Prince George's County, Maryland

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Not to be confused with Prince George County, Virginia
Prince George's County, Maryland
Seal of Prince George's County, Maryland
Map
Map of Maryland highlighting Prince George's County
Location in the state of Maryland
Map of the USA highlighting Maryland
Maryland's location in the USA
Statistics
Founded 1696
Seat Upper Marlboro
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water
1,291 km² (498 mi²)
485 mi² (1,257 km²)
34 km² (13 mi²), 2.61%
Population
 - (2005)
 - Density
846,123
638/km² 
Website: www.co.pg.md.us

Prince George's County or "P.G. County" as it is more commonly refered to by local residents, is located in the U.S. state of Maryland immediately north, east, and south of Washington, D.C. With a population approaching 900,000, the county is the wealthiest majority African-American county in the nation.[1][2] Prince George's County is home to the United States Department of Agriculture's Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the United States Census Bureau, Andrews Air Force Base, the National Archives and Records Administration's College Park facility, the University of Maryland's flagship College Park campus, Six Flags America and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, FedEx Field (home of the Washington Redskins), and the soon-to-be-completed National Harbor, which its developers, Peterson Companies and Gaylord Entertainment Company, bills the largest single mixed-use project and combined convention center–hotel complex on the East Coast. The project is worth more than $2.1 Billion. Since 1981, portions of the County have been represented in Congress by Rep. Steny Hoyer, who was elected House Majority Leader in 2007.

The county was named for Prince George of Denmark, the brother of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway, and husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain. Its county seat is Upper Marlboro.

The county is a part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.

Contents

[edit] History

Prince George's County was created in 1696 from portions of Charles and Calvert Counties, and a portion was detached in 1748 to form Frederick County. Since Frederick County was subsequently divided to form the present Allegany, Garrett, Montgomery, and Washington 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, as well as parts of Virginia that were later returned to Virginia.

On July 1, 1997, the Prince George's County section of the city of Takoma Park, Maryland, which straddled the boundary between Prince George's and Montgomery counties, was transferred to Montgomery County. 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. 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. This event passed with little controversy, yet to this day many residents question why the Prince George's County Council so easily allowed the boundary to be changed, which resulted in a loss of several thousand residents and a great amount of property tax revenue.

[edit] Law and government

Presidential elections results
Year Republican Democrat
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% 136,063 58.6% 95,121
1980 40.7% 78,977 50.9% 98,757
1976 42.0% 81,027 58.0% 111,743
1972 58.5% 116,166 40.3% 79,914
1968 41.2% 73,269 40.3% 71,524
1964 36.2% 46,413 63.8% 81,806
1960 42.0% 44,817 58.0% 62,013

Since 1792, the county seat has been Upper Marlboro. Prior to 1792, the county seat was located at Mount Calvert, a 76 acre (308,000 m²) estate along the Patuxent River on the edge of what is now in the unincorporated community of Croom.

Prince George's County was granted a charter form of government in 1970.

Prince George's is a heavily Democratic jurisdiction, increasingly so as it has become majority African-American. The county regularly provides wide margins to Democrats, even in years when Democrats struggle nationally.

The current State's Attorney is Glenn F. Ivey.

[edit] State and national representation

The county is represented in the United States Congress by Steny Hoyer (5th District), Albert Wynn (4th District), and Chris Van Hollen (8th District).

At the state level, the county is represented in the Maryland Senate and the Maryland House of Delegates by Districts 21, 22, 23 (A and B), 24, 25, 26, 27A, and 47 (23 delegates and 8 senators total).

[edit] County Executive

Name Party Term
William W. Gullett Democrat 1970-1974
Win Kelly Democrat 1974-1978
Lawrence Hogan Republican 1978-1982
Parris N. Glendening Democrat 1982-1994
Wayne K. Curry Democrat 1994-2002
Jack B. Johnson Democrat 2002-

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 498 mi² (1,291 km²). 485 mi² (1,257 km²) of it is land and 13 mi² (34 km²) of it (2.61%) is water.

The Patuxent River forms the county's eastern border with Howard, Anne Arundel, and Calvert Counties.

[edit] Adjacent Jurisdictions

[edit] Demographics

As of the estimated census² of 2005, there were 846,123 people, 286,610 households, and 198,047 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,651/mi² (638/km²). There were 308,929 housing units at an average density of 1,651.1/mi² (241/km²).

