If you happen to visit Gaithersburg in Montgomery County, you will find out the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory is one of its premier attractions. The beacon is located on a 2.3 acre property at the southern end of the city.
In case you want to see the observatory and get a ride back to the airport at the end of your visit, call Affinity Airport Sedan. Our professional car service will pick you up and get you were you need to be.
The City of Gaithersburg, located about a half hour northwest of Washington, D.C., is a major suburb of the region and the fourth largest incorporated city in Maryland.
If you’re planning a trip to the Gaithersburg area, just call Affinity Airport Sedan to get you there! Our friendly, personal transportation service can pick you up from any D.C. area airport and give you a ride to your Gaithersburg destination. So when you need a lift, skip the shuttles, and just call Affinity!
Settled as an agricultural area in 1765, Gaithersburg was originally called Log Town. However, Benjamin Gaither inherited a portion of the land in the late 1700s, and by the 1850s, the area was known as Gaithersburg. The city was incorporated in 1878 and remained a small farm town until the 1970s, when the population grew and the area became more suburban. Today, Gaithersburg is one of the most ethnically and economically diverse areas in the D.C. region.
Notably, Gaithersburg was chosen as one of six locations around the world to house an International Latitude Observatory in 1899. These stations measured how much the Earth wobbled on its polar axis and operated until computers made them obsolete in 1982. However, the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory remains a National Historic Landmark – the only one in the city.
Modern Gaithersburg is divided into east and west regions. The east is the older area that boasts the city’s historic business district, Olde Towne, along with the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. To the west, there are wealthier neighborhoods that were influenced by New Urbanism, a design movement that strives to create walkable neighborhoods, multiple different housing types, and diverse populations.
Today, the city boasts major employers like IBM, Lockheed Martin, and The National Institute of Standards and Technology. And with exciting attractions like museums, skate and water parks, farmers markets, and art exhibits, there’s plenty to keep you occupied while you’re there.
Come and enjoy Gaithersburg for yourself. And for all of your transportation needs while you’re in town, you can always count on Affinity!