rustic roads & waterways
Preserving rural Heritage for Future Generations
By Heidi Schlag
If Mouth of Monocacy Road could talk , it would tell of Native American trading posts and ferries transporting settlers west . Enterprising Americans innovating travel by canal and rail . Farmers towing wagons of grain to market , and a century later , fishermen towing boats to the Potomac . The narratives of ordinary people are etched into the roads crisscrossing the county . Ensuring these roads — and the stories they tell — are preserved is the mission of the Rustic Roads program , an initiative of the Montgomery County Council . One hundred fourteen roads have been designated as Rustic Roads or Exceptional Rustic Roads through this program , meaning they have been recognized for historic and scenic characteristics reflecting their rural origins and the agricultural landscape of the county . The majority of the Rustic Roads lie in the Agricultural Reserve .
“ Rustic Roads preserve our history and are living experiences of a simpler , slower way of life ,” said Barbara Hoover , a member of the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee . “ That is often difficult find in the fast-paced , over-scheduled world we live in now .”
Marked by a distinctive green and blue logo on brown road signs , Rustic Roads are unique in their attributes . These paths remain relatively untouched by modern life , their narrow routes carrying local travelers . The frequent absence of center lines or shoulders cues drivers to slow down and absorb the surrounding beauty .
When you do , you will see flora , forests , and stream valleys ; magnificent farm landscapes ; and historic landmarks .
Exceptional Rustic Roads earn their title through their extraordi-
Martinsburg Road , with its stone walls and one-lane concrete surface , is designated as an Exceptional Rustic Road .
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