The racial makeup of the county was:

  • 62.70% African American
  • 27.04% White
  • 7.12% Hispanic or Latino
  • 3.87% Asian
  • 3.38% Other races
  • 2.61% Two or More of any race
  • 0.35% Native American
  • 0.06% Pacific Islander

There were 286,610 households out of which 35.30% 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, and 30.90% were non-families. 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 was $55,256, and the median income for a family was $62,467. Males had a median income of $38,904 versus $35,718 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,360. About 5.30% of families and 7.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.20% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over. Prince George's County is the most affluent county with an African-American majority in the United States.

[edit] Cities and towns

This county contains the following incorporated municipalities:

  1. Bowie (incorporated 1882)
  2. College Park (incorporated 1945)
  3. District Heights (incorporated 1936)
  4. Glenarden (incorporated 1939)
  5. Greenbelt (incorporated 1937)
  6. Hyattsville (incorporated 1886)
  7. Laurel (incorporated 1870)
  8. Mount Rainier (incorporated 1910)
  9. New Carrollton (incorporated 1953)
  10. Seat Pleasant (incorporated 1931)
The city of Takoma Park was formerly partly in Prince George's County, but since 1997 has been entirely in Montgomery County. The part of Takoma Park that changed counties is in a single residential neighborhood, Carole Highlands; part of this neighborhood is still in Prince George's County.
  1. Berwyn Heights (incorporated 1896)
  2. Bladensburg (incorporated 1854)
  3. Brentwood (incorporated 1922)
  4. Capitol Heights (incorporated 1910)
  5. Cheverly (incorporated 1931)
  6. Colmar Manor (incorporated 1927)
  7. Cottage City (incorporated 1924) (note that, despite the name, Cottage City is a town and not a city.)
  8. Eagle Harbor (incorporated 1929)
  9. Edmonston (incorporated 1924)
  10. Fairmount Heights (incorporated 1935)
  11. Forest Heights (incorporated 1945)
  12. Landover Hills (incorporated 1945)
  13. Morningside (incorporated 1949)
  14. North Brentwood (incorporated 1924)
  15. Riverdale Park (incorporated 1920)
  16. University Park (incorporated 1936)
  17. Upper Marlboro (incorporated 1870)

[edit] 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 Bureau, the United States Postal Service, 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 places in the county:

  1. Accokeek
  2. Adelphi
  3. Andrews Air Force Base
  4. Beltsville
  5. Brandywine
  6. Calverton (This CDP is shared between Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.)
  7. Camp Springs
  8. Carmody Hills-Pepper Mill Village (a combination of the communities of Carmody Hills and Pepper Mill Village recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  9. Chillum
  10. Clinton
  11. Coral Hills
  12. East Riverdale
  13. Forestville
  14. Fort Washington
  15. Friendly
  16. Glenn Dale
  17. Goddard
  18. Greater Landover (Which houses the neighborhoods of Kentland, Palmer Park, Brightseat, Lansdowne Village, and portions of Largo and Capitol Heights)
  19. Greater Upper Marlboro
  20. Hillandale (This CDP is shared between Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.)
  21. Hillcrest Heights
  22. Kettering
  23. Lake Arbor
  24. Langley Park
  25. Lanham-Seabrook (a combination of the communities of Lanham and Seabrook recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  26. Largo
  27. Marlow Heights
  28. Marlton
  29. Mitchellville
  30. Oxon Hill-Glassmanor (a combination of the communities of Oxon Hill and Glassmanor recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  31. Rosaryville
  32. South Laurel
  33. Springdale
  34. Suitland-Silver Hill (a combination of the communities of Suitland and Silver Hill recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  35. Temple Hills
  36. Walker Mill
  37. West Laurel
  38. Woodlawn (Note: this is also the name of a CDP in Baltimore County!)
  39. Woodmore

Other unincorporated places not listed as Census-Designated Places but known in the area include:

  1. Aquasco
  2. Ardmore
  3. Avondale
  4. Berwyn
  5. Carole Highlands
  6. Cedar Heights
  7. Cheltenham
  8. Green Meadow
  9. Lewisdale
  10. Montpelier
  11. North College Park
  12. North Englewood
  13. Rogers Heights
  14. South Bowie
  15. Tuxedo
  16. West Bowie
  17. West Hyattsville

And two localities: Muirkirk (near Montpelier) and Chapel Oaks (near Fairmount Heights)

