Silver Spring, MD, located in an unincorporated area of Montgomery County directly north of Washington, DC, takes its name from the spring discovered in Acorn Park in the mid- 19th century by one of its founding fathers, Francis Preston Blair, an organizer of the American Republican Party. With a population of almost 77,000 residents, Silver Spring is the third most populated area in this state. It's situated along the eastern seaboard of the United States.Although much of the area remained pastoral from its founding in 1840 through most of the 19th century, it was at the turn of the century that Silver Spring started to grow both a vital downtown area as well as suburban residential developments. By the early 1950s, Silver Spring had attracted a variety of the most sought-after major retailers, including Sears and J.C. Penney, and was considered one of the busiest retail hubs along the east coast. The building of the Capital Beltway and the inauguration of Metro train service helped to solidify an easy connection between Silver Spring and the nation's capital.
The decline of major department stores by the end of the 20th century adversely affected the once prospering downtown Silver Spring, but by the dawn of the 21st century, a major renaissance in the once vital downtown area was already underway. This much welcomed redevelopment introduced an outdoor shopping plaza called Downtown Silver Spring as well as the arrival of many popular national retail chains along with successful restaurants. The downtown area is now a crown jewel of community and retail activity year-round, including ethnic restaurants and entertainment festivals. Discovery Communications is among the well-known firms choosing to locate its corporate headquarters downtown. The latest introduction to this vibrant scene has been the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veteran's Plaza.With a population that is primarily White, Hispanic, and African American, Silver Spring serves as host to the American Film Institute Silver Theater and Culture Center, with sports fans cheering on the Silver Springs Saints, the city's Football Club formed in 1995. The Saints play in the Capital Beltway League. Numerous politicians, judges, actors, and other notables make their residence in Silver Spring, which is well served by both bus and light rail train service between the suburb and Washington, D.C. For more information, check the Silver Spring, MD yellow pages or find a Silver Spring, MD business directory.
Written by Lyndsey Morgan
