Gilbert Gude

Who was Gilbert Gude?

Gilbert Gude was a U.S. Congressman who represented the Maryland's 8th congressional district from January 3, 1967, to January 3, 1977.

Gude was born in Washington, D.C., and was educated in the public schools of Rockville, Maryland, and Washington. He attended the University of Maryland, obtained his B.S. degree from Cornell University in 1948, and his M.A. degree from George Washington University for Public Administration in 1958. He later taught history and environment courses at Georgetown University and served on the Board of Trustees for The Catholic University of America. During World War II, Gude served in the Pacific Theater as a part of the United States Army Medical Department from 1943 to 1946.

After the war, Gude was appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates in January 1953, and was later elected to the House of Delegates in 1954, serving until 1958. He was elected to the Republican State Central Committee in 1958, and elected to the Maryland State Senate in 1962, serving until 1967. Gude accomplished numerous things while in office, including sponsoring legislation that led to the building of the Washington Metro system, leading efforts to save the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and create the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, and supporting D.C. home rule. He was a delegate to the Republican State convention in 1952, and a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1968.