What do you know about the Scotland Community in Potomac?

[Anonymous]

When looking for a house we came across these a few years ago and were shocked by the price for the area. Upon closer inspection we realized it was not a desirable area to live in. Although it may have originally been set up as some type of low-income housing, I didn't see anything that mentioned any restrictions on who could buy there now. They're not MPDUs as far as I know. It's really sad how a nice neighborhood can end up like that(meaning crime and poverty, NOT race).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a low-income community set aside by the county. For reasons not wirth debating in this forum, yes, the residents are primarily black. Yes, they also have a much higher crime rate in that community. I associate that with poverty, and the isolation of being poor in an affluent area, and not to race.

But I would not choose to live there. And we looked at a townhouse in a bordering neighborhood a few years back and were really disturbed to see everyone had bars on their back windows on the side of the street that backed to Scotland.

I think primarily black communities, even when adjusted for poverty, have much higher crime rates than those of other ethnic groups. we can debate the reasons or accuracy of those statistics. interesting though.

[Anonymous]

There are two sides of the Scotland Community. The townhomes in the front part of the community are rentals and are subsidized and maintained by the county. The townhomes in the back of the community are privately owned. I would say that 99% of the residents in Scotland are VERY nice and make great neighbors. Unfortunately, there are a few bad apples. Specifically, a few of the young men in the community appear to have adopted the "gang banger" lifestyle and they like to hang out late, drink and smoke and make noise all night, and throw their garbage over the fence into the other neighborhoods. Make what you will of it, that's just the facts.

[Anonymous]

OP is a troll.

[Anonymous]

Many of the previous posts are misinformed. The Scotland community as well as Tobytown (on River Road before it turns into Seneca) have a long and sad history. In fact, much longer than all the homes and neighborhoods that surround the current community and sit on Scotland's and Tobytown's previous residents' land before it was "condemned." I wish the County did more today to educate Scotland's and Tobytown's neighboring communities - historical markers, outreach in the schools, etc. because it is well-deserved and should serve as a reminder of how far America has come, but still has to go. At a time in history, what happened to the residents of Scotland and Tobytown happened all across America. For example, West Palm Beach was established to move the African-America workers of the wealthy's beachfront compounds to less desirable land so their homes and communities on prime land near the ocean could be "condemned" and redeveloped.

http://potomac.patch.com/articles/rich-history-development-define-scotland-community

There was also an article in the Post about Tobytown a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Sparkling Wiggles

[Anonymous]

OP and PPs who posted questions should read the article PP posted.

Another article about Scotland (WP): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/17/AR2005061700588.html

[Anonymous]

http://potomac.patch.com/groups/editors-picks/p/rich-history-development-define-scotland-community

I remember before Scotland Community was completed. There used to be shacks over there and up on the hill near Democracy Blvd. These townhouses made it so the residents had running water and didn't have to live in shacks.

I went to junior high with students from Scotland Community.

[Anonymous]

right

b/c why integrate when we can live by Jim Crow laws

Anonymous wrote:http://potomac.patch.com/groups/editors-picks/p/rich-history-development-define-scotland-community

I remember before Scotland Community was completed. There used to be shacks over there and up on the hill near Democracy Blvd. These townhouses made it so the residents had running water and didn't have to live in shacks.

I went to junior high with students from Scotland Community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it still domiated by African American families, since it is pen to everyone. Most communities in MC are more mixed.

Are you saying you think there isn't a predominant race in the rest of Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Please PP - While history is nice, no one cares now, right?

Research Sandy Spring 20860 and see how much respect that historically black community has had over the years. There's a slave museum, for example, that gets no press. Look at the McMansions being built on that land - invaded by white folks.

There's no respect for history, and that's part of the problem.

Look at Churchill's School at a Glance - http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04602.pdf
Less than .5% FARMs and 7.9% black.

Make the connection.

I'm sure fitting in at Churchill is not easy.

Anonymous wrote:Many of the previous posts are misinformed. The Scotland community as well as Tobytown (on River Road before it turns into Seneca) have a long and sad history. In fact, much longer than all the homes and neighborhoods that surround the current community and sit on Scotland's and Tobytown's previous residents' land before it was "condemned." I wish the County did more today to educate Scotland's and Tobytown's neighboring communities - historical markers, outreach in the schools, etc. because it is well-deserved and should serve as a reminder of how far America has come, but still has to go. At a time in history, what happened to the residents of Scotland and Tobytown happened all across America. For example, West Palm Beach was established to move the African-America workers of the wealthy's beachfront compounds to less desirable land so their homes and communities on prime land near the ocean could be "condemned" and redeveloped.

http://potomac.patch.com/articles/rich-history-development-define-scotland-community

There was also an article in the Post about Tobytown a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it still domiated by African American families, since it is pen to everyone. Most communities in MC are more mixed.

Is Scotland less mixed than other parts of Potomac?

[Anonymous]

50 years ago on August 31, 1964, a young 18 year old white woman by the name of Edith Anita Welch-Williams was driving home from the movies and was run off the road by an upstanding member of Scotland Community. The man (Shorty Baker) dragged her from the car and al she had time to grab was her white bible that she always kept on on her passenger seat. He killed her and threw her body in a hog pen behind one of the shacks in Scotland Community. What was left of her body was discovered in late September. The guy went on to try to abduct another woman in Poolesville--but was unsuccessful. He was charged for that crime, but for some reason no connection was ever made to Edith's case. Unfortunately the Montgomery County Police never pursued the case. The case was finally solved in 2007 when a member of the community offered to tell what they knew in trade for lenient treatment for something they had done. Unfortunately, "Shorty Baker" was already dead... The newspapers and the liberal community ignored this case because of the racial situation in the county and state at the time. However, shortly after Edith's death, the county and state moved buy up most of Scotland Community and turn the land into park land. The remaining members of the community, many of whom were living in cardboard shacks with no running water, electricity or trash service, were moved to public housing that was built on the remaining 10 acres. The people were given the chance to either buy or rent the townhomes...

[Anonymous]

Why is it called Scotland.

[Anonymous]

I should add that Ms. Edith Welch-Williams was driving on Seven Locks Road heading home to Rockville at the time of her abduction and murder--and was only a couple miles from the then "newly built" Montgomery County Police Barracks on Seven Locks Road. Mr. Baker had borrowed a neighbor's car and was heading south toward Scotland Community--when he skid his car in front of Ms. Welch-Williams. Ms. Welch-Williams body was so badly decomposed and damaged from having been thrown to the pigs, that the medical examiner could not tell the actual cause of her death. Mr. Baker bragged at a local bar to friends about his accomplishment--and no one ever came forward until 43 years later. That's what I know about Scotland Community.