February 3, 2025 • 29 mins
Curious about the hidden tales of Montgomery County, Maryland? Brian G. Myers, a dedicated young historian and author, joins us to unravel the fascinating stories tucked away in local archives. At just 24, Brian's passion for genealogy has led him to compile an extensive family tree and an impressive genealogy project.
Discover Brian's path to authorship, starting with a winter break project that blossomed into a published book. As the pandemic reshaped our world, it also sparked Brian's ambition to write a second book, set to release in February 2025, filled with extraordinary tales from Montgomery County's past. He teases one of the riveting stories about Vernon, or "Villa Thompson," promising to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
His upcoming book, "Hidden History of Montgomery County, Maryland," scheduled for February 4th release, breaks away from traditional historical narratives. By incorporating elements of local sports, pop culture, and modern events, the book becomes an intriguing tapestry that invites readers to uncover Montgomery County's secrets.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo, an
authentic unscripted podcastfrom your Montgomery County
government.
Now here's your host, derekKenney.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo.
Today we have a special treatwe are shining the resident
spotlight on Brian G Myers.
He's an author who has a bookabout the history of Montgomery
County, maryland About 30 or soof the most interesting,
shocking, wild storiesassociated with our very own
MoCo.
Brian, welcome to the podcast.
(00:38):
Thank you for having me, derek,thank you for being here, and
as soon as I saw you whichyou're going to find, guys, when
you talk about history, a lotof times you associate history
with older people.
I'm not saying that that'ssomething relegated to people
that are more senior, but youdon't always associate it with
someone.
Brian's age.
Brian, how old are you and tellus a little bit about.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'm 24 years old.
I was born in 2000.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Whoa.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Whoa, all right.
Yeah, so I've always had a loveof history.
I mean, it started when I wasabout six years old.
I was visiting my grandparents'house and I noticed the family
history book, a big oldgenealogy I love to read.
(01:27):
So I picked it up off the shelf, started reading it and, uh, I
think it might have been alittle bit um.
I, I have adhd, so I've heardthat's correlates a little bit
with a love of names and dates,and if you have looked at a
genealogy before, it's chockfull of them.
It's nothing but names anddates in there.
Oh, great, um.
So yeah, I just started lookingand, uh, I also found a love of
history through that.
And I just kept looking andlooking and looking.
(01:47):
And you know, I've been workingat my own family history for
about 13 years now.
But yeah, here I am age 24, Iguess.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Now, when you say working at it, I read the press
release.
Are you understating things abit?
Did you document things as youwere working on it?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
What is the results of your labor?
Looking at the genealogy, um,so I mean, I've I've worked on
my uh, I've worked on my mom'sside and I've worked on my dad's
side.
Um, I have a working familytree of over 25 000 people okay
um.
So that's something that I'vebeen working on, um.
I've also um been working onthe side on a genealogy that
I've that that I really need toget back into formatting,
because I've been working on itsince I was 13.
(02:30):
So there's a little bit of13-year-old formatting in there.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I can imagine when you're 13, it's more like you're
writing things on constructionpapers.
Right, right, right.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, a lot more journalism and business writing
classes since then.
Okay, all right, yeah, yeah, butI'm putting that together.
I think that's up to over 100pages now and that's not out for
publication or anything.
That's mainly for personal useand just for history in the
future, because I work with alot of people across the country
who are distantly related to meand they reach out, I reach out
(03:04):
and we work together, saying,okay, you know, uh, how are we
related here?
Um, are we sure on these facts?
Um, do you have any photos thatum of my relatives that I might
be able to share with some ofmy relatives?
Um, you know, that's how I,that's how I get family images
that you know a lot of my familymembers have never seen before,
right?
Um, I'll go out and talk topeople online and sometimes I'll
(03:29):
have pictures of my, like,great-great-grandparents that
nobody in my family who'scurrently alive has ever seen.
Oh, wow.
And then they ask me like wheredid you get that from?
It was like oh, like my thirdcousin, you know, three times
removed, who lives out inSaskatchewan.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Where did you start your process?
Lives out in Saskatchewan.
Where did you start yourprocess?
You started, I guess.
What type of resources did youuse?
You mentioned in-personinterviews and phone calls.
What other resources did youuse as you tried to build your
genealogy?
Just kind of tips for othersthat might be searching or
finding ways to build their ownfamily trees.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, sure.
So I think what held me backwhen me back, you know, when I
was starting out is one you knowI was 11.
So my frontal lobe isn't fullydeveloped to you know, have have
all those ideas right out infront of me.
But one thing that's reallycool is, as I got older, you
know you start getting moreideas and you start realizing
(04:20):
more.
You know there are way moreresources out there, not just on
the Internet, you know.
Go in person, person, go tothose archives, don't be afraid
to.
You know, come up to a strangerand say, hey, I'm looking for
such and such a record, and, um,you know, go on a little tour
with them, because in a lot ofthe cases, um, they've been
really, really helpful to me.
Um, you know, if I ask like, oh, you know one more thing, I I
(04:41):
was also looking for this,they'll be like yeah sure, it's
my job, I'll come and help youlook for it we have it in this
file back here.
Um yeah, maryland state archives, for instance, that's one of my
um that's one of my bestin-person resources.
If you're looking at genealogyin maryland um montgomery county
historical society, uh, whichis referenced in that book a lot
(05:01):
um yeah, jane, sweene library,um, that's where I found a lot
of really cool and reallyimportant to my family history
like baptismal records, deathrecords, marriage records.
Yeah, I mean, I found mygreat-great-grandma's birth
record in there and for a whileI mean until I started looking
(05:24):
and that's something I addressedin the preface to my my, my
parents are both from theBaltimore era we had no idea
that we had any connection tothe Montgomery County area
because, we, we thought we werejust coming into it.
We weren't.
We didn't think we were, youknow, circling back around to it
.
So yeah, I mean it's, it's,it's a really cool experience.
You know, it's a really full,it's a really cool experience.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
You know it's a really full, really cool, full
circle experience, all right.
And also, you just graduatedfrom University of Maryland.
Congratulations on that.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And what was your major at University of Maryland?
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Um, so I ended up with, uh, information systems
and marketing.
