Silver Spring, MD

Seven miles north of Washington, D.C., Silver Spring is a large unincorporated municipality covering just over nine square miles in affluent Montgomery County, Maryland. A suburban bedroom community for many D.C. employees, Silver Spring has a population of about 81,000, with a median age of 34. The median household income is roughly $73,000, which is above the Maryland average.

Ethnically diverse, Silver Spring is home to significant Caucasian, African-American, and Latino communities. There are also substantial Asian Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese communities. Roughly 35 percent of residents are foreign-born.

The median price of a home in Silver Spring is above the state average, while the cost of living is substantially higher than the national average.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Recent years have witnessed a large-scale renovation of the city's downtown, and local government actively pursues commercial and industrial development in the northeastern areas of town, including the recently constructed East County Science and Technology Center. As a result of these efforts, Silver Spring has become one of the fastest growing communities in Montgomery County.

BEST BETS

Downtown Silver Spring has much to offer. Art lovers can see view offerings at the Gudelsky Gallery, which displays the work of students. Periodic traveling exhibitions are also held.

The George Meany Memorial Archives was established in 1980 with the mission of preserving the AFL/CIO's historical documents and records. The collection is housed at Silver Spring's National Labor College, where the student body is made up of labor officers, representatives, and AFL/CIO employees.

Founded in 1959 after the demise of streetcar service in the nation's capital, the National Capital Trolley Museum preserves the history of electric railways and trolleys in Washington, D.C.

Acorn Park, located in Downtown Silver Spring, was once the home of Francis Preston Blair, founder of Silver Spring. It is believed that Blair discovered a silver-colored natural spring in the area, giving the town its name.

Other attractions include:

• Silver Spring Historical Society
• American Film Institute
• Silver Theater and Culture Center
• Silver Spring Stage
• The Bach Sinfonia
• Maryland Youth Ballet
• Round House Theater

EVENTS

Silver Spring Jazz Festival, a free annual event in downtown Silver Spring that features a variety of jazz performances features a showcase of local talent in the Jazz Ensemble Caravan, a New Orleans-style parade of youth jazz ensembles traveling throughout the community. The parade is followed by a band competition. The winning youth ensemble receives the Silver Spring Jazz Festival Trophy.

Other attractions include:

• Silverdoc documentary film festival
• Jazz Jam Sessions at Blair Mansion Inn

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Downtown Silver Spring is home to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which contributes to the National Weather Service, and employs over 5,000 people. Other major employers in Silver Spring include:

• Holy Cross Hospital, with nearly 3,000 employees
• Discovery Communications, with around 1,300 employees

EDUCATION

Colleges and Universities in Silver Spring include:

• Montgomery College: Featuring programs in Health Sciences and Visual/Performing Arts, the Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus has recently constructed a new Health Sciences Building, as well as a Student Services Center, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Art Center, and a Cultural Arts Center with a stage and several dance studios.
• Maryland College of Art and Design: An extension of Montgomery College.
• Griggs University: A private, Seventh Day Adventist college offering Associate and Bachelor's degrees.
• Howard University Continuing Education: Offers professional development and undergraduate and graduate continuing education programs.
• National Labor College: Offers Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies and a Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies degrees.
• Everest Institute: Offers associates degrees in a number of areas.
• Yeshiva College of the Nation's Capital: A private Jewish college offering Theology degrees.