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Back in the 18th century, Olney was the smaller and sleepier cousin of the surrounding towns. It started to grow when it began attracting artisans by the early 1800s. Sarah Brooke and Dr. Charles Farquhar named their home Olney after poet William Cowper's hometown in England. The town was named after the local home, still standing and known today as The Olney House.

Olney retained its rural character until the mid-1950s when the first major development was built. By the early 1970s, explosive growth changed the town's character dramatically. The greater Olney community now boasts approximately 38,615 residents, according the 2005 Census Update Survey of Montgomery County Park and Planning.

The area, which measures roughly 47 square miles, holds approximately 12,390 households (single-family, townhouse and garden apartments), and has a median income of $109,210, according to Park and Planning 2004 statistics.

The town was once a bustling center of commerce and much larger than the sleepier neighboring communities. Today, it still boasts of its Quaker heritage and its role as a haven for freed slaves, and the Sandy Spring Museum houses much of the community's noble past.

The area also includes such smaller communities as Brinklow, Ednor, Norbeck, Norwood and Sunshine.

Advisory Boards & Civic Associations
Mid-County Citizens Advisory Board
Mid-County Services Center
2424 Reedie Drive
Wheaton, MD 20902
240-777-8100 or Olney liaison Helene Rosenheim at 240-777-8107, 240-777-8110 TTY
Meets 7:15 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at Mid-County Services Center.

Greater Olney Civic Association
Buffington Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road (Route 108)
Olney, MD 20832
www.goca.org
President: Sharon Dooley
Meets at 7:45 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, except August. Mission is to study, plan and promote the civic, economic, ecological and cultural welfare of the community.

Other area governments
Brookeville
Commissioners: Michael Acierno, Katherine W. Farquhar and Robert Heritage
Town Clerk and Treasurer: Susan L. Johnson
Founded in 1794, Brookeville was designated a historic district in 1986. The incorporated town, two miles north of Olney, is run by a three-person commission.
Meets at 8 p.m. the second Monday of each month at The Brookeville Academy, 5 High St.
www.townofbrookeville Clubs and Organizations
Carl M. Freeman Foundation
240-779-8000
www.freemanfoundation.org
Gives grants to local nonprofit organizations.

Greater Olney Nonprofit Consortium
301-774-6774
Helene Rosenheim
www.olney-md.com (click on Greater Olney Nonprofit Consortium)
Works to promote activities of nonprofit groups. Publishes quarterly calendar of events.

Greater Olney Toastmasters
301-260-2788
http://greaterolneyfreetoasthost.org
Promotes better public speaking and communication skills.

Kiwanis Club of Olney
P.O. Box 128
Olney, MD 20832
301-260-0802
www.kiwanis.org
Meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Montgomery Country Club in Laytonsville.
Offers fund-raising events and service to the community.

MGH Health Foundation
18101 Prince Philip Drive, Olney
301-570-7201
www.montgomerygeneral.com
Helps plan charitable events and provide other services in the community.

Montgomery General Hospital Women's Board
18101 Prince Philip Drive
Olney, MD 20832
301-774-9638 (Thrift Shop)
www.montgomerygeneral.com
Sponsors a Thrift Shop and annual Picnic and Bazaar, among other activities, with proceeds going back to the hospital. Also gives out scholarships.

Olney Boys and Girls Club
Dan Dionisio, president
301-570-3990
www.obgc.org
Offers a wide range of sports teams and recreation opportunities for youth.

Olney Lions Club
P.O. Box 616
Brookeville, MD 20833
www.olneylionsclub.com
Meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month. Offers fund-raising events and service to the community.

Olney Rotary Club
President: Brian Oettinger
President-Elect: Brian Nave
P.O. Box 103
Olney, MD 20830-0103
www.olneyrotary.org
Meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at The Inn at Brookeville Farms, 19501 Georgia Ave.
Offers fund-raising events and service to the community.

Our House
Brookeville
301-519-1019
Housing, services and carpentry skills for at-risk teens, who in turn provide community service work.

Sandy Spring Green Space
P.O. Box 92
Sandy Spring, MD 20860
301-869-5358
www.sandyspringgreenspace.org
Works to preserve open space in the community.

Sandy Spring Museum
17901 Bentley Road
Sandy Spring, MD 20860
301-774-0022
Devoted to preserving and promoting the history of the community.

Local schools
Olney is served by the Magruder and Sherwood clusters and the Northeast Consortium, which includes James Hubert Blake High School. For a full list of schools, see page 30.

Police
Olney is served by the Wheaton-Glenmont police district. The Montgomery County Division of the Park Police also has a strong presence. For a full list of stations, see page 11.

Fire services
The Olney area is served primarily by the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department, with help from Laytonsville, Kensington and other nearby departments. For a full list of stations, see page 20.

Libraries
The Olney Library is part of the county library system. For a full list of libraries, see page 22.

Business
The town is served by the Olney Chamber of Commerce. For a full list of chambers, see page 14.