Frederick, Maryland

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Frederick, Maryland
Official seal of Frederick, Maryland
Seal
Location in Maryland
Location in Maryland
Coordinates: 39°25′35″N, 77°25′13″W
Country United States
State Maryland
County Frederick
Founded 1745
Government
 - Mayor William J. Holtzinger (R)
 - Board of Alderman Marcia Hall (D)
Alan E. Imhoff (R)
David P. Koontz (D)
Donna K. Ramsburg (D)
C. Paul Smith (R)
Area
 - City  20.4 sq mi (52.9 km²)
 - Land  20.4 sq mi (52.9 km²)
 - Water  0 sq mi (0 km²)
Elevation  302 ft (92 m)
Population (2004)
 - City 57,009
 - Density 2,584.4/sq mi (997.7/km²)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-6)
Website: http://www.cityoffrederick.com/

Frederick, Maryland is the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. As of the 2005 census estimates, the city has a total population of 57,907 [1], making it the second-largest city in Maryland following Baltimore. Frederick is home to Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), which primarily accommodates general aviation traffic, and to the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick, largest employer in the county. Frederick's newspaper of record is The Frederick News-Post.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Frederick is located in Frederick County in the mid(sometimes considered west) part of the State of Maryland near the junction of Interstate 70, Interstate 270, and US Highway 40. In relation to nearby cities, Frederick lies forty-three miles northwest of Washington, DC, forty-five miles west of Baltimore, Maryland, twenty-five miles southeast of Hagerstown, Maryland, and seventy-five miles southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The city's coordinates 39°25'35" North, 77°25'13" West (39.426294, -77.420403)GR1.

According to the 2004 report of United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.9 km² (20.4 mi²). The city's area is predominantly land, with the only water being the Monocacy River, which runs to the east of the city, the artificial Carroll Creek, and Culler Lake, a man-made small body in the downtown area.

[edit] History

“Frederick Town” was laid out in 1745 and became the county seat of Frederick County three years later. It is uncertain which Frederick the town was named for, but the likeliest candidates are Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore and Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales.

Many of the Pennsylvania Dutch settled in Frederick as they migrated westward in the late 18th Century. Frederick was a stop along the German migration route that led down through the "Great Valley" (Shenandoah Valley, etc) all the way to the western Piedmont in North Carolina. Frederick also had Jewish residents as early as the 1740s, when pioneers Henry Lazarus and Levy Cohan settled there as merchants.

In 1905, Rev. E.B. Hatcher started the First Baptist Church of Frederick, MD.

An organized Jewish community, comprised mainly of German Jewish immigrants, took shape in the mid-19th Century and the Frederick Hebrew Congregation was organized in 1858. Later the congregation lapsed, but was reorganized in 1919 as a cooperative effort between the older settlers and more recently arrived Eastern European Jews under the name Beth Sholom.

In 1921, the first high school for African-Americans was founded at 170 West All Saints Street. Later it moved to 250 Madison Street, where it eventually became South Frederick Elementary. (The building still stands and presently houses the Lincoln Elementary School.)

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there are 52,767 people, 20,891 households, and 12,785 families residing in the city. The population density is 997.7/km² (2,584.4/mi²). There are 22,106 housing units at an average density of 418.0/km² (1,082.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 57.04% White, 34.74% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 3.15% Asian American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.26% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. 4.80% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 20,891 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% are married couples living together, 12.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% are non-families. 30.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city the population is spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $47,700, and the median income for a family is $56,778. Males have a median income of $38,399 versus $27,732 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,053. 9.4% of the population and 4.8% of families are below the poverty line. 14.3% of those under the age of 18 and 6.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

[edit] Government

[edit] Mayor or City Executive

The current Mayor of Frederick is William J. Holtzinger. Previous Mayors include:

[edit] Representative body

Frederick has a Board of Aldermen of six members (one of whom is the Mayor) which serves as its legislative body. Elections are held every 4 years. The current board was elected November 1, 2005, and consists of Marcia Hall, David Koontz, Alan Imhoff, C. Paul Smith, and Donna Kuzemchak Ramsburg.

[edit] Arts

A corner of "Mural Bridge." The bridge sides are actually flat concrete; the rocks, ivy, enclaves, and birds are all painted on.
A corner of "Mural Bridge." The bridge sides are actually flat concrete; the rocks, ivy, enclaves, and birds are all painted on.

