Calvert County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
. It occupies the
Calvert PeninsulaThe Calvert Peninsula is part of the Western Shore region of the U.S. state of Maryland. It extends about 25 miles into Chesapeake Bay with the main bay providing its eastern border and the Patuxent River defining its western border...
which is bordered on the east by the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
and on the west by the
Patuxent RiverThe Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
. Calvert County is part of the
Southern MarylandSouthern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
region. Its residents are among the highest median household-income in the United States.
, the population was about 86,475. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is the town of
Prince Frederick, MarylandPrince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some 70 miles to the northwest in Frederick County. The population was 1,432 at the 2000 census, although the population is...
.
The county's name is derived from the family name of the
Barons of BaltimoreBaron Baltimore, of Baltimore Manor in County Longford, is an extinct title in the Peerage of Ireland. The Barony was created in 1625 and became extinct on the death of the 6th Baron in 1771. The title was held by several members of the Calvert family who were proprietors of the palatinates...
, the proprietors of the English Colony of Maryland.
Calvert County is one of the several Maryland counties that make up part of the
Washington Metropolitan AreaThe Washington Metropolitan Area, formally known as the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV MSA, is a U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget . It is also part of the larger Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area...
or the
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan AreaThe Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a consolidated metropolitan area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and two counties in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
.
Business and Industry
Calvert County is the home of the notable
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power PlantThe Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant located on the western shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Calvert County, Maryland.- Overview :...
at Lusby.
A branch of the
United States Naval Research LaboratoryThe United States Naval Research Laboratory is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps and conducts a broad program of scientific research and advanced development. NRL has existed since 1923, when it opened at the instigation of Thomas Edison...
is located at
Chesapeake BeachChesapeake Beach may refer to a community in the United States:* Chesapeake Beach, Maryland* Chesapeake Beach, Virginia...
.
The Patuxent River Naval Air Station is located immediately to the south of Calvert County, in St. Mary's County.
History
First settled as
Charles County (not the same as present-day
Charles County, MarylandCharles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2000, the population was 120,546. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
) around 1650,,
it was renamed.
Patuxent County was established in 1654 by an Order in Council.
In 1658 the county was renamed Calvert County.
It is one of the older counties in Maryland, after
St. Mary's County,
Kent CountyKent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. It was named for the county of Kent in England. Its county seat is Chestertown. In 2000, the county population was 19,197...
and Anne Arundel County.
Once made up primarily of farms and tobacco fields, the county was/is slowly claiming its place as a fast-growing exurban neighbor of Washington. Many home prices have nearly quadrupled in the past decade, with many four-bedroom homes in the northern half of the county averaging over $1,000,000. The popular weekend resort towns
Solomons, MarylandSolomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
and
Chesapeake BeachChesapeake Beach may refer to a community in the United States:* Chesapeake Beach, Maryland* Chesapeake Beach, Virginia...
are notable.
The county has a number of properties on the
National Register of Historic PlacesThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Calvert County, Maryland.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Calvert County, Maryland, United States...
.
Law and government
Calvert County is governed by county commissioners, the traditional form of county government in Maryland.
Calvert County is a jurisdiction of Maryland's 5th Congressional District. The District is represented in the U.S House of Representatives by Congressman and current House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 345 square miles (894 km²), of which, 215 square miles (557 km²) of it is land and 130 square miles (336 km²) of it (37.65%) is water.
Climate
Calvert County lies in the
Humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
zone, with hot, humid summers and mild to chilly winters with plentiful precipitation year-round. Its proximity to the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
has a moderating effect on temperatures compared with locales further inland.
Notable residents
- Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War and his video games. His name is also a brand for similar movie scripts written by ghost writers and many series of...
, author
- Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff is an American television news anchor and journalist.-Biography:Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Woodruff began her career on local Atlanta station WAGA-TV, once a CBS affiliate and now an affiliate of Fox Network. She served as the chief White House correspondent for NBC from 1977 to 1982,...
, news anchor and journalist
- Al Hunt
Albert R. Hunt is the executive Washington editor for Bloomberg News, a subsidiary of Bloomberg L.P. Hunt hosts the Sunday morning talk show Political Capital on Bloomberg Television, which airs on Friday night.-Personal life:...
