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Seneca, Maryland

Field	Value
official_name	Seneca, Maryland
settlement_type	Unincorporated community
image_alt	Small old stone building appearing to be one or two rooms.
image_caption	Seneca Schoolhouse Museum in Seneca, Montgomery County, Maryland
image_skyline	Seneca Schoolhouse Museum 09.jpg
dot_x		dot_y =
pushpin_map	Maryland#USA
pushpin_label_position	top
pushpin_label	Seneca
pushpin_map_alt	Map of Maryland showing Seneca near Potomac River
pushpin_label1
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	United States
subdivision_type1	State
subdivision_name1	Maryland
subdivision_type2	County
subdivision_name2	Montgomery
established_title	Established
established_title1
established_title2
timezone	Eastern (EST)
utc_offset	-5
timezone_DST	EDT
utc_offset_DST	-4
postal_code_type	ZIP code
postal_code	20834

Today (2020), the community uses a Poolesville ZIP code, but is part of the Darnestown census-designated place. The Seneca schoolhouse is a museum, and nearby Riley's Lock and lock house are part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The community is located near the Dierssen Wildlife Management Area and the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. Since 1978, Seneca and additional territory have been part of the Seneca Historic District.

History

old map showing Seneca close to Potomac River — Seneca is close to Seneca Creek, sandstone mines, the C&O Canal, and the Potomac River.

The community of Seneca exists in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Seneca Creek near the Potomac River. The creek was once very powerful, and eight of Montgomery County's 44 mills in existence before 1800 were located on this creek or its tributaries. The Seneca Mill, a gristmill, began operation around 1780, and was located on Seneca Creek close to the Potomac River.{{cite web |access-date=2020-08-11 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190004/https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Montgomery/M;%2019-38.pdf |url-status=dead |access-date=2021-07-19 |archive-date=2021-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719190749/https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-builders-of-tudor-place |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-08 |archive-date=2022-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909013907/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-story-behind-smithsonian-castles-red-sandstone-17818600/ |url-status=live

Construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (a.k.a. C&O Canal) along the Potomac River began on July 4, 1828.{{cite web |access-date=2020-06-28 |archive-date=2020-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609133726/https://www.canaltrust.org/about-us/about-the-co-canal/history/canal-history-co-canal-vs-bo-railroad/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-07-21 |archive-date=2020-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721124852/https://catalog.archives.gov/id/117692021 |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-13 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190004/https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Montgomery/M;%2019-38.pdf |url-status=dead

Peak and decline

The American Civil War was difficult for the Peter family. Several skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops occurred nearby, including an attack in 1863 that damaged nearby canal infrastructure.{{#tag:ref|On June 27, 1863, 5,000 cavalry troops under the command of Confederate Major General James "Jeb" Stuart crossed the Potomac River near Lock 24. Intent on disrupting Union supply lines, they seized the canal between Locks 23 and 24, and damaged lock gates, drained water from the canal, and burned canal boats.{{cite web |access-date=2020-08-07 |archive-date=2020-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806131441/https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/rowsers-ford/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-15 |archive-date=2021-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715154607/http://www.montgomeryplanningboard.org/meetings_archive/03_meeting_archive/agenda_110603/item6a_110603_opt.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2020-07-07 |archive-date=2020-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815151221/https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/Wash/dc6.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=2020-08-11 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184924/https://www.dcpreservation.org/event/tour-of-historic-seneca-maryland-with-the-historical-society-of-washington-dc/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-11 |archive-date=2021-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506065202/https://gaithersburghistory.com/tschiffely-mill-seneca-creek-potomac-river-stone-cutting.html |url-status=dead

1950s, 1960s, and today

creek with kayakers — Seneca Creek in 2016, as seen looking north from the walkway on the aqueduct

Seneca was the location of the Mills Cross Array, once the world's largest radio telescope which, in 1955, was used to make the first observations of radio waves emitted from a planet.{{cite web |access-date=2021-07-08 |archive-date=2021-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729075146/https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2017/08/field-dreams |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-14 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190004/https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Montgomery/M;%2019-38.pdf |url-status=dead