Um, I started out in journalism.
I decided to switch over intobusiness just because I wanted a
broader spectrum of things todo.
Personally, I didn't feel likeI had as much voice as if I went
into journalism, went into aconventional journalism job.
(06:20):
After I did business, Igraduated from University of
Maryland.
Then I got a job as a businesstechnology consultant Wow.
And in the interim betweenactually starting that job and
between graduating from college,I graduated from college in May
of 2023.
And I started my job in Octoberof 2023.
(06:43):
Gave me five months to donothing if I wanted to, but I
get really antsy when I don'thave anything to do.
So that's why I reached out tomy publisher and said, hey, I
got a little idea here and hereit is.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
So you say you're a publisher.
In this day and age, there's alot of people that have written
books and many people areself-published, but how did you
go about getting a bookpublished with a publisher?
And also tell us also about thefirst book you wrote, because
this is not the.
This is your second book, soyou have two books, right?
(07:20):
Yes, so I guess there's a lotyou can share right now.
What was the topic of yourfirst book?
Uh, what inspired you to writeit?
And then what was the processlike, um, finding a publisher to
get it out?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
sure, um.
So for the first book, um, thatwas also a.
Uh, that was also a sim, thatwas also.
That also resulted from mebeing antsy and me wanting to go
out and do something right.
Um, university of maryland isnotorious for having a very,
very long winter break which isawesome, don't get me wrong I
(07:53):
love having a long winter break.
I like, I like when it breaks um, but, um, you know, after a
while I get a little antsy andI'm like, okay, I need to go out
and do something.
Um, so I went on a freelancewebsite called upworkcom and.
I was just looking around seeingwhatever popped at me and there
was a notification for um, ajob offering uh, write 50 facts
(08:17):
about your uh hometown for abook series that we're doing.
And I said you know what, whydon't I just do that?
Because it sounded really fun,it sounded really interesting,
so I reached out and did asubmission for that and
publisher got back to me and shesaid wow, I really like that
idea.
So I ran with it, worked onthat from December and then came
(08:42):
out in April of 2020, december2019 to April 2020.
Yeah, and I mean, looking back,that was a crazy year.
That was a COVID year.
So, yeah, I mean it's crazy tothink about.
You know, I started my book, Istarted that first book before
COVID started and you know, now,coming back to it, I feel like
(09:03):
I've been through so much lifeexperience and um well, okay,
and.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I'm 24, you know, I'm 24.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
I don't want to sound too pretentious, but, um, but
yeah, I mean.
I mean, during that time I wentthrough a lot of life
experience and self-reflectionrelatively, and, um, a lot more
writing classes, a lot more donevirtually than in person.
Oh wow, and I came back and Ifelt a lot more confident and I
(09:31):
said you know what I'm going tosubmit for a second project, and
so that's where this came outof.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
All right, all right, so let's talk about this.
This is what really brought meinto this.
I love the way it's described.
This is what really brought meinto this.
I love the way it's described.
Wild, shocking as well asinteresting stories from
Montgomery County, maryland Over30 chapters in this book.
It's a paperback and it's goingto be available when.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
February 4th 2025.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
So by the time this podcast is out, people will be
able to go to the stores andfind this book or look online,
buy the book and benefit one oftheir very own people that's
been spotlighted on the what'shappening moco podcast.
Brian all right, brian g myers.
What does the g stand for?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
uh, gregory, shout out my dad, gregory myers, there
you go, all right, all right Iknew there was a.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
There's a g in there and it's included in the name.
It has significance, all right.
Yeah, brian g myers all rightyeah let's let's talk about some
of the stories.
Okay, so you've, we've, learnedabout your history and in your
short history um, relativelyshort compared to someone that's
older like me.
Yes, relatively short, but youhave over, I guess, a decade
worth of research, analyticaland writing skills and
(10:51):
experience.
So how did that contribute tothis book?
And then let's talk about someof the cool stories that you
have in the book.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Sure.
So I talked a little bit aboutthe beginning of this process
going into writing this book,and it does stem back to my
genealogical background.
So another resource that I usefor genealogical research is
going through local newspapers.
So that includes, you know, theWashington Post, the Baltimore
(11:19):
Sun, montgomery County Sentineland the Frederick News Post.
So I went through a lot ofthose newspapers and as I was
looking for other relatives Ikept seeing accompanying
articles about all these wildstories you know, like people's
wedding dresses being set onfire you know, back in the 1910s
(11:40):
.
People running away and gettingmarried, not, you know, telling
their parents.
I just thought to myself I'mlike this seems, I'm picturing
it in my head as a movie and I'dlove to write something about
this, you know, from a 21stcentury perspective, from a 21st
century perspective.
So I reached out to mypublisher initially and said,
(12:02):
hey, I'd love to do something onWestern Maryland newspapers and
spotlight some of these reallyinteresting articles that I
found and that didn't really fitthe scope of what series that
they have right now.
But they said, well, do youwant to limit it to one county
and do you want to write abroader range of stories?
So I said, well, why not doMontgomery County?
(12:24):
That's where I lived for, youknow, 22, 23 years.
So here we are.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Here we are.
All right, let's share thefirst story.
Give us one of the stories thatyou might describe as shocking.
What's a shocking story thatsomeone might find in your book?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
A shocking story, so, excuse me, let me grab my
throat.
So a shocking story that Imight share is well.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
It's already worn down a little bit.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I have my fingerprints all over I was
ready to start reading it.
I was waiting for the autographand take it home and reading,
so I can, I can share myknowledge of the county, some
things everyone doesn't knowabout the county.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah, of course you're getting a preview right,
that's right that's right.
Yes, yeah, so, um, a shockingstory, um, I mean, the first one
that comes to mind is mylongest chapter, which is on
vernon.
He is a character they calledhim Via Thompson, after Pancho
Via, who was a renowned I thinkit was a Mexican militant.
(13:30):
I have to look back, I have tostudy.
I'm like this book is going tobe news to me too.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
You did the research, you wrote it, but you didn't
memorize every detail.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
It's like studying for a test and then, as soon as
you take the test, everythinggoes out.
No worries, no, worries, no.