Frederick has a bridge covered with a mural called the "Community Bridge". The artist, William Cochran, has been acclaimed for the realism of the painting. Thousands of people sent ideas representing community that appear throughout the stonework of the bridge. One of the most interesting parts of the mural is an angel that appears in perspective if you look at it from the proper angle (the proper angle being the middle window of the second floor of an adjacent building).To the people of Frederick, it is called "mural" or "painted bridge."

A weekly carillon recital is played on the Joseph Dill Baker Carillon, each Sunday at Noon for half an hour. The carillon can be heard from anywhere in Baker Park, or the City Carillonneur can be viewed playing in the tower, which is open each week at that time.

Frederick has a community orchestra, The Frederick Symphony Orchestra, that performs five concerts per year consisting of classical masterpieces.

The city is well-known for the Clustered Spires skyline of its historic downtown buildings. These spires are depicted on the city's seal and many other city-affiliated logos and insignia.

Frederick is a sister city to two German cities, Schifferstadt and Mörzheim.

The city is home to WFRE and WAFY radio.

The offers musical enrichment progrmas such as Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra, Frederick Childrens Chorus, and the Frederick Regional Symphonic Band.

Frederick is the home of the Maryland Ensemble Theatre

Frederick contains both Hood College and Frederick Community College

Frederick is home to Frederick School of Classical Ballet the official school for Maryland Regional Ballet.

[edit] Sports

[edit] Schools

Frederick County Public Schools operates area public schools.

Public Elementary Schools: Parkway Elementary, Waverly Elementary, Whittier Elementary, North Frederick Elementary, Lincoln Elementary(formerly South Frederick Elementary School), Monocacy Elementary, Yellow Spring Elementary, Tuscarora Elementary, Orchard Grove Elementary, Ballenger Creek Elementary, Centreville Elementary and Monocacy Valley Montessori, Maryland's first public Charter School.

Public Middle Schools: West Frederick Middle, Governor Thomas Johnson Middle, Ballenger Creek Middle, Crestwood Middle, and Monocacy Middle

Public High Schools: Linganore High School, Tuscarora High School, Frederick High School, Urbana High School, and Governor Thomas Johnson High School

Other Public Schools: Rock Creek School, Heather Ridge School

Post-secondary Schools: Frederick Community College and Hood College.

[edit] Sites of Historical Interest

Frederick is home to the Museum of Civil War Medicine, U.S. Army Fort Detrick, Hood College, and the Maryland School for the Deaf. Frederick also sports a minor-league baseball team, the Frederick Keys. Frederick is also home of several liberal organizations including the Peace Resource Center of Frederick County, an installation of Women in Black, and the Frederick Progressive Action Coalition or FredPac.

Frederick was the site of a Civil War speech given by President Abraham Lincoln, which took place at what was then a train depot at the current intersection of South and Market Streets. A plaque commemorates the speech.

Three historic Civil War battlefields are located near Frederick. The Monocacy Battlefield lies just outside the city limits, while Antietam and Gettsyburg lie approximately thirty-five miles to the west and north, respectively.

Another notable Civil War location is the former home of Barbara Fritchie, the woman who (according to legend) waved the Stars and Stripes in defiance of Confederate commander Stonewall Jackson and his troops as they marched through downtown Frederick. These events are the subject of an 1864 poem by John Greenleaf Whittier. Barbara Fritchie is buried in Frederick next to Thomas Johnson and Francis Scott Key.

Other notable Fredericktonians include former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, John Hanson, the first President of the United States under the Articles of Confederation; and Peter Wilson Hancock VII, political-rights activist and philosopher. Frederick is also the resting place of Francis Scott Key, the author of the National Anthem of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner." Also resting there, in the All Saints' Parish Cemetery is Thomas Sim Lee (1745–1819), who served two terms as Governor of Maryland. Lee was influential in the enactment of Statehood for Maryland and played an important role in completing the formation of the union in 1781.

The oldest house in the City of Frederick is Schifferstadt, built in 1756 by German settler Joseph Brunner. It is now the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum.

[edit] Notable Residents and Natives

[edit] External links


Seal of Frederick County

Frederick County, Maryland

 Flag of Frederick County
Cities, towns and villages
Brunswick | Burkittsville | Emmitsburg | Frederick | Middletown | Mt. Airy | Myersville | New Market | Rosemont | Thurmont | Walkersville | Woodsboro
Unincorporated areas
Adamstown | Ballenger Creek | Braddock Heights | Buckeystown | Clover Hill | Discovery-Spring Garden | Green Valley | Ijamsville | Libertytown | Linganore-Bartonsville | Monrovia | Mt. Pleasant | Point of Rocks | Sabillasville | Unionville | Urbana
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