Prince George's County, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation.
The county was named for Prince George of Denmark (1653–1708), husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
and brother of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. It is frequently referred to as 'P.G.' or 'P.G. County,' an abbreviation which is viewed as pejorative by some residents.
The county is a part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical 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 Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
.
Pre-history
The CretaceousCretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
Era brought dinosaurs to the area which left a number of fossils, now preserved in a 7.5 acres (3 ha) park in Laurel
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
. The site, which among other finds has yielded fossilized teeth from Astrodon
Astrodon
Astrodon was a genus of large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur, related to Brachiosaurus, that lived in what is now the eastern United States during the Early Cretaceous period. Its fossils have been found in the Arundel Formation, which has been dated through palynomorphs to the Aptian-Albian...
and Priconodon
Priconodon
Priconodon is an extinct genus of dinosaur , known from its large teeth. Its remains have been found in the Aptian-Albian age Lower Cretaceous Arundel Formation of Muirkirk, Prince George's County, Maryland.-History:...
species, has been called the most prolific in the eastern United States.
Post-European settlement history
Prince George's County was created by the Council of Maryland in the Province of MarylandProvince of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
in 1696 from portions of Charles
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
, and Calvert Counties
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
, and a portion was detached in 1748 to form Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
. Because Frederick County was subsequently divided to form the present Allegany
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
, Garrett
Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
, Montgomery
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, and Washington
Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
counties, all of these counties in addition were derived from what had up to 1748 been Prince George's County.
In 1791, portions of Prince George's County were ceded to form the new District of Columbia, along with portions of Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, as well as the parts of Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
– that were later returned
Retrocession (District of Columbia)
District of Columbia retrocession is the process of returning the land that was given to the federal government for the original purpose of creating the national capital. The District of Columbia was formed in 1791 from of land ceded by the states of Maryland and Virginia in accordance with the...
to Virginia.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, the British marched through the county by way of Bladensburg
Battle of Bladensburg
The Battle of Bladensburg took place during the War of 1812. The defeat of the American forces there allowed the British to capture and burn the public buildings of Washington, D.C...
to burn the White House. On their return, they kidnapped a prominent doctor, William Beanes
William Beanes
William Beanes was a medical doctor in the American Colonial Period.-Early life:Beanes was the third generation of the same name and the fourth generation American. He was born near Croome in Prince George's County, Maryland. Little is known of his childhood except that he is of Scottish descent...
. Lawyer, Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
was asked to negotiate for his release, which resulted in his writing the Star Spangled Banner.
In April 1865, John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth was an American stage actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. Booth was a member of the prominent 19th century Booth theatrical family from Maryland and, by the 1860s, was a well-known actor...
made his escape through Prince George's County after shooting President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. He was on his way to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Since much of the southern part of the county was tobacco farms that were worked by slaves, there was a high population of African Americans who unsuccessfully attempted to become part of Maryland politics in the late 19th century. The population of African Americans declined during the first half of the 20th century, but was renewed to over 50% in the early 1990's when the county again became majority African American. The first African American County Executive was Wayne K. Curry
Wayne K. Curry
Wayne Keith Curry was elected county executive for Prince George's County, Maryland in November 1994, and served two terms as county executive from 1994 to 2002...
, elected in 1994.
On July 1, 1997, the Prince George's County section of the city of Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., and part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City," is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone...
, which straddled the boundary between Prince George's and Montgomery counties, was transferred to Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
. This was done after city residents voted to be under the sole jurisdiction of Montgomery County, and subsequent approval by both counties and the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
. This was the first change in Prince George's County's boundaries since 1791, and the first alteration of the boundaries of any county in Maryland since the early 1900s.
The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places listings in Prince George's County, Maryland
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Prince George's County, Maryland.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States...
.
Geography
Prince George's County lies in the Atlantic coastal plainAtlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
, and its landscape is characterized by gently rolling hills and valleys. Along its western border with Montgomery County, Adelphi
Adelphi, Maryland
Adelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census...
, Calverton
Calverton, Maryland
Calverton is an unincorporated area and Census-designated place located on the boundary between Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, Maryland.-Geography:As an unincorporated area, Calverton's boundaries are not officially defined...
and West Laurel
West Laurel, Maryland
West Laurel is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,083 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Laurel is located at ....
rise into the piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
, approaching and exceeding 300 feet (91.4 m) in elevation. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 498.45 square miles (1,291 km²), of which 485.43 square miles (1,257.3 km²) (or 97.39%) is land and 13.01 square miles (33.7 km²) (or 2.61%) is water.
The Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The 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...
forms the county's eastern border with Howard, Anne Arundel, and Calvert Counties.
Regions
County terrain, culture and demographics differ significantly by location within the county. There are five key regions to Prince George's County, each very different: North County, Central County, the Rural Tier, the Inner Beltway, and South County.North County
Northern Prince George's County includes LaurelLaurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
, Beltsville
Beltsville, Maryland
Beltsville is a census-designated place in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,691 at the 2000 census. Beltsville includes the unincorporated community of Vansville.-Geography:...
, Adelphi
Adelphi, Maryland
Adelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census...
, College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
and Greenbelt
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
. This area of the county is anchored by the Capital Beltway
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
The Baltimore–Washington Parkway is a highway in the U.S. state of Maryland, running southwest from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. The road begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 50 and Maryland Route 201 near Cheverly in Prince George's County at the D.C...
. The key employers are the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
The Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, or BARC, is a unit of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. It is located at in Beltsville, Maryland, and is named for Henry A. Wallace, former United States vice president and secretary of...
and NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
. Areas of geographic distinction include Greenbelt Park
Greenbelt Park
Greenbelt Park, located in Greenbelt, Maryland, is managed by the United States National Park Service. The forested park lies approximately 10 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and is situated just within the Capital Beltway . The park land was originally intended to form part of the green...
, a wooded reserve adjacent to the planned environmental community of Greenbelt, and University Park
University Park, Maryland
University Park is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:University Park is located at ....
, a collection of historic homes adjacent to the University of Maryland. Riversdale Mansion, along with the historic homes of Berwyn Heights
Berwyn Heights, Maryland
Berwyn Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,942 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by College Park to the west, Greenbelt to the northeast, East Riverdale to the southwest, and Riverdale Park to the south....
, Mt. Rainier and Hyattsville
Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
are also located in this area. The hidden Lake Artemesia
Lake Artemesia
Lake Artemesia is a man-made lake in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. It is part of the Lake Artemesia Natural Area in College Park and Berwyn Heights...
, a park constructed during the completion of the Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
Green Line
Green Line (Washington Metro)
The Green Line is one of five heavy rail subway lines that constitute the Washington Metro rapid transit system in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Green Line consists of 21 stations, with termini at Branch Avenue and at Greenbelt. The Green Line runs through Prince George's County,...
, incorporates a stocked fishing lake and serves as the trail-head for an extensive Anacostia Tributary Trails
Anacostia Tributary Trails
The Anacostia Tributary Trail System is a unified and signed system of stream valley trails joining the Northwest Branch, Northeast Branch, Indian Creek and Paint Branch stream valley parks, set aside and maintained by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in the northeastern...
system that runs along the Anacostia River
Anacostia River
The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel to empty into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. It is approximately long...
and its tributaries. The south and central tracts of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is a biological research center in Maryland. It is one of only 17 research centers in the United States run by the U.S. Geological Survey. This USGS research center is located on the U.S...
also lie in this part of the county; the north tract lies north of the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The 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...
in Anne Arundel County.
Central County
Central County, located on the eastern outskirts of the Capital Beltway, consists of MitchellvilleMitchellville, Maryland
Mitchellville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,611 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Six Flags America theme park, Country Club at Woodmore, and Freeway Airport. The Capital Centre was located in...
, Woodmore
Woodmore, Maryland
Woodmore is an unincorporated area and Census-designated place composed of a gated community and country club in Mitchellville, Maryland, one of the most affluent predominantly African-American communities in the United States...
, Greater Upper Marlboro
Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Greater Upper Marlboro is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States that completely surrounds Upper Marlboro, the county seat...
, Springdale
Springdale, Maryland
Springdale is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,645 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Springdale is located at ....
, and Bowie
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
. According to the 2010 census, it has generally been the fastest growing region of the county. Mitchellville is named for a wealthy African American family, the Mitchells, who owned a large portion of land in this area of the county. Central Avenue
Maryland Route 214
Maryland Route 214 is an east–west state highway that runs through Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County within the U.S. state of Maryland. Central Avenue runs along the center of Prince George's County and divides it into north and south...