, Bloomberg News executive editor
- Doug Hill
Doug Hill is the Chief Meteorologist for ABC 7 News/WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. He is the meteorologist for ABC 7 News at 5, 6, and 11. He has been awarded the "Seal of Approval" from the American Meteorological Society. Hill has also been honored the Washington Emmy Award for Broadcast Excellence...
, WJLA-TVWJLA-TV, channel 7, is the ABC television affiliate in Washington, D.C.. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company, which also operates local cable station News Channel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia...
weatherman
- Robert Ulanowicz
Robert Edward Ulanowicz is an American theoretical ecologist and philosopher who is best known for his search for a unified theory of ecology. He was born September 17, 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland....
, theoretical ecologistTheoretical ecology refers to several intellectual traditions. The tradition pursued in universities and scientific journals under the rubric of theoretical ecology addresses the equations and probability distributions that govern the demography and biogeography of species...
- Bernie Fowler
Clyde Bernard Fowler , is a former Maryland State Senator and County Commissioner from Calvert County, Maryland...
, former Maryland State Senator and Patuxent RiverThe Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
advocate
- Thomas V. Miller, Jr., Maryland Senate president
- Michael Willis
Michael Willis, born October 4, 1949, is an American television and movie character actor. Willis' credits include movie roles in Pushing Tin and Men in Black, and several episodes of Law & Order....
, actor
- Judith Catchpole
Judith Catchpole, a young maidservant in colonial America, was tried in 1656 for witchcraft and infanticide before one of the earliest all-female juries in the United States. According to popular belief, all-female juries did not occur until much later. The state of Wyoming claims the first all...
, an indentured servantAn indentured servant is a laborer under contract to an employer for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for their transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities...
who in 1656 was tried and acquittedIn the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the innocence of the accused, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
of murdering her unborn child by one of the earliest all-female juriesA jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment...
in the United States
- Roger Brooke Taney, Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States...
, presided over the Dred Scott decisionDred Scott v. Sandford, , was a decision by the United States Supreme Court that ruled that people of African descent imported into the United States and held as slaves, or their descendants—whether or not they were slaves—were not protected by the Constitution and could never be citizens of the...
- Louis L. Goldstein
Louis Lazarus Goldstein served as Comptroller, or chief financial officer, of Maryland from 1959 to 1998. He was born to a storekeeper in the small town of Prince Frederick, Maryland, and also died there. As a legislator in the Maryland General Assembly, he was known for his 11th-hour strong...
, former Comptroller of MarylandThe Comptroller of Maryland, United States, currently Peter Franchot, is the state's chief financial officer and is also elected by the people for a four year term. The comptroller is not term-limited. The office was established by the Maryland Constitution of 1851 due to concern about the...
- Arthur Storer
Arthur Storer was America's first colonial astronomer. He came to Calvert County, Maryland, from Lincolnshire, England. He was among the first observers to sight and record data about a magnificent comet that passed over Patuxent skies in 1682...
, first astronomerAn astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars, and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
in the American coloniesThe Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the original thirteen United States of America in 1783...
, original namesake for Halley's Comet
- Thomas Johnson, first elected governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The Governor is the highest ranking official in the state, and has a broad range of appointive powers in state and local government, as...
, Continental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution...
delegate, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
- Louisa Adams
Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, born Louisa Catherine Johnson , wife of John Quincy Adams, was First Lady of the United States from 1825 to 1829.-Early life:...
, First Lady of the United StatesFirst Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president...
, wife of President John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States from March 4, 1825 to March 4, 1829. He was also an American diplomat and served in both the Senate and House of Representatives...
- Margaret Taylor
Margaret "Peggy" Mackall Smith Taylor , wife of Zachary Taylor, was First Lady of the United States from 1849 to 1850.-Early Life and Marriage:...
, First Lady of the United StatesFirst Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president...
, wife of President Zachary TaylorZachary Taylor was an American military leader and the 12th President of the United States.Known as "Old Rough and Ready," Taylor had a 40-year military career in the U.S. Army, serving in the War of 1812, Black Hawk War, and Second Seminole War before achieving fame leading U.S...
- Joseph Kent
Joseph Kent , a Whig, was a United States Senator from Maryland, serving from 1833 until his death in 1837...
, U.S. SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
, governor of MarylandThe Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The Governor is the highest ranking official in the state, and has a broad range of appointive powers in state and local government, as...