[edit] Sister Cities

Prince George's County has three sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

[edit] Religion

The county is home to over 800 churches, as well as a number of mosques, synagogues, and Hindu temples. Property belonging to religious entities makes up 3,450 acres (14 km²) of land in the county. [1]

[edit] Hospitals

Prince George's County hospitals include "Bowie Health Center", "Doctors Community Hospital" in Lanham, "Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital & Nursing Center" in Cheverly, "Holy Cross Hospital" in Silver Spring, "Hospice of the Chesapeake" in Landover, "Laurel Regional Hospital", "Prince George's Hospital Medical Center" in Cheverly, "Southern Maryland Hospital Center" in Clinton, and "Washington Adventist Hospital" in Takoma Park.[3] "Fort Washington Medical Center" also provides a small medical facility for its community.[4]

[edit] Fire & Emergency Medical Services

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article. (Discuss)

The Prince George's County Volunteer Firemen's Association was formed in 1922 with several of the first companies organized in the county. The first members of the association were Hyattsville, Cottage City, Mount Rainer, and Brentwood.

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 1619.

Prince George's County became the first jurisdiction in Maryland to implement the 9-1-1 Emergency Reporting System in 1973. Since then, citizens have been able to call one convenient easy-to-remember number for fire, police, and ambulance service.

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.

Today the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department is still reliant on the men and woman of the volunteer fire companies and auxiliaries who provide tremendous support to the safety of their communities.

Volunteer staffing is supplemented by a strong and dedicated career force of firefighters and paramedics. Three companies, Kentland 33, Bladensburg 9, and Richie 37 are all volunteer. Many of the volunteer departments have four career firefighters Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 3:00pm. Career firefighters do not work weekends or holidays on this shift pattern. In some stations two career firefighters remain around the clock. In a few stations a full compliment of four career firefighters remain on duty following a 24/72 shift pattern. Companies 22 and 44 are the only stations operated solely by career firefighters.

Prince George's County Fire Chiefs
1966-1975 Lawrence R. Woltz
1975-1978 Frank Briguglio
1978-1989; 1992-1994 M.H. (Jim) Estepp
1989-1992 Steven T. Edwards
1994-1996 Lemuel Roberts
1996-1997 A.D. Bell, Sr
1998-2001 Ronald J. Siarnicki
2001-2004 Ronald Blackwell
2004 Darrell Odom
2005-Present Lawrence H. Sedgwick, Jr.


Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Stations

Co. 1- Hyattsville VFD Engine, Truck, Rescue Squad, Ambulance

Co. 5 - Capitol Heights VFD Engine, Truck, Paramedic Ambulance 5, Mass Casualty Support Unit

Co. 7 - Riverdale VFD Engine, Tower Ladder, Ambulance

Co. 8 - Seat Pleasant VFD Engine, Rescue Squad, Ambulance

Co. 9 - Bladensburg VFD Engine, Truck, Tele-Squirt, Ambulance

Co. 10 - Laurel VFD Engine, Tower Ladder, Mobile Command Unit, Ambulance

Co. 11 - Branchville VFD Engine, Ambulance

Co. 12 - College Park VFD Engine, Foam Unit, Truck, Ambulance, Medic 12

Co. 13 - Riverdale Heights VFD Engine, Ambulance, Rescue Squad

Co. 14 - Berwyn Heights VFD Truck, Rescue Squads, Ambulance, Rescue Boat

Co. 17 - Boulevard Heights VFD Engine, Truck, Ambulance

Co. 18 - Glenn Dale VFA Engine, Rescue-Engine, Rescue Squad, Ambulance, Brush Unit, Medic 18

Co. 19 - Bowie VFD Engine, Truck, Ambulance, Brush Unit, Light Unit

Co. 20 - Marlboro VFD Engine, Rescue Squad, Ambulance, Rescue Boat, Brush Unit, Medic 20

Co. 21 -Oxon Hill VFD Engine, Tower, Ambulance

Co. 22 - Tuxedo-Cheverly Fire Station Quint, Rescue Squad, Ambulance, Tactical Rescue Unit (Dive, Hover Craft, Cave-In)