, a major exit off the I-95 beltway, running east to west, is one of two main roads in this portion of the county. The other major roadway is Old Crain Highway, which runs north to south along the eastern portion of the county. The Newton White Mansion
Newton White Mansion
This Neo-Georgian home was built in 1939 by architect W.E. Bottomly for Captain Newton H. White of the United States Navy. Captain White had a long and distinguished career, serving on the USS Yorktown, the USS Lexington, and, prior to World War II, as the first commanding officer of the USS...
on the grounds is a popular site for weddings and political events.
Bowie
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
is best known as a planned Levittown
Levittown
Levittown is the name of four large suburban developments created in the United States of America by William Levitt and his company Levitt & Sons...
. William Levitt
William Levitt
William Jaird Levitt was an American real-estate developer widely credited as the father of modern American suburbia. He came to symbolize the new suburban growth with his use of mass-production techniques to construct large developments of houses selling for under $10,000...
built traditional homes, as well as California contemporaries along U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 in Maryland
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting...
, the key highway to the eastern shore and the state capitol of Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census 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...
. Bowie has currently grown to be the largest city in Prince George's County, with more than 50,000 people. It also has a large Caucasian population, compared to much of the county (48% of the population). Housing styles vary from the most contemporary to century old homes in Bowie's antique district (formerly known as Huntingtown), where the town of Bowie began as a haven for thoroughbred horse racing. Areas of geographic distinction include the Ogden Bowie Mansion, Allen Pond, key segments of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail
Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail
The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail is a long discontinuous rail trail from Lanham to Odenton in Maryland. Despite its name, it does not actually connect with Washington, D.C., Annapolis or Baltimore; its name is taken from the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway, from...
, as well as planned parks, lakes and walking trails.
Rural Tier
Prince George's rural tier may be found in the area well beyond the Beltway to the east and south of central county, bounded on the north by U.S. Route 50, the west by the communities AccokeekAccokeek, Maryland
Accokeek is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located about 8.5 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The population was 7,349 at the 2000 census. It is home to Piscataway Park....
and Fort Washington
Fort Washington, Maryland
Fort Washington, Maryland is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland in the suburbs of the capital city of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., south of the downtown district. It is a prosperous community with an African American majority...
, and the east by the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The 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...
. Prince George's origins are in this part of the county. Most of this area contains the unincorporated parishes, villages and lost towns of Prince George's County. Largely under postal designations of "Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
" or "Brandywine
Brandywine, Maryland
Brandywine is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, although the postal delivery area includes part of Charles County as well near Malcolm....
", in truth the town of Upper Marlboro is more central county in character, though it is the post office location for various rural settlements. (The names of these unincorporated areas are listed below in the towns section of this article). Since 1721 Upper Marlboro has been the county seat of government, with families that trace their lineage back to Prince George's initial land grants and earliest governing officials. Names like Clagett, Sasscer, King James and Queen Anne pepper the streets.
The rural tier has been the focus of orchestrated efforts by residents and county government to preserve the rural character and environmental integrity of the rural tier. Under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
, Patuxent River Park is the largest natural preserve and provides public access for birdwatching and viewing the rural tier's natural waterfront vistas. In season, the park's Jug Bay Natural Area and the Patuxent Riverkeeper in Queen Anne
Queen Anne, Maryland
Queen Anne is a town in Queen Anne's and Talbot counties in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 176 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Queen Anne is located at ....
both offer canoeing and kayaking rentals on the Patuxent. The county's largest collection of tobacco planter mansions and preserved homes are in the rural tier, some managed by the M-NCPPC. Many rural tier roads have scenic highway preservation status; a fall drive yields exceptional beauty along the Patuxent valley's Leeland Road, Croom Road, Clagett's Landing Rd., Mill Branch Rd., Queen Anne Rd., and Brandywine Rd. Walking access along roads in this area is very limited, because most property along the roads remains in private ownership. However, walking is much more accessible in the widespread M-NCPPC lands and trails and state holdings in the Patuxent valley, such as Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and Rosaryville State Park
Rosaryville State Park
Rosaryville State Park is a state park in Greater Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County, Maryland. It includes the restored Mount Airy Mansion, an event facility that Pineapple Alley Catering, Inc. operates...
, both popular among hikers and mountain bikers.
Inner Beltway
The inner beltway communities of Capitol HeightsCapitol Heights, Maryland
Capitol Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,138 at the 2000 census. Development around the Capitol Heights Metro station has medical facilities and eateries to support the community...
, District Heights
District Heights, Maryland
District Heights is an incorporated city in. Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located near Maryland Route 4. The population was 5,837 at the 2010 census...
, Forestville
Forestville, Maryland
Forestville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,707 at the 2000 census...
, Suitland and Seat Pleasant
Seat Pleasant, Maryland
Seat Pleasant is an incorporated city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States immediately east of Washington D.C. The population was 4,885 at the 2000 census. Two state highways run through it — Maryland Route 704 and Maryland Route 214...
border the neighboring District of Columbia's northeastern and southeastern quadrants. This region is the most densely populated area of the county, although many communities here saw a decrease in population from 2000 to 2010. A high percentage of its residents are African American.
South County
South county is a blend of the greenery of the rural tier and the new development of central county. The communities of ClintonClinton, Maryland
Clinton is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Clinton was formerly known as Surrattsville until after the time of the American Civil War. The population of Clinton was 26,064 at the 2000 census. However, as of 2007, there is an...
, Oxon Hill
Oxon Hill, Maryland
Oxon Hill is part of the Oxon Hill-Glassmanor census-designated place in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Oxon Hill is a suburb of Washington, DC located southeast of the downtown district and east of Alexandria, Virginia...
, Temple Hills
Temple Hills, Maryland
Temple Hills is a suburb of Washington DC, southeast of the downtown district. It is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The greater Temple Hills mailing address includes not just the tiny red area on this map, but also the area...
and Fort Washington
Fort Washington, Maryland
Fort Washington, Maryland is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland in the suburbs of the capital city of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., south of the downtown district. It is a prosperous community with an African American majority...
are the largest areas of south county. It is the only portion of Prince George's County to enjoy Potomac River waterfront, and that geographic distinction has yielded the rise of the National Harbor
National Harbor, Maryland
National Harbor is a multi-use waterfront development on the shores of the Potomac River in Prince George's County, Maryland just south of Washington, D.C. near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. It is being built by the Peterson Companies. The project is expected to cost over $2 billion...
project: a town center and riverside shopping and living development on the Potomac. The National Harbor has become a major tourist and convention attraction, with significant hotel accommodations, eateries and shopping. Ferry rides allow trips across the Potomac into Alexandria. Several historic sites, including Mt. Vernon, can be viewed from the harbor front. River Road in Fort Washington also yields great views of the Potomac. Fort Washington Park
Fort Washington Park
Fort Washington, located near the community of Fort Washington, Maryland, USA, was for many decades the only defensive fort protecting Washington D.C. The original fort, overlooking the Potomac River, was completed in 1809, and was named Fort Warburton...
was a major battery and gives access to the public for tours of the fort, scenic access to the river and other picnic grounds. Oxon Hill Manor
Oxon Hill Manor
-External links:*, including photo in 1995, at Maryland Historical Trust website* *: 28 photos and 14 data pages, at Historic American Building Survey*: 6 photos and 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey...
offers a working farm and plantation mansion for touring; His Lordship's Kindness
His Lordship's Kindness
His Lordship's Kindness was built in the 1780s for Prince Georges County planter Robert Darnall near Clinton, Maryland. The five-part Georgian mansion, also known as Poplar Hill, retains a number of subsidiary buildings including a slave's hospital and a dovecote.-History:Colonel Henry Darnall was...
is another major historic home.
Adjacent jurisdictions
- Anne Arundel CountyAnne 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...
(east) - Calvert CountyCalvert County, MarylandCalvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
(southeast) - Charles CountyCharles County, MarylandCharles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
(south) - Howard CountyHoward County, Maryland-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(north) - Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, MarylandMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
(northwest)- Prince George's and Montgomery Counties share a bi-county planning and parks agency in the M-NCPPCMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning CommissionThe Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
and a public bi-county water and sewer utility in the Washington Suburban Sanitary CommissionWashington Suburban Sanitary CommissionWashington Suburban Sanitary Commission provides safe drinking water and wastewater treatment for Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland. It was established on May 1, 1918. It is the eighth largest water and wastewater utility in the United States. The WSSC serves about 1.8 million...
