| Kensington, Maryland | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Looking down Armory Avenue | |
| Location of Kensington, Maryland | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Montgomery |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km2) |
| • Land | 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 285 ft (87 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,873 |
| • Density | 3,668.6/sq mi (1,416.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 20895 |
| Area code(s) | 301 |
| FIPS code | 24-43500 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0590589 |
Kensington is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,873 at the 2000 census. Greater Kensington encompasses the entire 20895 zip code and its population is an order of magnitude larger than that of the town at its center.
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The area around the Rock Creek basin where Kensington is located was primarily agricultural until 1873, when the B&O Railroad completed the Metropolitan Branch which traversed Montgomery County. A community arose where the new railroad line intersected the old Rockville-to-Bladensburg road. This early settlement was first known as Knowles Station. In the early 1890s, Washington, D.C. developer Brainard Warner began purchasing land parcels to build a planned Victorian community, complete with church, library, and a local newspaper. Fascinated by a recent trip to London, Warner first named his town Kensington Park. Upon incorporation in 1894, the town was renamed Kensington. The historic core of Kensington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as the Kensington Historic District in 1980.[1]
Initially Kensington was a summer refuge for Washington, D.C., residents wishing to escape the capital's humid summers. As years passed and its residents increasingly remained year round, Kensington evolved into a commuter suburb. The large southernmost section originally mapped out by Warner remains largely unchanged since inception, and is a historically preserved zone. Indeed the only major changes in the town's basic layout have been the bridging over of the original railroad crossing in 1937, and the extension and widening of Connecticut Avenue, the town's main thoroughfare, in 1957.
The little town gained national attention three times in a 10-month span early in the 21st century as a result of events which occurred within a mere quarter-mile radius. In December 2001, the town responded to complaints from anonymous citizens by banning Santa Claus from the annual holiday parade. Protesters arrived at the parade en masse, including hundreds of Santas riding everything from motorcycles to fire trucks. Eight months later, a Amtrak train derailed adjacent to the town center when the tracks separated at an overheated joint, sending over a hundred victims to area hospitals. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. Then, on October 2, 2002, Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera became the fifth victim of the snipers who terrorized the Washington area that month, while cleaning her auto at a Kensington gas station. (See Beltway sniper attacks.)
Kensington is located in Montgomery County, northwest of Silver Spring, northeast of Bethesda, southwest of Wheaton, and southeast of Rockville. Its latitude is 39°1′48″N, longitude 77°4′30″W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square kilometres (0.50 sq mi), all land.
While the town proper is but one-half square mile in size, the Kensington Post Office services a much larger area and extends into North Bethesda, MD and the Wheaton Planning District. Residents within this ZIP code (20895) generally refer to Kensington as their home town even though they technically do not reside in Kensington.
Significant through roads in Kensington include Maryland Routes 185 (Connecticut Avenue), 193 (University Boulevard West), and 547 (Knowles Avenue).
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,873 people, 729 households, and 467 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,668.6 people per square mile (1,418.0/km²). There were 768 housing units at an average density of 1,504.3 per square mile (581.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.96% White, 2.51% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 2.94% Asian, 1.49% from other races, and 2.51% from two or more races. 4.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 729 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $76,716, and the median income for a family was $96,394. Males had a median income of $65,804 versus $41,364 for females. The per capita income for the town was $35,919. About 0.9% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.
Kensington is primarily a bedroom community for workers who commute to jobs in the Washington, D.C., area, but it is not without its own commercial enterprises, which include "Antique Row" on Howard Avenue, the West Howard Antique District, and Kaiser-Permanente's Kensington facility, plus art shops, restaurants, supermarkets, auto repair shops, hardware stores, and others.
The Town of Kensington hosts a farmer's market on Saturday mornings between 8am and noon at the historical train station which is still in use today as part of the MARC commuter train network. The town is also home to the Noyes Library for Young Children [1].
A mayoral election is held in even years for a two year term.
Kensington has a four-member council, elected for two-year terms. Terms are staggered. Every year there are two council seats up for election.
The Town of Kensington is served by the Montgomery County Public Schools system, specifically:
Montgomery County Public Schools serving Greater Kensington include:
Kensington is also home to Holy Redeemer School (link), a Roman Catholic parochial school, and Grace Episcopal Day School (link).
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