Editing Darnestown, Maryland (section)

==Geography==
[[Image:Seneca Creek as seen from the Seneca Aqueduct.jpg|thumb|right|Seneca Creek as seen from the Seneca Aqueduct in 2016|alt=creek with a few people in kayaks]]
As an unincorporated area, Darnestown's boundaries are not officially defined. However, in 1878 the U.S. Census Bureau created a new [[Minor civil division|Minor Civil Division]] (MCD) named Darnestown District (No. 6), that was used to aggregate portions of the county. The new district was created from the eastern portion of the Medley District and the western portion of the Rockville District.<ref name="Scharf761"/> The new Darnestown District was {{convert|40|sqmi|km2}} out of the county's total of {{convert|472|sqmi|km2}}, making it fifth of eight districts in size.<ref name="Hopkins36">{{harvnb|Hopkins|1879|p=36}}</ref> The Darnestown/District 6 MCD was still used in the 1970 Census, and for Maryland it was shown as a county subdivision.<ref name="1970CensusP22-18">{{harvnb|United States Census Bureau|1973|p=22-18}}</ref> [[Little Seneca Creek]] and Great Seneca Creek formed the western border of this district. The Piney Branch and Dufief's Mill Road formed the District 6 eastern border. The Clarksburgh District (No. 2), which included Germantown, was on the north side of District 6, with Rockville Road forming the border. The Potomac River from Great Seneca Creek to the Piney Branch formed the southern border. Multiple C&O Canal Locks were included in District 6, and the communities of Seneca, Hunting Hill, and Travilah were part of District 6 in addition to Darnestown.<ref name="1879map">{{Cite map |author = G. M. Hopkins|year = 1879|title = Atlas of Fifteen Miles Around Washington...Image 26 Darnestown Dist. No. 6 (from Lib. of Congress)|url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3850m.gct00186/?sp=26&r=0.462,0.576,0.592,0.451,0|location = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|publisher = F. Bourquin's Steam Lithographic Press|access-date = 2020-08-26}}</ref><!--https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3850m.gct00186/-->

In the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]], the Census Bureau created a new Census-designated place (CDP) called Darnestown.<ref name="2000CensusIII-6">{{harvnb|United States Census Bureau|2003|p=III-6}}</ref> A Darnestown CDP was also used in the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]]. The Darnestown CDP has {{convert|16.39|sqmi|km2}} of land, which is smaller than the old Darnestown MCD.<ref name="QuickFactsDarnestown">{{cite web|title=Quick Facts - Darnestown CDP, Maryland|website= United States Census Bureau|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/darnestowncdpmaryland|access-date=2020-08-29}}</ref> The CDP uses the Muddy Branch, Turkey Foot Road, and Jones Lane for most of its eastern border instead of rivers further east. The MCD territory between Little Seneca Creek and the north side of Great Seneca Creek is also not part of the Darnestown CDP. Great Seneca Creek remains as the western border.<ref name="CensusMapDarnestown">{{cite web|title=Darnestown, CDP, Maryland - Place Selection Map|website= United States Census Bureau|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/map?q=Darnestown%20CDP,%20Maryland&tid=ACSDP5Y2018.DP05&mode=selection|access-date=2020-08-29}}</ref> [[Washington, D.C.]] is roughly {{convert|25|mi}} away.<ref name="VisitMontgomery">{{cite web
|title=Montgomery County, MD: Close to the Action
|website= Visit Montgomery<!--map not used, Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Germantown are close to Darnestown-->
|publisher=Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County, MD, Inc.
|url=https://visitmontgomery.com/resources/regional-map/
|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> The Travilah and North Potomac CDPs are along the Darnestown CDP's eastern border.<ref name="MarylandCDP2010map">{{cite web
|title=Maryland Census Designated Areas - Census Designated Places 2010 (Data Tab with Darnestown, MD, USA search)
|website= Maryland.gov
|publisher=Maryland government
|url=https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/008cbfc9d1d34644864b6b0110f318ab/data?geometry=-77.370%2C39.060%2C-77.128%2C39.107
|access-date=2020-04-16}}</ref> The [[United States Geological Survey]] lists ten Darnestown-related features, including the Darnestown Census Designated Place with an elevation of {{convert|377|ft}} and the Darnestown populated place (a.k.a. Darnestown village) has an elevation of {{convert|440|ft}}.<ref name="GNIS-DarnestownCDP">{{cite GNIS |id=2389395 |name=Darnestown CDP |entrydate=February 19, 2008 |access-date=August 29, 2020}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|The Darnestown CDP has a latitude of 390545N and a longitude of 0771812W.<ref name="GNIS-DarnestownCDP"/> The [[Geographic Names Information System]] uses an [[American National Standards Institute|ANSI]] Code for Darnestown of 02389395 and a Place Identifier of 2421825. Darnestown has a [[Geographic information system|GIS]] ID of 287 and a FID of 286. The [[Federal Information Processing Standard state code|State FIPS code]] is 24 and the Place FIPS is 21825.<ref name="MarylandCDP2010map"/>|group=Note}}

