County commits to preserving historic Black cemetery that was mistakenly sold
Montgomery County officials say they will determine how to preserve the 150-year-old site of the Wesley Union Methodist Church cemetery in Potomac. The county had mistakenly sold a .62-acre plot on Piney Meetinghouse Road to developer Saul Joseph at auction for $162 in 1975. To the chagrin of the descendants of the once-enslaved people buried there, it has become an illegal dumping ground.
“Montgomery County is investigating the most appropriate means for securing, preserving, and maintaining the site of the historic Wesley Union Methodist Church Cemetery,” county officials wrote in response to a media query. “This includes taking steps to identify the boundaries, church foundations, and graves, and identifying ways to preserve the cemetery consistent with the Montgomery County Planning Board Guidelines for Burial Sites.”
Said Cherisse Milliner: “I was so happy to know that my ancestors are finally going to be respected. … Most important was knowing my great-great-great grandfather who was a slave in the civil war from 1861-1865 would receive the respect that he too deserves.” [WUSA 9]
KLNB buys Rockville’s Edge Commercial Real Estate
Edge Commercial Real Estate, based in Rockville, has been acquired by commercial real estate brokerage KLNB, based in Washington, D.C.
KLNB has said it generated 1,170 transactions and $1.8 billion in volume in 2022. The acquisition gives KLNB entree into the Montgomery County market and 32 more employees, including 18 brokers versed in office and industrial real estate, tenant representation, multifamily investment sales and leasing.
“Primarily we were known for retail, whereas they didn’t do any retail whatsoever,” said Marc Menick, president and COO of KLNB. “So, they could bolster and boost our other disciplines, our office, our industrial, our capital market disciplines without any overlap whatsoever in the retail space, which is very, very hard to do.” [Washington Business Journal]
People’s Book retailer to open in summer in Takoma Park
People’s Book, a general-purpose bookstore focusing on children’s literature, local interests, new releases and independent publications, will open this summer in Takoma Park, Main Street Takoma has announced.
The store, at 7014-A Westmoreland Ave., will stock more than 10,000 books, conduct story times and readings, and sell coffee, kombucha and baked goods. [Source of the Spring]
Today’s weather
Rainy with a high of 49 degrees
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