William Reading's son Joseph came to Rockville in 1890. He built a large house on the hill north of Baltimore Road, opened a drug store in town, and served one term as Mayor. In 1924, he subdivided land around his house, naming the area "Croydon Park." A decade later, the B&O railroad crossing that connected this area to the business district was closed because of a tragic school bus accident. This closing, and later the construction of Hungerford Drive, interrupted the flow of Baltimore Road traffic into Rockville's main street.

Owners converted many older homes in the neighborhood to apartments during the housing shortage of World War II. Today, Rockville Park is a bustling, friendly neighborhood, its proximity to the train and Metro a renewed attraction for commuters.

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