Derwood, Maryland

Derwood is an unincorporated area of about 15,600 people in east-central Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a relatively dense area. It lies just east of Rockville, south east of Gaithersburg, south west of Olney, and north west of the greater Silver Spring, Maryland area.^[1] Residents of Derwood have the zip code 20855. The area was originally referred to as "Deer Park" and probably became "Deer Wood" which soon turned into "Derwood."

It includes the neighborhoods of Derwood Station (the original Derwood, located in the southwest of the area today), Mill Creek Towne, Needwood Estates, Muncaster Manor, Muncaster View, Hollybrooke, Granby Woods, Park Overlook, Redland, Candlewood Park, Cashell Estates, Avery Lodge, Avery Village, Bowie Mill Estates, Bowie Mill Park, Winters Run, Redland Station, Rolling Knolls, Emory Grove, and Shady Grove Crossing.

Between 2009 and 2011, Maryland Route 200 (also known as the Inter-county Connector or ICC) was constructed directly through central Derwood. Areas that were affected by its construction include Cashell Estates and other areas near Shady Grove Road.

History

Derwood was first recognized in the 1880s as a train stop on the B&O Railroad at the present intersection of Indianola Drive and Maryland Route 355, in the what is now known as the Derwood Station neighborhood.^[2]

A second, larger railroad station was built there from 1886-1889. In the early 1900s, a small community with a store, homes, and a church was thriving in the area surrounding the station. However, because it was located between two larger cities, Derwood did not grow much. Its population leveled off with the invention of the automobile, since people did not need to use trains as much as they did before.

On January 7, 1954, Schwartz Mill caught fire and both it and the Derwood railroad station were destroyed. Derwood station was never rebuilt, since there were not enough passengers traveling through the area.

In 1965, the man-made Lake Needwood was created by impounding Rock Creek, and the lake has become a popular recreation area.

In 1974, the Derwood post office relocated to Redland Shopping Center. It kept the name "Derwood Branch," designating the entire 20855 zip code area as Derwood, thus greatly increasing the size of Derwood from one neighborhood to the present size. This area began to expand in population, especially after the Shady Grove Metro station opened in 1984.

Public schools

Residents are zoned to Montgomery County Public Schools.

Students who are residents of Derwood are either in the Magruder or Richard Montgomery cluster and attend the following schools:

• Elementary Schools
  • Washington Grove Elementary School
  • Mill Creek Towne Elementary School
  • Sequoyah Elementary School
  • Candlewood Elementary School
  • Jack Kitchen Elementary School
  • College Gardens Elementary School
• Middle Schools
  • Redland Middle School
  • Shady Grove Middle School
  • Julius West Middle School
• High Schools
  • Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School
  • Richard Montgomery High School

Geography & Climate

Derwood is located in the South-East part of Montgomery county, it lies in the Atlantic coastal plane, and is not far from the start of the Appalachian highlands. Derwood has a humid subtropical climate similar climate to nearby Washington D.C.. It lies in hardiness zone 7b, with chilly winters, where the daily maximum is mostly above freezing, and the minimum is generally below freezing.

References

1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Derwood, Maryland
2. ^ Short History of Derwood, Maryland

External links

• PDF of Proposed ICC Route

Coordinates: 39°07′02″N 77°09′40″W / 39.11722°N 77.16111°W / 39.11722; -77.16111