Derwood

On a crisp autumn day in 1886, a small Victorian Gothic structure arose near the intersection of Indianola Drive and what is now Maryland Route 355. This marked the birth of the second Derwood station, a vital component in the burgeoning village of Derwood. Derwood had already seen the establishment of a post office in 1883, but the arrival of the Metropolitan Branch of the B&O Railroad truly ignited the community’s growth. The railroad, affectionately nicknamed the “Met,” snaked its way through central Montgomery County, connecting Washington D.C. to Point of Rocks. Derwood, a previously quiet crossroads with a blacksmith shop and post office, found itself transformed into a bustling hub. Designed by E. Francis Baldwin, the architect for the B&O Railroad’s Baltimore Division, Derwood station was no grand edifice. Yet, this modest board and batten structure, costing a mere $682.55, became the heart of Derwood. The station served as a passenger stop, a freight and baggage depot, and even an office for local farmers and dairies to manage their goods. The B&O Railroad even constructed a dedicated siding near the station for Schwartz’s Mill, a prominent flour mill built in 1887. This three-story mill, situated on Chieftain Avenue, became a key element of Derwood’s economy, alongside the railroad and local agriculture. Derwood’s growth brought the need for housing, resulting in a collection of turn-of-the-century vernacular homes. These simple dwellings accommodated the station workers, mill hands, and farmers that fueled Derwood’s economy. Among these homes, other structures stood out. A church, once located on Esquire Court and now a Masonic Lodge, added a spiritual dimension to the community. A warehouse and store, built in 1903 at the corner of Chieftain and Derwood Road, and Hall’s General Store, now a private residence, provided essential goods. One architectural gem stands out: the 1903 Colonial Revival house on Chieftain Avenue. Built by storekeeper Clarence Hoskinson and later home to the miller, Richard Schwartz, it boasts elegant features like a Palladian window, pediments, and a striking dentilled cornice. Sadly, a fire in 1954 destroyed both Schwartz’s Mill and the Derwood station. The station was never rebuilt, a casualty of declining passenger numbers in the age of automobiles. The old Derwood post office relocated in 1974 to the Redland Shopping Center, expanding Derwood’s reach and solidifying its modern identity. Derwood, once “Deer Park,” and then “Deer Wood,” now bustles around the Shady Grove Metro station. While the physical remnants of the old station and mill are gone, the spirit of Derwood, born from the railroad, lives on.