Quince Orchard Shopping Center (now called Potomac Valley Shopping Center) was built in 1969. The first shops opened in 1970 and included a Safeway and a People's Drug as the two anchor stores. The People's Drug store actually had a soda fountain inside. Other businesses included Tool Shed Hardware, University National Bank, Pizza Barn, High's Dairy and Quince Orchard Dry Cleaners. In the mid-1980s, I remember my father bringing our TV to the TV repair guy located in this shopping center. You don't see many of those around anymore. Eventually, the Safeway became Fuddruckers and then Rockafellas. The People's became a CVS, which is now Montgomery County Liquor. Archived Comments
The Orchards neighborhood entrance off Darnestown Road – 1972 and today. Archived Comments
These photographs show Darnestown Road, looking towards Rockville. This entire area was known as Hunting Hill. The red signpost that used to display the Butcher's Block sign in the 1980s is still there. Today, most of the old houses further up the road have been demolished to make way for "luxury" townhomes.
At the SE corner of Darnestown and Travilah Roads sat an old general store built and operated by Elva E. Magruder Davis from 1929 until her death in 1978. Davis was born and raised at this intersection and her father, Elmer Magruder, ran a general store on the other side of Darnestown Road during the late 1800s. Davis was well-known in the Hunting Hill area for her work ethic and stance against encroaching development. Today, a Trader Joe's stands on the site. Archived Comments
