Laurel, Maryland | |
|---|---|
 TheLaurel Museum in May 2007 | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Motto(s): "Progressio Per Populum" (English: Progress Through People) | |
 Location of Laurel in Prince George's County and Maryland | |
  Laurel Location within the U.S. state of Maryland Show map of Maryland Laurel Laurel (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:39°5′45″N76°51′35″W / 39.09583°N 76.85972°W /39.09583; -76.85972 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County | Prince George's |
| Incorporated | 1870; 156 years ago (1870) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Keith Sydnor (2023–present) |
| • City Council[1] | Ward 1: James Kole Ward 1: Carl DeWalt |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.84 sq mi (12.53 km2) |
| • Land | 4.81 sq mi (12.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.023 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 160 ft (50 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 30,060 |
| • Density | 6,243/sq mi (2,410.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 20707–20709, 20723–20726 |
| Area codes | 240, 301 |
| FIPS code | 24-45900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0597667 |
| Website | cityoflaurel.org |
Laurel is acity inPrince George's County, Maryland United States. It is located betweenWashington, D.C., andBaltimore on the banks of thePatuxent River. Its population was 30,060 at the 2020 census. Founded as amill town in the early 19th century, Laurel expanded local industry and was later able to become an earlycommuter town for Washington and Baltimore workers following the arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1835. Largely residential today, the city maintains a historic district centered on its Main Street.
Many dinosaur fossils from theCretaceous Era are preserved in a 7.5-acre (3.0 ha)park in Laurel.[3] The site, which among other finds has yielded fossilized teeth fromAstrodon andPriconodon species, has been called the most prolific in the eastern United States.[4] From the Late Glacial age in 10,700 B.C. to 8,500 B.C., Laurel's climate warmed and changed from a spruce forest to a hardwood forest. In theLate Archaic period from 4,000 to 1,000 B.C., Laurel would have been covered primarily with an oak and hickory forest.[5]
Laurel was formed from land on thefall line of thePatuxent River patented by theSnowden family in 1658 as part of the 12,250-acreNew Birmingham plantation, which included the laterMontpelier.[6] The Washington Turnpike Road Company built Route 1 between 1796 and 1812, creating a major north–south land route. Milstead's Hotel halfway house was built in town to serve four stage lines a day in 1816.[7][8] Nicholas Snowden built agrist mill on the site circa 1811 which grew to a smallcotton mill by the 1820s.[9]In 1828, a detailed survey was conducted to build a canal from Baltimore to Georgetown to connect to the proposedC&O canal. The route fromElkridge Landing to Bladensburg would have built a waterway roughly aligning with modernU.S. Route 1 andKenilworth Avenue, with special consideration not to harm the water power forSavage Mill. The project did not go forward; the preference was to build a railroad, theB&O.[10] Nicholas Snowden died in 1831, and the mill properties transferred to Louisa Snowden and her husband Horace Capon in 1834. In 1835, coinciding with the opening of theCapital Subdivisionrail line from Baltimore to Washington, the Patuxent Manufacturing Company was chartered by Horace Capon, Edward Snowden, Theodore Jenkins, W.C. Shaw, A.E. Hall, and O.C. Tiffany and the mill expanded greatly with the addition of the Avondale Mill building in 1844.[11] Mill presidentHorace Capron with his partners built housing for close to 300 workers, and a bigger cotton mill.[12]Cotton duck from the mill was shipped down what would become Laurel's Main Street, then by rail to Baltimore.[13] A substantial dam was built in 1850.[14] As a mill town, Laurel was somewhat unusual in Prince George's County and was surrounded by agricultural endeavors.[12]
