North Potomac

History

Captain John Smith explored the Potomac River in 1608 and mapped the area, including land that would become Montgomery County. The first settlements were established in 1688, and were near Rock Creek and what became Rockville. The next stage of settlements was further west along the Potomac near Darnestown and Poolesville. The land had been occupied by Native Americans of the Piscataway Confederation. Originally, the land around present-day North Potomac was used by European settlers to grow tobacco and corn. During the 19th century, a network of roads, mills, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (a.k.a. C&O Canal) provided farmers with better access to markets. Dufief Mill Road, which runs through the center of North Potomac, leads to the DuFief Mill (established 1850)—one of the mills that were used by farmers in this part of Montgomery County. By 1840, much of the county's soil was depleted. Quakers began introducing improved farming practices and agriculture was revitalized. By 1860, farmers were growing corn, wheat and oats. In 1878, present day North Potomac was still farmland. The nearest general stores and post offices were in Hunting Hill, Travilah, and Darnestown. The Hunting Hill Post Office and general store was located on Darnestown Road between Muddy Branch Road and Travilah Road, and it also provided wheelwright and blacksmith services. It operated from 1873 until 1929. Travilah, located closer to the canal, had a general store but no name in 1878. The Travilah Post Office was established in 1883, and the community eventually took that name. Eventually, some of the farmland was sold. During the Great Depression, some farmers became eager to sell their land because of financial hardship. Wealthy individuals began buying property in the Potomac area as part…

Geography

As an unincorporated area, North Potomac's boundaries are not officially defined. However, the United States Census Bureau recognized a North Potomac in the 1970 census, and then as a census-designated place (North Potomac CDP) in every census since 1990. As of the 2010 census, North Potomac is located north of the Potomac River in west central Montgomery County, roughly from Washington, D.C. It is bordered to the north by Gaithersburg, which lies beyond Maryland Route 28 (Darnestown Road). Rockville, along Glen Road, is on the east border, while the Travilah CDP, mostly along Travilah Road, forms the southern border. The Darnestown CDP along Jones Lane and Turkey Foot Road forms the western boundary. Between the 1990 and 2000 census, North Potomac gained and lost land. The loss was caused when a portion of the North Potomac territory, plus Potomac territory, was used to create the Travilah census designated place. The United States Geological Survey lists two features in Montgomery County with North Potomac in all or part of their name. The North Potomac Census Designated Place is listed with an elevation of , while the North Potomac Populated Place has an elevation of .{{#tag:ref|The North Potomac CDP has a latitude of 390544N and a longitude of 0771414W, while the North Potomac Populated Place has a latitude of 390458N and a longitude of 0771554W. There are four distinct seasons, with winters typically cold with moderate snowfall, while summers are usually warm and humid. July is the warmest month, while January is the coldest. Average monthly precipitation ranges from about . The highest recorded temperature was and the lowest recorded temperature was . There is a 50 percent probability that the first frost of the season will occur by October 21, and a…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  136,940
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  114,054
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  99,017
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  94,417
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  92,528
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  89,498
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  88,906
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  88,486

Largest nearby schools

• Walter Johnson High
  High · Bethesda · 2,942 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• Wheaton High
  High · Silver Spring · 2,599 students · 16.6:1 ratio
• Northwest High
  High · Germantown · 2,484 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Gaithersburg High
  High · Gaithersburg · 2,436 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• Richard Montgomery High
  High · Rockville · 2,390 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• Clarksburg High
  High · Clarksburg · 2,251 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Seneca Valley High
  High · Germantown · 2,239 students · 14.5:1 ratio
• Winston Churchill High
  High · Potomac · 2,234 students · 18.6:1 ratio