About Rockville

Rockville, Maryland is the fifth largest city in Maryland and is the County seat of Montgomery County. Located 12 miles Northwest of downtown Washington, D.C., and 35 miles southwest of Baltimore, MD, Rockville occupies a geographic area of a little over 13 square miles.

Interestingly, Rockville is actually a city within a city. The core of the city is a separate incorporated city, has its own elected government headed by Mayor Larry Giammo and, according to the 2000 Census, houses 17,786 residents. The City of Rockville is surrounded by a larger area, also known as Rockville, and houses approximately 52,375 residents.

Several national companies are headquartered in Rockville along with a variety of biotech, genetic research and high-tech companies including: Westat, Inc., Aspen Systems Corporation, Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Celera Genomics, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Thompson Publishing, Hewlett Packard Company, Northrup-Grumman, BAE Systems, and McKesson HBOC. Many Rockville residents find employment at these companies or with the federal government in Washington, D.C. The county population is highly educated, with 66% of adults over age 25 holding a Bachelors degree or higher and 34% holding a graduate or professional degree. The median income is $79,115.

Transportation options and public parking are ample in Rockville . Within the area, there are 3 Metro (subway) stations and several Ride On and Metrobus routes. The buses offer a variety of schedules during rush hour, make stops in many locations and allow travelers to easily transfer to other routes in different parts of town. Rockville is home to several outstanding public schools including Thomas Wooten and Richard Montgomery High, both leaders in education.

Culturally, Rockville offers diversity and excitement within its borders and easy access to the multitude of offerings in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The legendary Strathmore Arts Center is located on Rockville Pike and includes Strathmore Hall, which opened in 1979, and the Music Center at Strathmore, which opened in 2001. Strathmore presents lively and diverse performing arts programs, concerts, literary lectures, art exhibitions and other special events. Additionally, residents and visitors of all ages will find a variety of other places to recreate including: 25 neighborhood swim clubs, 2 libraries, 9 recreation centers, 58 public parks, golfing, a nature center, a senior center, a skate park and a farmers market.

Constant improvement is a hallmark of this region and the City of Rockville has made significant plans to enhance the lives of its residents, while striving to maintain a small town feel. In November 2002, Mayor Giammo and his Council adopted a new comprehensive, 20-year Master Plan that reaffirms the city's commitment to the integrity of neighborhoods, endeavors to maintain the integrity of its historic districts and calls for the revitalization of the town center. In addition, the plan details ways to increase the usability of the open spaces and parks, enhance recreation facilities and improve modes of transportation for all residents.

In 2004, construction on the first phase of the Rockville Town Center began and this exciting phase is scheduled be completed by Fall 2006. The excavation for the new Rockville Regional Library, which will become the largest in Montgomery County, is already underway and the Rockville Cultural Arts Building will house the Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts at Rockville (currently Rockville Arts Place) and a new business incubator. Upon completion, the Town Center will be more than 60 acres and will house retail stores, restaurants and thousands of residential units.

Rockville history is long: it is one of Maryland's oldest towns and its existence dates back to pre-Revolutionary War days. Throughout the 1700s, Rockville was known as Hungerford's Tavern, Montgomery Courthouse and Williamsburg. Rockville took its present name at the turn of the 19 th century from its close proximity to Rock Creek, a major stream in the D.C. Metropolitan area and the upper end of Rock Creek Park lies at the city's eastern edge.

The Rockville region has a temperate rain climate, and is predominantly oceanic and partly continental. Winters are fairly short and mild, though temperatures sometimes descend toward zero degrees Fahrenheit. Summers are often warm and humid, with temperatures rising at times to the high 90s. Spring weather is beautiful and fall is wonderful, with an incomparable Indian summer. Yearly precipitation averages 40 inches for rain and 22 inches for snow.