In 2021, the radio telescope is gone and the site is now part of the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. A historical marker commemorating the discovery is located on River Road at the management area's parking lot. All that remains of Seneca are a few homes, the schoolhouse as a museum, the store, and ruins of the stone-cutting mill and quarry. The community is still listed by the United States Geological Survey as a populated place. https://books.google.com/books?id=8cZaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA4&dq=Seneca,+Maryland&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjD-tuQg-HxAhUcEFkFHX4mAp44RhDoATAJegQIChAC#v=onepage&q=Seneca&f=false{{cite web |access-date=2020-08-18 |access-date=2020-07-16}}--

Geography

Highway map near Washington, DC, showing Seneca northwest of DC near Potomac River — Seneca, Maryland, and surrounding area

Seneca is a populated place that is not a census-designated or incorporated place having an official federally recognized name. Previous names for the community are Newport and possibly Middlebrook Mills. Seneca is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. The USGS defines a populated place as a place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village). A populated place is usually not incorporated and by definition has no legal boundaries. However, a populated place may have a corresponding "civil" record, the legal boundaries of which may or may not coincide with the perceived populated place.{{cite web |access-date=2021-07-07 |archive-date=2021-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627203345/https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:8 |url-status=live

Seneca is located close to the intersection of River Road (Maryland Route 190), Seneca Road (Maryland route 112), and Rileys Lock Road, east of Great Seneca Creek and north of the Potomac River. The C&O Canal runs along the river, and Riley's Lock is the closest canal lock. The southern portion of Seneca Creek State Park is nearby, as is the Bretton Woods Golf Course.{{Cite map |archive-date = 2021-07-09 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190219/https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/gazvector.getesrimap?p_lat=39.078719&p_longi=-77.3391513&fid=587270 |url-status = live

Climate

|access-date=2021-07-08 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709191431/https://www.weatherwx.com/hazardoutlook/md/poolesville.html |url-status=live

Demographics

map showing Darnestown Census Designated Place with Seneca located in the south west corner near the Potomac River — Darnestown CDP and Seneca

Seneca is part of the Darnestown census-designated place (CDP), an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. The CDP is 17.70 sqmi with the Potomac River as its southern border and the Muddy Branch as much of its eastern border. Seneca Creek borders portions of its north and west sides. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the Darnestown CDP population was 6,802—and Seneca's population is a small subset of the CDP total. Total land area for the CDP was 16.39 sqmi out of a total area of 17.70 sqmi. The population density for the CDP was 415.0 PD/sqmi. The CDP had 2,275 housing units at an average density of 138.8 /mi2. These densities were much lower than county seat Rockville, where the District 4 portion had a population density of 4403.3 PD/sqmi and a housing density of 1,779.3 /mi2.

Government

Citizens of Seneca are part of District 1 of the Montgomery County Council.{{cite web |access-date=2020-03-28 |archive-date=2020-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017055510/https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mccouncildistrict/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-28 |archive-date=2020-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017055510/https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mccouncildistrict/ |url-status=live

Infrastructure

Transportation

road with trees and vehicle — River Road at Seneca Road in 2016

Seneca's major roads are River Road (Maryland Route 190) and Seneca Road (Maryland Route 112). Three Interstate Highways are reasonably close. Maryland's Interstate 270 is a major north–south Interstate Highway for Montgomery County that connects with Washington's Capital Beltway (a.k.a. Interstate 495). Interstate 95 is a major north–south highway for the nation's east coast. Portions of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Metrorail system are located in Montgomery County, and Red Line stations on the west side of the county are closest to Seneca.{{cite web |access-date=2020-03-16 |archive-date=2020-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326000027/https://visitmontgomery.com/get-inspired/washington-dc/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-16 |archive-date=2019-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110015544/https://www.wmata.com/schedules/maps/upload/2019-System-Map.pdf |url-status=live

