| Anne Arundel County, Maryland | ||
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Location in the state of Maryland |
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Maryland's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1650 | |
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| Seat | Annapolis | |
| Largest city | Glen Burnie | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
587.90 sq mi (1,523 km²) 415.94 sq mi (1,077 km²) 171.96 sq mi (445 km²), 29.25% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
537,656 1,293/sq mi (499.2/km²) |
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| Website | www.aacounty.org | |
Anne Arundel County ( /ˌænəˈrʌndəl/) is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell (1615–49), 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. In 2010, its population was 537,656.
Anne Arundel County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The center of population of Maryland is located on the county line between Anne Arundel County and Howard County, in the unincorporated town of Jessup.[1]
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The County was named for Anne Arundell, the daughter of Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour, members of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England. She married Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore in 1627 or 1628.
Anne Arundel County was originally part of St. Mary's County in the Province of Maryland. In 1650, the year after Anne Arundell's death, the county separated and became the 3rd of 23 Maryland counties. Between 1654 and 1658, the county was known as "Providence County" by many of its early Puritan settlers.
On March 25, 1655, during the English Civil War, the Battle of the Severn was fought in Anne Arundel County between Puritan forces supporting the Commonwealth of England and forces loyal to Cæcilius Calvert. The Commonwealth forces under William Fuller were victorious.
Between 1694 and 1695, the capital of Maryland was moved from St. Mary's City in St. Mary's County to Annapolis in Anne Arundel County. Prior to the move, Annapolis was known as "Providence".
During the American Revolutionary War, citizens of Anne Arundel County supported the Continental Army by providing troops for three regiments. The 3rd Maryland Regiment, the 4th Maryland Regiment, and the 6th Maryland Regiment recruited in the county.
During the War of 1812, the USS Constitution sailed from Annapolis prior to its victorious engagement with the HMS Guerriere.
On May 22, 1830, the inaugural horse-drawn train of the B & O Railroad travelled the 13 miles (21 km) of the newly-completed track from Mount Clare Station in Baltimore City to Ellicott Mills in Anne Arundel County. This was the first regular railroad passenger service in the United States. Ellicott Mills is now known as Ellicott City and is located in what is now Howard County.
Anne Arundel County originally included most of what was to become Howard County. In 1851, Howard County was broken off and made into the 21st county in Maryland.
The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Anne Arundel County is located to the south of the city of Baltimore. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 587.90 square miles (1,522.7 km2), of which 415.94 square miles (1,077.3 km2) (or 70.75%) is land and 171.96 square miles (445.4 km2) (or 29.25%) is water.[3] It is located on the western side of Chesapeake Bay, with numerous rivers and tidal creeks indenting the shoreline.
Anne Arundel County's climate differs on an east-to-west axis. The eastern half of the county has a Humid subtropical climate, with hot humid summers and cool, moist winters. The western half of the county lies in the transition zone between the Humid subtropical climate zone and the humid continental climate zone, with slightly colder winter temperatures and higher snowfall totals. Annual rainfall averages hover around 40 inches per year throughout the county.
| Year | Republican | Democrat |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 49.9% 129,682 | 48.2% 125,015 |
| 2004 | 55.6% 133,231 | 43.1% 103,324 |
| 2000 | 51.9% 104,209 | 44.7% 89,624 |
| 1996 | 48.9% 83,574 | 42.2% 72,147 |
| 1992 | 43.9% 81,467 | 37.0% 68,629 |
| 1988 | 61.1% 200,641 | 38.3 125,711 |
| 1984 | 62.9% 183,181 | 36.8 107,295 |
| 1980 | 57.4% 137,620 | 30.8% 73,734 |
| 1976 | 53.6% 110,424 | 44.7% 92,037 |
| 1972 | 66.3% 112,135 | 32.4% 54,844 |
| 1968 | 49.0% 57,462 | 38.2% 44,796 |
| 1964 | 38.7% 30,755 | 61.2% 48,680 |
| 1960 | 51.7% 26,064 | 48.1% 28,006 |
Anne Arundel County has had a charter government since 1965. The government consists of a County Executive and a seven-member County Council. The County Executive and Council members are elected in the same years Maryland conducts its gubernatorial and legislative elections, and may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.
Anne Arundel county is one of the more reliably Republican counties among the heavily-populated suburban and urban counties in the state's Baltimore-Washington corridor. Although Republicans usually have the edge in elections there are slightly more registered Democrats.
The County Executive oversees the executive branch of the County government, which consists of a number of offices and departments. The executive branch is charged with implementing County law and overseeing the operation of the County government. The current executive, Republican John R. Leopold, was elected in 2006 and won reelection in 2010. The next election will be in 2014.
2006 Anne Arundel County Executive Election
| Name | Affiliation | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph W. Alton | Republican | 1965–1974 | |
| Robert A. Pascal | Republican | 1974–1982 | |
| O. James Lighthizer | Democrat | 1982–1990 | |
| Robert R. Neall | Republican | 1990–1994 | |
| John G. Gary | Republican | 1994–1998 | |
| Janet S. Owens | Democrat | 1998–2006 | |
| John R. Leopold | Republican | 2006 - |
The County Council, as the legislative branch, adopts ordinances and resolutions, and has all of the County's legislative powers.
