1938-1953

Silver Spring: Evanswood (Ellsworth Drive), 1942-1950

Silver Spring: Fairway (including Country Club Park/View) and Fairway Hills, 1939-1951

Silver Spring: Forest Estates, Forest Grove, 1939-1952

Silver Spring: Forest Glen, Forest Glen Park, Forsyth (Forsythe) Avenue, 1939-1950

Silver Spring: MacDonald Knolls, McNeills Addition, Montgomery Hills, Montgomery Hills

Forest, Montgomery Knolls, New Hampshire Estates, Norbeck/Bel Pre, North Washington

Shopping Center, North Woodside, Oakview, Paint Branch Farms, Montgomery Blair

High School, 1939-1952

Silver Spring: Quaint Acres, Rueth's Addition, Riley's Estate, Roeder's Addition, Rosemary

Hills, Sligo Park Hills, Sligo Park Knolls, Sligo Terrace, Springbrook, Springbrook Forest,

Stearman's Park, The Valley, Silver Spring Park (Alley plats: Thayer, Sligo, Silver Spring

Avenue), 1939-1956

Silver Spring: Woodmoor, 1939-1951

Silver Spring: Woodside and 16^th Street Village, 1939-1949

Silver Spring: Woodside Forest, Woodside Hills, Woodside Knolls, Woodside Park, 1939-1954

Somerset, 1950-1954

Takoma Park: East Silver Spring Elementary School and Takoma Park Junior High School

(Folder 1 of 2), 1939-1951

Takoma Park: East Silver Spring Elementary School and Takoma Park Junior High School

(Folder 2 of 2), 1939-1940

Takoma Park: Kilmarock, Neff Tract, Roger's Subdivision, Rolling Terrace, Long Branch,

1939-1950

Takoma Park: Flower Avenue Park (Kennebec & Flower Avenues), 1939-1943

Wheaton: Connecticut Avenue Estates, Glen Allen, Glenhaven, Glenmont, Glenmont Hills,

Glenmont Village, Triangle Park, Veirs Mill Village, Wheaton Hills, Old Towne Wheaton,

1940-1952

Wheaton: Plyers (Plyer's) Mill road (including Stephen Knolls Subdivision), 1939-1951

Other Street Projects: Bethesda and Silver Spring lateral roads, 1944-1945

Other Street Projects: Montgomery County - WSSC storm drainage, 1942-1945

Other Street Projects: General, 1938-1942