Wheaton, Maryland was named for one of the top generals of the Civil War, Major General Frank Wheaton. He was one of the few who attained this rank in the Union Army without attending West Point.

Over 100 years ago, General Wheaton commanded the defense of the nation's capitol from Fort Stevens. The fort, still standing, was not far down Georgia Avenue (then called the 7th Street Pike) from the then thinly settled countryside that only five years later was to take the General's name.

By January of 1958, 400 businesses and professionals were listed in the Wheaton Directory. Since then, numerous attractive new buildings have been erected in the Wheaton Business District. Many new types of businesses have been opened and more professional people have found it profitable and convenient to be located in Wheaton.

And still there were men and women with vision who saw the vast business potential and realized the needs of the ever-increasing population for an outstanding shopping area close by. thus, over sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles, there was created the Wheaton Plaza Regional Shopping Center, the sixth largest in the nation at the time it was built. In this facility, which is also known as West Field Shopping town at Wheaton, there are over 120 stores-surrounding the beautiful mall-large department stores, nationally famous chain stores, and individually owned specialty shops. In recent years, the Center has undergone major renovations; it now has the convenience of METRO bus and rail service.

Other community facilities include the Wheaton Regional Library, the nearly 500 acre Wheaton Regional Park, the Community Center, the public pool next to Wheaton High School, and the Government Community Service Center in the heart of the business district.