Utilities

Seneca's electric power is provided by Pepco (Potomac Electric Power Company), which serves much of Montgomery County, portions of Prince George's County, and all of the District of Columbia.{{cite web |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2020-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030203323/https://electricityrates.com/maryland/pepco/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2020-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930172601/https://www.washingtongas.com/builders-contractors/contractor-services/service-territory |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2020-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513075021/https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/SWS/facilities/ts/ |url-status=live

Healthcare

The nearest general hospital is the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville.{{cite web |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2020-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523072703/https://www.adventisthealthcare.com/locations/profile/shady-grove-medical-center/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2020-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606135932/https://www.adventisthealthcare.com/news/2020/shady-grove-medical-center-earns-five-star-rating/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-14 |archive-date=2021-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714195320/https://www.adventisthealthcare.com/locations/ |url-status=live

Education

elementary school building — Darnestown Elementary School in 2020

Seneca is served by Montgomery County Public Schools. Those that live on, or east of, Rileys Lock Road attend Darnestown Elementary, Lakelands Park Middle School, and Northwest High School. Northwest High School is located in Germantown.{{cite web |access-date=2020-08-24 |archive-date=2020-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729222346/https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/northwesths |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-24 |archive-date=2020-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806080032/https://www.butlerschool.org/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-24 |archive-date=2020-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928093559/https://www.maryofnazareth.org/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-24 |archive-date=2020-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811185025/https://www.senecaacademy.org/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-14 |archive-date=2021-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714203629/https://www.bullis.org/ |url-status=live

Higher education

Montgomery College has a Germantown campus known as the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology.{{cite web |access-date=2020-08-24 |archive-date=2020-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805190140/https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/about-mc/campuses-and-locations/germantown-campus/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-17 |archive-date=2020-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314141647/https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-17 |archive-date=2020-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311204802/https://shadygrove.umd.edu/about-usg |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-19 |archive-date=2019-08-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829031506/https://shadygrove.umd.edu/sites/default/files/u80/USG%20At%20A%20Glance%20-%20Executive%20Flyer.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-25 |archive-date=2020-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328153742/http://mcc.jhu.edu/ |url-status=live

Public library

Two libraries, part of the Montgomery County Public Library system, are located less than 10 mi from Seneca. Poolesville Library, also known as Maggie Nightingale Library, is northwest of Seneca in Poolesville.{{cite web |access-date=2021-07-08 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190608/https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Library/branches/nightingale.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-22 |archive-date=2020-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525082237/https://shadygrove.umd.edu/library |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-17 |archive-date=2020-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929100647/https://discoverusg.org/2019/05/10/students-alumni-the-priddy-library-is-here-to-help-you-guest-post-franklin-ofsthun-library-services-specialist/ |url-status=live

Culture

Arts

The Seneca Schoolhouse Museum provides tours to schoolchildren so that they can experience a typical school day as it would have been on March 13, 1880. Glenstone Modern Art Museum is about six miles east of Seneca near the intersection of Travilah Road and Glen Road.{{cite web |access-date=2020-05-31 |archive-date=2020-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531210913/https://www.glenstone.org/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-04-05 |archive-date=2020-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609172423/https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/museums/going-to-glenstone-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-dcs-new-must-see-art-museum/2018/10/02/92a29468-c00f-11e8-9005-5104e9616c21_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-22

Recreation

sign for trail and state park — Seneca Creek State Park near Black Rock Mill

Seneca Creek State Park is an irregular-shaped park of 6300 acre that follows Seneca Creek for 14 mile to the Potomac River. The park has 50 mile of trails for hiking, horseback riding and biking.{{cite web |access-date=2020-05-19 |archive-date=2020-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624221833/https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/seneca.aspx |url-status=live |access-date=2020-04-14 |archive-date=2020-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416095614/https://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm |url-status=live |access-date=2020-09-02 |archive-date=2020-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926061314/https://www.canaltrust.org/discoveryarea/rileys-lock-seneca/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-09-02 |archive-date=2020-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812214650/https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/lock-23-violettes-lock-dam-no-2/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-09-02 |archive-date=2020-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628171631/https://birdersguidemddc.org/site/co-canal-pennyfield-violettes-rileys-locks/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-08-07 |archive-date=2020-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812213702/https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/dierssen-waterfowl-sanctuary/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-19 |archive-date=2021-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719211923/https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/publiclands/central/mckeebeshers.aspx |url-status=live

