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1945 Map of Gaithersburg

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Gaithersburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Gaithersburg and its surrounding Montgomery County landscape are captured here in a period of transition, documented by the U.S. Forest Service and USGS just as postwar expansion began to reach this part of Maryland. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad corridor serves as the primary developmental axis, anchoring the town and nearby Washington Grove. To the north and west, the map reveals a more agrarian character defined by numerous small settlements and family-named localities such as Prathertown, Stewart Town, and Brink.

The terrain is deeply dissected by the Great Seneca Creek system and its many tributaries like Magruder Branch and Whetstone Run. These watercourses dictated the placement of early infrastructure, including the Pumping Station and several stream crossings. Notable land uses of the era include the Asbury Home, the County Airport, and a Landing Strip, reflecting the mix of traditional institutions and emerging modern services in this rural-to-suburban landscape.