- Augustus Rhodes Sollers
Augustus Rhodes Sollers was an American politician who represented the seventh congressional district of the state of Maryland from 1841 to 1843, and the sixth congressional district from 1853 to 1855. He was a member of the Whig Party . He was born near Prince Frederick, Maryland, and was...
, U.S. RepresentativeThe United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution...
- Cupid Childs
Clarence Algernon "Cupid" Childs was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball with a 13-season career from 1888, 1890-1901, playing for the Philadelphia Quakers, Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Perfectos and Chicago Orphans of the National League and the Syracuse Stars of the American...
, professional baseball player
Movies and Television
Calvert County has been the setting for several movies and television programs. The opening scene of the 1993
Clint EastwoodClinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American actor, film director, film producer and composer. He has received five Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award and five People's Choice Awards—including one for Favorite All-Time Motion Picture Star.Eastwood is...
movie
In the Line of FireIn the Line of Fire is a 1993 Academy Award-nominated thriller film about a psychopath who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him...
was filmed at Flag Harbor Marina in
St. LeonardSt. Leonard is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 536 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Calvert Beach-Long Beach, Maryland community also use the St. Leonard zip code designation, making it in fact a much larger community...
. More recently, the Calvert County Sheriff's Department has been featured on several
reality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors...
programs, including
SpeedersSpeeders is a reality TV program on truTV that began airing in the summer of 2007.Unlike the more action-packed and felony-oriented show COPS, this show consists of clips of individuals being pulled over for offenses, most commonly speeding, as well as other things such as seat belt violations, or...
on the truTV network and
MTV's BustedMTV's Busted is a reality TV show that depicts young adults getting arrested and penalized by police. Most arrests are for alcohol-related crimes, such as drunk driving and underage drinking. Arrests for possession of marijuana are also common. Busted began airing in summer 2008...
.
Adjacent Counties
- Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
(north)
- Prince George's County
Prince George's County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, D.C. As of 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it had a population of 820,852 and was the wealthiest county in the nation with an African-American majority.The county was named for...
(northwest)
- Charles County
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2000, the population was 120,546. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
(west)
- Dorchester County
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
(east)
- Talbot County
Talbot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Caroline County to the east, Dorchester County to the south, and the Chesapeake Bay to the west. As of 2000, the population was 33,812...
(east)
- St. Mary's County (south)
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 74,563 people, 25,447 households, and 20,154 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 346 people per square mile (134/km²). There were 27,576 housing units at an average density of 128 per square mile (49/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.93%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 13.11%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.30%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.88%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.49% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.27% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 15.5% were of
IrishThe Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians The Irish...
, 15.0% German, 12.0%
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity as a people is of early medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn....
, 11.5%
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American and 7.1%
ItalianThe Italian people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common Italian culture, descent, and speaking the Italian language as a mother tongue...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 25,447 households out of which 41.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were non-families. 16.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.60% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 31.70% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 8.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $65,945, and the median income for a family was $71,545 (these figures had risen to $88,989 and $100,229 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $48,664 versus $32,265 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $25,410. About 3.10% of families and 4.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.10% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
Calvert County includes two municipalities, both classified as
townA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
s under Maryland law:
- Chesapeake Beach
Chesapeake Beach is a town in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. Its major attractions include a Railway Museum & Trail, the Chesapeake Beach Water Park, marinas, piers, charter boat fishing, and a Veterans Memorial Park...
(incorporated 1886)
- North Beach
North Beach is a town in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,880 at the 2000 census. The town is contiguous with the larger town of Chesapeake Beach which has a new boardwalk, a new resort spa hotel, a recreational water park, and new housing...
(incorporated 1910)
Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government. Various organizations, such as the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the
United States Postal ServiceThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution. Within the United States, it is commonly...
, and local chambers of commerce, define the communities they wish to recognize differently, and since they are not incorporated, their boundaries have no official status outside the organizations in question. The Census Bureau recognizes the following
census-designated placeA census-designated place is a type of place identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s in the county:
- Calvert Beach-Long Beach
Calvert Beach-Long Beach is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,487 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Calvert Beach-Long Beach is located at ....
(a combination of the communities of Calvert Beach and Long Beach recognized as a unit by many people)
- Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point
Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point is a census-designated place and Census Designated Place in Calvert County, Maryland, encompassing the distinctly separate communities of Chesapeake Ranch Estates and Drum Point. The population was 11,503 at the 2000 census...
