Montgomery County Modern
Everyday Life in the 1930s
Tuesday, February 18, 2003 at 8:00 p.m.
Rescheduled: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 at 8:00 p.m.
Beall-Dawson House
111 West Montgomery Avenue
Rockville, Maryland
ADSW and MCHS members, $3; Non-members, $6
Reservations required (phone 301-762-1492)
The Montgomery County Historical Society and the Art Deco Society of Washington will co-sponsor a lecture on Montgomery Country's Art Deco architecture. Architectural historian Linda B. Lyons will talk on Art Deco style architecture found in the country. Buildings as diverse as movie theaters, polychrome houses, and the Silver Spring Shopping Center will be discussed.
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| Silver Theatre and Colesville Road shops, c. 1938 |
Directions
From the Beltway, take I-270 west to Rt. 28 east (West Montgomery Avenue). Park in the rear.
Exhibit
This lecture is part of a broader program prepared by the Montgomery County Historical Society staff. The Historical Society's exhibit on life in Montgomery Country during the 1930s is on display in the Beall-Dawson House through March 2, 2003. The exhibit is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
Montgomery County in the 1930s
Like much of the nation, Montgomery County enjoyed the benefits of a booming post-WWI economy during the 1920s. Although the county was primarily agricultural, there was a push for modernization and development. With the stock market crash of October 30, 1929, county spending was curtailed and bankruptcy and unemployment became widespread. The Great Depression had taken hold.
The presidential election of 1932 was the country's chance to express its discontent. Montgomery County was no exception. Roosevelt carried nearly every precinct, finishing with 63 percent of the country vote.
The new president took almost immediate action, implementing a wide variety of programs and policies aimed at improving and maintaining the country's economy. These became known as the New Deal and their impact was felt nationally and locally.
Along with the direct effects of the New Deal, all the action in Washington had an indirect effect on Montgomery County as well. Many of the new federal employees made the county their home. This boosted the local economy, increased growth, and began the country's shift from an agricultural to a suburban community. These new residents also contributed to the political changes that took place in the county during the 1930s. In response to popular discontent with the old, partisan system of government, they helped found the Charter Movement that led to the county's current, Council-based system.
New Deal projects had concrete effects on Montgomery County. Programs changed the way many issues, such as housing, were treated. Most importantly, the combined effects of New Deal programs and the huge influx of federal employees helped to bring Montgomery Country out of its worst Depression problems by 1935.