The Belt Building is located at the intersection of Diamond and Summit Avenues. It's the oldest commercial property in the city and was built in 1903, after Belt's original building (built in 1879) was lost in a fire. John A. Belt brought his business to town to take advantage of the railroad. By the turn of the century, his emporium was one of the largest in Montgomery County. Belt was an active civic leader in Gaithersburg and his building was the preferred location for lectures, theater, recitals, musical presentations and high school graduations. In later years this building has been home to many businesses - W. Lawson King's Auto Showroom, George Woodfield's Maytag Service, Walker's Grocery, Frank Ciarrachi's Restaurant, Clark's Photography, McMurtray's Floral Arts, Armand's Pizzeria, Summit Station Brewery and currently Growler's.
| Name | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Pat | 4/21/09 | This building was also home of the Olde Towne Tavern. The micro brewery was installed in this incarnation and they still serve fresh on-premises brewed beer on tap at Growlers Pub. |
| Bob Hartley | 5/23/09 | In the early 60's it was called The Plantation Room (bar and restaurant) |
| George C. Ward (Chip) | 9/9/09 | I am relatively certain that this building was also the United States Post Office in Gaithersburg before it moved across the street right next to what was then a grocery store. |
| Bunny King Kowalski | 9/10/09 | Gaithersburg Floral Arts was owned by McMurtry, I think. |
| Joe Brodt | 5/17/10 | Bob, I remember the Plantation Room also. The rumor was...kinda "seedy!". But I was 7-16 years old walking by the building every day. When my Dad was at Diamond Drug, I'm pretty sure they alternated between there and Chris' for a beer. |
| Laurie E | 5/25/10 | My mother told me tales of prostitutes "working" out of the 2nd story of the Plantation Room. During 1 Labor Day Parade I recall them whooping and waving from the 2nd story windows, and being told not to look at them. |
| Robin Gardner | 11/5/10 | I have a photo of my girlfriend, Joann Warnke and I posed in front of this building when it was called "The Plantation Room", around 1970. Priceless photo of us. Great landmark of the real "old town G'burg," not to be confused to the gentrified versions that came to be throughout the past 25 years. |
| Deaner Lawless Jr. | 2/23/11 | Joe, your dad and mine . . . ; ) |
| Nadine (Seibert) Engler | 4/3/11 | I grew up in Derwood and would always ride my bike up through Shady Grove into Gaithersburg. I worked at McMurtry's as a flower designer for about a year when I was in high school. (Magruder class of '80) |
| Nancy McCullough | 8/12/11 | I was told this was the site of a brothel at one point. |
| Robin Talbott Swope | 8/30/15 | I went there for dinner with Mike Ciarrachi when I was in 3th grade! My first date ~1959 |
| Quinn | 10/5/15 | I seem to recall it was something of a second hand book/magazine store in the mid 70's, no? |
| Jeryll Dorsey | 3/29/17 | I'm 65 and at some point, it was liquor store in my childhood! |