Ongoing Projects
In Progress | On the Horizon | Completed
In Progress
Darby Store Stabilization
The Darby Store was built in 1910 and operated by the Darby family for over 60 years. The store served the surrounding community by selling a variety of dry goods, feed, and 
groceries. Ledgers and artifacts retrieved from the building reveal its history over time. An archaeological investigation conducted in 2009 and 2010 provided additional understanding of the site.
The building is being moved back 27 feet from the intersection where it currently rests and will be placed on a new foundation. This effort will preserve the structure and prevent additional damage to the building caused by nearby traffic.
Following completion of the move, the structure will receive a new roof and will be painted. Additional stabilization and rehabilitation work is expected to be undertaken over the next few years. Discussions on the future use of the store are on-going. Any new use will include a display of historical artifacts associated with the Darby Store.
Josiah Henson Special Park
The Josiah Henson Special Park Master Plan was approved and adopted by the Planning Board on December 2, 2010. Facility planning with our Park Development Division is now underway to develop a preliminary design for this museum facility. For more information, visit the project web page.
Woodlawn Stone Barn Visitor Center Project
Montgomery Parks is currently working to convert the historic Woodlawn Stone Barn located in the Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park into a visitor center. The new visitor center will pay tribute to the Quakers and the Underground Railroad experience in Montgomery County. For more information, visit the project web page.
Programs
Brainard Warner House
Montgomery Parks has been working closely for several years with the Town of Kensington to develop plans for this historic site. The Planning Board will be presented with a 35% Schematic Design for the house and 15% Design Concept for the grounds in July 2011. Current plans include the demolition of the non-contributing wings that were constructed in the 1950s, the rehabilitation of the house for office space, and the construction of an addition to house archeology and aquatics laboratories needed by Parks. For more information, visit the project web page.
On the Horizon
Zeigler Log House Rehabilitation & Interpretation
The historic Zeigler House is open for public interpretive tours seasonally only two to three times per year. It features exhibits about the Zeigler family and their farming and milling activities. Check the Parks Events Calendar for dates. The house is an ongoing rehabilitation project.
The Zeigler House is a log and frame structure that was the home of David A. Zeigler, a miller and farmer of 300 acres. The house was built in two campaigns. The rear section, constructed of logs in 1823, is the earliest part of the house. The Greek Revival/Italianate front section dates from the mid-19th century. The family’s saw and bone mill once stood at the bottom of the nearby hill on Prescott Road. Zeigler and his wife Eleanor Hyatt married in 1835 and raised ten children in the house. In an 1850 census, Zeigler was also listed as an ‘innkeeper.’ The property also contains a frame bank barn and a concrete-block dairy barn.
Completed
Seneca Stone Barn Stabilization
Montgomery Parks completed the stabilization of this historic structure located in Woodstock Equestrian Park in the summer of 2009. This project received the 2010 Montgomery County Executive's Award for Historic Preservation.
The barn features interpretive signs and is open to the public on special occasions only. Check the Parks Events Calendar for dates. Hikers and equestrians are welcome to stop by and learn more about the area’s agricultural and equestrian heritage. For more information about the stabilization process, visit the project web page.
back to top - Last update June 16, 2011
Montgomery County Department of Parks