But I say that to mean that hewas very quick draw.
This is a man who lived inGermantown.
He lived from 1880 to 1921.
He lived in Germantown.
(14:05):
He was very known for being aquick draw guy, very quick to
violence.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Oh, wow, and quick draw is almost like a cowboy, I
guess.
Quick draw like literally witha gun, I mean that's sometimes
yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Oh, wow, okay I mean that's that's why they, that's
why they called him Villa Um.
And there's a story in, there'sa story in that chapter, um,
about how, um, some people, somepeople think that, um, you know
, he served in the SpanishAmerican war and some people
think that, um, because of anillness he sustained during that
(14:41):
time, it kind of messed withhis mental state a bit and
that's maybe why he was the wayhe was.
But, to put it into perspective, he wanted to marry a woman.
The woman's family didn'tapprove and so he threw.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I believe a rock through a window at her uncle.
Luckily he didn't die.
He didn't die, yeah, but he hithim.
He hit him.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Oh, wow, okay, yeah he hit him through the window.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
That's a way to respond to that, I guess.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Yeah, yeah yeah.
We do not recommend violence.
We here at the MontgomeryCounty Council do not endorse
Brock violence.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
That's right, there you go.
There you go, all right, allright, all right.
So we've learned about thishyper-violent man who may or may
not have mental illness, um,and had some interesting stories
about his response to hisenvironment and things that
happened to him.
Correct?
Wow, uh, give us a one, uh, oneof your other most, give us an
interesting story, one of yourinteresting stories, interesting
(15:49):
story um, well, there is the um.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
There's an interview that I did with Joe Aconfora.
He used to be a teacher back inthe early 1970s in the
Montgomery County Public Schools.
He worked at Parkland JuniorHigh School, which is now
Parkland Middle School.
But back in the early 1970s hegot a job as a teacher.
(16:12):
But the Montgomery CountySchool Board found out that he,
um, he had previously had someinvolvement um with, uh, the gay
rights movement while he was astudent at Penn state.
And so I think about a monthinto um his tenure as a teacher,
um, they said, okay, you know,they they're like all right,
(16:33):
well, you know, we're lettingyou go from this position, um.
So the chapter basically goesinto, um, how he fought that
decision, um, what the result ofthat was, um, and what he's up
to now and how he feels aboutthe county now, um, and I think
it was really eye opening to mebecause, um, you know, I think
Montgomery County is, you know,I think Montgomery County is,
(16:55):
you know, a very progressivearea.
But I think it was eye-openingto me to say, you know, wow,
this was only 50-some years agoand, you know, even looking
today, we've still got a ways togo, you know, with making
everybody feel like they belonghere, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, and I think in some ways, we may have taken a
step back in the last week or sowhen it comes to ensuring that
everyone feels like they'remaking everybody feel like they
belong here.
And also, as a quick self-plug,our last podcast episode was
focused on the LGBTQIA plus twotwo plus community.
(17:31):
So good information there inthe last podcast episode.
But it's disheartening to seethat just 50 years ago, somebody
was denied a job that they werequalified for simply because
they were different in some waythan others, and that's terrible
, but it is interesting.
It's interesting to see aglimpse at what people were
(17:53):
dealing with in MontgomeryCounty just 50 years ago and, as
you mentioned earlier, we areone of the most progressive
counties in the country, butjust 50 years ago we weren't.
So wow, it's good that youshare that story.
It is interesting.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Right, right, and it's a debate that's still going
on today.
You know it's not set in stone,which is the really interesting
thing.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Indeed, indeed.
What are some of the otherstories you have to share?
Indeed, indeed.
What are some of the otherstories you have to share?
I just love stories.
I love stories about MoCo, andthen also it's great to learn
more about the county that weall love, especially in a
historical sense, and then, ofcourse, having people that
listen to the podcast can share.
(18:32):
Hey, did you hear about this?
You know, you probably didn'tknow about the hidden stories in
Montgomery County, becausepeople may not have known about
the angry guy or this teacherthat was mistreated.
What are some of the otherstories that people may not be
aware of?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Right.
So I mean, you brought up theadjective hidden, which of
course you know hidden.
History of.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Montgomery.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
County.
I think one of the stories thatbest serves that title is
Woodstock, which is a propertylocated um if you keep going
down route 28 um the woodstockuh, no, okay, okay, no not 1969
woodstock, but um that sounds.
(19:09):
I mean it would be a greatchapter, but it'll be an
incredible chapter, yeah, a lotof scope, but, um, yeah, so if
you go all the way down uh 28toward dickerson, um, there is a
little.
There's a little marker that,um, that marks where woodstock
is and woodstock is the propertywhere um george washington had
one of his tenant farms okay umin maryland, and so the last
(19:33):
tenant house um in montgomerycounty is over there.
Um so it is still being lived inby the boblitt family um megan
boblitt in particular.
Um they're wonderful family,very gracious um so they they
allowed me to, uh, they gave mea tour around their house.
(19:54):
Um, it's a very historic house.
It was built in um pre-1800.
It dates back to pre-1800.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Whoa, and it's still standing.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Yes, it's still standing.
It's definitely been throughsome hardships.
She talks about in the book howwhen she went in there it was I
mean, I'll let you read thebook but it was in a rough shape
and she really put in the workand the man hours to put all
(20:25):
that back together.
And now if you look at it, shecalls it a Franken-house,
because, yeah, so there's onepart of it that was built or
dates back to pre-1800.
And they can tell because ofsome of the architectural
features, um, and then there'sanother part of it, um, of the
house that was built in 1899.
Um, and you can tell becausethere is a little etching, um in
(20:49):
pencil, um, in one of, I think,under the stairs.
If I remember correctly, um,under the stairs it says WT
Hilton, 1899.99.
So that was the builder for thehouse and he actually, if y'all
are familiar with HiltonFuneral Home, william T Hilton,
is also the one who foundedHilton Funeral Home up in
(21:10):
Barnesville.
He was also the builder of thathouse.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So he had a funeral home, and he also built homes as
well.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, and homes that last apparently, yeah that last
what?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
over 100 years?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
I guess 140 I guess a little off here, but yeah,
that's a long time we have somehomes that don't last 30, 40
years.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
It's incredible.
