March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor girls’s contributions to our nation’s historical past. Montgomery County, Maryland was dwelling to a number of internationally, nationally, and regionally important girls, making this a fantastic vacation spot for girls’s historical past buffs and guests alike. Take the chance to rejoice by visiting historic websites, attending in-person and digital occasions, and by supporting native women-owned companies all month lengthy.
Sites To Visit
Tour the Clara Barton National Historic Site
5801 Oxford Road, Glen Echo, MD 20812
A nurse who based the American Red Cross and supplied medical care to troopers in the course of the Civil War, the heroic Clara Barton is remembered for dedicating her life to serving to these in want. The Clara Barton National Historic Site in Glen Echo is notably the primary nationwide historic web site in the nation devoted to the accomplishments of a girl. It sits on 9 acres of land and contains the 38-room residence the place Barton lived for the final 15 years of her life. The residence additionally served as an early headquarters and warehouse of the American Red Cross.
Free guided excursions of the primary flooring of the house can be found on the hour from 1-4 p.m., Friday-Sunday. Please be aware that the second and third flooring are at the moment closed to the general public.
Explore the Rachel Carson Conservation Park
22201 Zion Road, Olney, MD 20833
Rachel Carson was a marine biologist, conservationist, and creator of the pivotal e-book Silent Spring, which finally contributed to the development of the worldwide environmental motion. Carson referred to as Silver Spring dwelling throughout the previous couple of years of her life, and he or she spent her time in Montgomery County finding out numerous environmental threats, reminiscent of pesticides and different spraying applications involving dangerous chemical substances.
Her ardour for nature and the surroundings lives on via the Rachel Carson Conservation Park. Named in her honor, the park is without doubt one of the county’s premier conservation areas and contains six vibrant miles of pure floor trails which are good for mountain climbing, strolling, working, and exploring.
Pick Your Own Bounty at Butler’s Orchard
22222 Davis Mill Road, Germantown, MD 20876
Shirley “Mrs. B” Butler, a Silver Spring native, and her husband George bought the unique 37 acres of what’s now Butler’s Orchard. They opened their Germantown farm to the general public in the Fifties and had been often called the originators and pioneers of “choose your personal” produce companies that at the moment are wildly standard throughout the nation. Today, Butler’s Orchard presents greater than 25 styles of fruits, greens, flowers, timber, and herbs to choose, and hosts many family-friendly occasions all year long.
Butler was the proud matriarch of her household. She oversaw each part of improvement and development on the farm, educating and nurturing second and third-generation Butler kids into the household enterprise. She by no means actually retired and was usually noticed out on the farm on her golf cart together with her beloved canine Dakota by her aspect.
Fun reality: There are 492 girls farmers in Montgomery County. They make up 48% of the overall agricultural producers in the county.
Get a Taste of Anna Maria Weems’ Journey on the Underground Railroad Experience Trail
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
16501 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Anna Maria Weems was born into slavery in Montgomery County in 1840. She is thought for gaining her freedom by dressing like a person and risking her life to flee. On September 23, 1855, she ran away to Washington, DC, and crafted an escape plan with family members she reconnected with, after being separated from them early in her life. She then traveled to Philadelphia by carriage and met William Still, a principal conductor on the Underground Railroad who helped her get to Brooklyn. On the ultimate stretch of her lengthy and exhausting journey, she traveled by practice to Canada to satisfy her aunt and uncle, who settled there years earlier. Weems was a free lady and referred to as Canada dwelling for the rest of her life.
There are many others with tales just like Anna Maria Weems’ harmful journey to freedom. Visit the Underground Railroad Experience Trail at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park to expertise the liberty seekers’ journeys firsthand throughout a guided hike that lets you comply with the trail they took to the North.
Women-Owned Businesses To Support
Here are a couple of of the various women-owned companies in Montgomery County to help throughout Women’s History Month and all yr lengthy.
St. Veg
14929 Shady Grove Road, Unit M, Rockville, MD 20850
St. Veg specializes in homestyle vegan cooking in a fast-casual surroundings. They are dedicated to the advantages of plant-based consuming and environmental sustainability. In 2021, the City of Rockville honored them with the Outstanding Leadership in Environmental Practices Award for his or her low-environmental-impact menu.
The Family Room
6820 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Laytonsville, MD 20882
The Family Room isn’t your common retail store; it’s a place to come back collectively and name dwelling. In addition to providing delicious native ice cream, espresso, and small bites, in addition they promote household and life-style items produced by greater than 30 Maryland makers.
Maryland Women’s Business Centers’ Shop Local Retail Incubator
36D Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850
The Maryland Women’s Business Center’s Shop Local Retail Incubator helps help native women-owned small companies succeed by offering free mentorship, entry to a brick-and-mortar retail house at their storefront in Rockville Town Square, and extra. The entrepreneurs featured in the shop specialize in dwelling items and handcrafted merchandise.