The most recent county board election occurred November 2, 2010. The partisan makeup remained unchanged, with Republicans holding a 4-3 majority. The current county board composition is as follows:
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Dick Ladd | Republican | 5 | |
| Vice Chairman | Derek Fink | Republican | 3 | |
| Member | Daryl Jones | Democratic | 1 | |
| Member | John Grasso | Republican | 2 | |
| Member | James Benoit | Democratic | 4 | |
| Member | Chris Trumbauer | Democratic | 6 | |
| Member | Jerry Walker | Republican | 7 | |
Several state agencies are headquartered in unincorporated areas in Anne Arundel County. Executive departments include the Department of Agriculture,[4] the Aviation Administration,[5] the Department of Housing and Community Development,[6] and the Department of Transportation.[7] The Rural Maryland Council, an independent agency, is also headquartered in an unincorporated area in the county.[8]
There are several major law enforcement agencies servicing the citizens of Anne Arundel County:
Most of the Maryland House of Correction, operated by the Maryland Department of Corrections, was located in Anne Arundel County.[11]
The District of Columbia Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) operates the New Beginnings Youth Development Center, a secure youth prison, in the county. Oak Hill Youth Center, the previous DYRS secure facility, was also in the county.[11]
Anne Arundel county is the home of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, commonly referred to as BWI. BWI serves as the main airport for greater Baltimore. It is also an increasingly popular alternative airport to residents of the Washington, D.C., area. BWI is an East Coast hub for Southwest Airlines, meaning that direct flights are available between BWI and much of the country.
The southern portion of the Maryland Transit Administration's Light Rail system, connecting downtown Baltimore with BWI, runs through part of Anne Arundel County.
The county also has multiple stops on the MARC commuter rail service, including a stop at BWI Rail station, located near BWI Airport. Amtrak trains also stop at BWI's train station.
Additionally, the Laurel-based Connect-a-ride system operates two routes in the western portion of the county; including Severn, Arundel Mills, Maryland City, Glen Burnie, Hanover, and Odenton. Howard County's Howard Transit Silver route serves Arundel Mills shopping mall and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.
The county is served by one main-line interstate, Interstate 97, which is the country's only main-line interstate highway contained completely within a single county. Interstate 695, the McKeldin Beltway (commonly known as the Baltimore Beltway), runs through the northern part of the county. Interstate 895, the Harbor Tunnel Thruway, runs through the county towards the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. Interstate 195, a spur off of Interstate 95, serves BWI Airport, while Maryland State Highway 100 runs east-west through the northern part of the county.
Interstate 595 also runs through central Anne Arundel County. This highway, however, is not signed. It is referred to by its more common names, US 50 and U.S. Route 301.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge crosses the Chesapeake Bay from the county; it connects the Western Shore with the Eastern Shore in Queen Anne's County.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 22,598 |
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| 1800 | 22,623 | 0.1% | |
| 1810 | 26,668 | 17.9% | |
| 1820 | 27,165 | 1.9% | |
| 1830 | 28,295 | 4.2% | |
| 1840 | 29,532 | 4.4% | |
| 1850 | 32,393 | 9.7% | |
| 1860 | 23,900 | −26.2% | |
| 1870 | 24,457 | 2.3% | |
| 1880 | 28,526 | 16.6% | |
| 1890 | 34,094 | 19.5% | |
| 1900 | 39,620 | 16.2% | |
| 1910 | 39,553 | −0.2% | |
| 1920 | 43,408 | 9.7% | |
| 1930 | 55,167 | 27.1% | |
| 1940 | 68,375 | 23.9% | |
| 1950 | 117,392 | 71.7% | |
| 1960 | 206,634 | 76.0% | |
| 1970 | 297,539 | 44.0% | |
| 1980 | 370,775 | 24.6% | |
| 1990 | 427,239 | 15.2% | |
| 2000 | 489,656 | 14.6% | |
| 2010 | 537,656 | 9.8% | |
| [12][13][14] | |||
Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 489,656 people, 178,670 households, and 129,178 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,177 people per square mile (455/km²). There were 186,937 housing units at an average density of 449 per square mile (174/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.24% White, 13.57% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 2.29% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 2.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.7% were of German, 13.1% Irish, 10.5% English, 8.1% United States or American and 7.0% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 178,670 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 32.80% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $61,768, and the median income for a family was $69,019 (these figures had risen to $79,294 and $91,071 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[16]). Males had a median income of $43,747 versus $32,348 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,578. About 3.60% of families and 5.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.30% of those under age 18 and 5.80% of those age 65 or over.
As of Census 2010 the population was 537,658. The ethnic and racial make-up of the county population was 72.42% Non-Hispanic white, 15.52% black, 0.31% Native American, 3.41% Asian, 0.16% Non-Hispanic of some other race, 2.37% non-Hispanics of two or more races and 6.12% Hispanic.
This population history of Anne Arundel County[17] from the U.S. Census Bureau compares the population of Anne Arundel County to those of the other 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City.
Anne Arundel County contains only two incorporated municipalities: the city of Annapolis, incorporated in 1708, and the town of Highland Beach, incorporated 1922.
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:
Other unincorporated places not listed as Census-Designated Places but known in the area include:
General counseling, trauma-based therapy, in-home aide for the adult disabled, and other assistance to Anne Arundel County families and individuals are offered by Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland (FCS), a private nonprofit organization with offices in Annapolis [19] and Glen Burnie.[20] The Glen Burnie office also houses the FCS Anne Arundel County Visitation Center, which offers a neutral location for children to be transferred safely from parent to parent when estranged parents cannot come into contact with one another, and allows non-custodial parents to visit their children in a secure environment.
Some FCS programs offer services free of charge; others are offered on a sliding-fee scale.
| Howard County | Baltimore City and Baltimore County | Kent County | ||
| Queen Anne's County | ||||
| Anne Arundel County, Maryland | ||||
| Prince George's County | Calvert County | Talbot County |
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