Um, now, now what?
What do you?
Uh, what's your pitch?
Do you have a pitch yet foryour book?
When someone says why should Ibuy your book?
Speaker 3 (21:36):
um, well, I mean, I I like to say somebody asked me
that question the other day andI said you know, I wrote a
history book that I would liketo read.
You know?
Because I mean it wasn't thatlong ago, I was in school and I
was reading history books and Iwould read through some passions
and be like this is just reallyboring.
I feel like they're talking atme and not with me.
(21:56):
They're not really catering towhat I want to hear.
And what I want to hear is Iput in some different topics in
there.
I talk about different sportsin the county.
I talk about some more moderntopics too, because we're not
just the 1700s and the 1800s ofhistory, we're the 1900s and
even the 2000s of history, so Ialso have some pop culture in
(22:20):
there.
There is a chapter in therewhere I interviewed the director
one of the directors of theblair project.
Oh, wow, okay well let's stopright there.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Fantastic movie, uh, one of the movies that I like.
I like horror movies, so okay,and it was quite shocking is
when I first saw it it was.
I was amazed at how scary themovie was without a big uh
special effects budget.
Oh, yeah to say the leastwithout huge and obviously not
(22:51):
without a huge um productionbudget, but it was done so well
that right, it really broughtyou into it.
It was a fast watch and at thevery end I mean I won't talk
about it, but just okay.
So just remind people what thatis the Blair Witch Project, um,
and then what kind of what yearthat came out, and then let's
(23:11):
talk more about yourconversation with the director
sure, sure so um the Blair WitchProject.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
If you haven't heard of it um, it is a movie set in
maryland um, and it centersaround um the story um of three
campers and uh three campersslash uh videographers and so
they're going into uh the blairwoods in maryland to uh film a
(23:36):
documentary um about the blairwitch, who is rumored to lurk
there and has caused thesestrange occurrences, and um you
know it's a horror movie, so youcan guess what happens from
there um, right, yeah, how aboutthat?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
there's some horrific stuff.
Yes, yeah, it's in the name.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
There you go, yeah yeah, yeah, but um, I mean the
significance of of that movie isit was one of the first
significant, widespread foundfootage films that was ever
distributed.
So if you're familiar with theRack movies or Paranormal
Activity, that was one of theprecursors to it.
It came out in 1999.
(24:16):
And the way that they did themarketing for it I mean I go
into more detail in the book inmy interview with the
co-director but the way thatthey did the marketing for it
was genius, because a lot ofpeople when they came out of the
movie they said like we don'teven know if this was real or
not, like this could have beenreal they didn't go in to watch
(24:38):
a horror movie.
They thought, well, maybe thisis a documentary, we just don't
know.
Yeah, yeah.
So I got to interview thedirector and, fun fact, the
director is actually from TacomaPark, maryland.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
All right, actually grew up.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Actually grew up right around here, you know,
talks to me about going to thewheaton mall and, uh, playing at
the arcades when he was alittle kid um right and some of
the shows and movies that hewatched when he was growing up
and uh how that contributed toum, the ultimate project that he
put together, um, in the late1990s wow, that's amazing,
(25:16):
amazing, another, another fruitof MoCo that has gone worldwide.
Yes, we should be very proud ofthat.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, I'm definitely proud.
I really enjoyed seeing themovie and actually I was around.
Value when can people buy your?
Speaker 3 (25:28):
book when it comes out.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
And again it comes out, it's available for purchase
.
February 4th, February 4th yes,it's published conventionally
and people can find it where.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
People can find it.
Well, we have some localbookstores chiming in saying
that they want to purchase somecopies.
Fantastic, go to your localbookstore um barnes and noble.
That is one spot where umarcadia publishing and the
history press um shows up a lotum, and then, of course, on
amazon, um, you can buy it onthere, or you can buy it on
(26:12):
arcadia publishing's website, oryou can come.
Uh, we're we're stillscheduling these out, um, but
we've had some book eventscoming up.
I have one, I think, onFebruary 12th at 7 pm at
Wonderland Books.
I don't know when this iscoming out, but we'll find out
February 12th.
Wonderland Books Okay, fantastic, and then, may 14th, at 7 pm,
(26:33):
we're doing another event withGaithersburg Community Museum at
Saints Row Brewing inGaithersburg.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Oh, wow, that's great .
Now are you going to do a bookreading, I guess, as an author,
where you'll be reading somechapters of your book?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I expect to, as well as signing your books as well.
I expect to.
I mean, I haven't done a bookread, I haven't done a book
event before, but I expect toWell.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
congratulations.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
We're so proud to resident spotlight on you.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Brian G Myers who has the book Hidden Gems Hidden
History of Montgomery County,Maryland.
We had a County of Montgomeryshow called Hidden Gems.
But oh, hidden History ofMontgomery County, maryland,
stories that you may or probablydon't know about Montgomery
County, Maryland.
Read this book, support ourlocal author, local businessman.
We sent Maryland Universitygrad and that's what's happening
, moco, uh, you've gotten somehidden history from montgomery,
county maryland today.
(27:24):
Be sure to like, subscribe andshare.
And, brian, if people want toconnect with you, how do they do
that?
Speaker 3 (27:31):
um well, first of all , thank you so much, derek um
and uh.
Second of all, we I just put upa facebook page, so so Hidden
History, montgomery County,maryland, and you can just
connect with me on Instagram orbuy the book as well.
Follow your local bookstores aswell, like the ones I mentioned
Wonderland Books, gaithersburgCommunity Museum.
(27:53):
Keep up to date, because I'mworking with all these people
right now and we're going to getthe show on the road.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
That's wonderful, wonderful and at the end of each
show we often ask people to askthe question of you, ask a
question where we respond to you.
And Brian asked the questionhey, why don't you talk about my
book on your podcast?
And I thought, why not?
It sounds great and and itreally delivered great stories,
great content, a great young manthat has done a wonderful work,
not only for his family withthe genealogy, but with a gate,
(28:23):
this work, maryland documentingsomething in his first book and
with all of Montgomery Countywith the hidden history on his
new book.
