Laurel, Maryland

Originally called "Laurel Factory" by its 18th- and early 19th-century settlers (due to the presence of an iron works along the local Patuxent River), the town's name was shortened to "Laurel" in 1875. Laurel was incorporated as a town in 1870, and reincorporated in 1890 to coincide with a new electric power plant and paved streets.

In 1899, Laurel's seven-time mayor Edward Phelps succeeded in constructing the first high school in Prince George's County, despite several financial obstacles. The original building, now known as the Phelps Community Center, still stands on the corner of Montgomery and Eighth Streets.

[edit] 20th Century

Laurel hosted a horse trotter (harness racing) track named Freestate Raceway from 1948-1990.[1][2] It was in Howard County on the west side of US Route 1, south of Savage in an area that now includes a CarMax car dealership, Weis supermarket and strip mall.

On May 15, 1972, Governor George Wallace of Alabama, running for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party, was campaigning at a rally in the parking lot of Laurel Shopping Center, near the Equitable Trust Bank (today a Bank of America branch) where he was shot and paralyzed by Arthur Bremer, a disturbed, out-of-work janitor (see An Assassin's Diary).

On June 22, 1972 Laurel was impacted severely by Hurricane Agnes, which caused the greatest flooding ever recorded in Maryland [3]. Several bridges were destroyed and the nearby T. Howard Duckett Dam at Rocky Gorge Reservoir was at capacity and posed a huge threat [4].

A former 1840s mill workers' home on the northeast corner of 9th and Main Streets was renovated and opened as the Laurel 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's John Calder Brennan Library is open to researchers by appointment.[5]

[edit] 21st Century

Prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks, some of the hijackers stayed at motels in the Laurel area, including the Budget Host Valencia Hotel just north of the city limits. They also accessed the Internet through public computers at the local Kinko's.<ref>Statement for the record by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III to the Joint Intelligence Committee Inquiry</ref>

On September 24, 2001, a tornado passed through Laurel and left F3 property damage, including significant roof damage to Laurel High School and the historic Harrison-Beard Building.

In 2005, Laurel adopted Laurel, Mississippi as a sister city to help with Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery.

[edit] Geography

Laurel is located at 39°5′54″N, 76°51′33″W (39.098258, -76.859093)^GR1. This positions it on the bank of the Patuxent River, which was the power source for the cotton mills that were the early industry of the town.

Though the incorporated portion of Laurel is bounded entirely within the northern tip of Prince George's County, unincorporated parts of three other counties — Anne Arundel, Howard, and Montgomery are adjacent to the city limits and also considered as part of the community.

The ZIP Codes for the community of Laurel are 20707 through 20709 and 20723 through 20729. Although served by the Laurel post office, Montpelier is not within the city limits; the same is true for the unincorporated communities of Scaggsville and Whiskey Bottom in Howard County, and Maryland City and Russett in Anne Arundel County.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 19,960 people, 8,931 households, and 4,635 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,038.8/km² (5,280.2/mi²). There were 9,506 housing units at an average density of 971.0/km² (2,514.7/mi²). 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% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.24% of the population.

There are 8,931 households, of which 26.7% have children under the age of 18, 33.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female 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 the population 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 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median 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. The per capita income for the city was $26,717. About 4.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

For statistical reporting, the Census Bureau identifies three adjacent unincorporated areas:

[edit] Transportation

Laurel is traversed from north to south by U.S. Route 1, which links Key West, Florida with the Canadian border in Maine. On the west the city is bordered by Interstate 95, and to the east by the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Crossing all of these highways is the east-west artery of Maryland Route 198, which intersects with U.S. 1 in the heart of Laurel.

Other major state roads in Laurel are Maryland Route 216, which connects the city with southern Howard County, and Maryland Route 197, which runs from Laurel to Bowie. The city will also become the eastern terminus of the Intercounty Connector, should the proposed highway between Laurel and Gaithersburg, Maryland be completed.

Suburban Airport, a one-strip general aviation facility, is located off of Maryland Route 197, just over the Anne Arundel County border. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are both within about 25 miles of Laurel.

Public Transport

Two MARC train stations on the Camden Line to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are located in Laurel: Laurel Station and Laurel Racetrack Station, the latter with minimal service. Laurel Station is a particularly notable example of the stations designed by E. Francis Baldwin for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrobus service provides four lines into Laurel, and local Connect-a-Ride and Howard Transit bus service is available. Several taxicab and shuttle services also support the region.

[edit] Emergency Services

The city of Laurel has its own police force, and is part of the First District of the Prince George's County Police Department. Route 1, Route 198, and I-95 bring the Maryland State Police into the area, and the United States Park Police patrol the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and its connectors.

Fire protection service is shared by Company 10, the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department, and Company 49, The Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad, both of which are part of the Prince George's County Fire Department. Ambulance service is provided by Company 49, rated by Firehouse Magazine as one of the busiest ambulance services in America.

Laurel Regional Hospital, managed by Dimensions Health Corporation, is located on Van Dusen Road.

[edit] Municipal Government

Laurel is governed by a 5-member city council and a mayor. There are two political wards in the city. The first ward is generally the area north of Maryland Route 198 and the second ward is to the south. Two council members are elected from each ward and a council member is elected at large. Residents vote for all five council members, who must reside in the respective wards they represent.

Nonpartisan city-wide elections are held every two years on the third Monday in March at Phelps Senior Center on the corner of Montgomery Street and 8th Street/St. Mary's Place.

