City Mission:
The Gaithersburg City government exists to provide quality cost effective, priority community services for its citizens. We are a CHARACTER COUNTS! City that serves as a catalyst for the involvement of residents, businesses and organizations to ensure that Gaithersburg is a great place to live, work, learn and play.
City Vision:
In the 21st Century, Gaithersburg will set the standard for other cities as a "special" place where people want to live, work, learn and play.
City History:
Gaithersburg began in 1765 as a small agricultural settlement known as Log Town. In 1850, the post office was named "Forest Oak." The town officially became "Gaithersburg" when it was incorporated on April 5, 1878.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad came to Gaithersburg in 1873. The railroad brought a large summer community to town as the ease of travel allowed people to escape Washington, D.C. during the hot summer months. Agricultural businesses expanded as area farmers were able to ship products faster with less risk of spoilage. The brick station and freight house building were designed by Ephraim Francis Baldwin, a Baltimore architect, and constructed in 1884.
