Kentlands, Gaithersburg, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kentlands, Maryland
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Neighborhood of Gaithersburg
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    From left to right, clockwise from top to bottom: A Kentlands K-Mart store in March 2015, a Kentlands Giant grocery store in March 2015, residential street in 2006, Kentlands' main street in March 2008, town houses in March 2008, and Kentlands houses in March 2008.
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Maryland |
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| County |  Montgomery |
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| City |  Gaithersburg |
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| Settled | 1723 | |
| Founded | 1988 | |
| Named for | Otis Beall Kent | |
| Website | https://www.kentlands.com/home/ | |
Kentlands is a special neighborhood in Gaithersburg, Maryland, a city in the United States. It's known for its unique way of being planned and built.
Kentlands was one of the first places designed using something called Traditional Neighborhood Design. This idea is now part of a bigger movement called New Urbanism. New Urbanism focuses on creating neighborhoods where you can walk everywhere. It mixes homes, shops, and parks close together. This offers a different way of living compared to the spread-out suburbs built after World War II. Kentlands was built on land that used to be a farm owned by Otis Beall Kent.
The development started in 1988. It includes some of the original farm buildings. You'll find many types of homes, a shopping area, and open spaces. There are also natural areas and small parks. The community has schools, a church, a clubhouse, a pool, and sports courts. There's even a place for events and an arts center.
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What Makes Kentlands Special?
Kentlands has a system of man-made lakes that wind through the neighborhood. There are also jogging trails that go through the parks. You can easily walk to shops, restaurants, and community facilities. These facilities include swimming pools, tennis courts, playgrounds, and a large clubhouse.
How Kentlands is Organized
Kentlands is divided into several areas, or "districts."
- Old Farm: This area is built around the historic mansion and the Kentlands Village Square.
- Gatehouse: Named after the farm's original entry gatehouse, which has been rebuilt.
- Hill Districts: Areas located on higher ground.
- Lakes Districts: Areas near the community's lakes.
- Kentlands Bluff: Another residential area.
- Midtown/Main Street: A central area with shops and homes.
- Market Square: A commercial hub.
- Kentlands Square: Another commercial area.
The streets are laid out in a grid pattern. This pattern changes to fit the natural hills and valleys of the land. Many green spaces and small parks are found throughout the community. They fill in areas between districts or near buildings.
Shopping and Fun in Kentlands
Market Square, Kentlands Square, and the Boulevard Shops are places to find many things. They have grocery stores, banks, unique shops, and offices. You can also find dozens of restaurants and a 10-screen movie theater. Main Street is a mixed-use area. It has special "live-work" buildings. This means shops or offices are on the lower floors, and homes are on the upper floors.
City planners and residents have been working on a new plan. They want to make 'Downtown Kentlands' even better. The goal is to add more mixed-use buildings and make it easier to use public transportation.
Kentlands and its nearby community, Lakelands, are very successful examples of New Urbanism. More than 8,000 people live in these two communities. There are also over 1 million square feet of office and commercial buildings.
Schools and Community Events
Rachel Carson Elementary School is located at one entrance to Kentlands. Lakelands Park Middle School is between Lakelands and a former National Geographic Society complex. This complex now holds county offices.
Throughout the year, many community events happen in Kentlands. These events are organized by the residents. Some popular events include:
- The Kentlands/Lakelands 5K race
- The Oktoberfest in the Kentlands
- The Fourth of July Parade
- film festivals
- Acoustic jams (music get-togethers)
The History of Kentlands
Kentlands was built on land that was once a large farm. The story of this land goes back to 1723. That's when Joseph West received a land grant for it. In the mid-1700s, a farmer named Henry Clagett bought much of this land.
The Tschiffely Family Farm
The Tschiffely family started farming the land in 1852. Frederick A. Tschiffely, who owned a big medicine business in Washington, D.C., bought over 200 acres. In 1900, his son, also named Frederick A. Tschiffely, built many impressive buildings. These included a brick mansion, a barn, a gatehouse, and a greenhouse. These buildings gave the property the nickname "The Bricks." The family called their estate Wheatlands because they grew wheat there. They raised eight children in the mansion. Mr. Tschiffely traveled daily to Washington for his business.
Otis Beall Kent and the Wildlife Sanctuary
In 1942, the Tschiffely family sold the land to Otis Beall Kent. Mr. Kent was a wealthy tax lawyer. He renamed the land 'Kentlands Farm'. He wanted to create a beautiful estate and a safe place for wildlife. In the 1960s, he gave part of the land to the Izaak Walton League and the National Geographic Society. He made sure that much of the land would stay a wildlife sanctuary.
Mr. Kent left the rest of the property to his adopted daughter, Helene Danger Kent. This part of the land was later added to the city of Gaithersburg. In 1988, it was sold to Joe Alfandre, who became the town's creator.
Building the New Community
Joe Alfandre, a developer, brought in expert urban planners. These were Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk (from a firm called DPZ). They were famous for designing the town of Seaside, Florida. In June 1988, they held a special planning meeting called a "charrette" for Kentlands. After this meeting, several historic buildings were given to the city.
The neighborhood was built in stages, with more planning meetings. As Kentlands was almost finished, a similar community called Lakelands was built next to it. Lakelands was also designed with the help of the DPZ team and local residents.
Construction on Kentlands began in 1989. The first model homes opened in mid-1990. The first residents moved into their new homes in 1991.
Preserving History in Kentlands
Many historic landmarks from the original Kent Farm were fixed up. They were then given to the city.
- The Kentlands Mansion: This was the main home of the farm owners. It's now a city-owned place for art shows, concerts, and public events. You can also rent it for private parties.
- The Kentlands Barn: This barn has been turned into a public arts center. It has studios, exhibit space, and a small theater for plays and concerts.
- The Farm Manager's House: This building is now a private home.
- Another Farm Building: This became the town architect's office.
- Another Building: This was sold to the Kentlands Citizens Assembly. This group manages Kentlands. They use the building for meetings, exhibits, and their headquarters.
Some other old buildings, like the Kentlands Firehouse and garden buildings, have not yet been restored. Some ruins are now part of private properties or city parks.
Towards the end of the 2010s, the Market Square area started to get a big makeover. In early 2018, the old movie theater closed. A new, fancy movie theater from the Mexican Cinepolis chain opened the next year.
Images for kids
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Row of houses in Kentlands, Maryland.
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Kentlands' main street in March 2008.
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Town houses in March 2008.
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Kentlands houses in March 2008.