The community was originally known as "Laurel Factory", named for its laurel trees,[15] when Edward Snowden became the first postmaster in 1837 and was a true company town, with a school and shops, and many of the mill workers' homes owned until the 1860s by the company.[12] During the 1840s, three historic churches in the community—theMethodist est. 1842,[16] St. Mary of the Mills (Roman Catholic) est. 1845,[9] and St. Philip's (Episcopal) est. 1839[17]—established what are still vigorous congregations. During theCivil War, Laurel Factory, like much of Maryland, was a divided community, but with many Southern sympathizers. Union soldiers patrolled the railroad, and for a time there was also a Union hospital. During the latter half of the 19th century, while it still operated its factories, manufacturing played a less important role in the community. Laurel evolved into an early suburban town. Many of its residents commuted by rail to jobs in Washington or Baltimore. The town was incorporated in 1870 and reincorporated in 1890 to coincide with a new electric power plant andpaved streets and boarded sidewalks. By this time, the town had grown to a population of 2,080, and the city banned livestock from the streets.[18]
In 1870, the Patuxent Bank of Laurel was founded on the corner of Main Street and Washington Avenue.[19] In 1874 a delegation was sent to Annapolis to introduce legislation to make Laurel its own county of 10,000 residents with land from Prince George's, Howard, and Anne Arundel counties.[20] In 1879 Laurel Academy of Music was built along Route 1. The building was converted to a movie theatre in 1915, with a parking garage on the lower floor of the wood structure; it burned in 1917, and Academy Ford built on the same site in the late 20th century.[21] In 1888 inventor David J. Weems tested an unmanned electric train on a two-mile banked circular track near Laurel Station. The three-ton vehicle reached speeds of up to 120 mph for twenty minutes.[22][23]
In 1890,Citizens National Bank opened its doors on Main Street, as Prince George's County's first nationally chartered bank.Charles H. Stanley was the bank's first president, and it remained independently managed and with the same name until acquired byPNC Financial Services in 2007.[24][25][26]Branch services are still provided from the original building. Along with those branch services being provided, there have been an additional 5 branches that were implemented.[27]
At the turn of the century, Louis Barret operated a hotel called the "Half Way House", later called the Milstead Hotel, which served as a stop for the four stage lines operating between Baltimore and Washington. In 1898, a stable fire spread to the 100-year-old hotel and burned adjacent buildings along Main Street. With only bucket brigades, Mayor Phelps telegraphed Baltimore to send a special train with fireman, horses, and engine number 10. One fireman was crushed by the rolling fire engine, and returned in a casket saved from the burning mortuary. The resulting losses inspired efforts to bring water and fire apparatus to the town.[28][29] The town was struck again by the great Laurel fire of December 14, 1899, when a twelve-building fire destroyed the Laurel Presbyterian Church (known then as Presbyterian Church at Laurel).[30]
Proposed in 1897, Laurel's seven-term mayorEdward Phelps succeeded in constructing the firsthigh school inPrince George's County in 1899, despite several financial obstacles, by personally assuming the financial risks in doing so. The original building built for $5,000, now known as thePhelps Community Center, still stands at the northeast corner of Montgomery and Eighth Streets.[31] It was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1979.[32]
In 1902, the City and Suburban Railway with the City and Suburban and Washington, Berwyn, and Laurel railway started single line electric trolley service.[33]
TheLaurel Sanitarium was built in 1905 on a 163-acre (0.66 km2) farm that comprised what is now Laurel Lakes. The facility's purpose was to care for people with nervous diseases, alcohol, and drug addiction. Five buildings that were joined to a central administration building included 8-, 14-, 30-, and 36-room facilities for men and women.[34]
Laurel Park Racecourse, athoroughbred racetrack, opened in 1911 and remains in operation. In the book,Seabiscuit: An American Legend, Laurel is mentioned several times as an important horse racing venue. Laurel also hosted a horse trotter (harness racing) track namedFreestate Raceway from 1948 to 1990;[35][36] it was located in Howard County on the west side of US Route 1, south ofSavage in an area that now includes aCarMax dealership,Weis supermarket, and astrip mall.
