Celebrating Historic Emory Grove
In February – Black History Month – we turn our attention to one of Montgomery County’s most historic communities: Gaithersburg’s Emory Grove.
Founded by freed African American slaves, the Emory Grove community is named for Methodist Bishop John Emory and traces its origins to services held on Aug. 15, 1868. Located where Midcounty Highway and Woodfield Road intersect, just two miles south of the Montgomery County Airpark, Emory Grove is thought to have been formally established in 1871, when the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Church adopted the charter and by-laws of what became known as the Emory Grove Camp-Meeting Association of Baltimore City.
Emory Grove became widely known for hosting some of the region’s largest Methodist “camp meetings,” often drawing more than 10,000 people. The Emory Grove United Methodist Church was constructed in 1874. At its peak, Emory Grove’s 300 acres were home to approximately 500 residents and its baseball field hosted numerous Negro League games.
But over time, as families relocated elsewhere, the community dwindled. In the 1960s and early 1970s the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began to focus on expanding affordable housing as part of the nation’s urban renewal efforts.
Emory Grove was included in that effort and, with HUD’s support in 1970, Montgomery County built 105 affordable housing units, 54 of which were Public Housing units at Emory Grove. Since 1974 – the year HOC was established – Emory Grove Village has been an important component of HOC’s portfolio of affordable housing communities and its commitment to enhancing the lives of residents who called Emory Grove home.
HOC and HOCP: Working Together for Emory Grove Youth
For many years, Housing Opportunities Community Partners (HOCP) – the nonprofit affiliate of HOC – has supported the youth of Emory Grove by securing grants that provide a wide variety of enrichment programs. Children there received professional tutoring and participated in HOCP-funded homework clubs that helped them do better in school. Bicycle clubs and hands-on nutrition and cooking activities reinforced the importance of physical activity and self-care. In addition, numerous addiction prevention education programs educated the youth about the dangers of substance abuse.
Developing Emory Grove’s Future
In the coming decades, Emory Grove Village will undergo a major transformation and revitalization. Through collaboration among Montgomery County, HOC, and the Emory Grove United Methodist Church, HOC has undertaken an innovative redevelopment effort that calls for new townhomes to be constructed on newly created street grids, which will improve pedestrian access and connectivity.
The plan also includes updates to the community center to continue youth and other community engagement activities. The county also plans to renovate Johnson’s Local Park to update existing amenities and explore possibilities for new amenities to upgrade experiences for recreation and community gathering in the park. The overall goal is to reestablish the camaraderie and interconnectedness of the original community, with Emory Grove United Methodist Church as its reaffirmed heart and historic center.