- Prince George's and Montgomery Counties share a bi-county planning and parks agency in the M-NCPPC
- Fairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
(southwest) - Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
(southwest) - Washington, DC (west)
Federally protected areas
- Fort Washington ParkFort Washington ParkFort Washington, located near the community of Fort Washington, Maryland, USA, was for many decades the only defensive fort protecting Washington D.C. The original fort, overlooking the Potomac River, was completed in 1809, and was named Fort Warburton...
- Greenbelt ParkGreenbelt ParkGreenbelt Park, located in Greenbelt, Maryland, is managed by the United States National Park Service. The forested park lies approximately 10 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and is situated just within the Capital Beltway . The park land was originally intended to form part of the green...
- Patuxent Wildlife Research RefugePatuxent Wildlife Research CenterThe Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is a biological research center in Maryland. It is one of only 17 research centers in the United States run by the U.S. Geological Survey. This USGS research center is located on the U.S...
(part) - Piscataway ParkPiscataway ParkPiscataway Park, located southwest of downtown Washington, D.C., near Accokeek, Maryland, protects Marshall Hall and the National Colonial Farm. The park is located across the Potomac River from George Washington's Mount Vernon estate....
Government
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 10.3% 34,246 | 89.1% 297,654 |
| 2004 | 17.4% 55,532 | 81.8% 260,532 |
| 2000 | 18.4% 49,987 | 79.5% 216,119 |
| 1996 | 21.9% 52,697 | 73.5% 176,612 |
| 1992 | 24.5% 62,955 | 65.7% 168,691 |
| 1988 | 38.8% 86,545 | 60.0% 133,816 |
| 1984 | 41.0% 95,121 | 58.6% 136,063 |
| 1980 | 40.7% 78,977 | 50.9% 98,757 |
| 1976 | 42.0% 81,027 | 58.0% 111,743 |
| 1972 | 40.3% 116,166 | 58.5% 79,914 |
| 1968 | 40.3% 73,269 | 41.2% 71,524 |
| 1964 | 36.2% 46,413 | 63.8% 81,806 |
| 1960 | 42.0% 44,817 | 58.0% 62,013 |
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. Prior to 1792, the county seat was located at Mount Calvert, a 76 acre (308,000 m²) estate along the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The 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...
on the edge of what is now in the unincorporated community of Croom
Croom, Maryland
Croom is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It consists of tobacco farms and forests with many narrow, winding roads, although the Marlton housing development is very nearby. St. Thomas Episcopal Church dates to colonial times....
.
Prince George's County has become a stronghold for Democrats running in the state.
Prince George's County was granted a charter form of government in 1970 with the county executive elected as the head of the executive branch and the county council members as the leadership of the legislative branch. Prince George's County is part of the Seventh Judicial Circuit
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
of the state of Maryland and holds 23 of the 32 total circuit court judges in the circuit (which includes Calvert, Charles, Prince George's, and St. Mary's counties).
County executive
| Name | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| William W. Gullett William W. Gullett William Waitman Gullett served as the first County Executive of Prince George's County, Maryland from 1971 to 1974. He had previously served three terms as the Mayor of College Park from 1963 to 1969, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of Maryland, 1967–68 and a Presidential Elector for... |
Republican | 1970–1974 |
| Win Kelly Winfield M. Kelly, Jr. Winfield M. "Win" Kelly, Jr. served as the County Executive of Prince George's County, Maryland from 1974 to 1978. He had previously served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners in Prince George's County, 1970–71, the Chair of the County Council in Prince George's County, 1971–74 and is... |
Democrat | 1974–1978 |
| Lawrence Hogan | Republican | 1978–1982 |
| Parris N. Glendening | Democrat | 1982–1994 |
| Wayne K. Curry Wayne K. Curry Wayne Keith Curry was elected county executive for Prince George's County, Maryland in November 1994, and served two terms as county executive from 1994 to 2002... |
Democrat | 1994–2002 |
| Jack B. Johnson Jack B. Johnson Jack Bruce Johnson is an American politician who served as the county executive of Prince George's County, Maryland from 2002 to 2010. On November 12, 2010, both Johnson and his wife were indicted on federal charges as part of a larger political corruption scandal in the county... |
Democrat | 2002–2010 |
| Rushern Baker Rushern L. Baker, III Rushern L. Baker, III is an American politician who has served as the County Executive of Prince George's County, Maryland since December 2010.-Early life:Baker was born in Valdosta, Georgia... |
Democrat | 2010– |
Other officials
- State's Attorney: Angela Alsobrooks
- County SheriffPrince George's County Sheriff's OfficeThe Prince George's County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Upper Marlboro. The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of Prince George's County and is elected by popular vote of the...
: Melvin High - County Fire ChiefPrince George's County Fire/EMS DepartmentNot to be confused with Prince George County Fire Department The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department is a combination career/volunteer county-level agency that provides "..fire prevention, fire protection, emergency medical services, and community outreach programs" for residents of Prince...
: Marc S. Bashoor - Chief of the County PolicePrince George's County Police DepartmentThe Prince George's County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States, servicing a population of over 850,000 residents and visitors within 498 square miles of jurisdiction.-History:The Prince George's County Police Department...
: Mark Magaw - Superintendent of schools: Dr. William R. Hite
Demographics
As of the estimated American Community Survey Census of 2008, there were 825,924 people, 298,439 households, and 198,047 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,651/sq mi (638/km²). There were 308,929 housing units at an average density of 623/sq mi (241/km²).2010
Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:- 19.2% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
- 64.5% BlackAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 0.5% Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
- 4.1% AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific IslanderPacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
- 3.2% Two or more racesMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
- 8.4% Other racesRace (United States Census)Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, 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...
- 14.9% Hispanic or LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race)
2000
The racial makeup of the county was as of 2000:- 27.04% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
- 62.70% BlackAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 0.35% Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
- 3.87% AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 0.06% Native Hawaiian or Pacific IslanderPacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
- 2.61% Two or more racesMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
- 3.38% Other racesRace (United States Census)Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, 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...
- 7.12% Hispanic or LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race)
By the 2008 estimates there were 298,439 households out of which 65.1% are family households and 34.9% were non-family households. 36.4% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.00% were married couples living together, 19.60% had a female householder with no husband present. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 persons and the average family size was 3.25 persons.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 33.00% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 91.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county in 2008 was $71,696, and the median income for a family was $81,908. The 2008 mean income for a family in the county was $94,360. As of 2000, males had a median income of $38,904 versus $35,718 for females. The 2008 per capita income for the county was $23,360. About 4.70% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. Prince George's County is the 70th most affluent county in the United States by median income for families and the most affluent county in the United States with an African-American majority. Almost 38.8% of all households in Prince Georges County, earned over $100,000 in 2008.
As of the 2010 census the reported racial and ethnic composition of the county was 14.92% Non-Hispanic whites, 63.52% Non-Hispanic blacks, 0.49% Native Americans, 4.07% Asians, 0.06% Pacific Islanders, 0.25% Non-Hispanics reporting some other race, 2.05% Non-Hispanics reporting more than one race and 14.94% Hispanic.
