By now, the fall WECA newsletter has
likely already made its way to your door, courtesy of your friendly WECA Block
Captains. That newsletter, and this e-mail, announces our General Membership Meeting, scheduled for this Thursday, October 16th
at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Rockville Presbyterian Church, located at 215 West Montgomery Avenue. Parking
is available in the lot off of Harrison Street.
We are delighted to be hosting “An Evening with the Planning Commission”,
led by Chairman (and West End resident) Don Hadley. Don will talk about the roles
of the Planning Commission and the work they have done regarding recent
development projects, including the new plan for the Rockville Pike. This
is a great opportunity to engage with Don, to learn about the scope of the
Commission, and to ask questions.
Over the
last few years, WECA has spent significant time addressing various projects
that affect our neighborhood. In the fall newsletter, we offer you highlights
of our efforts and an opportunity to provide your views. Please do take
some time to read through your newsletter, and let us know your feedback! And
please do join us – and many of your neighbors – for the General Membership
meeting on Thursday evening!
****Montgomery County Historical Society Celebrates Sesquicentennial of Maryland Emancipation
Activities to be held on Saturday, November 1st from noon to 4 pm, at Beall-Dawson Park in Rockville
Did you know that emancipation
for Maryland slaves occurred on November 1, 1864, about two years after slaves
in the District of Columbia and in Confederate states were freed, the latter by
the Emancipation Proclamation? And that Maryland was the first of the Southern
states to voluntarily free slaves within its boundaries by popular vote?
Join the Montgomery County Historical
Society to celebrate the sesquicentennial of this important event, which
dramatically affected the history of the West End, and during which two
descendants of Rockville slaves will tell their family stories. Warren
Crutchfield's great-great-great grandparents were owned by the Beall family,
and the family still owns land and a home where they lived 150 years ago. And Sharyn
Duffin will describe the lives and fortunes of her ancestors, who lived on
Great Falls Road and in the area that became Lincoln Park.
Engage with 1864 historic
personality re-enactors, enjoy performances by Washington Revels Jubilee
Voices, listen to descendants of Montgomery County slaves tell family stories, see
exhibits of documents and artifacts, and more. Museum
admission is free. For further information, visit www.montgomeryhistory.org
****
Car
Break-Ins in the West End
In mid-September, there were reports of
a few cars being broken in to in the West End neighborhood. It appears the culprits were targeting loose
change and entered cars that were unlocked. Your best defense to prevent
this from happening to you is to remain vigilant, lock your car doors, hide
any valuable that may be seen in plain sight, and report anything
suspicious to the police immediately.Patrol shifts have been alerted to the criminal activity and are stepping up their patrols in the community. If anyone has any information about the car break-ins, they are encouraged to call the Rockville Police Department at 240-314-8900 and ask to speak with an investigator.