So thank you again for beinghere today and I thank you all,
montgomery County, for listeningto the podcast and subscribing,
and thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Thanks for listening to what's Happening, moco.
Please subscribe via yourfavorite podcasting platform and
follow us on Facebook.
This podcast is brought to youby County Cable Montgomery, your
source for news and informationfrom the Montgomery County
Government.
Connect with us via cable,facebook, instagram or YouTube
(28:59):
by searching for County CableMoCo.
Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo, an
authentic unscripted podcastfrom your Montgomery County
government.
Now here's your host, derekKenney.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo.
Today we have a special treatwe are shining the resident
spotlight on Brian G Myers.
He's an author who has a bookabout the history of Montgomery
County, maryland About 30 or soof the most interesting,
shocking, wild storiesassociated with our very own
MoCo.
Brian, welcome to the podcast.
(00:38):
Thank you for having me, derek,thank you for being here, and
as soon as I saw you whichyou're going to find, guys, when
you talk about history, a lotof times you associate history
with older people.
I'm not saying that that'ssomething relegated to people
that are more senior, but youdon't always associate it with
someone.
Brian's age.
Brian, how old are you and tellus a little bit about.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'm 24 years old.
I was born in 2000.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Whoa.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Whoa, all right.
Yeah, so I've always had a loveof history.
I mean, it started when I wasabout six years old.
I was visiting my grandparents'house and I noticed the family
history book, a big oldgenealogy I love to read.
(01:27):
So I picked it up off the shelf, started reading it and, uh, I
think it might have been alittle bit um.
I, I have adhd, so I've heardthat's correlates a little bit
with a love of names and dates,and if you have looked at a
genealogy before, it's chockfull of them.
It's nothing but names anddates in there.
Oh, great, um.
So yeah, I just started lookingand, uh, I also found a love of
history through that.
And I just kept looking andlooking and looking.
(01:47):
And you know, I've been workingat my own family history for
about 13 years now.
But yeah, here I am age 24, Iguess.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Now, when you say working at it, I read the press
release.
Are you understating things abit?
Did you document things as youwere working on it?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
What is the results of your labor?
Looking at the genealogy, um,so I mean, I've I've worked on
my uh, I've worked on my mom'sside and I've worked on my dad's
side.
Um, I have a working familytree of over 25 000 people okay
um.
So that's something that I'vebeen working on, um.
I've also um been working onthe side on a genealogy that
I've that that I really need toget back into formatting,
because I've been working on itsince I was 13.
(02:30):
So there's a little bit of13-year-old formatting in there.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I can imagine when you're 13, it's more like you're
writing things on constructionpapers.
Right, right, right.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, a lot more journalism and business writing
classes since then.
Okay, all right, yeah, yeah, butI'm putting that together.
I think that's up to over 100pages now and that's not out for
publication or anything.
That's mainly for personal useand just for history in the
future, because I work with alot of people across the country
who are distantly related to meand they reach out, I reach out
(03:04):
and we work together, saying,okay, you know, uh, how are we
related here?
Um, are we sure on these facts?
Um, do you have any photos thatum of my relatives that I might
be able to share with some ofmy relatives?
Um, you know, that's how I,that's how I get family images
that you know a lot of my familymembers have never seen before,
right?
Um, I'll go out and talk topeople online and sometimes I'll
(03:29):
have pictures of my, like,great-great-grandparents that
nobody in my family who'scurrently alive has ever seen.
Oh, wow.
And then they ask me like wheredid you get that from?
It was like oh, like my thirdcousin, you know, three times
removed, who lives out inSaskatchewan.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Where did you start your process?
Lives out in Saskatchewan.
Where did you start yourprocess?
You started, I guess.
What type of resources did youuse?
You mentioned in-personinterviews and phone calls.
What other resources did youuse as you tried to build your
genealogy?
Just kind of tips for othersthat might be searching or
finding ways to build their ownfamily trees.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, sure.
So I think what held me backwhen me back, you know, when I
was starting out is one you knowI was 11.
So my frontal lobe isn't fullydeveloped to you know, have have
all those ideas right out infront of me.
But one thing that's reallycool is, as I got older, you
know you start getting moreideas and you start realizing
(04:20):
more.
You know there are way moreresources out there, not just on
the Internet, you know.
Go in person, person, go tothose archives, don't be afraid
to.
You know, come up to a strangerand say, hey, I'm looking for
such and such a record, and, um,you know, go on a little tour
with them, because in a lot ofthe cases, um, they've been
really, really helpful to me.
Um, you know, if I ask like, oh, you know one more thing, I I
(04:41):
was also looking for this,they'll be like yeah sure, it's
my job, I'll come and help youlook for it we have it in this
file back here.
Um yeah, maryland state archives, for instance, that's one of my
um that's one of my bestin-person resources.
If you're looking at genealogyin maryland um montgomery county
historical society, uh, whichis referenced in that book a lot
(05:01):
um yeah, jane, sweene library,um, that's where I found a lot
of really cool and reallyimportant to my family history
like baptismal records, deathrecords, marriage records.
Yeah, I mean, I found mygreat-great-grandma's birth
record in there and for a whileI mean until I started looking
(05:24):
and that's something I addressedin the preface to my my, my
parents are both from theBaltimore era we had no idea
that we had any connection tothe Montgomery County area
because, we, we thought we werejust coming into it.
We weren't.
We didn't think we were, youknow, circling back around to it
.
So yeah, I mean it's, it's,it's a really cool experience.
You know, it's a really full,it's a really cool experience.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
You know it's a really full, really cool, full
circle experience, all right.
And also, you just graduatedfrom University of Maryland.
Congratulations on that.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And what was your major at University of Maryland?
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Um, so I ended up with, uh, information systems
and marketing.
Um, I started out in journalism.
I decided to switch over intobusiness just because I wanted a
broader spectrum of things todo.
Personally, I didn't feel likeI had as much voice as if I went
into journalism, went into aconventional journalism job.
(06:20):
After I did business, Igraduated from University of
Maryland.
Then I got a job as a businesstechnology consultant Wow.
And in the interim betweenactually starting that job and
between graduating from college,I graduated from college in May
of 2023.