Education attainment
30.1% of all residents over the age of 25 had graduated from college and obtained a bachelors degree (17.8%) or professional degree (12.2%). 86.2% of all residents over the age of 25 were high school graduates or higher.Top employers
According to the County's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private sector employers in the county are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Parcel Service United Parcel Service United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the... |
4,220 |
| 2 | Giant | 3,609 |
| 3 | Verizon | 2,738 |
| 4 | Dimensions Healthcare System | 2,500 |
| 5 | Safeway Safeway Inc. Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern... |
2,400 |
| 6 | Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Shoppers Food & Pharmacy is a chain of 65 supermarkets in the Baltimore, northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. areas... |
1,975 |
| 7 | Capital One Capital One Capital One Financial Corp. is a U.S.-based bank holding company specializing in credit cards, home loans, auto loans, banking and savings products... |
1,456 |
| 8 | Target Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... |
1,400 |
| 9 | Southern Maryland Hospital Center | 1,300 |
| 10 | Computer Sciences Corporation Computer Sciences Corporation Computer Sciences Corporation is an American information technology and business services company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, USA... |
1,150 |
The top public sector employers in the county are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University System of Maryland University System of Maryland The University System of Maryland is a public corporation and charter school system comprising 12 Maryland institutions of higher education. It is the 12th-largest university system in the United States, with over 125,000 undergraduate, 43,000 graduate and roughly 13,000 combined full-time and... |
15,768 |
| 2 | Andrews Air Force Base Andrews Air Force Base Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington .... |
15,000 |
| 3 | Prince George's County | 6,889 |
| 4 | Internal Revenue Service Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue... |
5,539 |
| 5 | United States Census Bureau United States Census Bureau The 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... |
4,158 |
| 6 | Goddard Space Flight Center Goddard Space Flight Center The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,... |
3,083 |
| 7 | Prince George's Community College Prince George's Community College Prince George's Community College is a community college located in the unincorporated community of Largo in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States... |
1,700 |
| 8 | Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center The Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, or BARC, is a unit of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. It is located at in Beltsville, Maryland, and is named for Henry A. Wallace, former United States vice president and secretary of... |
1,700 |
| 9 | Adelphi Laboratory Center | 911 |
| 10 | National Archives and Records Administration National Archives and Records Administration The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives... |
779 |
Crime
Prince George’s County accounted for 20% of murders in the state of Maryland from 1985 to 2006. A twenty-year crime index trends study, performed by Prince George's County Police Department Information Resource Management, showed the county had a 23.1% increase in total crime for the years of 2000 to 2004. Between the years of 1984 to 2004, Prince George’s had a 62.8% increase in total crime.However, as of 2009, crime had generally declined in the county and the number of homicides declined from 151 in 2005 to 99 in 2009.
Although crime had been declining, residents became alarmed when there were thirteen homicides during the first twelve days of 2011. This put added pressure on the police department to come up with a way to stop the violence. By the end of January, the county experienced 16 homicides.
Religion
The county is home to more than 800 churches, as well as a number of mosques, synagogues, and HinduHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
temples. Property belonging to religious entities makes up 3450 acres (14 km²) of land in the county.
Law enforcement
Prince George's County Police Department
The Prince George's County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States, servicing a population of over 850,000 residents and visitors within 498 square miles of jurisdiction.-History:The Prince George's County Police Department...
is the primary police service for county residents residing in unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
s of the county. In addition, the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office
Prince George's County Sheriff's Office
The Prince George's County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Upper Marlboro. The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of Prince George's County and is elected by popular vote of the...
acts as the enforcement arm of the county court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
, and also shares some patrol responsibility with the county police. County parks are serviced by the Prince George's County Division of the Maryland-National Capital Park Police
Maryland-National Capital Park Police
The Maryland-National Capital Park Police is the law enforcement branch of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and has two divisions, one in Prince George's County and one in Montgomery County in Maryland...
.
Besides the county-level services, all but one of the 27 local municipalities maintain police departments that share jurisdiction with the county police services. Furthermore, the Maryland State Police
Maryland State Police
The Maryland State Police is the official state police force of the state of Maryland. The Maryland State Police is headquartered at 1201 Reisterstown Road in the Pikesville CDP in unincorporated Baltimore County.-Organizational structure:...
enforces the law on state highways which pass through the county and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police is the law enforcement arm of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources . Natural Resources Police Officers patrol State-owned lands and enforce conservation and boating laws as well as Maryland's Criminal Law and Transportation Article...
patrol the state parks and navigable waterways located within the county.
Along with the state and local law enforcement agencies, the federal government also maintains several departments that service citizens of the county such as the US Park Police
United States Park Police
The United States Park Police is one of the oldest uniformed federal law enforcement agencies in the United States. It functions as a full service law enforcement agency with responsibilities and jurisdiction in those National Park Service areas primarily located in the Washington, D.C., San...
, US Postal Police
United States Postal Inspection Service
The United States Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. Its jurisdiction is defined as "crimes that may adversely affect or fraudulently use the U.S...
, Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
Security Police
Security police
In some countries, including the United States, security police are those persons, employed by or for a governmental agency, who provide police and security services to those agencies' properties....
, and other federal police located on various federal property located within the county.
In addition, nearly all of the incorporated cities and towns in the county have their own municipal police force. Notable exceptions include the city of College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
.
As of 2006, the county reportedly contains the highest crime rate for the Washington Metro area, comparable to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
Emergency medical and fire services
Prince George's County hospitals include Bowie Health Center, Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital & Nursing Center in Cheverly, Hospice of the Chesapeake in Landover, Laurel Regional Hospital in Laurel, Prince George's Hospital Medical Center in Cheverly, and Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton. Fort Washington Medical Center also provides a small medical facility for its community.
Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
, Cottage City
Cottage City, Maryland
Cottage City is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. Cottage City is a small, quiet community lying between Eastern Avenue , Brentwood, Colmar Manor, and the Anacostia River...
, Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier, Maryland
Mount Rainier is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 8,498 at the 2000 census. Bordering Washington, DC, Mount Rainier got its start as a streetcar suburb. According to local tradition, surveyors from the Pacific Northwest named the town, giving the...
, and Brentwood
Brentwood, Maryland
Brentwood is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,844 at the 2000 census. Brentwood is less than away from Washington, DC...
.
In March 1966, the Prince George's County Government employed the firefighters who had been hired by individual volunteer stations and an organized career department was begun. The career firefighters and paramedics are represented by IAFF
International Association of Fire Fighters
The International Association of Fire Fighters is a labor union representing professional firefighters in the United States and Canada. The IAFF was formed in 1918 and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO in the United States and the Canadian Labour Congress in Canada. The IAFF is headquartered in...
1619.
Prince George's County became the first jurisdiction in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to implement the 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
Emergency Reporting System in 1973. Advanced life support services began for citizens of the county in 1977. Firefighters were certified as Cardiac Rescue Technicians and deployed in what was called at the time Mobile Intensive Care Units to fire stations in Brentwood, Silver Hill, and Laurel
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
.
As of 2007, the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department
Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department
Not to be confused with Prince George County Fire Department The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department is a combination career/volunteer county-level agency that provides "..fire prevention, fire protection, emergency medical services, and community outreach programs" for residents of Prince...
operates a combination system staffed by over 800 career firefighters and paramedics, and nearly 1,100 active volunteers.
Colleges and universities
- Bowie State UniversityBowie State UniversityBowie State University , is a public university located on 355½ acres in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, north of the suburban city of Bowie. Bowie State is part of the University System of Maryland...
, located in unincorporated area north of BowieBowie, MarylandBowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of... - Capitol CollegeCapitol CollegeCapitol College is a private, non-profit, and non-sectarian college located just south of Laurel, Maryland, in unincorporated Prince George's County. It was founded in 1927 as the Capitol Radio Engineering Institute, changed its name to the Capitol Institute of Technology in 1964, and assumed its...
, located in unincorporated area south of LaurelLaurel, MarylandLaurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street... - Prince George's Community CollegePrince George's Community CollegePrince George's Community College is a community college located in the unincorporated community of Largo in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States...
, located in unincorporated area (Largo) - Strayer University, PG CampusStrayer UniversityStrayer University, formerly Strayer College of Baltimore, Maryland, is a private, for-profit educational institution. The Strayer University campuses are owned by Strayer Education, Inc. , headquartered in Herndon, Virginia....
, in unincorporated area (Suitland) - TESST College of TechnologyTESST College of TechnologyTESST College of Technology is a private technical college located in metropolitan Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of Kaplan Higher Education Corporation , a division of Kaplan, Inc.-History:...
, located in unincorporated area (Beltsville) - University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, in College ParkCollege Park, MarylandCollege Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S... - University of Maryland University CollegeUniversity of Maryland University CollegeThe University of Maryland University College is located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Serving over 90,000 students worldwide, UMUC is the largest 4-year public university in Maryland and one of the largest distance learning...
, in unincorporated area (AdelphiAdelphi, MarylandAdelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census...
) - Washington Bible College and Capital Bible SeminaryCapital Bible SeminaryCapital Bible Seminary, founded in 1958, is the seminary component of the Christian nondenominational Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary/Equip Institute with its main campus in Lanham, Maryland. The seminary is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the...
, in unincorporated area (LanhamLanham, MarylandLanham is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County in the State of Maryland in the United States of America. Because it is not formally incorporated, it has no official boundaries, but the United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place consisting of Lanham and the...
)
Public schools
The county's schools are managed by the Prince George's County Public SchoolsPrince George's County Public Schools
The Prince George's County Public Schools system is a large school district administered by the government of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States and is overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education...
system.