In March 1912, the city agreed to take out $35,000 in loans to build its first sewer system with twelve miles of line that terminated by dumping into thePatuxent River.[37]
In February 1913, Laurel was a stopping point in theSuffrage hike led byRosalie Gardiner Jones. She was joined by a Laurel-based colored women's suffrage group and sent a parcel with a flag and message ahead to President-electWilson.[38]
Board track racing came to Laurel in 1925 when a 1.125-mile (1.811 km) wood oval track was built by Jack Prince and featured 48-degree banked turns. The Washington-Baltimore automobile speedway was short-lived, with featured races of 16 drivers at a time.[39] Despite crowds of up to 30,000, receipts did not cover the $400,000 cost of building the track on the 364-acre Avondale property which fell into receivership in 1926.[40]
Natural gas service was extended to the community in 1929.[41]
In 1931, "Angy Gerrin" built a 7,000-seat amphitheater next to theDuvall Farm betweenLaurel Park and Route One for an outdoor boxing venue. His company, Mid City Boxing Club Inc, held several events with low turnouts and receipts confiscated by local police. It was sold the same year to C.E. Cornell, who called it "Twin Cities Arena" or "Mid City Arena".[42] The arena was active through 1932 with the entire delegation of theNational Boxing Association attending a fight withGovernor Ritchie in attendance.[43] After watching the match and calling a fight to be halted in five rounds, the delegation announced efforts to drop junior lightweight and junior welterweight classes to discourage matches between young opponents.[44] Operations ceased by the end of the 1933 season in the peak of the depression.[45][46][47]
Prohibition in the United States was repealed in 1934. Wasting little time, the Prince Georges Brewing Company planned a $500,000 brewery on 100 acres next to Laurel Park, but did not follow through.[48]
In 1954, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory built its campus west of Laurel in Howard County, using a Laurel address.[49]
By 1960, Laurel anticipated massive growth from Fort Meade and NSA. The town still used the Patuxent River to drain sewage, and filed urban grants for water and sewage infrastructure. 5,000 houses were planned in the adjacent 1,200-acreMaryland City development. City Planner Harry Susini anticipated the National Capitol Planning Commission would use clustered development to prevent tightly massed population in Laurel by the year 2000.[50]
In the late 1960s, the county was at the peak of racial tensions. The situation peaked in Laurel in July 1967 when four men and a juvenile, affiliated with theKKK, attempted to burn St. Mark's United Methodist Church and then a private residence in the predominantlyAfrican-American neighborhood of the Grove, prompting protests and police blockades. Due to cross-burning incidents, a Ku Klux Klan march, and several arsons and suspected arsons, temporary police barricades were erected throughout late July to prevent white residents from entering the Grove.[51][52] In August 1967, it was announced that the city would re-purchase a privately owned swimming pool, which had been sold to a private club in 1949. The pool, which had only been available to white residents, was to be operated as an integrated public facility open to all.[53]
On May 15, 1972, GovernorGeorge Wallace ofAlabama, running for the presidential nomination of theDemocratic Party, was campaigning at a rally in the parking lot ofLaurel Shopping Center, near what is today aBank of America branch, when he was shot and paralyzed byArthur Bremer, a disturbed, out-of-work janitor (seeAn Assassin's Diary).
On June 22, 1972, Laurel was impacted severely byHurricane Agnes, which caused the greatest flooding ever recorded in Maryland.[54] Several bridges were destroyed and the nearby T. Howard DuckettDam atRocky Gorge Reservoir was at capacity and posed a huge threat.[55] In 1975, the city council passed ordinances to create a historic district around Main Street.[56]
In 1982, developerKingdon Gould III bought 3,539 acres of Laurel property (539 inNorth Laurel) in two deals for $15 million. The largest parcel lies between Laurel andBeltsville and is being developed under the nameKonterra, buoyed by access to major highways via the construction ofMaryland Route 200.[57][full citation needed]
TheElizabeth House, a nonprofit food pantry and soup kitchen, was founded in 1988 to serve low-income residents of the Laurel area. This later grew to include emergency financial aid and transportation.[58]
A former 1840s mill workers' home on the northeast corner of 9th and Main Streets was renovated and opened as theLaurel Museum on May 1, 1996. The museum features exhibits that highlight the history of Laurel and its citizens. A gift shop is available, and museum admission is free. The museum'sJohn Calder Brennan Library is open to researchers by appointment.[59]
