Barnesville, MD

Perched on a quiet ridge in upper Montgomery County, Barnesville offers wide-open views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the distant Blue Ridge range. It is one of the county's smallest historic settlements, having started in the 1700s as a humble rural crossroads. Today, the town retains that original countryside peace, surrounded by rolling pastures and open skies that make the rest of the DC area feel far away.

ATTRFamartin / CC BY-SA 4.0

Much of that open space is permanently protected by the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, ensuring the surrounding landscape stays green and rural. Daily life is pleasantly low-key, centered around a few historic streets, the local post office, and active community projects. For trips into Washington, D.C., residents can catch the MARC commuter train right from town. Barnesville also holds some fascinating lore, including being the longtime home of legendary World War II secret agent Virginia Hall.