The council elects one of its members to serve as president. 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. The mayor serves for four years.

[edit] Media and Culture

Stanley Memorial Library, the Laurel branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System, is located at the intersection of Seventh Street and Talbott Avenue. The "Maryland City at Russett" branch of the Anne Arundel County Public Library is also available to Laurel residents.

[edit] Media

Television arrived in Laurel with the establishment of the first TV broadcast stations in Washington in 1946. For decades, Laurel has been served by the VHF TV channels 4, 5, 7, and 9 from Washington, and channels 2, 11, and 13 from Baltimore. In addition, there are dozens of UHF TV stations from Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis. From these three cities, scores of AM and FM radio stations reach Laurel.

There are two local newspapers serving Laurel: the Laurel Leader [6] and The Laurel Gazette. In addition, there is one mediumwave AM radio station, WILC, (Radio Novecientos, broadcasting at AM 900) serving the Hispanic community.

With its location between Washington and Baltimore, Laurel is also served by their daily newspapers The Washington Post, The Washington Times and The Baltimore Sun. Many Laurel residents also read a free newspaper, the Washington Examiner.

[edit] Arts

Laurel's movie theater, the Laurel Cinema 6, shows first-run American movies and Bollywood movies. Local performing arts outlets include the Laurel Mill Playhouse [7], Central Maryland Chorale (formerly Laurel Oratorio Society) [8] and Montpelier Arts Center [9], which also features an art gallery. Another local exhibitor is the WSSC Art Gallery [10].

[edit] Events

The city government supports an annual LakeFest in May and Independence Day celebration each July. Since 1981, the Laurel Board of Trade has sponsored a Main Street Festival (held on Saturday of Mother's Day weekend each May), and since 1995 a RiverFest each October. The Montpelier Mansion grounds have hosted an annual Montpelier Spring Festival since 1971, held the first Sunday in May.

[edit] Laurel in Popular Culture

There is a line in the novel The Dead Zone by Stephen King, consisting of "Laurel, Maryland" repeated over and over. Presumably this represents a psychic allusion to the attempted assassination of George Wallace in 1972.

In addition, in Tom Clancy's novel The Cardinal of the Kremlin, an FBI agent pretending to work for DARPA comments to her target, a Soviet mole, "This is so much nicer than living in Laurel!"

X-Files episode, "Talitha Cumi", references a street in West Laurel when Mulder says, "Off the I-95, uh Bond Mill Road," while designating a location to meet with Scully.

[edit] Education

Prince George's County Public Schools serves residents within Laurel's city limits. Public education services in adjacent areas are provided by Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Howard County Public Schools.

[edit] Elementary Schools

Laurel Elementary School is the only public elementary school within the city limits. Others nearby include Bond Mill, Deerfield Run, James H. Harrison, Montpelier, Oaklands, and Scotchtown Hills Elementary Schools in Prince George's County; Brock Bridge and Maryland City Elementary Schools in Anne Arundel County; and Forest Ridge, Gorman, Hammond, and Laurel Woods Elementary Schools in Howard County.

[edit] Middle Schools

Public middle schools in the Laurel area include Dwight D. Eisenhower and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Schools in Prince George's County, MacArthur and Meade Middle Schools in Anne Arundel County and Hammond and Murray Hill Middle Schools in Howard County.

[edit] High Schools

Laurel High School serves the city of Laurel, with other public high schools nearby including Meade High School in Anne Arundel County and Atholton, Hammond and Reservoir High Schools in Howard County.

St. Vincent Pallotti High School is a private co-ed Catholic high school located in Laurel.

District of Columbia Public Schools operates an alternative middle and high school near Laurel called "Oak Hill Academy" [11].

[edit] Colleges

Prince George's Community College and Howard Community College share a campus in Laurel called the Laurel College Center.

Capitol College is located just south of Laurel.

[edit] Sports and Recreation

Laurel's Department of Parks & Recreation sponsors seasonal sports leagues for adults, with youth leagues in the area offered by the Laurel Boys and Girls Club.[12] Events are held among eleven city parks, three athletic fields, and three community centers.[13] Four indoor facilities and seven outdoor facilities are available for private rental.[14] The city also operates a municipal swimming pool and tennis courts.

The Fairland Sports and Athletic Complex on the grounds of the Fairlands Regional Park, southwest of the city limits, is operated by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. These facilities offer a broad variety of activities including swimming, gymnastics, tennis, racquetball, weight training, child sitting, and massage therapy.[15]

[edit] References

"Freestate Raceway Is Sold for Planned Industrial Park", HighBeam Research Inc., partial text of Washington Post article from September 6, 1989. Retrieved on November 27, 2006.
"It's Final: Freestate Is No More; Commission Grants Request to Transfer '90 Dates to Rosecroft", HighBeam Research Inc., partial text of Washington Post article from January 31, 1990. Retrieved on November 27, 2006.
"USGS Water Supply Paper 2375 National Water Summary, Maryland and the District of Columbia Floods and Droughts". Retrieved on November 27, 2006.
Invitation to the Maryland Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Second Annual Conference and General Membership Meeting, October 18-19, 2006. Retrieved on November 27, 2006.
Laurel Museum, Laurel Historical Society. Retrieved on November 28, 2006.
Laurel Depart of Parks & Recreation. Retrieved on November 29, 2006
MNCPPC Specialized Sports Facilities. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.

[edit] External Links

Official Website: City of Laurel, Maryland
History of the City of Laurel, Maryland
Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 39.098258° -76.859093°
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

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