On September 24, 2001, a tornado passedthrough Laurel and leftF3 property damage, including significant roof damage to theLaurel High School and the historic Harrison-Beard building.[60]
On August 29, 2005, Laurel adoptedLaurel, Mississippi, as asister city to help withHurricane Katrina relief and recovery.[61] In the two years following adoption, "the government, businesses and residents of Laurel, Md. ... raised more than $20,000 for Laurel, Miss."[62]
Laurel is located on the bank of thePatuxent River, which was the power source for the cotton mills that were the early industry of the town.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.33 square miles (11.21 km2), of which 4.30 square miles (11.14 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.[63]
As is typical of central Maryland, Laurel lies within thehumid subtropical climate zone, featuring hot humid summers and cool to mild winters with high annual precipitation. Laurel lies within USDA plant hardiness zones 7 and 8.[64]
| Climate data for Laurel, Maryland | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.4 (5.8) | 45.8 (7.7) | 54.7 (12.6) | 66.2 (19.0) | 75.2 (24.0) | 83.8 (28.8) | 88.3 (31.3) | 86.7 (30.4) | 79.3 (26.3) | 68.1 (20.1) | 57.5 (14.2) | 46.1 (7.8) | 66.2 (19.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 26.8 (−2.9) | 34.5 (1.4) | 44.1 (6.7) | 54.8 (12.7) | 63.8 (17.7) | 69.0 (20.6) | 67.5 (19.7) | 59.6 (15.3) | 48.2 (9.0) | 38.0 (3.3) | 29.4 (−1.4) | 46.7 (8.2) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.16 (80) | 3.03 (77) | 4.10 (104) | 3.81 (97) | 4.56 (116) | 4.23 (107) | 4.05 (103) | 3.43 (87) | 4.60 (117) | 3.98 (101) | 4.21 (107) | 3.77 (96) | 46.93 (1,192) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.1 (5.3) | 6.2 (16) | .6 (1.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | .8 (2.0) | 1.3 (3.3) | 11.0 (28) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.9 | 8.2 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 10.5 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 8.7 | 105.2 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | .3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .1 | .4 | 2.8 |
| Source: NOAA[65] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 1,148 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,206 | 5.1% | |
| 1890 | 1,984 | 64.5% | |
| 1900 | 2,079 | 4.8% | |
| 1910 | 2,415 | 16.2% | |
| 1920 | 2,239 | −7.3% | |
| 1930 | 2,532 | 13.1% | |
| 1940 | 2,823 | 11.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,482 | 58.8% | |
| 1960 | 8,503 | 89.7% | |
| 1970 | 10,525 | 23.8% | |
| 1980 | 12,103 | 15.0% | |
| 1990 | 19,438 | 60.6% | |
| 2000 | 19,960 | 2.7% | |
| 2010 | 25,115 | 25.8% | |
| 2020 | 30,060 | 19.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[66] | |||
Forstatistical reporting, the Census Bureau identifies five adjacent unincorporatedareas:
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[67] | Pop 2010[68] | Pop 2020[69] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 9,894 | 6,116 | 4,943 | 49.57% | 24.35% | 16.44% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 6,783 | 12,009 | 14,846 | 33.98% | 47.82% | 49.39% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 63 | 73 | 70 | 0.32% | 0.29% | 0.23% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,373 | 2,290 | 2,458 | 6.88% | 9.12% | 8.18% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 31 | 14 | 12 | 0.16% | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 40 | 92 | 279 | 0.20% | 0.37% | 0.93% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 531 | 635 | 1,143 | 2.66% | 2.53% | 3.80% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,245 | 3,886 | 6,309 | 6.24% | 15.47% | 20.99% |
| Total | 19,960 | 25,115 | 30,060 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census[70] of 2010, there were 25,115 people, 10,498 households, and 5,695 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 5,840.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,255.1/km2). There were 11,397 housing units at an average density of 2,650.5 per square mile (1,023.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 30.1%White, 48.9%African American, 0.4%Native American, 9.2%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 7.6% fromother races, and 3.8% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 15.5% of the population.
There were 10,498 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% weremarried couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.19.
The median age in the city was 33.7 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 37.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.