And I started my job in Octoberof 2023.
(06:43):
Gave me five months to donothing if I wanted to, but I
get really antsy when I don'thave anything to do.
So that's why I reached out tomy publisher and said, hey, I
got a little idea here and hereit is.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
So you say you're a publisher.
In this day and age, there's alot of people that have written
books and many people areself-published, but how did you
go about getting a bookpublished with a publisher?
And also tell us also about thefirst book you wrote, because
this is not the.
This is your second book, soyou have two books, right?
(07:20):
Yes, so I guess there's a lotyou can share right now.
What was the topic of yourfirst book?
Uh, what inspired you to writeit?
And then what was the processlike, um, finding a publisher to
get it out?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
sure, um.
So for the first book, um, thatwas also a.
Uh, that was also a sim, thatwas also.
That also resulted from mebeing antsy and me wanting to go
out and do something right.
Um, university of maryland isnotorious for having a very,
very long winter break which isawesome, don't get me wrong I
(07:53):
love having a long winter break.
I like, I like when it breaks um, but, um, you know, after a
while I get a little antsy andI'm like, okay, I need to go out
and do something.
Um, so I went on a freelancewebsite called upworkcom and.
I was just looking around seeingwhatever popped at me and there
was a notification for um, ajob offering uh, write 50 facts
(08:17):
about your uh hometown for abook series that we're doing.
And I said you know what, whydon't I just do that?
Because it sounded really fun,it sounded really interesting,
so I reached out and did asubmission for that and
publisher got back to me and shesaid wow, I really like that
idea.
So I ran with it, worked onthat from December and then came
(08:42):
out in April of 2020, december2019 to April 2020.
Yeah, and I mean, looking back,that was a crazy year.
That was a COVID year.
So, yeah, I mean it's crazy tothink about.
You know, I started my book, Istarted that first book before
COVID started and you know, now,coming back to it, I feel like
(09:03):
I've been through so much lifeexperience and um well, okay,
and.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I'm 24, you know, I'm 24.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
I don't want to sound too pretentious, but, um, but
yeah, I mean.
I mean, during that time I wentthrough a lot of life
experience and self-reflectionrelatively, and, um, a lot more
writing classes, a lot more donevirtually than in person.
Oh wow, and I came back and Ifelt a lot more confident and I
(09:31):
said you know what I'm going tosubmit for a second project, and
so that's where this came outof.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
All right, all right, so let's talk about this.
This is what really brought meinto this.
I love the way it's described.
This is what really brought meinto this.
I love the way it's described.
Wild, shocking as well asinteresting stories from
Montgomery County, maryland Over30 chapters in this book.
It's a paperback and it's goingto be available when.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
February 4th 2025.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
So by the time this podcast is out, people will be
able to go to the stores andfind this book or look online,
buy the book and benefit one oftheir very own people that's
been spotlighted on the what'shappening moco podcast.
Brian all right, brian g myers.
What does the g stand for?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
uh, gregory, shout out my dad, gregory myers, there
you go, all right, all right Iknew there was a.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
There's a g in there and it's included in the name.
It has significance, all right.
Yeah, brian g myers all rightyeah let's let's talk about some
of the stories.
Okay, so you've, we've, learnedabout your history and in your
short history um, relativelyshort compared to someone that's
older like me.
Yes, relatively short, but youhave over, I guess, a decade
worth of research, analyticaland writing skills and
(10:51):
experience.
So how did that contribute tothis book?
And then let's talk about someof the cool stories that you
have in the book.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Sure.
So I talked a little bit aboutthe beginning of this process
going into writing this book,and it does stem back to my
genealogical background.
So another resource that I usefor genealogical research is
going through local newspapers.
So that includes, you know, theWashington Post, the Baltimore
(11:19):
Sun, montgomery County Sentineland the Frederick News Post.
So I went through a lot ofthose newspapers and as I was
looking for other relatives Ikept seeing accompanying
articles about all these wildstories you know, like people's
wedding dresses being set onfire you know, back in the 1910s
(11:40):
.
People running away and gettingmarried, not, you know, telling
their parents.
I just thought to myself I'mlike this seems, I'm picturing
it in my head as a movie and I'dlove to write something about
this, you know, from a 21stcentury perspective, from a 21st
century perspective.
So I reached out to mypublisher initially and said,
(12:02):
hey, I'd love to do something onWestern Maryland newspapers and
spotlight some of these reallyinteresting articles that I
found and that didn't really fitthe scope of what series that
they have right now.
But they said, well, do youwant to limit it to one county
and do you want to write abroader range of stories?
So I said, well, why not doMontgomery County?
(12:24):
That's where I lived for, youknow, 22, 23 years.
So here we are.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Here we are.
All right, let's share thefirst story.
Give us one of the stories thatyou might describe as shocking.
What's a shocking story thatsomeone might find in your book?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
A shocking story, so, excuse me, let me grab my
throat.
So a shocking story that Imight share is well.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
It's already worn down a little bit.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I have my fingerprints all over I was
ready to start reading it.
I was waiting for the autographand take it home and reading,
so I can, I can share myknowledge of the county, some
things everyone doesn't knowabout the county.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah, of course you're getting a preview right,
that's right that's right.
Yes, yeah, so, um, a shockingstory, um, I mean, the first one
that comes to mind is mylongest chapter, which is on
vernon.
He is a character they calledhim Via Thompson, after Pancho
Via, who was a renowned I thinkit was a Mexican militant.
(13:30):
I have to look back, I have tostudy.
I'm like this book is going tobe news to me too.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
You did the research, you wrote it, but you didn't
memorize every detail.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
It's like studying for a test and then, as soon as
you take the test, everythinggoes out.
No worries, no, worries, no.
But I say that to mean that hewas very quick draw.
This is a man who lived inGermantown.
He lived from 1880 to 1921.
He lived in Germantown.
(14:05):
He was very known for being aquick draw guy, very quick to
violence.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Oh, wow, and quick draw is almost like a cowboy, I
guess.
Quick draw like literally witha gun, I mean that's sometimes
yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Oh, wow, okay I mean that's that's why they, that's
why they called him Villa Um.
