A significant way to see the changes to Rockville is through maps. Not all maps show the same information, but by comparing maps over time, and looking for the landmarks that remain the same, we can see how the City transformed from the early part of the century through Urban Renewal. These maps focus on the section of the City affected by Urban Renewal and highlight some of the changes.
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Orienting on Maps
Orienting on Maps
This modern map of Rockville shows the approximate area affected by Urban Renewal. The Red Brick Courthouse was outside the Urban Renewal Area, and was untouched, although there were changes to the landscape around it. It is marked with a green star here and on the maps below. The Farmers Bank Building (now owned by Montgomery History) at the corner of W. Washington St. and E. Montgomery Ave. is the oldest building in the downtown area. It was built in 1929 and was also undisturbed during Urban Renewal. The location is marked with a blue star on the maps below to help with orientation.
image from Library of Congress
1949 Sanborn Insurance Map
1949 Sanborn Insurance Map
This Sanborn Insurance Maps shows the approximate area affected by Urban Renewal. It contains a lot of information about the buildings. These maps include the materials used to construct the building - wood, brick, concrete, how many stories it had, and other information.
Two things that we can learn quickly from this map are the different orientations of the streets, and also the variety of materials used in buildings in Rockville's downtown.
1960 Sanborn Insurance Map
1960 Sanborn Insurance Map
In this version of the map, we can see some changes to the town are already happening unrelated to Urban Renewal. The Grey Courthouse has a new extension facing South Washington Street. There is a shopping center on North Washington Street, which has replaced the small businesses that were there in 1949.
Despite these changes, many of the buildings are still the same, and they are now older.
image from Library of Congress
A Changing Map
A Changing Map
There were many different proposals on how to update and modernize Rockville's downtown. The planners wanted a clean slate to eliminate the odd shaped lots and chaotic mix of buildings. They also wanted to realign the streets to help with the traffic problems which plagued the town.
This undated version of one of the plans shows a proposed realignment of roads. This version was not the final but illustrates how "changing the map" was the only way they could see for a new and modern downtown.
Rockville 1970
Rockville 1970
This map of the City of Rockville is dated 1970. This map illustrates a transition between old and new Rockville. The buildings on Perry Street are still standing, but the mall, represented by "UR Parking Garage", has replaced the many buildings and oddly shaped lots shown on older maps
The alignment of the streets still does not match our modern map, but Commerce St, and E. Montgomery Ave. have all been replaced by a redeveloped downtown.
Rockville Today
Rockville Today
This map shows the configuration of streets and buildings in Rockville in 2024. Although the main structure of the Rockville Mall was demolished after it closed in 1983 , one portion of the mall still stands today. The remaining piece, which is marked here with a red star, is located at 255 Rockville Pike. If you take the pedestrian bridge to the Rockville Metro station you cross a plaza which was part of the Mall structure.
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