Boyds, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Boyds, Maryland is an unincorporated
community in rural Montgomery County
, Maryland, located north of Washington, DC. Its ZIP Code
is 20841.
According to the United States 2000 Census, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area
(ZCTA) for the town of Boyds covers an area of 27.54 square miles (71.3 km²) and has a population of 2,025. Black Hill Regional Park, and most notably Little Seneca Lake
, are part of Boyds.
(B&O). He built a temporary village to house construction workers as the B&O built the Metropolitan Branch line after the Civil War
. The railroad line began service in 1873. A mill, stores and other businesses were established in the area after the railroad station opened. The B&O opened a brick railroad station in 1887, and demolished it in 1927 to make way for installation of a second track. A wooden station was built as a replacement, but was later taken down. Passenger train service is still provided at Boyds by the MARC system
.
James Boyd established dairy farms
in the area and lived in the town until his death in 1896.
Boyds has until recently been a predominantly rural area. However, since the 2000 Census, there has been enormous population growth. Large, multi-thousand home developments such as "The Vistas," near the intersection of Route 118
and Richter Farm Road, have rapidly replaced farmland and forest throughout the Germantown and Clarksburg
areas bordering sections of the town.
More recently, there has been some discussion as to the exact southern boundary of Boyds. Survey
maps show that the town's southern boundary runs along Little Seneca Creek
. Since the new multi-thousand home developments lie south of this creek, this means that technically these new communities are part of Germantown. In addition, these communities have long been part of Germantown's Master Plan. So, although, the ZIP code of these new communities continues to be 20841 which is served by the Boyds post office
, they are not actually part of the town of Boyds.
The racial demographics are: 88% white, 4% Hispanic, 7.5% black, 0.5% Asian.
's annual heritage days. The school is currently open to the public the last Sunday of every month, from 1:00-3:00 PM.
road across from the site of the old town hall. It was built by Mr. Will Williams in 1933. The first two grocery stores, as well as the town hall, old Hoyle's Mill, and a hardware store were all destroyed in the development of the surrounding area.
A small post office was located at the back of the country store from the early 1930s until 1974, when it was relocated to a new building on Barnesville road, where it still sits today.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community in rural Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, Maryland, located north of Washington, DC. Its ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 20841.
According to the United States 2000 Census, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area
ZIP Code Tabulation Area
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas are statistical entities developed by the United States Census Bureau for tabulating summary statistics from Census 2000. This new entity was developed to overcome the difficulties in precisely defining the land area covered by each ZIP code...
(ZCTA) for the town of Boyds covers an area of 27.54 square miles (71.3 km²) and has a population of 2,025. Black Hill Regional Park, and most notably Little Seneca Lake
Little Seneca Lake
Little Seneca Lake is a reservoir located near the Boyds community in Montgomery County, Maryland. The lake was created by the construction of a dam on Little Seneca Creek. It was built to provide an emergency water supply for the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, and it also provides a...
, are part of Boyds.
History
The community was named for Colonel James Alexander Boyd (1823–1896), a Scottish immigrant who was a construction engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O). He built a temporary village to house construction workers as the B&O built the Metropolitan Branch line after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The railroad line began service in 1873. A mill, stores and other businesses were established in the area after the railroad station opened. The B&O opened a brick railroad station in 1887, and demolished it in 1927 to make way for installation of a second track. A wooden station was built as a replacement, but was later taken down. Passenger train service is still provided at Boyds by the MARC system
Boyds (MARC station)
Boyds is a passenger rail station on the MARC Brunswick Line between Washington, D.C. and Martinsburg, WV . The station is located west of a bridge over the MD 117-121 multiplex. Parking is available only on the south side of the tracks.-External links:* *...
.
James Boyd established dairy farms
Dairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...
in the area and lived in the town until his death in 1896.
Boyds has until recently been a predominantly rural area. However, since the 2000 Census, there has been enormous population growth. Large, multi-thousand home developments such as "The Vistas," near the intersection of Route 118
Maryland Route 118
Maryland Route 118 is the "main street" and major thoroughfare for the Washington, D.C. suburb of Germantown, MD. It is known over its entire length as Germantown Road, and is commonly called "one-eighteen." It is located in Montgomery County....
and Richter Farm Road, have rapidly replaced farmland and forest throughout the Germantown and Clarksburg
Clarksburg, Maryland
Clarksburg is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Northern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, located along the Interstate 270 technology corridor about 4 miles north of Germantown, MD. As of Census 2010 its population is 13,766....
areas bordering sections of the town.
More recently, there has been some discussion as to the exact southern boundary of Boyds. Survey
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
maps show that the town's southern boundary runs along Little Seneca Creek
Little Seneca Creek
Little Seneca Creek is an stream in Montgomery County, Maryland, roughly northwest of Washington, D.C. The creek drains portions of Clarksburg, Germantown, and Boyds. It rises south of Damascus and flows southward about to Little Seneca Lake, a reservoir created by construction of a dam on the...
. Since the new multi-thousand home developments lie south of this creek, this means that technically these new communities are part of Germantown. In addition, these communities have long been part of Germantown's Master Plan. So, although, the ZIP code of these new communities continues to be 20841 which is served by the Boyds post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, they are not actually part of the town of Boyds.
The racial demographics are: 88% white, 4% Hispanic, 7.5% black, 0.5% Asian.
Boyds Negro School
The Boyds Negro School, located on White Ground Road, was the only public school made for African Americans who lived in the area from 1885-1936. It is also considered a Maryland Historic Site. It is a small, one room school house, containing a small number of desks, a blackboard, and an authentic potbelly stove , as well as a framed picture of abolitionist Frederick Douglas. Subjects taught in the school included spelling, cooking, reading, singing, and weaving. The school was renovated by the Clarksburg/Boyds Historical Society in 1989. They filled the building with furnishings which helped make the school look like it did in the early 1900s. It was renovated again in 2006 when termites caused major damage to the wooden floor boards. It reopened on June 28, 2008, one of Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
's annual heritage days. The school is currently open to the public the last Sunday of every month, from 1:00-3:00 PM.
Boyds Mercantile and Stores
The first Boyds Country Store was opened in 1873 (the same year that the railroad was connected to the town) and run by Mr. James E. Williams. It served not only as a market of goods for both citizens and passers-bye in Boyds, but also as a meeting place for the townspeople in the afternoon. Colonel Boyd built a second store across the road in 1895. It housed the general store and post office on its first floor and a town hall on the second floor along with a dance hall. As time went by, the town hall became smaller and smaller as the building was used for additional purposes until it was finally torn down for salvageable lumber in the early 1940s. In the evenings families would gather on the front porch of the general store; the parents talking and their children playing out on the lawn in front of the store. After the first country store became vacant in 1946, it was bought in an auction by Mr. Brice P. Selby. He was known to often keep his customers on tab, resulting in not much profit for him and his store. However, he was well known as a kind and generous soul. A third store, known as the Boyds Country Market, exists on BarnesvilleBarnesville, Maryland
Barnesville is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It was incorporated in 1888. The population was 161 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Barnesville is located at ....
road across from the site of the old town hall. It was built by Mr. Will Williams in 1933. The first two grocery stores, as well as the town hall, old Hoyle's Mill, and a hardware store were all destroyed in the development of the surrounding area.
A small post office was located at the back of the country store from the early 1930s until 1974, when it was relocated to a new building on Barnesville road, where it still sits today.
External links
- Map of Boyds
- Black Hill Regional Park – Montgomery County Department of Parks
- Boyds Civic Association
- Boyds Historical Society