Olney

Located just twenty miles north of the bustling metropolis of Washington, D.C., Olney is a picturesque and charming town that seamlessly blends a rich agricultural history with modern-day residential amenities. Originally established as Mechanicsville in 1763, the area soon began to attract artisans and was renamed Olney in honor of the English poet William Cowper's hometown. Today, Olney's center boasts a variety of unique and historic buildings, including the still-standing Olney House, which was once the residence of early residents Sarah Brooke and Dr. Charles Farquhar.

Olney's central location made it an ideal hub for commerce and trade, with the Brooke family owning the largest tracts of land in the area. In the town's center, visitors can still find William Kelley's wheelwright shop, Canby's pottery factory, and Benedict Duley's store. The Quaker community in Sandy Spring also thrived just to Olney's east, and the Sandy Spring Museum offers a glimpse into this rich history.

Despite its small-town charm, Olney has received numerous accolades for its quality of life, including being ranked #17 on Money magazine's list of the 100 best places to live in America in 2007 and #22 in the magazine's "top-earning towns" edition of "America's Best Places to Live" in 2013. With its convenient location and easy access to major employers like Washington, D.C., Olney offers residents the perfect balance of peaceful living and modern-day amenities.