Transportation
The County contains a large portion of the Capital BeltwayInterstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
. After a decades-long debate, construction began in late 2007 on an east-west toll freeway, the Intercounty Connector
Intercounty Connector
Maryland Route 200 , more commonly known as the Intercounty Connector or ICC, is a partially completed toll freeway under construction in Maryland which connects Gaithersburg in Montgomery County and Laurel in Prince George's County. When completed, it will reach the community of Konterra just...
("ICC"), which will essentially extend Interstate 370
Interstate 370
Interstate 370 is a Interstate Highway spur route off I-270 in Gaithersburg, Maryland to the western end of toll road MD 200 at an interchange that provides access to the park and ride lot at the Shady Grove station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro. Despite the number, I-370 does not...
in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
in order to connect I-270
Interstate 270 (Maryland)
Interstate 270 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Maryland that travels between Interstate 495 just north of Bethesda, Montgomery County and Interstate 70 in the city of Frederick in Frederick County. It consists of the mainline as well as a spur that provides access to and...
with Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
and U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maryland
U.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
in Laurel
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
. The ICC is expected to be complete in 2012.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess...
operates Metrobus
Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)
Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are over 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009,...
fixed-route bus service and Metrorail
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
heavy-rail passenger service in and out of the County as well as the regional MetroAccess paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
system for the handicapped. The Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation also operates TheBus, a County-wide fixed-route bus system, and the Call-A-Bus service for passengers who do not have access to or have difficulty using fixed-route bus service. Call-A-Bus is a demand-response service which generally requires 14-days advance reservations. The County also offers a subsidized taxicab service for elderly and disabled residents called Call-A-Cab in which eligible customers who sign up for the service purchase coupons giving them a 50% discount with participating taxicab companies in Prince George's and Montgomery
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
Counties.
Fifteen stations of the Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
subway system are located in Prince George's County, with four of them as terminus stations: Greenbelt
Greenbelt (Washington Metro)
Greenbelt is a Washington Metro and MARC station in Prince George's County, Maryland on the Green Line. It is the northeastern end of the Green Line....
, New Carrollton
New Carrollton (Washington Metro)
New Carrollton rail station is a joint Washington Metro, MARC, and Amtrak station in New Carrollton, Prince George's County, Maryland at the eastern end of the Orange Line and planned Purple Line, and adjacent to the Capital Beltway. The Amtrak waiting room is located beneath the Metro station...
, Largo
Largo Town Center (Washington Metro)
Largo Town Center is an island platformed Washington Metro station in Largo, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on December 18, 2004, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Providing service for the Blue Line, it is the eastern terminus of the Blue...
, and Branch Avenue
Branch Avenue (Washington Metro)
Branch Avenue is an island platformed Washington Metro station in Suitland, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on January 13, 2001, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . The station presently serves as the southeastern terminus for the Green Line, with...
. There has been much debate on the construction of the Purple Line, which would link highly-developed areas of both Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. Also worth noting is the potential expansion of the Green Line
Green Line (Washington Metro)
The Green Line is one of five heavy rail subway lines that constitute the Washington Metro rapid transit system in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Green Line consists of 21 stations, with termini at Branch Avenue and at Greenbelt. The Green Line runs through Prince George's County,...
northward to Laurel and beyond.
The MARC Train
MARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
(Maryland Area Rail Commuter) train service has two lines that traverse Prince George's County. The Camden Line runs between Baltimore Camden Station and Washington Union Station and has six stops in the county in Riverdale Park, College Park, Greenbelt, Muirkirk, Laurel and Laurel Racetrack. The Penn Line runs on the AMTRAK
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
route between Baltimore Penn Station and Washington Union Station. It has three stops in the county: Bowie State, Seabrook, and New Carrollton.
The College Park Airport
College Park Airport
College Park Airport is a public airport located in the City of College Park, in Prince Georges County, Maryland, USA. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport.-History:...
(est. 1909) is the world's oldest continuously operated airport, and has adjacent historical museum and an early aviation-themed restaurant.
Residents may use Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to...
in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the...
near Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, and Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia
Dulles, Virginia
Dulles, Virginia is an unincorporated area located in Loudoun County, Virginia, part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. The headquarters of Orbital Sciences Corporation, GeoEye, and ODIN technologies and the former headquarters of MCI Inc...
.
Major highways
Interstate 95Interstate 95 in MarylandInterstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
enters the county at LaurelLaurel, MarylandLaurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
. It joins with Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
in College ParkCollege Park, MarylandCollege Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
where it continues and leaves at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River.
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
enters the county near AdelphiAdelphi, MarylandAdelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census...
, and joins Interstate 95 at the College Park InterchangeCollege Park InterchangeThe College Park Interchange is the southern end of the segment of Interstate 95 in Maryland between the Baltimore Beltway and the Capital Beltway ; it is the point where Interstate 95 and Interstate 495 join with one another within Maryland....
here it continues and leaves at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River.
U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in MarylandU.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
is a major north–south roadway running through the county, entering the county at Laurel and leaving at the state border with Washington, D.C. at Mount Rainier.
US 50U.S. Route 50 in MarylandU.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting...
is a major limited-access highway that spans the county from east to west, entering at Cheverly and exiting at Bowie. This highway is also Interstate 595Interstate 595Interstate 595 may refer to:*Interstate 595 , a spur from I-75 across I-95 to Fort Lauderdale, Florida*Interstate 595 , an unsigned spur to Annapolis, Maryland...
but there are no signs. However, the reconstruction of this highway was funded as an Interstate highway: 90% Federal funds and 10% Maryland funds.
US 301U.S. Route 301 in MarylandU.S. Route 301 in Maryland is a major highway that runs from Delaware to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge into Virginia. It passes through three of Maryland's four main regions: the Eastern Shore, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, and Southern Maryland...
also called Crain Highway, is a major divided roadway, entering with MD 5Maryland Route 5Maryland Route 5 is a long state highway that runs north–south in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from Point Lookout in St. Mary's County north to the Washington, D.C. border in Suitland, Prince George's County....
near Brandywine, and continuing north where it intersects with US 50 and turns into Route 3.
State Route 295 is the hidden designation for the portion of the Baltimore-Washington ParkwayBaltimore-Washington ParkwayThe Baltimore–Washington Parkway is a highway in the U.S. state of Maryland, running southwest from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. The road begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 50 and Maryland Route 201 near Cheverly in Prince George's County at the D.C...
that runs north-south through the county. It runs from the intersection of Route 50 and MD 201 at the DC/MD line, and continues into Anne Arundel County to Baltimore.
also called Pennsylvania Avenue, runs from the Maryland-DC border eastward into Anne Arundel County and south in Calvert County.
also called Branch Avenue, runs from Maryland-DC border southeast through Charles County into St. Mary's County.
also called Central Avenue, runs from Capitol Heights eastward through the center of the county, through Bowie, and into Anne Arundel County.
also called Landover Road (north of 214) and Largo Road (south of 214), runs northward from the town of Upper Marlboro to Hyattsville.
also called Kenilworth Avenue, runs north from the Maryland-DC border in Cheverly. After the intersection with Cherrywood Lane in Greenbelt, the name changes to Edmonston Road, which continues north until it ends in Laurel.
also known as East-West Highway, stretches from the Prince George's County-Montgomery County border near Takoma Park to its end in Landover. In the town of Riverdale Park, it is called Riverdale Road.
also called Annapolis Road, runs laterally from Hyattsville to Route 3 in BowieBowie, MarylandBowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
.
also called the Intercounty ConnectorIntercounty ConnectorMaryland Route 200 , more commonly known as the Intercounty Connector or ICC, is a partially completed toll freeway under construction in Maryland which connects Gaithersburg in Montgomery County and Laurel in Prince George's County. When completed, it will reach the community of Konterra just...
(ICC) (Maryland Route 200), a long-planned toll road, is under construction as of late 2007, and will run west from U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in MarylandU.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
just south of LaurelLaurel, MarylandLaurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
, crossing Virginia Manor Road, with a major new interchange at Interstate 95Interstate 95 in MarylandInterstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
; then continuing west into Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, MarylandMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
and interchanging with U.S. 29U.S. Route 29 in MarylandU.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 29 is a major highway that emerges from Washington D.C. and runs north into eastern Montgomery County, stretching...
, Maryland Route 97Maryland Route 97Maryland Route 97 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from U.S. Route 29 in Silver Spring, Montgomery County north to the Pennsylvania border in Carroll County, where the road continues into that state as Pennsylvania Route 97...
