Darby Store

The Darby Store is a historic site located in Beallsville, Maryland. Originally, a store and blacksmith shop were at the location of the Darby Store, the intersection of Beallsville Road and Darnstown Road (Route 28), until in 1908 H.C. Darby bought the land. In 1910, H.C. Darby built a two-story general store. In the 19th and 20th century it was very common to have the family residence next to the family business. The Darby House was built in 1921, where the Darby family lived while they occupied their store.

After H.C. Darby managed the store, his son used it as a storage unit. Now the county has obtained the store and house, and is researching the history of the building.

History

When the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Metropolitan Branch opened in 1873, creating the Sellman Station, development in the area increased. By the 1920s the Darby store included the area's post office. After H.C. Darby retired in 1974, his son H.D. Darby used the store as a storage unit. In 2004 the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission purchased the Darby House for $670,000 after the Darby Store was claimed as one of the most endangered historic sites in the country by the Montgomery Preservation Inc.

Planned move

Volunteer archeologists are digging through the layers of the Darby Store to find artifacts before the store is moved. They are looking for any important artifacts on the present site of the building and the site to which it is to be moved. The Darby Store is going to be restored by the end of 2009. In 2010 the store is to be moved back off the corner of the streets by Robert Silman Associates.