Day 242 - Washington Grove in the Spring

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

My mother's wisteria "tree"

Freight train rollin' by

My mother called me this morning.  She was on her way to a ladies' luncheon, carrying armloads of flowers from her yard and those of her neighbors.  She is responsible for the table decor, and what could be better than fresh spring flowers?  Anyway, she lives on the outskirts of Washington Grove near Gaithersburg, and she said that if I wanted to capture the beauty of spring in the Grove, I'd better hurry.

One of the Grove homes

So when your 83-year-old mother tells you to hurry, you go.  I parked at her house on Oakmont Street, and the first photo I took was of the towering tree in her yard that is engulfed with wisteria blossoms.  It is a magnificent specimen; people drive by to take photos all the time.

Even the street signs are quaint.

I walked down the street to the train depot, just as a freight train was rolling by.  After it left, I crossed the tracks and entered the "town within a forest" known as Washington Grove.

Another cottage home

Maryland Life Magazine recently named Washington Grove as one of Maryland's most endangered places.  Here is a quote from the magazine:  "Founded in 1873 as a Methodist camp meeting ground, the unincorporated Washington Grove was designed to be a town 'with a different spiritual intention from the outer world.' Two forest preserves, grassy walkways, and a lack of thru-traffic give the community a unique, peaceful feel. However, encroaching development and efforts to rezone the surrounding area threaten to shatter that peace, permanently altering Maryland’s only 'town within a forest.'”   

Wisteria on the fence

 Washington Grove's paved streets are either through roads to get from one part to another, or to get in and out by car, but most of them run along the backsides of homes, providing alley passages to get to garages.  If you want to see the fronts of the homes, you need to walk along the unpaved "walk only" paths, shaded by towering oak trees.

Maple against oak against blue sky

These things were in bloom:  azaleas, lily of the valley, lilacs, bluebells, Jacob's ladder, viburnum, dogwood, flox, violets, tulips, wisteria, and even a few leftover bluebells.  I walked among the quaint houses and the woodland pathways, just soaking up the uniqueness of this area.

Honeysuckle Bush

At the end of my walk I met Jim, who told me how much he loves living here.  He and his wife moved to Washington Grove from New York two years ago after he retired, but he did admit to me that he does not quite know what to do with himself.  I told him he should take up photography, because he would never lack for material in such a beautiful place.

Blue Heaven

I left Washington Grove and crossed over the tracks again, stopping for lunch at the newly renovated Hershey's Restaurant, a mainstay in Washington Grove for more than 50 years.

This window is for sale!

If you plan to visit Washington Grove, park at Hershey's Restaurant, cross the tracks, and explore the village on foot.  Plan to spend at least an hour.  It is the best way to enjoy the quaint beauty this place has to offer.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Email:  cam.miller@comcast.net

Cam's rules for the Daily Photo Walk:

1. walk every day
2. the walk must be in addition to any other planned activity for the day
3. post a photo every day
4. use whatever camera is easy and convenient for walking comfortably; always have a backup camera at the ready in case of mishaps (I use the Nikon Coolpix P7700)
5. no weather excuses
6. walk only where it is safe to do so