Bruce Deppa took a remarkable historical shot that Suzy Deppa shared, providing a rare glimpse of Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village’s scenery in 1964. The colorless photograph depicts a more open, rural environment that has since changed, capturing a period before the region’s current growth.
With annotations identifying the highways’ present names (Quince Orchard Rd., I-270, 355h), the image offers fascinating context for current residents. The picture is noteworthy because it depicts the cloverleaf interchange’s initial design, much of which was later altered to make room for the park-n-ride lot and a new southbound entrance from Clopper Road. The picture also shows the area above Route 355 that would eventually become the Lakeforest Mall.
The current locations of the Motel 6 and Criswell car dealership are indicated in the lower right corner of the picture. Although Gaithersburg High School is also a part of the history of the area, it is not included in the photo’s scope.
For the Deppa family, the picture has special meaning. From 1947 to 1967, Suzy Deppa’s grandparents had a nursery called Country Gardens on the land where the Holiday Inn presently stands. A priceless piece of local history was created when her father, who grew up on the land, shot the picture as a means to record the place.