On the Potomac River, the Seneca Landing Special Park has a boat landing near Riley's Lock.{{cite web |access-date=2020-05-19 |archive-date=2020-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129111437/https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/seneca-landing-special-park/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-04-16 |archive-date=2020-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412161524/https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/blockhouse-point-conservation-park-trails/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-05-19 |archive-date=2020-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813022524/https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/callithea-farm-special-park/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-17 |archive-date=2020-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410012545/https://www.montgomeryparks.org/activities/park-trails/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-03-17 |archive-date=2020-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417105005/https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/muddy-branch-stream-valley-park/muddy-branch-greenway-trail/ |url-status=live

Notes

Footnotes

Citations

References

{{Cite book
{{Cite book | access-date = 2020-08-27 | archive-date = 2020-04-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200407025657/https://www.preservationmaryland.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Montgomery_Story_Fall2015_Final.pdf | url-status = live
{{Cite book | access-date = 2021-07-20 | archive-date = 2021-07-09 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210709195225/https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3850m.gct00186/?sp=1&r=-0.439,0.112,1.783,1.217,0 | url-status = live
{{Cite book | access-date = 2020-03-26 | archive-date = 2021-04-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210412012413/https://montgomeryplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Places-from-the-Past-web_with_cover.pdf | url-status = live
{{cite magazine |access-date = 2021-07-19 |archive-date = 2021-07-19 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210719192714/http://www.candocanal.org/atp/2014-03.pdf |url-status = live
{{Cite book
{{Cite book | access-date = 2020-07-19 | archive-date = 2023-02-09 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230209215517/https://books.google.com/books?id=evCCpWAUp3EC&q=history+of+darnestown+presbyterian+church&pg=PA762 | url-status = live
{{Cite book | editor-last = Scott | editor-first = Robert N. | access-date = 2021-12-04 | archive-date = 2023-02-09 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230209215517/https://books.google.com/books?id=8cZaAAAAYAAJ&dq=Seneca&pg=PA4 | url-status = live
{{Cite book | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210307224754/https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-22.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2021-03-07 | access-date = 2020-12-07
{{Cite book | access-date = 2020-03-15 | archive-date = 2023-02-09 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230209215517/https://books.google.com/books?id=AaE1AQAAMAAJ&q=north+potomac+highways&pg=RA2-PA45 | url-status = live
{{Cite book
{{Cite book

References

{{gnis. 587270
{{harvnb. Scharf. 1882
{{harvnb. Peck. 2013
{{harvnb. Kelly. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. 2011
{{harvnb. Scott. 1889
{{harvnb. Peck. 2013
{{harvnb. Boyd. 1879
{{cite GNIS
{{harvnb. United States Census Bureau. 2012
{{harvnb. United States Census Bureau. 2012
{{harvnb. United States Census Bureau. 2012
"Darnestown, CDP, Maryland - Place Selection Map". U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce.
{{harvnb. United States Department of Transportation. Maryland Department of Transportation. 2002
Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland). (2021). "Address Found - 16800 River Road". Montgomery County Public Schools.
Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland). (2020). "Northwest HS Service Area 2021-2022". Montgomery County Public Schools Division of Capital Planning.
{{harvnb. Welles. 2019
{{harvnb. Zdravkovska. 2011
Sheir, Rebecca. (2015-03-20). "Kids Live History At One-Room Seneca Schoolhouse In Maryland".
"Seneca Schoolhouse".

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