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Prince George's County, Maryland

Coordinates: 38°50′N 76°51′W / 38.83°N 76.85°W / 38.83; -76.85
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Not to be confused with Prince George County, Virginia.
Prince George's County
County
Official seal of Prince George's County
Seal
Map of Maryland highlighting Prince George's County
Location within the U.S. state of Maryland
Map of the United States highlighting Maryland
Maryland's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°50′N 76°51′W / 38.83°N 76.85°W / 38.83; -76.85
Country United States
State Maryland
Founded1696
SeatUpper Marlboro
Population
 (2005)
 • Total846,123
Websitewww.co.pg.md.us

Prince George's County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland located immediately north, east, and south of Washington, D.C. It has a population approaching 900,000 and is the wealthiest county in the nation with an African-American majority.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[1] 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 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.

History

Prince George's County was created by the Council of Maryland in 1696 [2] 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.

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.

State and national representation

The county is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Steny Hoyer (5th District) who was elected House Majority Leader in 2007, 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).

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-

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.

Adjacent jurisdictions

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.

In the Southern Spaces article "Negotiating Black Identities" sociologist Karyn Lacy compares Prince George's County with Fairfax County, VA to better understand "how contemporary middle-class Blacks are managing their lives in suburban spaces."

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)

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. Collington
  12. Coral Hills
  13. East Riverdale
  14. Forestville
  15. Fort Washington
  16. Friendly
  17. Glenn Dale
  18. Goddard
  19. Greater Landover (Which houses the neighborhoods of Kentland, Palmer Park, Brightseat, Lansdowne Village, and portions of Largo and Capitol Heights)
  20. Greater Upper Marlboro
  21. Hillandale (This CDP is shared between Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.)
  22. Hillcrest Heights
  23. Kettering
  24. Lake Arbor
  25. Langley Park
  26. Lanham-Seabrook (a combination of the communities of Lanham and Seabrook recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  27. Largo
  28. Marlow Heights
  29. Marlton
  30. Mitchellville
  31. Oxon Hill-Glassmanor (a combination of the communities of Oxon Hill and Glassmanor recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  32. Rosaryville
  33. South Laurel
  34. Springdale
  35. Suitland-Silver Hill (a combination of the communities of Suitland and Silver Hill recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
  36. Temple Hills
  37. Walker Mill
  38. West Laurel
  39. Woodlawn (Note: this is also the name of a CDP in Baltimore County!)
  40. 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)

Sister cities

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

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]

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]

Fire and emergency medical services

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 Rainier, 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. 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 largely reliant on volunteer fire companies and auxiliaries. Volunteer staffing is supplemented by a 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 complement 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.

Education

Colleges and universities

Public schools

The county's schools are run by the Prince George's County Public Schools system.

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.

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.

Notable residents

  • Frank Cho, award-winning cartoonist, grew up in Beltsville and attended community college and university in the county.

References

  1. ^ Chappell, Kevin. America's Wealthiest Black County. Ebony. November 2006. URL retrieved on February 14, 2007.
  2. ^ "Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7:1698, Volume 23, Page 23". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved 05/04/2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  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. ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

38°50′N 76°51′W / 38.83°N 76.85°W / 38.83; -76.85

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