history sites, woodlands, and fields. The town centers have historic buildings and small shops. At heritage sites, you’ ll find stories about dairy farming, segregated schools, hands-on history, and plenty of park trails and boat rentals.
n UpCounty eastern Ag Reserve
UpCounty Western Ag Reserve
n C & O Canal National Historic Park. https:// www. nps. gov / choh / index. htm n C & O Trust Canal Quarters. https:// canalquarters. org n Poolesville Chamber of Commerce. https:// poolesvillechamber. com n Historic Medley District. https:// www. historicmedley. org
UpCounty Central Ag Reserve
n Rustic Roads. https:// montgomeryplanning. org / planning / transportation / highway-planning / rustic-roads / n Sugarloaf Regional Trails. https:// sugarloafmd. com / trail-maps / n Germantown Historic District. https:// www. heritagemontgomery. org / locations / germantown-historic-district / n Button Farm Living History Center. https:// www. buttonfarm. org n Boyds Historical Society. http:// www. boydshistory. org n Seneca Creek State Park. https:// dnr. maryland. gov / publiclands / pages / central / seneca. aspx
Sandy Spring / Olney. As you travel along the I-97 corridor, you’ ll come across small towns with lively arts scenes, museums, and parks. The Sandy Spring area— including Brookeville, Olney, and Laytonsville— has great places to eat and drink, Black history museums, theaters, art galleries, and an agricultural history museum. These towns still show their Quaker farming roots, with well-preserved old buildings and historic roads. Each town is surrounded by parks with hiking trails that pass by mill ruins and follow local rivers. If you’ re heading south, stop at the transportation museum and enjoy a trolley ride.
UpCounty Eastern Ag Reserve
n Montgomery Parks. https:// montgomeryparks. org n Patuxent River State Park. https:// dnr. maryland. gov / publiclands / pages / central / patuxentriver. aspx n Freedman State Park. https:// dnr. maryland. gov / publiclands / Pages / central / Freedmans. aspx n Sandy Spring Slave Museum. https:// www. sandyspringslavemuseum. org n Sandy Spring Museum. https:// www. sandyspringmuseum. org n Olney Theater Center. https:// www. olneytheatre. org
( top left)
Autumn Events and Festivals
n Annual Harvest Festival. First Saturday in October, Agricultural History Farm Park n Poolesville Day. September 19, Town of Poolesville n Oktoberfest Season. Mid-September- October, Countywide n Tubman Day at Button Farm. Mid-September, Button Farm Living History Center n Countryside Artisans Tour. October 2- 4 and December 4-6, Throughout the Agricultural Reserve n Germantown October Fest. October 10, BlackRock Center for the Arts n Mid Atlantic Antique & Garden Festival. November 6- 8, Aix la Chapelle Farm
Fall color in the Town of Brookeville( top left) and sculptures by local artists throughout the Agricultural Reserve, including at Sandy Spring Museum, showcase the area’ s distinctive blend of history, creativity, and rural beauty.