Montgomery County is located along the southern border of Maryland. It is bordered on the south by the Potomac River, with Washington, D.C. on the other side of the river. Part of the District of Columbia comprises its eastern border, with Prince George's County completing the border. Howard County occupies the land to the north and Frederick County lies to the west. The National Mall in Washington, D.C. is 8 miles from the towns of Bethesda and Silver Spring in the county. Baltimore is 32 miles away and Annapolis is 44 miles.
The 2000 census for Montgomery County recorded 873,346 residents living on 495.52 square miles. That translates to a population density of 1,760 persons per square mile. With a population increase of just over 11 percent in 10 years and no change in the land area of the county, the population density has increased to its current ratio in 2010 of 1,962 persons per square mile.
Some of the larger towns in Montgomery County include Rockville, the county seat, and Bethesda, home to the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine and National Naval Medical Center. The town of Sandy Spring was founded by the Quakers in 1725 and today boasts many buildings with historical architecture, including the Friends Meeting House constructed in 1817. The meeting house is still in use today for religious services. The town of Silver Spring is home to the National Capital Trolley Museum which preserves the heritage of trolleys in the nation's capital.
Numerous attractions are located within Sugarloaf Mountain, a privately owned conservation/recreation area in Montgomery County. One such attraction is Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, the closest vineyard and winery to the nation's capital. It occupies 92 acres near the Frederick County line offering tours, wine tastings for its Bordeaux-style products and other events. You can identify the vineyard by its red barn, silo and windmill. Stop by Heisler Farm in the fall for homegrown pumpkins, squash and apples at the farm stand. Experience art work at both Sugarloaf and Morningstar studios. Art of Fire offers the experience of hand-blown glass along with glass blowing classes. Most of the businesses are part of Countryside Artisans of Maryland (countrysideartisans.com) that sponsor self-guided tours three times a year.
