Lewis Reed Collection of Glass Plate Negatives Donated to Montgomery County Historical Society

Lewis Reed's daughter recently donated her father's photograph collection of 280 glass plate negatives to the Montgomery County Historical Society (Maryland). End Quote

Since 1915 - Family owned and Operated

Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV (1888PressRelease) June 05, 2012 - The Jane C. Sween Library was recently given a collection of Lewis Reed's 280 glass plate negatives, showing Montgomery County in the early 20th century. Lewis Reed was a well-known photographer in the county as well as owner and founder (along with his brother Edgar) of Reed Brothers Dodge (1915-2009) of Rockville, Maryland. The collection was donated to the Historical Society by Mr. Reed's daughter, Mary Jane Reed Gartner.

Reed Brothers was franchised as a Dodge dealership in 1915; only one year after the first Dodge automobile was made. Lewis Reed and his brother Edgar, were the first to sell Dodge cars in Montgomery County Maryland. That makes Reed Brothers the oldest auto dealership under the same family ownership in Maryland, and one of the oldest in the entire nation.

With photography for a hobby, one that began even before automobiles were around Montgomery County, Lewis Reed had amassed a large library of photographs of buildings, farm carts drawn by oxen, and other historic spots in Montgomery County. The glass plate negatives from Lewis Reed's Collection are a great example of early photographic techniques which were in common use between the 1880s and the late 1920s. There are scenes of different areas of the county, buildings, events such as the county fair, and local people.

A link to the "Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915-2012" blog can be found on the Montgomery County Historical Society's website in the History & Resources section, entitled "Other Local History on the Web".

Visit Reed Brothers Dodge History blog at http://reedbrothersdodgehistory.wordpress.com/

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Visit Reed Brothers, Inc Website

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