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The 10.33-square-mile municipality, located in the center of Montgomery County, can be called a high-technology business hub.

It also is the home of Olde Towne, a historic downtown area featuring shops, offices and restaurants that is undergoing a revitalization effort.

Before it was Gaithersburg, residents called the area Log Town. Then in 1802, Benjamin Gaither built the first house in what is now Gaithersburg, and the town's name was changed shortly after. The Gaither family also helped to bring the railroad to the city in the 1850s.

Gaithersburg, with an estimated population of 60,376, operates under a council-manager form of municipal government.

The city manager is appointed by the five-member City Council and serves as a city employee. The manager acts as the city's chief executive officer and answers to the mayor and council concerning city affairs.

The mayor and City Council are elected officials who serve staggered four-year terms. The mayor serves as the president of the City Council and offers his input without voting on the issues.

Other municipalities around Gaithersburg include Washington Grove, with a population of 530 at the edge of East Diamond Avenue, and Laytonsville, an incorporated town with a population of about 330 north of Gaithersburg.

The original full name of Washington Grove was the Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association of the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Although the town leaders do not know when the name was shortened or why that name was chosen, they believe it is related to how the town was founded as an outdoor religious summer camp. Washington was probably chosen because the majority of the people who founded the camp were from Washington, D.C., churches, and "grove" was chosen to advertise that meetings would be held in a place filled with trees.

Laytonsville was established in 1789 on a tract of land granted to James Brooke. It was originally known as Cracklintown, named after the popular cracklin bread — bacon corn bread — that was baked locally. Laytonsville received its current name after the local post office was moved to John Layton's saddle shop. The town was incorporated as a municipality in 1892.

Government
City Hall
31 S. Summit Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
301-258-6300
www.gaithersburgmd.gov
Gaithersburg's mayor and City Council meet at 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month. The council also meets at 7:30 p.m. for work sessions on the second and fourth Mondays. Gaithersburg also has many commissions and councils that play a vital role in the community's decision-making process.

Local officials
Mayor: Sidney A. Katz
City Council: Jud Ashman, Cathy Drzyzgula, Michael A. Sesma, Henry F. Marraffa Jr., Ryan S. Spiegel

Local services
Parks, Recreation and Culture
301-258-6350

Police
301-258-6400

Neighborhood Services
301-258-6340

Human Services Division
301-258-6395

Other area governments and citizen groups
Darnestown Civic Association Inc.
14100 Darnestown Road
Darnestown, MD 20874
President:
Lisa Patterson-Troike
301-548-0999
www.darnestowncivic.org
Members who pay an annual fee of $25 per individual or family can vote during meetings.
Meetings are held quarterly at 7:30 p.m. usually on the second or third Thursday of March, June, September and December in the Darnestown Presbyterian Church on Turkey Foot Road.

Washington Grove
McCathran Hall
300 Grove Ave.
Washington Grove, MD 20880
301-926-2256
www.washingtongrovemd.org
Town Clerk: Kathy Lehman
Washington Grove holds annual elections. The mayor serves a one-year term and council members serve three-year staggered terms.
Mayor: Darrell Anderson
Town Council: John Compton, Charles Challstrom, Joe Clark, Georgette Cole, Kathie Evans and Marida Hines.
Town Council meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays.

Laytonsville
P.O. Box 5158
Laytonsville, MD 20882
301-869-0042
www.laytonsville.md.us
Town Clerk: Cathy Buit
Five council members oversee government affairs in Laytonsville. Elections are held annually and officials serve two-year staggered terms.
Mayor: Charles W. Oland
Town Council: Frank Bennett, David Preusch, Charles Bradsher, Jim Ruspie.
Town Council meets at 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday at Town Hall, 21607 Laytonsville Road. Work sessions are at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday at Town Hall.

Local organizations
Gaithersburg Coalition of Providers
301-258-6395
Meets quarterly in various locations in the city. The coalition is Gaithersburg's umbrella organization for nonprofit groups. The coalition is also part of the Upper Montgomery Assistance Network, a group that coordinates all the nonprofit groups in the upcounty.

Gaithersburg/Germantown Jaycees
301-230-4930
www.ggjaycees.org
Meets 7 p.m. the third Monday of December and the fourth Monday of every other month at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 S. Frederick Ave.

Gaithersburg Lions Club
301-926-0023
Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday at Growlers Brew Pub, 227 E. Diamond Ave. P.O. B ox 3898, Gaithersburg, MD 20885

Mid-Montgomery County Kiwanis Club
301-279-2540
Meets 6:30 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Bowl America, 1101 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg.

Gaithersburg Rotary Club
240-361-3103
Meets 12:15 p.m. Tuesdays at Gaithersburg Hilton, 620 Perry Parkway

Gaithersburg Area Newcomers Club
301-926-9259
www.geocities.com/gancmd
Meets at 10 a.m. the second Friday at various locations in Gaithersburg.

Gaithersburg Community Museum
9 S. Summit Ave.
301-258-6160
www.gaithersburgmd.gov/museum
Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.
Free admission to museum.

Izaak Walton League of America
Lois Green/Sligo Chapter
301-330-5970
www.lgsc-iwla.org
Meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Thursday at 8721 Snouffer School Road.

Laytonsville Historical Center
301-926-2131
wolffmad.com/laytonsville
The center is open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall, 21607 Laytonsville Road.

Laytonsville Lions Club
www.laytonsvillelions.org
Meets the second Thursday at Mount Tabor Methodist Church in Etchison and the fourth Thursday at St. Paul Bartholomew Episcopal Church in Laytonsville.

Montgomery Central Derwood Lions Club
301-869-2884
Meets 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday at the Outta the Way Cafe, 17503 Redland Road.

MOMS Club of Gaithersburg
301-330-6632
Meets 10 a.m. the third Friday at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, 610 S. Frederick Ave.

MOMS Club of Laytonsville
301-253-1095
momslaytonsvillemembership@yahoo.com
www.geocities.com/momsclublaytonsville
The MOMS Club of Laytonsville meets monthly for open houses, and also offers playgroups. For specific meeting times, call 301-253-1095.

Seneca Valley Sugarloafers Volksmarch Club Inc.
301-990-8831
Meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Wednesday at Shady Grove Hospital.

Local schools
The Gaithersburg area is served by the Gaithersburg, Watkins Mill, Quince Orchard, Northwest, Wootton and Magruder clusters. For a full list of schools, see page 30.

Police
Gaithersburg has its own police department. John King is police chief. Gaithersburg is also served by the county's Germantown District Station and the Gaithersburg District Station. For police stations, see page 11.

Fire services
Served by Gaithersburg-Washington Grove, Rockville and Laytonsville volunteer fire departments. For a full list of stations, see page 20.

Libraries
The Gaithersburg and Quince Orchard libraries are part of the county library system. For a full list of libraries, see page 22.

Business
The area is served by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. For a full list of chambers, see page 14.