(Georgia AvenueGeorgia AvenueGeorgia Avenue is a major north-south artery in Northwest Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. Within the District of Columbia and a short distance in Silver Spring, Maryland, Georgia Avenue is also U.S. Route 29...
) and terminating at Interstate 370Interstate 370Interstate 370 is a Interstate Highway spur route off I-270 in Gaithersburg, Maryland to the western end of toll road MD 200 at an interchange that provides access to the park and ride lot at the Shady Grove station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro. Despite the number, I-370 does not...
near Shady GroveShady Grove, MarylandShady Grove is an unincorporated area of Montgomery County, Maryland. It has a population of 5,000-7,000, between the cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg, mostly in zip codes 20850 and 20855, though the exact boundaries are not officially defined. Shady Grove is one of Montgomery County's upper...
, RockvilleRockville, MarylandRockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
and GaithersburgGaithersburg, MarylandGaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
, and providing a direct freeway connection to Interstate 270Interstate 270 (Maryland)Interstate 270 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Maryland that travels between Interstate 495 just north of Bethesda, Montgomery County and Interstate 70 in the city of Frederick in Frederick County. It consists of the mainline as well as a spur that provides access to and...
via Interstate 370Interstate 370Interstate 370 is a Interstate Highway spur route off I-270 in Gaithersburg, Maryland to the western end of toll road MD 200 at an interchange that provides access to the park and ride lot at the Shady Grove station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro. Despite the number, I-370 does not...
.
Enterprises and recreation
Prince George's County is home to the United States Department of Agriculture'sUnited States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
The Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, or BARC, is a unit of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. It is located at in Beltsville, Maryland, and is named for Henry A. Wallace, former United States vice president and secretary of...
, NASA's
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
, the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The 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...
, Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
, the National Archives and Records Administration's
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
facility, the University of Maryland's
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
flagship College Park campus, Six Flags America
Six Flags America
Six Flags America is a family theme park and water park located in Mitchellville, Prince George's County, Maryland. It is situated east of Washington D.C. and southwest of Baltimore. The park covers , 131 of which is currently used for park operations...
and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is the name of a chain of water parks that are part of the Six Flags amusement park chain. Although the parks are not identical, common features include a variety of body slides, speed slides, tube slides, wave pools, lazy rivers, and shopping areas.In Prince George's...
, FedEx Field (home of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
), and the National Harbor
National Harbor, Maryland
National Harbor is a multi-use waterfront development on the shores of the Potomac River in Prince George's County, Maryland just south of Washington, D.C. near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. It is being built by the Peterson Companies. The project is expected to cost over $2 billion...
, which its developers, Peterson Companies and Gaylord Entertainment Company
Gaylord Entertainment Company
The Gaylord Entertainment Company operates a number of hotel, resort, and media companies that were built by Edward Gaylord. It was previously a subsidiary of the Oklahoma City-based Oklahoma Publishing Company, which is owned by the Gaylord family and publishes the Daily Oklahoman newspaper...
, bill as the largest single mixed-use project and combined convention center–hotel complex on the East Coast.
Media
- WPGC-FMWPGC-FMWPGC-FM is one of the most popular among Washington, D.C.'s urban format radio station's, and has been ranked as one of its top rated radio stations for over 20 years, according to the Arbitron ratings. It has a city of license of Morningside at the 95.5 MHz frequency on the FM dial...
, Morningside, MD, take their P-G-C call letters from the name Prince George's County.
Recreation
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, the Redskins stadium is in Landover
Landover, Maryland
Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
. No other major-league professional sports teams are in the county, though Bowie hosts the Bowie Baysox
Bowie Baysox
The Bowie Baysox are a minor league baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League...
, a minor league baseball team. The county is known for its very successful youth in basketball ESPN published an article declaring Prince Georges County the new "Hoops Hot Bed" and ranked it as the number one basketball talent pool in the country. A number of basketball prospects, including Ty Lawson, Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, and Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley
Michael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
from AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
basketball teams such as the PG Jaguars
PG Jaguars
The PG Jaguars were an AAU basketball organization based in Prince George's County, Maryland.While the organization has teams at every age level, the organization is best known for its national and regional championship winning teams at the 10U-14U levels in the 2000s...
, DC Assault, and DC Blue Devils. Besides AAU, basketball has skyrocketed from local high schools such as DeMatha Catholic High School
DeMatha Catholic High School
DeMatha Catholic High School, named after Saint John of Matha, is a four-year Catholic high school for young men located in Hyattsville, Maryland, USA. DeMatha is known for academic achievement, music, arts, service and athletics...
and Bishop McNamara High School
Bishop McNamara High School
Bishop McNamara High School, a college preparatory school in the Holy Cross tradition, is in Forestville, Maryland. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.-History:...
, both of which have found some great success locally and nationally.
Cities and towns
This county contains the following incorporated municipalities:| 10 Cities | 17 Towns |
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Berwyn Heights, Maryland Berwyn Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,942 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by College Park to the west, Greenbelt to the northeast, East Riverdale to the southwest, and Riverdale Park to the south.... (incorporated 1896) Bladensburg, Maryland Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,661 at the 2000 census.Bladensburg is from central Washington, DC... (incorporated 1854) Brentwood, Maryland Brentwood is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,844 at the 2000 census. Brentwood is less than away from Washington, DC... (incorporated 1922) Capitol Heights, Maryland Capitol Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,138 at the 2000 census. Development around the Capitol Heights Metro station has medical facilities and eateries to support the community... (incorporated 1910) Cheverly, Maryland Cheverly is a town in central Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., United States. The town was founded in 1918 and it was incorporated in 1931. Cheverly had 6,433 residents as of the 2000 Census.... (incorporated 1931) Colmar Manor, Maryland Colmar Manor is a town located in Prince George's County, Maryland. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,257. As the town developed at the beginning of the 20th century, it assumed a name derived from its proximity to the District of Columbia—the first syllable of Columbia... (incorporated 1927) Cottage City, Maryland Cottage City is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. Cottage City is a small, quiet community lying between Eastern Avenue , Brentwood, Colmar Manor, and the Anacostia River... (incorporated 1924) Eagle Harbor, Maryland Eagle Harbor is a very tiny incorporated town in the far extreme southeast corner of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States and near the rural community of Aquasco. The population was 55 at the 2000 census... (incorporated 1929) Edmonston, Maryland Edmonston is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 959.It is from Washington, D.C. Edmonston's ZIP code is 20781.-History:... (incorporated 1924) Fairmount Heights, Maryland Fairmount Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,508 at the 2000 census. The town was formally incorparated in 1935, making the town the second oldest African-American municipality in Prince George's County... (incorporated 1935) Forest Heights, Maryland Forest Heights, officially the Town of Forest Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, with an African-American majority population, and part of the larger postal designation Oxon Hill, MD. Students attend Oxon Hill High School. The town straddles both sides of... (incorporated 1945) Landover Hills, Maryland Landover Hills is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,534 at the 2000 census.It has a neighborhood named Defense Heights.-Bordering areas:* Woodlawn * Greater Landover... (incorporated 1945) Morningside, Maryland Morningside is an incorporated town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,295 at the 2000 census. The town developed with the establishment of nearby Andrews Air Force Base and the federal Census Bureau. The government of the town is led by a mayor and town council... (incorporated 1949) North Brentwood, Maryland North Brentwood is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 469 at the 2000 census. The municipality of North Brentwood is located north of Washington, D.C., and is surrounded by the communities of Hyattsville, Brentwood, and Cottage City... (incorporated 1924) Riverdale Park, Maryland Riverdale Park is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,690 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale Park is located at .... (incorporated 1920) University Park, Maryland University Park is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:University Park is located at .... (incorporated 1936) Upper Marlboro, Maryland Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger.... (incorporated 1870) |
Part of the city of Takoma Park
Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., and part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City," is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone...
was formerly in Prince George's County, but since 1997 the city has been entirely in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
. The part of Takoma Park that changed counties comprises two residential neighborhoods, Carole Highlands (part of this neighborhood is still in Prince George's County), and New Hampshire Gardens.
Unincorporated places
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 BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The 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...
, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, 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 place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population 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:
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Coral Hills, Maryland Coral Hills is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 10,720.-Geography:Coral Hills is located at .... East Riverdale, Maryland East Riverdale is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,961 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Riverdale is located at .... Forestville, Maryland Forestville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,707 at the 2000 census... Fort Washington, Maryland Fort Washington, Maryland is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland in the suburbs of the capital city of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., south of the downtown district. It is a prosperous community with an African American majority... Friendly, Maryland Friendly is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA, with an African-American majority population, and a few miles south of Washington, D.C. The population was 10,938 at the 2000 census. Friendly had its own rural post office in the early 20th... Glenn Dale, Maryland Glenn Dale is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,609 at the 2000 census... Goddard, Maryland Goddard is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,554 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Goddard is located at .... Greater Landover, Maryland Greater Landover is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 22,900 at the 2000 census... Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland Greater Upper Marlboro is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States that completely surrounds Upper Marlboro, the county seat... Hillandale, Maryland Hillandale is an unincorporated area located on the boundary between Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, Maryland.-Geography:As an unincorporated area, Hillandale's boundaries are not officially defined... |
Hillcrest Heights, Maryland Hillcrest Heights is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States with an African-American majority population. The population was 16,359 at the 2000 census. For mailing address purposes, it is part of the larger community of Temple Hills... Kettering, Maryland Kettering is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,008 at the 2000 census, primarily African-American. The name Kettering was created by a suburban housing developer in the 1960s when development began... Lake Arbor, Maryland Lake Arbor is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It is also known as Mitchellville. The population was 8,533 at the 2000 census... Langley Park, Maryland Langley Park is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It is located inside the Capital Beltway, on the northwest edge of Prince George's County, Maryland, bordering Montgomery County, Maryland.... Lanham-Seabrook, Maryland Lanham-Seabrook is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland. The combination is arbitrary, as there are two separate communities, Lanham and Seabrook, although there is no official boundary between these two communities.-Geography:... Largo, Maryland Largo is an unincorporated area and census designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. The population was 8,408 at the 2000 census.... Marlow Heights, Maryland Marlow Heights is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,059 at the 2000 census... Marlton, Maryland Marlton is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,798 at the 2000 census. The Marlton housing development, at first briefly called "Marlboro Country", grew up along U.S. Route 301 in the 1970s, and is part of the... Mitchellville, Maryland Mitchellville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,611 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Six Flags America theme park, Country Club at Woodmore, and Freeway Airport. The Capital Centre was located in... Oxon Hill-Glassmanor, Maryland Oxon Hill-Glassmanor is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland. The combination is arbitrary, and in the mind of most local people there are two separate communities: Oxon Hill and Glassmanor... |
Rosaryville, Maryland Rosaryville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States beside U.S. Highway 301. The population was 12,322 at the 2000 census, including housing developments and rural open space. It was named for a local Roman Catholic church... South Laurel, Maryland South Laurel is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Laurel is located at .... Springdale, Maryland Springdale is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,645 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Springdale is located at .... Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland Suitland-Silver Hill is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The census area include separate unincorporated communities of Silver Hill and Suitland, and other smaller communities. The population was 33,515 at the 2000 census... Temple Hills, Maryland Temple Hills is a suburb of Washington DC, southeast of the downtown district. It is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The greater Temple Hills mailing address includes not just the tiny red area on this map, but also the area... Walker Mill, Maryland Walker Mill is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,104 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Walker Mill is located at .... West Laurel, Maryland West Laurel is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,083 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Laurel is located at .... Woodlawn, Prince George's County, Maryland Woodlawn is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland.-Geography:Woodlawn is located at .... Woodmore, Maryland Woodmore is an unincorporated area and Census-designated place composed of a gated community and country club in Mitchellville, Maryland, one of the most affluent predominantly African-American communities in the United States... |
Other unincorporated places not listed as Census-Designated Places but known in the area include:
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Cheltenham, Maryland Cheltenham is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, adjacent to U.S. Highway 301. It contains a juvenile correctional facility, the Southern Maryland Farmers market, and Maryland Veterans Cemetery, along with many scenic farms and woods. Nearby is the... Collington, Maryland Collington, Maryland is a now defunct settlement in Prince George's County, Maryland dating from colonial times. Collington has been subsumed by the city of Bowie, Maryland.-Geography:... Croom, Maryland Croom is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It consists of tobacco farms and forests with many narrow, winding roads, although the Marlton housing development is very nearby. St. Thomas Episcopal Church dates to colonial times.... Meadows, Maryland Meadows is an unincorporated community located in Prince George's County, Maryland, near the east end of Andrews Air Force Base. One person of note from Meadows is baseball player Ray Moore.... Montpelier, Maryland Montpelier, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA, is a Levitt community outside of the corporate boundaries of Laurel. Located near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, it was built in the late 1960s... |
Rogers Heights, Maryland Rogers Heights is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.-History:The Rogers Heights subdivision is bounded on the north by 1950s-era subdivisions, on the south and east by Bladensburg, and on the west by Edmonston. Named after one of the former owners of the... Tuxedo, Maryland Tuxedo is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.-History:Scattered settlement in Tuxedo appeared along the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad by 1886, according to historic maps... |
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And two localities: Muirkirk
Muirkirk, Maryland
Muirkirk is an unincorporated area in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. in the central part of the state.It is located along U.S. 1 between Beltsville and Laurel...
(near Montpelier) and Chapel Oaks (near Fairmount Heights)
Sister cities
Royal Bafokeng NationRoyal Bafokeng Nation
The Royal Bafokeng Nation is the ethnic homeland of the Bafokeng people, a Setswana-speaking traditional community. The monarchy covers in the North West Province of South Africa. The administrative capital is Phokeng, near Rustenburg. "Bafokeng" is used to refer to both the tribal grouping as...
, South Africa Rishon LeZion, Israel Ziguinchor
Ziguinchor
Ziguinchor is the capital of the Ziguinchor Region, and the chief town of the Casamance area of Senegal, lying at the mouth of the Casamance River. It has a population of over 230,000...
, Senegal
Notable residents
- Chris AdlerChris Adler (actor)Chris Adler is an American film actor and writer.-Biography:Chris Adler has worked in the television and film industry since the mid 1980s. He was in born in Cheverly, Maryland, in the Washington D.C...
, American film actor, grew up in GreenbeltGreenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in GreenbeltGreenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
. - Dr. John BayneJohn BayneJohn Bayne was a Presbyterian minister. He was born in Greenock, Scotland and educated at the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh....
, 19th-century founder of the University of MarylandUniversity System of MarylandThe University System of Maryland is a public corporation and charter school system comprising 12 Maryland institutions of higher education. It is the 12th-largest university system in the United States, with over 125,000 undergraduate, 43,000 graduate and roughly 13,000 combined full-time and...
, superintendent of county schools, Union ArmyUnion ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
physician, and one of the first Americans to grow and eat a tomato, proving they were not poisonous as had been thought, lived on Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill. - Michael BeasleyMichael BeasleyMichael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
, professional basketball player for the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
. - Len BiasLen BiasLeonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
, All-American Basketball star at the University of Maryland in the 1980s, grew up in Landover Hills and attended Northwestern High SchoolNorthwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)Northwestern High School , established in 1951, is a public comprehensive secondary school located in Hyattsville, Maryland in Prince George's County, less than a mile from the internationally known University of Maryland, College Park. It is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Hyattsville. - Riddick BoweRiddick BoweRiddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...
, former world heavyweight boxing champion, and family lived in Sero Estates, Fort WashingtonFort Washington, MarylandFort Washington, Maryland is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland in the suburbs of the capital city of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., south of the downtown district. It is a prosperous community with an African American majority...
. - Sergey BrinSergey BrinSergey Mikhaylovich Brin is a Russian-born American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur who, with Larry Page, co-founded Google, one of the largest internet companies. , his personal wealth is estimated to be $16.7 billion....
, founder of Google, grew up in AdelphiAdelphi, MarylandAdelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census...
and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in GreenbeltGreenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
. - John CarrollJohn Carroll (bishop)John Carroll, was the first Roman Catholic bishop and archbishop in the United States — serving as the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is also known as the founder of Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the United States, and St...
, S.J. (1735–1815), first Roman Catholic BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
in the United States, and founder of Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, was born in Upper MarlboroUpper Marlboro, MarylandUpper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. - JC Chasez, singer/producer, grew up in Bowie, MarylandBowie, MarylandBowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
. - Frank ChoFrank ChoFrank Cho, born Duk Hyun Cho, is a Korean-American comic strip and comic book writer and illustrator, known for his series Liberty Meadows, as well as for books such as Shanna the She-Devil, Mighty Avengers and Hulk for Marvel Comics, and Jungle Girl for Dynamite Entertainment...