(a combination of the communities of Chesapeake Ranch EstatesThe Chesapeake Ranch Estates , also known locally as the Ranch Club, is located in Lusby, Maryland, in southern Calvert County. CRE was founded in 1958 as is governed by a homeowners' association, which is officially called the "Property Owner's Association of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates"...
and Drum Point recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
- Dunkirk
Dunkirk is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,363 at the 2000 census. The area is very fast-growing, with many large estate homes. Considered one the wealthiest places to live inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area, with home prices...
- Huntingtown
Huntingtown is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. The community is growing, with many large estate homes in small developments off of Maryland Route 2/4. It has a public high school called Huntingtown High. The...
- Lusby
Lusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community...
- Owings
Owings is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Owings is located at ....
- Prince Frederick
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some 70 miles to the northwest in Frederick County. The population was 1,432 at the 2000 census, although the population is...
- St. Leonard
- Solomons
Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
DunkirkDunkirk is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,363 at the 2000 census. The area is very fast-growing, with many large estate homes. Considered one the wealthiest places to live inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area, with home prices...
,
HuntingtownHuntingtown is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. The community is growing, with many large estate homes in small developments off of Maryland Route 2/4. It has a public high school called Huntingtown High. The...
,
LusbyLusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community...
,
OwingsOwings is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Owings is located at ....
,
Prince FrederickPrince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some 70 miles to the northwest in Frederick County. The population was 1,432 at the 2000 census, although the population is...
, St. Leonard and
SolomonsSolomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
have all been designated by Calvert County government as being "town centers." The "town center" designation means while these communities may not have incorporated central governments, they do have specified boundaries surrounding the central business and residential areas for
zoningZoning is a device of land use regulation used by local governments in most developed countries . The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
purposes. The reason behind the "town center" designation is to cluster new development within established areas with existing infrastructure, thus discouraging
urban sprawlUrban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs over rural land and to its outskirts. The problem of urban sprawl is that it is costly to initiate the development of new infrastructure adequate enough to support its residents...
. The implementation of the "town center" concept in Calvert County over the past two decades has for the most part been successful in preserving rural and agricultural areas outside the designated "town centers", and stands as a key example of the
smart growthSmart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in the center of a city to avoid urban sprawl; and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a range...
planning strategy.
Other unincorporated places not listed as Census-Designated Places but known in the area include:
- Barstow
Barstow is a small, rural unincorporated community in Calvert County, Maryland located immediately west of Prince Frederick. The community maintains its own separate zip code, 20610....
- Broomes Island
Broomes Island, Maryland is a small waterfront community in Calvert County, Maryland, USA, on the Patuxent River. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland....
- Dares Beach
Dares Beach is a small residential community located in Calvert County, Maryland. Dares Beach is situated along the Chesapeake Bay. It utilizes the Prince Frederick, Maryland zip code and is approximately 4 miles east of the town center of Prince Frederick, Maryland...
- Dowell
Dowell is a small, rural community in Calvert County, Maryland located immediately north of Solomons, Maryland. While many people consider Dowell to be a part of Solomons, Maryland, it maintains its own separate zip code, 20629....
- Lower Marlboro
Lower Marlboro, Maryland is a small, waterfront unincorporated community in Calvert County, Maryland along the Patuxent River....
- Port Republic
Port Republic is a small, rural community located inCalvert County, Maryland. It is approximately5 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland, the countyseat of Calvert County. While Port Republic isnot incorporated and has no central business district,...
- Sunderland
Sunderland is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland, approximately 5 miles south of Dunkirk, Maryland and 10 miles north of Prince Frederick, Maryland. Although Sunderland is not incorporated and does not have a central business district, it does have a zip code, 20689...
Highways and Roads
The main artery serving Calvert County is
Maryland Route 4Maryland Route 4 is a long road that runs northwest to southeast in Maryland. For all but 10 of its it is within the Patuxent River watershed, a river that it crosses twice.-Counties traversed:*Prince George's County*Anne Arundel County*Calvert County...
(which begins in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
as
Pennsylvania AvenuePennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. joining the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches and civilian protests...
before crossing into Prince Georges County, Maryland and
Anne Arundel County, MarylandAnne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
). Route 4 in Calvert County begins at the very northern tip of the county at Lyons Creek, approximately 3 miles north of
DunkirkDunkirk is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,363 at the 2000 census. The area is very fast-growing, with many large estate homes. Considered one the wealthiest places to live inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area, with home prices...