Co. 23 - Forestville VFD Engine, Tanker, Ambulance, Brush Unit

Co. 24 - Accokeek VFD Engine, Tower, Ambulance, Mini-Pumper

Co. 25 - Clinton VFD Engine, Water Supply Unit, Foam Unit, Ambulance, Medic 25

Co. 26 - District Heights VFD Engine, Truck, Ambulance

Co. 27 - Morningside VFD Engine, Rescue Squad, Ambulance

Co. 28 - West Lanham Hills VFD Engine, Truck, Mini Pumper

Co. 29 - Silver Hill VFD Engine, Ambulance, Medic 29

Co. 30 - Landover Hills VFD Engine, HAZMAT Unit, Ambulance, Medic 30

Co. 31 - Beltsville VFD Engine, Truck, Brush Unit, Ambulance

Co. 32 - Allentown Road VFD Engine, Truck, Ambulance, Brush Unit

Co. 33 - Kentland VFD Engine, Rescue-Engine, Mini-Pumper, Tower Ladder

Co. 34 - Chillum-Adelphi VFD Engine, Truck, Ambulance

Co. 35 - Greenbelt VFD Engine, Ambulance

Co. 36 - Baden VFD Engine, Tanker, Ambulance, Brush Unit

Co. 37 - Ritchie VFD Engine, Mini-Pumper, Brush Unit

Co. 38 - Chapel Oaks VFD Engine, Ambulance

Co. 39 - Bowie VFD Engine, Tower, Ambulance, Brush Unit

Co. 40 - Brandywine VFD Engine, Rescue Squad, Ambulance, Medic 40, Brush Unit

Co. 41 - Beltsville VFD Engine, Ambulance, HAZ-MAT Support Unit

Co. 42 Oxon Hill VFD Paramedic-Engine, Ambulance

Co. 43 - Bowie VFD Engine, Tower, Ambulance, Brush Unit, Medic 43

Co. 44 - Chillum Fire Station Paramedic-Engine, Ambulance, Breathing Air

Co. 45 - Marlboro VFD Engine, Truck, Ambulance, Brush Unit, Tanker

Co. 46 - Kentland VFD Engine, Ambulance, Medic 46

Co. 47 - Allentown Road VFD Engine, Rescue Squad, Ambulance, Medic 47

Co. 48 - West Lanham Hills VFD Engine, Foam Unit, Ambulances, Brush

Co. 49 - Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad Rescue Squad, Rescue-Engine, Ambulances, Rescue Boat, Medic 49

Co. 55 - Bunker Hill Station Engine, Truck, Ambulance, Medic 55

Co. 56 - Water Rescue & Recovery Team Dive Unit, Dive Support Unit, 22' Boston Whaler, (2) 14' Support Boats

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges and universities

[edit] Public schools

The county's schools are run by the Prince George's County Public Schools system. The highest rated public high school is Eleanor Roosevelt in Greenbelt.[citation needed]

[edit] Transportation

The County contains a large portion of the Capital Beltway. A longstanding, fiercely contested plan exists to construct an east-west freeway, the Intercounty Connector ("ICC"). The ICC would extend Interstate 370 in Montgomery County to connect I-270 with Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 in Laurel.

Four terminus stations of the Washington Metro subway system are located in Prince George's County: Greenbelt, New Carrollton, Largo, and Branch Avenue. 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 northward to Laurel and beyond.

The MARC Train (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 route between Baltimore Penn Station and Washington Union Station. It has three stops in the county: Bowie, Seabrook, and New Carrollton.

The College Park Airport (est. 1909) is the world's oldest continuously operated airport, and has adjacent historical museum and an early aviation-themed restaurant.

[edit] Media

One of Washington, DC's most famous and popular radio stations, going back to the 1960s, WPGC (AM & FM, Morningside, MD), takes its P-G-C call letters from the name Prince George's County.

[edit] Notable residents

  • Dr. John Bayne, 19th-century founder of the University of Maryland, superintendent of county schools, Union 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.
  • Frank Cho, award-winning cartoonist, grew up in Beltsville and attended college and university in the county.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Howell, Tom Jr. Census: Md. Economy Supports Black-Owned Businesses. Census 2000 Special Report. Maryland Newsline. University of Maryland. Philip Merill College of Journalism. April 18, 2006. URL retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  2. ^ Chappell, Kevin. America's Wealthiest Black County. Ebony. November 2006. URL retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  3. ^ Hospitals in Prince George's County. Prince George's County official website. URL retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  4. ^ Fort Washington Medical Center. Official website. URL retrieved on February 11, 2007.
  5. ^ (1963) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 

[edit] External links


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