, award-winning cartoonist, grew up in BeltsvilleBeltsville, MarylandBeltsville is a census-designated place in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,691 at the 2000 census. Beltsville includes the unincorporated community of Vansville.-Geography:...
and attended community college and university in the county. - Thomas John ClaggettThomas John ClaggettThomas John Claggett was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America to be consecrated on American soil and the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.-Early family life:...
(1742–1816), first Episcopal Bishop consecrated in the United States and third Chaplain of the United States SenateChaplain of the United States SenateThe Chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate...
, was from Upper Marlboro. - Leonard CovingtonLeonard CovingtonLeonard Wailes Covington was a United States Army Brigadier General and a member of the United States House of Representatives.-Biography:...
(1768–1813), born in Aquasco, United States Congressman from Maryland - Kevin DurantKevin DurantKevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City ThunderOklahoma City ThunderThe Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
. - Roger Easton, Sr.Roger L. EastonRoger L. Easton is an American scientist. He is the principal inventor and designer of the Global Positioning System . In 1955, Easton co-wrote the Naval Research Laboratory's Project Vanguard proposal for a U.S. satellite program in competition with two other proposals, including a proposal from...
, Naval scientist, the chief inventor of GPS and winner of the 2004 National Medal of TechnologyNational Medal of TechnologyThe National Medal of Technology and Innovation is an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology...
, lived on Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill. - Francis B. FrancoisFrancis B. FrancoisFrancis Bernard "Frank" Francois is an American engineer and lawyer who has received recognition for his achievements in the field of engineering and policy leadership in surface transportation infrastructure and research...
, lawyer and engineer, lived in Bowie, MarylandBowie, MarylandBowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
for over 40 years. In 1999, he was elected to the National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in recognition of his achievements in the field of engineering and policy leadership in surface transportation infrastructure and research. He served on the Prince George's County council as an elected official for 10 years. - Steven F. GaughanSteven F. GaughanSgt. Steven Francis Gaughan was a police officer in Prince George's County, MD assigned to the Beltsville District, Special Assignment Team. He was killed in the line of duty by Robert M...
, Prince George's County Police Officer killed in the line of duty in 2005. - Kathie Lee GiffordKathie Lee GiffordKathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin...
, network television personality, grew up in BowieBowie, MarylandBowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
. - Mya HarrisonMýa HarrisonMýa Marie Harrison , professionally referred to as Mýa, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, model, activist, and philanthropist...
, pop musician, known simply as Mya. - Goldie HawnGoldie HawnGoldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
, actress, director, and producer, grew up in Takoma Park before it was transferred to Montgomery County. - Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
, creator of the Muppets later used on Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, grew up in University Park, MarylandUniversity Park, MarylandUniversity Park is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:University Park is located at ....
and attended Northwestern High SchoolNorthwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)Northwestern High School , established in 1951, is a public comprehensive secondary school located in Hyattsville, Maryland in Prince George's County, less than a mile from the internationally known University of Maryland, College Park. It is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Hyattsville, Maryland. - Taraji P. HensonTaraji P. HensonTaraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Yvette in Baby Boy , Shug in Hustle and Flow and Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009...
, actress, attended Oxon Hill High School. - Steny HoyerSteny HoyerSteny Hamilton Hoyer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. The district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, former Majority LeaderParty leaders of the United States House of RepresentativesParty leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in a closed-door caucus by secret ballot and are also known as floor leaders. The U.S. House of Representatives does not officially use the term "Minority Leader", although the media frequently does...
of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
till 2011, lived as a teenager in SuitlandSuitland-Silver Hill, MarylandSuitland-Silver Hill is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The census area include separate unincorporated communities of Silver Hill and Suitland, and other smaller communities. The population was 33,515 at the 2000 census...
and MitchellvilleMitchellville, MarylandMitchellville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,611 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Six Flags America theme park, Country Club at Woodmore, and Freeway Airport. The Capital Centre was located in...
, attended Suitland High School and Univ. Maryland – College Park, and later lived in FriendlyFriendly, MarylandFriendly is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA, with an African-American majority population, and a few miles south of Washington, D.C. The population was 10,938 at the 2000 census. Friendly had its own rural post office in the early 20th...
before moving to St. Mary's County. - Cathy HughesCathy HughesCathy Hughes, born Catherine Elizabeth Woods in Omaha, Nebraska on April 22, 1947, is an African-American entrepreneur, radio and television personality and business executive. Hughes founded the media company Radio One and later expanded into TV One, the company went public in 1998, making...
, founder and manager of Radio One, the nation's largest African American broadcasting company. - Isis KingIsis KingIsis King is an American fashion model and a fashion designer. She was a contestant on both the eleventh cycle and the seventeenth cycle of the reality television show America's Next Top Model...
, first transgender contestant in America's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
(Cycles 11 and 17). - Martin LawrenceMartin LawrenceMartin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
, actor and comedian, lived in LandoverLandover, MarylandLandover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in GreenbeltGreenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
. - Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
, boxing champion, grew up in Palmer Park. - G. Gordon LiddyG. Gordon LiddyGeorge Gordon Liddy was the chief operative for the White House Plumbers unit that existed from July–September 1971, during Richard Nixon's presidency. Separately, along with E. Howard Hunt, Liddy organized and directed the Watergate burglaries of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in...
, Presidential aide convicted in the Watergate scandalWatergate scandalThe Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
, later an author and radio personality, lives in Fort Foote, Fort Washington. - Sammy NesticoSammy NesticoSamuel "Sammy" Louis Nestico is a prolific and well known composer and arranger of big band music...
, band music arranger, lived in Oxon Hill in the 1960s. - Jan ScruggsJan ScruggsJan Scruggs is best known for being the founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Scruggs served as a corporal in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade, and upon completion of his service attended American University in Washington, D.C where he obtained a master's degree in counseling...
, who conceived the National Vietnam Veterans MemorialVietnam Veterans MemorialThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
, grew up in BowieBowie, MarylandBowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
. - Sumner WellesSumner WellesBenjamin Sumner Welles was an American government official and diplomat in the Foreign Service. He was a major foreign policy adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served as Under Secretary of State from 1937 to 1943, during FDR's presidency.-Early life:Benjamin Sumner Welles was born in...
, U.S. UndersecretaryUndersecretaryAn under secretary is an executive government official in many countries, frequently a career public servant, who typically acts as a senior administrator or second-in-command to a politically-appointed Cabinet Minister or other government official...
of State to Franklin RooseveltFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, built and lived in Oxon Hill ManorOxon Hill, MarylandOxon Hill is part of the Oxon Hill-Glassmanor census-designated place in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Oxon Hill is a suburb of Washington, DC located southeast of the downtown district and east of Alexandria, Virginia...
, which is now a public facility. - Morgan WoottenMorgan WoottenMorgan Bayard Wootten is an American former high school basketball coach.From 1956 to 2002, he coached at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He has the most wins as a head coach in the history of basketball on any level. A number of his players went on to play in the NBA,...
coached at DeMatha Catholic High SchoolDeMatha Catholic High SchoolDeMatha Catholic High School, named after Saint John of Matha, is a four-year Catholic high school for young men located in Hyattsville, Maryland, USA. DeMatha is known for academic achievement, music, arts, service and athletics...
in Hyattsville, Maryland from 1956 to 2002. The coach with the most wins in high school basketball history, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
, the only high school basketball coach ever so honored. He currently resides in University Park, MarylandUniversity Park, MarylandUniversity Park is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:University Park is located at ....
. - WaleWale (rapper)Wale Victor Folarin , better known by his stage name Wale , is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. Wale was born to Nigerian parents. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug " became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the...
, a hip-hop artist, who often notes in his songs how he is from "PG County," and the "DMV" region (D.C, Maryland, Virginia).
Namesakes
USS Prince Georges (AK-224) was a United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Crater class cargo ship
Crater class cargo ship
Crater-class cargo ship is a category of freighter that was constructed for use by the United States Navy during World War II under Maritime Commission EC2-S-C1 type....
named after the county.
External links
- Prince George's County Government, official site
- Prince George's County Historical Society
- The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
- The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
- The Dilemma of the Black Middle Class, includes analysis of the county.
- The Barbershop, live Internet podcastPodcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
for Prince George’s County social issues - Prince Georgians Care site, for and about county residents
- P.G. County by Connie Briscoe, a novel set in Prince George's County
- Crimes in Maryland
- Prince George's County: Looking at the Past, Planning for the Future, a look at the history of development in Prince George's County
- Prince George’s County crime maps
- Prince George's County Memorial Library System