. At
SunderlandSunderland is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland, approximately 5 miles south of Dunkirk, Maryland and 10 miles north of Prince Frederick, Maryland. Although Sunderland is not incorporated and does not have a central business district, it does have a zip code, 20689...
, Route 4 meets
Maryland Route 2Maryland Route 2 is the longest state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from Solomons Island in Calvert County north to an intersection with U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 40 Truck in Baltimore...
(traveling south as a two-lane road from
AnnapolisAnnapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It has a population of 36,524 , and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington D.C. Annapolis is part of the...
) and the two roads merge as Maryland Route 2-4. Route 2-4 continues south through
Prince FrederickPrince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some 70 miles to the northwest in Frederick County. The population was 1,432 at the 2000 census, although the population is...
,
St. LeonardSt. Leonard is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 536 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Calvert Beach-Long Beach, Maryland community also use the St. Leonard zip code designation, making it in fact a much larger community...
and
LusbyLusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community...
. At
SolomonsSolomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
, Routes 2 and 4 split again, with Route 2 heading towards downtown
SolomonsSolomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
and Route 4 crossing the
Patuxent RiverThe Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
at the
Governor Thomas Johnson BridgeThe Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge is a one and a half mile long bridge in Maryland over the lower Patuxent River joining Calvert and St. Mary’s counties...
into St. Mary's County.
Route 2-4 is designated Solomons Island Road throughout much of the county, with the section south of
Prince FrederickPrince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some 70 miles to the northwest in Frederick County. The population was 1,432 at the 2000 census, although the population is...
being recently renamed Louis Goldstein Highway in memory of
Louis GoldsteinLouis Goldstein may refer to:* Louis L. Goldstein, politician* Louis M. Goldstein, linguist...
, the former
comptrollerA comptroller or controller is a person who supervises accounting and financial reporting within an organization. A controller is an accountant in a business who oversees accounting and the implementation and monitoring of internal controls...
of
MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
and Calvert County resident.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Route 2-4 underwent an extensive expansion project, with the formerly two-lane road becoming a four-lane dual highway. Certain portions of the highway were re-aligned, with the former roadway becoming
Maryland Route 765Maryland Route 765 is a two-lane state highway located in Calvert County, Maryland. Route 765 is not continuous, however, but rather is made up of several segments. The road came into being as a result of the dualization of Maryland Route 2-Maryland Route 4 throughout the 1970s and 1980s...
. The final portion of the dualized Route 2-4 between
St. LeonardSt. Leonard is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 536 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Calvert Beach-Long Beach, Maryland community also use the St. Leonard zip code designation, making it in fact a much larger community...
and
SolomonsSolomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
was completed in 1988. In 2009, a portion of Route 2-4 in Prince Frederick was expanded to 3 lines, along with sidewalks added.
Other major roadways in Calvert County include:
- Maryland Route 231
Maryland Route 231 is a state highway in Charles County and Calvert County in Southern Maryland. It starts from an intersection with Olivers Shop Road under the name of Burnt Store Road. It continues east under this designation until it crosses Old Route 5 in the center of Hughesville...
, which travels west from Prince FrederickPrince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some 70 miles to the northwest in Frederick County. The population was 1,432 at the 2000 census, although the population is...
to the Patuxent RiverThe Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
, ultimately crossing the river at the Benedict BridgeThe Benedict Bridge is a bridge in Maryland crossing the Patuxent River and connecting Calvert County, Maryland with Charles County, Maryland. It is one of two major crossings of the Patuxent in the Southern Maryland region, with the other bridge being the Thomas Johnson Bridge in Solomons,...
into Charles CountyCharles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2000, the population was 120,546. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
.
- Maryland Route 260
Maryland Route 260 is a state highway in Calvert County and Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Route 260 starts at the northern border of Calvert and Anne Arundel counties, branching off from Maryland Route 4 by way of an overpass interchange...
, which starts at an overpass interchange at the Calvert-Anne Arundel border and travels southeast to Chesapeake BeachChesapeake Beach is a town in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. Its major attractions include a Railway Museum & Trail, the Chesapeake Beach Water Park, marinas, piers, charter boat fishing, and a Veterans Memorial Park...
. A portion of Route 260 is a four-lane dual highway.
External links