Montgomery County

Montgomery County was erected from Frederick County in 1776 and was named in honor of Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery. The county covers about 316,270 acres and 33% are zoned for agricultural use. As of 2000, the county has preserved 50,000 acres, 40,000 of which were preserved through the county’s Transfer of Development Rights Program, considered to be one of the best in the nation.

Located just north of the DC periphery, the county has experienced substantial growth which is expected to continue. With a population of 873,341 in  2000, it is the state’s most populated county and is projected to reach 1,025,000 by 2015. This growth is occurring primarily in the I-270 and Rt. 29 corridors.