===ZIP codes===
Despite having a post office for over 100 years until rural post offices were consolidated, there is no [[ZIP code]] used exclusively for Darnestown. ZIP codes for the area are mostly 20878 (which is also used for Gaithersburg and North Potomac) or 20874 (which is also used for Germantown). The region around Seneca uses 20834, which is a Poolesville ZIP code.<!--<ref name="ZIPmap">{{Cite map |year = 2020|title = Regional Service Centers - Service Regions and ZIP Codes|url=https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Government/rsc.html|location = Rockville, Maryland|publisher = Montgomery County Government|access-date = 2020-08-30}}</ref>--><ref name="MCZIPmap">{{cite web
|title=Service Regions and ZIP codes in Montgomery County
|website= Montgomery County, Maryland government
|url=https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Government/rsc.html
|access-date=2020-08-03}}</ref> Examples of ZIP codes in various parts of the Darnestown CDP are 20878 for Darnestown Elementary School, 20874 for the former miller's house at Black Rock Mill, and 20834 at Riley's Lock.<ref name="DarnestownElementary">{{cite web
|title=Darnestown Elementary
|website= Montgomery County Public Schools
|url=https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/darnestownes/
|access-date=2020-08-20}}</ref><ref name="MHTBRMillHouse"/><ref name="RileysParking">{{cite web
|title=Riley's/Seneca Parking
|website= C&O Canal Trust
|url=https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/rileysseneca-parking/
|access-date=2020-08-03}}</ref>

===Climate===
According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Darnestown has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref name="Koppen">{{cite web
|title=Updated World Map of the Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification
|website= Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
|publisher=European Geosciences Union
|url=https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/
|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref> There are four distinct seasons, with winters typically cold with moderate [[snow]]fall, while summers are usually warm and humid. July is the warmest month, while January is the coldest. Average monthly precipitation ranges from about {{convert|2.5|to|4|in|cm|abbr=off}}. The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|105.0|°F|°C|abbr=on}} and the lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-13.0|°F|°C|abbr=on}}.<ref name="WeatherChannelGaith">{{cite web
|title=Gaithersburg, MD Monthly Weather
|website= The Weather Channel
|publisher=TWC Product and Technology LLC
|url=https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/f01fecbc3e87809e561ef4c95255d53f6741f47663367a8b38aa26e3be681df4
|access-date=2020-03-12}}</ref> There is a 50&nbsp;percent probability that the first [[Frost (temperature)|frost]] of the season will occur by October 21, and a 50&nbsp;percent probability that the final frost will occur by April 16.<ref name="NCDC">{{cite web
|title=Freeze / Frost Occurrence Data (Rockville, Maryland)
|website=NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20supp1/states/MD.pdf
|access-date=2020-03-18
|archive-date=June 24, 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624085539/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20supp1/states/MD.pdf
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
{{Weather box |location = Gaithersburg, MD (same zip code as part of Darnestown)
|single line = Y
|Jan high F = 40
|Feb high F = 44
|Mar high F = 53
|Apr high F = 65
|May high F = 73
|Jun high F = 81
|Jul high F = 85
|Aug high F = 83
|Sep high F = 76
|Oct high F = 65
|Nov high F = 55
|Dec high F = 44
|Jan low F = 27
|Feb low F = 29
|Mar low F = 36
|Apr low F = 46
|May low F = 55
|Jun low F = 64
|Jul low F = 69
|Aug low F = 67
|Sep low F = 60
|Oct low F = 48
|Nov low F = 39
|Dec low F = 31
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.88
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.81
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.61
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.22
|May precipitation inch = 4.13
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.49
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.67
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.90
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.83
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.29
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.53
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.00
|source 1 = Weather Channel<ref name="WeatherChannelGaith"/>
}}