Located about three miles directly north of the Potomac River and the Virginia border is the small town of Darnestown, Maryland. This unincorporated area in Montgomery County is situated in a rural and scenic landscape amidst a convenient location that isn’t far from the city. With a population of around 6,000 residents, Darnestown is a small community that prides itself for its history and surrounding recreational attractions. Just about 22 miles to the east of the area is Washington, DC, with the Maryland city of Gaithersburg being only about seven miles in the same direction. Such convenient access to these city centers is a major plus, making a visit to the area very easy to do. Just to the west of Darnestown is also the small Maryland town of Poolesville, which features a larger commercialized area.

Darnestown History

The history of Darnestown goes back hundreds of years when William Darnes built his family home in the area on 2,000 acres of land. This land was inherited by Darnes’ wife’s father, Charles Gassway. As the original land grant was called the Mount Pleasant Land Grant, the area became known as just that. It was later called Darnes and then Darnestown after the Darnes family had lived in the area for a while. The area originally featured a tavern, a few blacksmith shops, a wheelwright, a single store and a log building that was used as the local school and as a home for several religious denominations. Located halfway between the Montgomery Courthouse and the mouth of the Monocacy River, Darnestown became an important area during the Civil War. It was in this period that the town experienced an economic boom, as it provided for the needs of the armies that were camped out around the Washington, DC area. After the conclusion of the war, however, the town deflated and ceased to be a popular commercial center of any importance. Today, Darnestown is more of a suburban development than anything else.

Local Attractions

Located in the main area of the Darnestown area are only a few commercial shops. The largest of these is a Harris Teeter, with a Shell gas station located across the street. Also in town is Nick’s Pizza and Subs. Opened in 2013, this restaurant makes its dough and sauce in-house daily and gets its produce from local growers. Nick’s offers pizza, calzones, sandwiches, subs, salads and much more, in addition to many specials throughout the week. Of course, one of the main fixtures in town is Our Lady of the Visitation Parish Catholic Church. This elegant Church building can be seen from all angles when entering the town.

Just about two miles to the south of Darnesville, along the Potomac River, is also the Blockhouse Point Conservation Park. This 630-acre park features a mature upland forest, a floodplain forest, palustrine wetlands, streams, river rock outcrops, diverse wildlife, dynamic views of the Potomac River and the C&O Canal, and at least nine species of threatened, endangered or watch-list plants. The park is also home to Civil War ruins of national significance, for which the park is named. In fact, many of the seven plus miles of trails in the park are part of this historical Civil War complex.

Also in this area along the banks of the Potomac River is the Bretton Woods Recreation Center. Established in 1968, the center features 285 acres of recreational space. Included here is a 275-acre golf course that features tees and greens on natural knolls. There are also five sets of tees that range anywhere from 5,319 to 6,978 yards in length. Bretton Woods also features 14 tennis courts, two of which are indoors, four that are hard surface and outdoors and eight that are Har-Tru clay and outdoors. There is also a Z-shaped outdoor swimming pool with one-meter and three-meter diving boards, in addition to a 25-meter lap pool.

Poolesville, Maryland Attractions

Just about eight miles to the west of Darnestown is the town of Poolesville. Located here is one of the region’s most well-known Halloween attractions, Markoff’s Haunted Forest. Operating every weekend in October, visitors come from miles around to experience the two terrifying trails and dozens of other frightening events held here, all for around $30. Just a bit further west from here is White’s Ferry, which is a cable ferry service that transports cars, pedestrians and bicycles across the Potomac River from Maryland to Loudoun County, Virginia. On the Maryland side of the river is a convenience store that, among other things, rents canoes to visitors. Enjoy a day canoeing the Potomac for around $20 per canoe. Also located here are picnic grounds and scenic walking trails.

Darnestown Conclusion

With so much to see and do in and around the Darnestown area, it’s clear to see why it is such a relaxing and comfortable place to be. Between its convenient location that isn’t far from the city and its countless recreational attractions, Darnestown is one-of-a-kind.