And there's a story in, there'sa story in that chapter, um,
about how, um, some people, somepeople think that, um, you know
, he served in the SpanishAmerican war and some people
think that, um, because of anillness he sustained during that
(14:41):
time, it kind of messed withhis mental state a bit and
that's maybe why he was the wayhe was.
But, to put it into perspective, he wanted to marry a woman.
The woman's family didn'tapprove and so he threw.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I believe a rock through a window at her uncle.
Luckily he didn't die.
He didn't die, yeah, but he hithim.
He hit him.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Oh, wow, okay, yeah he hit him through the window.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
That's a way to respond to that, I guess.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Yeah, yeah yeah.
We do not recommend violence.
We here at the MontgomeryCounty Council do not endorse
Brock violence.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
That's right, there you go.
There you go, all right, allright, all right.
So we've learned about thishyper-violent man who may or may
not have mental illness, um,and had some interesting stories
about his response to hisenvironment and things that
happened to him.
Correct?
Wow, uh, give us a one, uh, oneof your other most, give us an
interesting story, one of yourinteresting stories, interesting
(15:49):
story um, well, there is the um.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
There's an interview that I did with Joe Aconfora.
He used to be a teacher back inthe early 1970s in the
Montgomery County Public Schools.
He worked at Parkland JuniorHigh School, which is now
Parkland Middle School.
But back in the early 1970s hegot a job as a teacher.
(16:12):
But the Montgomery CountySchool Board found out that he,
um, he had previously had someinvolvement um with, uh, the gay
rights movement while he was astudent at Penn state.
And so I think about a monthinto um his tenure as a teacher,
um, they said, okay, you know,they they're like all right,
(16:33):
well, you know, we're lettingyou go from this position, um.
So the chapter basically goesinto, um, how he fought that
decision, um, what the result ofthat was, um, and what he's up
to now and how he feels aboutthe county now, um, and I think
it was really eye opening to mebecause, um, you know, I think
Montgomery County is, you know,I think Montgomery County is,
(16:55):
you know, a very progressivearea.
But I think it was eye-openingto me to say, you know, wow,
this was only 50-some years agoand, you know, even looking
today, we've still got a ways togo, you know, with making
everybody feel like they belonghere, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, and I think in some ways, we may have taken a
step back in the last week or sowhen it comes to ensuring that
everyone feels like they'remaking everybody feel like they
belong here.
And also, as a quick self-plug,our last podcast episode was
focused on the LGBTQIA plus twotwo plus community.
(17:31):
So good information there inthe last podcast episode.
But it's disheartening to seethat just 50 years ago, somebody
was denied a job that they werequalified for simply because
they were different in some waythan others, and that's terrible
, but it is interesting.
It's interesting to see aglimpse at what people were
(17:53):
dealing with in MontgomeryCounty just 50 years ago and, as
you mentioned earlier, we areone of the most progressive
counties in the country, butjust 50 years ago we weren't.
So wow, it's good that youshare that story.
It is interesting.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Right, right, and it's a debate that's still going
on today.
You know it's not set in stone,which is the really interesting
thing.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Indeed, indeed.
What are some of the otherstories you have to share?
Indeed, indeed.
What are some of the otherstories you have to share?
I just love stories.
I love stories about MoCo, andthen also it's great to learn
more about the county that weall love, especially in a
historical sense, and then, ofcourse, having people that
listen to the podcast can share.
(18:32):
Hey, did you hear about this?
You know, you probably didn'tknow about the hidden stories in
Montgomery County, becausepeople may not have known about
the angry guy or this teacherthat was mistreated.
What are some of the otherstories that people may not be
aware of?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Right.
So I mean, you brought up theadjective hidden, which of
course you know hidden.
History of.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Montgomery.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
County.
I think one of the stories thatbest serves that title is
Woodstock, which is a propertylocated um if you keep going
down route 28 um the woodstockuh, no, okay, okay, no not 1969
woodstock, but um that sounds.
(19:09):
I mean it would be a greatchapter, but it'll be an
incredible chapter, yeah, a lotof scope, but, um, yeah, so if
you go all the way down uh 28toward dickerson, um, there is a
little.
There's a little marker that,um, that marks where woodstock
is and woodstock is the propertywhere um george washington had
one of his tenant farms okay umin maryland, and so the last
(19:33):
tenant house um in montgomerycounty is over there.
Um so it is still being lived inby the boblitt family um megan
boblitt in particular.
Um they're wonderful family,very gracious um so they they
allowed me to, uh, they gave mea tour around their house.
(19:54):
Um, it's a very historic house.
It was built in um pre-1800.
It dates back to pre-1800.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Whoa, and it's still standing.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Yes, it's still standing.
It's definitely been throughsome hardships.
She talks about in the book howwhen she went in there it was I
mean, I'll let you read thebook but it was in a rough shape
and she really put in the workand the man hours to put all
(20:25):
that back together.
And now if you look at it, shecalls it a Franken-house,
because, yeah, so there's onepart of it that was built or
dates back to pre-1800.
And they can tell because ofsome of the architectural
features, um, and then there'sanother part of it, um, of the
house that was built in 1899.
Um, and you can tell becausethere is a little etching, um in
(20:49):
pencil, um, in one of, I think,under the stairs.
If I remember correctly, um,under the stairs it says WT
Hilton, 1899.99.
So that was the builder for thehouse and he actually, if y'all
are familiar with HiltonFuneral Home, william T Hilton,
is also the one who foundedHilton Funeral Home up in
(21:10):
Barnesville.
He was also the builder of thathouse.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So he had a funeral home, and he also built homes as
well.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, and homes that last apparently, yeah that last
what?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
over 100 years?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
I guess 140 I guess a little off here, but yeah,
that's a long time we have somehomes that don't last 30, 40
years.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
It's incredible.
Um, now, now what?
What do you?
Uh, what's your pitch?
Do you have a pitch yet foryour book?
When someone says why should Ibuy your book?
Speaker 3 (21:36):
um, well, I mean, I I like to say somebody asked me
that question the other day andI said you know, I wrote a
history book that I would liketo read.
You know?
Because I mean it wasn't thatlong ago, I was in school and I
was reading history books and Iwould read through some passions
and be like this is just reallyboring.
