Quince Orchard, Gaithersburg, Maryland Explained

Quince Orchard, Maryland
Type:	Neighborhood of Gaithersburg
Coordinates:	39.1182°N -77.2513°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Type1:	State
Subdivision Type2:	County
Subdivision Name2:	Montgomery
Subdivision Type3:	City
Subdivision Name3:	Gaithersburg

Quince Orchard is a neighborhood of the U.S. city of Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States, located on the western outskirts of the city.

Geography

Quince Orchard is located south of Kentlands, right on the western city limits of Gaithersburg. The intersection of Darnestown Road and Quince Orchard Road is the epicenter of Quince Orchard.

History

The area has been known as Quince Orchard since at least 1885.^[1] Quince Orchard has had its own post office since at least 1899.^[2]

McDonald Chapel, now called Pleasant View Church, was dedicated in 1903. It was named after the late Rev. W.A. McDonald, who began the movement leading to the building of the church.^{[3] [4]}

In 1984, the Montgomery County Council voted to build Quince Orchard High School in order to reduce crowding at Gaithersburg High School, and it allocated $20 million for its construction in 1984.^{[5] [6] [7]} The school was expected to have 1,680 students upon opening, and it was designed to have a capacity of 2,000 students.^[8] In 1987, a group of parents asked the Board of Education to name the school Potomac Falls High School instead, but the Board of Education decided to name it Quince Orchard High School because it was being built on Quince Orchard Road.^[9] Construction costs ended up totaling $26 million by the time the school opened on September 6, 1988.^[10]

Education

• Quince Orchard High School
• Quince Orchard Library
• Rachel Carson Elementary School

Notes and References

1. "Montgomery County Schools". The Baltimore Sun. September 5, 1885. p. 6.
2. "Maryland Postmasters". The Baltimore Sun. January 10, 1899. p. 2.
3. "Maryland Briefs: Condensed Special Dispatches from the State". The Baltimore Sun. May 5, 1903. p. 10.
4. "Montgomery County Maryland Religious Establishments". Montgomery County Historical Society. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
5. Brisbane, Arthur S. (November 23, 1984). "Upcounty Montgomery: Unfulfilled Promises Thwart Residents Upcounty Reality Falls Short of Promises County Turns to New Focus for Growth". The Washington Post. p. A1.
6. Melton, R.H.; Spolar, Chris (December 20, 1984). "Montgomery Executive To Chop School Fund: $100 Million to Be Cut in Bond Program". The Washington Post. p. C1.
7. McAllister, Elisabeth (April 11, 1985). "2 Upcounty High Schools Approved". The Washington Post. p. MD2.
8. "School Board Actions". The Washington Post. May 23, 1985. p. MDA4.
9. "School Board Actions". The Washington Post. November 26, 1987. p. M4.
10. Goldstein, Amy (August 24, 1988). 21st Century School Awaits Pupils; Montgomery County's Newest Facility Accentuates High Tech. The Washington Post. August 24, 1988. p. A1.