As of the census[71] of 2000, there were 19,960 people, 8,931households, and 4,635families residing in the city. The population density was 5,280.2 inhabitants per square mile (2,038.7/km2). There were 9,506 housing units at an average density of 2,514.7 per square mile (970.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 52.24%White, 34.50%African American, 0.38%Native American, 6.89%Asian, 0.21%Pacific Islander, 2.30% fromother races, and 3.47% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 6.24% of the population.
There were 8,931 households, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18, 33.9% weremarried couples living together, 13.3% had afemale householder with no husband present, and 48.1% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city, thepopulation was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 42.9% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
Themedian income for a household in the city was $49,415, and the median income for a family was $58,552. Males had a median income of $37,966 versus $35,614 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $26,717. About 4.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
Local performing arts outlets include theVenus Theatre, Laurel Mill Playhouse,Central Maryland Chorale (formerly Laurel Oratorio Society) and Montpelier Arts Center, which also features anart gallery. Another local exhibitor is the WSSC Art Gallery.
The city government supports an annual LakeFest in May andIndependence Day celebration each July. Since 1981, the LaurelBoard of Trade has sponsored a Main Street Festival (held on Saturday ofMother's Day weekend) each May, and since 1995 a RiverFest each October. The Montpelier Mansion grounds have hosted an annual festival the first weekend in May since 1971, updated in 2007 to focus on an "herb, tea and arts" theme.[72]
The following is a list of historic sites in Laurel identified by theMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission or listed on theNational Register of Historic Places:[73]
Prince George's County Memorial Library System operates theLaurel Branch Library.[76]
There are eleven city parks, three athletic fields, three community centers, a municipal pool, and tennis courts.[77]
Laurel is governed by a five-member city council and amayor. There are two politicalwards in the city. The first ward is generally the area north of Maryland Route 198 and the second ward is to the south.[78][79] Two council members are elected from each ward, and a council member is elected at large by residents of both wards. City Council candidates must reside in Laurel a year before their election and during their full term of office.[80] Similarly, mayoral candidates must reside in the city for at least two years prior to their election.[81]
Nonpartisan citywide elections are held every two years on the first Tuesday in November of each odd year.[82] The council elects one of its members to serve aspresident. The president of the city council presides over council meetings and can act in a limited capacity as mayor if the mayor is unavailable. Council members serve for two years eachterm; the mayor serves for four years.[citation needed]
Public education is administered byPrince George's County Public Schools. Schools located in Laurel include:[83]
Prince George's Community College andHoward Community College share a campus in Laurel called the Laurel College Center.[85]
Television arrived in Laurel with the establishment of the first TV broadcast stations in Washington in 1946. For decades, Laurel has been served by theVHF TV channels 4 (WRC-TV /NBC), 5 (WTTG /FOX), 7 (WJLA-TV /ABC), and 9 (WUSA /CBS) from Washington; channels 2 (WMAR-TV /ABC), 11 (WBAL-TV /NBC), 13 (WJZ-TV /CBS), and 45 (WBFF /FOX) from Baltimore; plusMaryland Public Television from Annapolis and Baltimore.
Laurel has one local newspaper, theLaurel Leader, and onemediumwaveAM radio station,WACA 900, with anadult contemporary format.
With its location between Washington and Baltimore, Laurel is also served by their daily newspapersThe Washington Post,The Washington Times andThe Baltimore Sun.
Highways include:
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TheLaurel Station is aMARC train station on theCamden Line to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. is located in Laurel and theLaurel Racetrack Station is just north of the city limits. The Laurel Station was designed byE. Francis Baldwin for theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Bus service is provided by theWashington Metropolitan Area Transit AuthorityMetrobus[86] and byRTA bus service.
TheLaurel Police Department and thePrince George's County Police Department are the principal providers of the region's police officers. TheMaryland State Police patrol US 1, MD 198, andInterstate 95, which pass through the area, and theUnited States Park Police patrol theBaltimore-Washington Parkway and its connectors.
Fire protection is provided by the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department and the Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad, both part of the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department. The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1902, and the Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad was formed in 1952.[citation needed]
Ambulance service began in 2006. A paramedic unit staffed by two career personnel.[citation needed]
TheUniversity of Maryland Laurel Medical Center has a hospital nearby.
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