I feel like they're talking atme and not with me.
(21:56):
They're not really catering towhat I want to hear.
And what I want to hear is Iput in some different topics in
there.
I talk about different sportsin the county.
I talk about some more moderntopics too, because we're not
just the 1700s and the 1800s ofhistory, we're the 1900s and
even the 2000s of history, so Ialso have some pop culture in
(22:20):
there.
There is a chapter in therewhere I interviewed the director
one of the directors of theblair project.
Oh, wow, okay well let's stopright there.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Fantastic movie, uh, one of the movies that I like.
I like horror movies, so okay,and it was quite shocking is
when I first saw it it was.
I was amazed at how scary themovie was without a big uh
special effects budget.
Oh, yeah to say the leastwithout huge and obviously not
(22:51):
without a huge um productionbudget, but it was done so well
that right, it really broughtyou into it.
It was a fast watch and at thevery end I mean I won't talk
about it, but just okay.
So just remind people what thatis the Blair Witch Project, um,
and then what kind of what yearthat came out, and then let's
(23:11):
talk more about yourconversation with the director
sure, sure so um the Blair WitchProject.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
If you haven't heard of it um, it is a movie set in
maryland um, and it centersaround um the story um of three
campers and uh three campersslash uh videographers and so
they're going into uh the blairwoods in maryland to uh film a
(23:36):
documentary um about the blairwitch, who is rumored to lurk
there and has caused thesestrange occurrences, and um you
know it's a horror movie, so youcan guess what happens from
there um, right, yeah, how aboutthat?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
there's some horrific stuff.
Yes, yeah, it's in the name.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
There you go, yeah yeah, yeah, but um, I mean the
significance of of that movie isit was one of the first
significant, widespread foundfootage films that was ever
distributed.
So if you're familiar with theRack movies or Paranormal
Activity, that was one of theprecursors to it.
It came out in 1999.
(24:16):
And the way that they did themarketing for it I mean I go
into more detail in the book inmy interview with the
co-director but the way thatthey did the marketing for it
was genius, because a lot ofpeople when they came out of the
movie they said like we don'teven know if this was real or
not, like this could have beenreal they didn't go in to watch
(24:38):
a horror movie.
They thought, well, maybe thisis a documentary, we just don't
know.
Yeah, yeah.
So I got to interview thedirector and, fun fact, the
director is actually from TacomaPark, maryland.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
All right, actually grew up.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Actually grew up right around here, you know,
talks to me about going to thewheaton mall and, uh, playing at
the arcades when he was alittle kid um right and some of
the shows and movies that hewatched when he was growing up
and uh how that contributed toum, the ultimate project that he
put together, um, in the late1990s wow, that's amazing,
(25:16):
amazing, another, another fruitof MoCo that has gone worldwide.
Yes, we should be very proud ofthat.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, I'm definitely proud.
I really enjoyed seeing themovie and actually I was around.
Value when can people buy your?
Speaker 3 (25:28):
book when it comes out.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
And again it comes out, it's available for purchase
.
February 4th, February 4th yes,it's published conventionally
and people can find it where.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
People can find it.
Well, we have some localbookstores chiming in saying
that they want to purchase somecopies.
Fantastic, go to your localbookstore um barnes and noble.
That is one spot where umarcadia publishing and the
history press um shows up a lotum, and then, of course, on
amazon, um, you can buy it onthere, or you can buy it on
(26:12):
arcadia publishing's website, oryou can come.
Uh, we're we're stillscheduling these out, um, but
we've had some book eventscoming up.
I have one, I think, onFebruary 12th at 7 pm at
Wonderland Books.
I don't know when this iscoming out, but we'll find out
February 12th.
Wonderland Books Okay, fantastic, and then, may 14th, at 7 pm,
(26:33):
we're doing another event withGaithersburg Community Museum at
Saints Row Brewing inGaithersburg.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Oh, wow, that's great .
Now are you going to do a bookreading, I guess, as an author,
where you'll be reading somechapters of your book?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I expect to, as well as signing your books as well.
I expect to.
I mean, I haven't done a bookread, I haven't done a book
event before, but I expect toWell.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
congratulations.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
We're so proud to resident spotlight on you.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Brian G Myers who has the book Hidden Gems Hidden
History of Montgomery County,Maryland.
We had a County of Montgomeryshow called Hidden Gems.
But oh, hidden History ofMontgomery County, maryland,
stories that you may or probablydon't know about Montgomery
County, Maryland.
Read this book, support ourlocal author, local businessman.
We sent Maryland Universitygrad and that's what's happening
, moco, uh, you've gotten somehidden history from montgomery,
county maryland today.
(27:24):
Be sure to like, subscribe andshare.
And, brian, if people want toconnect with you, how do they do
that?
Speaker 3 (27:31):
um well, first of all , thank you so much, derek um
and uh.
Second of all, we I just put upa facebook page, so so Hidden
History, montgomery County,maryland, and you can just
connect with me on Instagram orbuy the book as well.
Follow your local bookstores aswell, like the ones I mentioned
Wonderland Books, gaithersburgCommunity Museum.
(27:53):
Keep up to date, because I'mworking with all these people
right now and we're going to getthe show on the road.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
That's wonderful, wonderful and at the end of each
show we often ask people to askthe question of you, ask a
question where we respond to you.
And Brian asked the questionhey, why don't you talk about my
book on your podcast?
And I thought, why not?
It sounds great and and itreally delivered great stories,
great content, a great young manthat has done a wonderful work,
not only for his family withthe genealogy, but with a gate,
(28:23):
this work, maryland documentingsomething in his first book and
with all of Montgomery Countywith the hidden history on his
new book.
So thank you again for beinghere today and I thank you all,
montgomery County, for listeningto the podcast and subscribing,
and thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Thanks for listening to what's Happening, moco.
Please subscribe via yourfavorite podcasting platform and
follow us on Facebook.
This podcast is brought to youby County Cable Montgomery, your
source for news and informationfrom the Montgomery County
Government.
Connect with us via cable,facebook, instagram or YouTube
(28:59):
by searching for County CableMoCo.
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