Olney, Maryland
Olney is a community of 35,797 people in Montgomery County, Maryland, founded in 1832.
Why visit Olney
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 43 parks and trails, 56 places to eat and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Olney Theatre Center, Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Sandy Spring Museum and Brookeville Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Olney
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Olney
Olney is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is located in the north central part of the county, thirteen miles (21 km) north of Washington, D.C.
From the Wikipedia article Olney, Maryland (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Olney Theatre Center for the Arts
Cinema and theater · 1.4 mi
Arts center in Olney, Maryland, United States
Museums and landmarks15
Sandy Spring Museum
Museum · 2.7 mi
501(c)(3) nonprofit history museum in Maryland, U.S.
17901 Bentley Road, Sandy Spring
Su 12:00-16:00; Mo, We, Fr 10:00-16:00
Brookeville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
United States National Register Historic District in the town of Brookeville, Maryland
Brookeville Woolen Mill and House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic district in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Clifton
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic home located at Ednor, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Clover Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Historic residence and surrounding property located in the town of Brookeville, Maryland, United States
Glenview Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.1 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
Oaks II
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
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The Ridge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Building in Maryland, United States
National Capital Trolley Museum
Museum · 4.0 mi
A nonprofit organization that operates historic trolleys (or trams) for the public on a regular schedule
the beachKraft Studio\Gallery
Museum · 0.8 mi
18200 Georgia Avenue, Olney
Tu-Su 12:00-20:00
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds43
North Branch Stream Valley Park
Hiking and trails · 1.6 mi
North Branch Stream Valley Park consists of 3 units with a total of 1408 acres. First acquisition date was in 1963.
18704,18700 Wickham Road, Olney
Mo-Su 06:00-20:00
Northwest Branch Recreational Park
Park · 3.4 mi
Recreational
16109 Llewellyn Manor Way, Colesville
sunrise-sunset
Rachel Carson Conservation Park
Park · 4.7 mi
Park dedicated to environmental preservation in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
31 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes56
Scratch Kitchen & Bistro
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
Serves Breakfast All Day, 7 days a week
18062 Georgia Avenue, Olney
Mo-Su 08:00-15:00
California Tortilla
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
18101 Village Center Drive, Olney
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Carmen's Italian Ice
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 0.6 mi
3233 Spartan Road, Olney
Mo-Fr 14:00-21:00; Sa, Su 12:00-21:00
El Andariego
Restaurant · Mexican · 3.2 mi
5 Olney Sandy Spring Road, Ashton
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Ledo Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza, Pasta · 0.6 mi
3472 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 09:30-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Nirvana Indian Cusine
Restaurant · Indian · 0.6 mi
3474 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney
Mo-Sa 11:30-15:00, 17:00-21:00; Su 12:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00
Olney Grille
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
3464 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney
Mo-Tu 11:30-20:00; We-Th 11:30-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-21:30
Olney Station
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
3418 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney
Mo-We 11:00-22:00; Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-23:00
Sardi's Peruvian Chicken
Restaurant · Peruvian · 0.6 mi
3414 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney
Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:30
Sol Azteca
Restaurant · Tex-Mex · 0.8 mi
18129 Town Center Drive, Olney
Su-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-23:00
Thai Cuisine
Restaurant · Thai · 0.6 mi
3430 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney
Tu-Fr 11:30-14:30, 16:30-20:00; Sa 12:00-20:00; Su 16:30-20:00
44 more on the map.
History
In 1763, Richard Brooke received a patent for a tract of land located in the Province of Maryland. Originally known as Mechanicsville or Fair Hill, the village which became Olney was established in 1800. The area was mostly farmland, but it soon began attracting artisans. Early residents Sarah Brooke and Dr. Charles Farquhar were devotees of the English poet William Cowper, and named their home after the poet's hometown of Olney in England. The area was later named for their home, which still stands and is known as the Olney House. In the town's center was a blacksmith, William Kelley's wheelwright shop, Canby's pottery factory, and a Benedict Duley's store.
The Brooke family held the largest tracts of land in Olney, whose central village was at the intersection of the Rockville to Baltimore road, and the one which connected Washington with Westminster to the north. The Quaker community in Sandy Spring thrived just to Olney's east. The Sandy Spring Museum is a historical museum featuring educational programs and displays. St. John's Episcopal Church was established in 1842 and survives to this day.
From the History section of Olney, Maryland on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship39
Sandy Spring Friends Meetinghouse
Church · Quaker · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington, D.C.
Church · Orthodox · 3.1 mi
721 Norwood Road, Silver Spring
Mount Zion United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 3.2 mi
5000 Brookeville Road, Gaithersburg
Saint Andrew Kim Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.1 mi
17615 Old Baltimore Road, Olney
Salem United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 2.5 mi
12 High Street, Brookeville
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries72
Healthcare6
MedStar Health - Urgent Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
18045 Georgia Avenue, Olney
Map of Olney
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 27°F | 3.1 in |
| Feb | 45°F | 28°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 36°F | 3.7 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 46°F | 3.2 in |
| May | 74°F | 55°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 64°F | 4.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 4.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 3.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 60°F | 4.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 48°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 38°F | 3.3 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 31°F | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Rockville 1 Ne (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Montgomery County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-03-04: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2012-11-20: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2012-10-28: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Montgomery County Airpark (GAI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Aspen Hill 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Cloverly 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Glenmont 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Colesville 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Flower Hill 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Gaithersburg 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- North Bethesda 8 mi south, about 13 min by car
- Montgomery Village 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Fairland 8 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Kemp Mill 8 mi south, about 12 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- St. John's Episcopal Olney 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sandy Spring Meetinghouse 1936, John O. Brostrup, Public domain
- Brookeville Historic District 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Clover Hill (Brookeville, Maryland), Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oaks II, Sberbes, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brookeville Woolen Mill and House 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Clifton Ednor MD Jan 11, Pubdog, Public domain
- The Ridge, Derwood, Maryland, 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Glenview Mansion S Facade 01, Wilford Nusser, CC BY-SA 3.0
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