Gaithersburg, Maryland is a city living on the cutting edge of growth, technology, and development. Situated about 12 miles NE of Washington D.C., it is the second largest incorporated city in Maryland. Gaithersburg is one of the fastest growing cities on the East coast and at the same time is totally committed to its historic heritage of honest, simple living.

Gaithersburg is situated in Montgomery County, MD, the most populated and affluent county in the state of Maryland. The county lies adjacent to the nation's Capitol and is fully governed by a County Council of 9 elected officials. Gaithersburg and the next door Germantown, an unincorporated area, have gone from simple, rural farming settlements that grew at the crossroads of two ancient Indian trails, to solid towns in 1873 when the Baltimore & Ohio railroad came through. Gaithersburg became incorporated in 1878, though Germantown never has. The railroad stimulated both agricultural expansion and commercial growth. Another surge of expansion occurred in the area when the National Institute of Standards and Technology moved its bureau to Gaithersburg in 1961, giving the city the designation of 'Science Capital of the United States.

In the past, Gaithersburg, MD has been named one of the 'Fifty Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family' by authors Lee and Saralee Rosenberg, and has also been rated the best city in the country for running a home based business. Germantown had a population of about 1,000 in 1972 and has grown by approximately 2,000 people a year, today standing at over 55,000. Gaithersburg's population is 56,130. The median age for both areas is 32. Within Montgomery County proper there is a wide range of ethnic minorities, comprising 40% of the population.

Gaithersburg, Maryland is within an hour's drive of three major airports: Reagan National, Dulles International, and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The Montgomery County Airpark is available for private and business aircraft. Washington, D.C. may be reached by the Metrobus Line and the Metrorail Red Line.

The flourishing population of the Gaithersburg-Germantown area has attracted hosts of retailers to the area. Shopping choices are wide and diversified. Real estate also has a large range of choices, from stately old Victorian homes to brand new condominiums. The climate in Montgomery County is pleasant and mild. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 33 degrees and July, the warmest month, averages at a gentle 75 degrees. Precipitation is about 41 inches per year, with 24 inches coming in the form of snowfall.

There are a wide range of choices for education in Gaithersburg also. Montgomery County Public School system is the largest in Maryland and many private schools are available. The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce is deeply committed to education and has many programs, including mentoring, that its members are devoted to. A host of colleges and universities are nearby, and post-secondary education is offered at John Hopkins Montgomery County Center, Universities at Shady Grove, and the Montgomery College of Germantown.

The area hospital is the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, which is building a new Medical Center in Germantown. The National Institute for Health, (NIH), one of the world's foremost medical research centers is located in Bethesda, MD, only 14 miles from Gaithersburg.

From its quaint beginnings as a rural German settlement of craftsmen, merchants and farmers, to the flourishing city it has become today, Gaithersburg, MD stands again at the crossroads - of technology and development, research and opportunity. The future of Gaithersburg is full of excitement and growth.