Development of the Metropolitan Branch

The opening of the Metropolitan Branch of the B & O Railroad in 1873 began Montgomery County’s transformation into a suburban community.  Entrepreneurs immediately recognized the county’s potential for development, now that the railroad made transportation easier.  Early suburbs such as Forest Glen, Capitol View, Garrett Park, Kensington, and Linden were all built at stops along the Metropolitan line.  People who lived in Washington, D.C. began to move out of the city and commuting to their jobs downtown, taking advantage of the County’s healthy, rural environment for their families.

Housing developments were not the only things designed to take advantage of the new transportation route.  Stores and businesses opened near the stations, for the convenience of travelers (and of the business owners, who received shipments by train).  Hotels and inns were strategically placed adjacent to the line, to entice the weekend traveler.