Upper Marlboro was established in 1706 as "Marlborough Town", after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. In 1744, the town was renamed to "Upper Marlborough". In the late 19th century, the town's name changed from Upper Marlborough to Upper Marlboro. The name change is linked to a postal clerk who felt that the last three letters, "ugh", did not properly fit on the rubber stamps being used at the time. By 1893, postal guides were referring to the town as Upper Marlboro and the name stuck, despite a proposed ballot to have it changed back in 1968.
History
The main entrance to the Prince George's County courthouse in December 2008The Three Horse Statue featured prominently in front of the county courthouse in December 2008
The area of Upper Marlboro was first settled around 1695. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, an ancestor of Winston Churchill. The land, which was to become the town, was part of several estates known as Grove Landing, Meadows, and Darnall's Chance, owned by the Brooke, Beall, and Darnall families, respectively.
Darnall's Chance, also known as the Buck House, Buck-Wardrop House, or James Wardrop House, is a historic home located at 14800 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, in Upper Marlboro. It is named after Colonel Henry Darnall, a wealthy Roman Catholic planter, who was the Proprietary Agent of Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore and who served for a time as Deputy Governor of the Province. The house itself was built c. 1742 by a merchant named James Wardrop, after he bought some of the land from Eleanor Darnall Carroll and her husband. Today, Darnall's Chance houses the Darnall's Chance House Museum, an historic house museum that opened to the public in 1988.
In 1706, Marlborough Town was established as a port town by the Act for the Advancement of Trade and Erecting Ports and Towns.[6] It was declared that the town would be constructed, "at the upper landing on the Western Branch, commonly called Colonel Belt's landing." County surveyor Thomas Truman Greenfield conducted a survey of 100 acres (0.40km2) of the three estates from which the town would be formed. Streets, alleys, a meetinghouse, lots for small businesses, and 100 lots to be used for homes were laid out. The earliest plans showed the town being laid out in a grid pattern with an L shape.[citation needed] In 1718 residents asked the county government's general assembly, then based in Charles Town, via petition to move the county seat to Upper Marlboro. The county seat has been there since that time.[7]
Residents of the area were not happy with Greenfield's initial layout and petitioned the General Assembly to have the town replatted. In 1744, the new survey was approved and the town was given a new name, Upper Marlborough. Upper was added to distinguish the town from the community of Marlboro (now known as Lower Marlboro) in Calvert County.
Early in its life, when the western branch of the Patuxent River was still navigable, the town served as a port town for tobacco ships. The town blossomed into an agricultural, social, and political hot spot. Farms, many of which raised tobacco, dominated the surrounding areas.
In 1721, a courthouse was constructed in the town. The county seat was then moved from Charles Town, on the banks of the Patuxent, to Upper Marlborough. The courthouse was built with money from a 12-pound tobacco tax imposed on county inhabitants. One of the first laws passed at the courthouse was the Public School Act, which established a public school system.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, many prominent merchants, lawyers, and politicians lived and worked in the area. Horse racing came to the town around the mid-18th century and attracted many people from the surrounding areas. The Maryland Jockey Club sponsored spring and summer races at the race track south of town, and racing continued there until 1972, when they were moved to the Bowie Race Track. The race track is now part of the Equestrian Center owned by Prince George's County.
In 1870, the town was incorporated by the Maryland General Assembly. A volunteer fire department was organized in 1886, and the Marlborough Fire Association was incorporated the following year.
In 1878, Michael Green, an African-American man accused of assaulting a white woman, was taken from the country jail and hanged from a tree outside of town.[9] An "iron bridge just between the town and the railroad depot" was the site of two more lynchings. Joseph Vermillion was killed there in 1889 and Stephen Williams met the same fate in 1894.[10][11][12]
Since its initial conception, the town has changed quite a bit. It initially boomed as a port town for tobacco trade, but the clearing and cultivation of land for farming would lead to erosion in the area. Over the years this erosion caused sedimentation, leading the Western Branch to become unnavigable. The fields of tobacco that once dominated the area have been converted over to residential developments, with the number of farms dwindling each year.
As it is Prince George's county seat, located within the town are the Prince George's County Courthouse, County Administration Building, the Board of Education, and the headquarters of the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office. The town's atmosphere is remarkably different, depending on the time of day.[13]
Prince George's County courthouse
The courthouse has been a critical part of the town since it became the county seat in 1721. Since then, the courthouse in Upper Marlboro has seen many changes. Between 1798 and 1801, a new courthouse was constructed on the site of the old one. The courthouse was again rebuilt in the 1880s.
In 1939, the courthouse was substantially expanded and rebuilt. During this time, the building gained its famous stone Ionic columns. According to county historian Susan Pearl, "They wanted the neo-classic Georgian university campus building, and that's what they got." The total cost of the revision was $178,000.
Small additions were made in 1947 and 1969.
In the early 1990s, a new courthouse was erected behind the existing courthouse. The new courthouse, composed of the Marbury and Bourne wing, was completed in 1991. The new building occupies 360,000 square feet (33,000m2) of space and cost $80 million. The old courthouse was then designated as the Duvall Wing and was attached to the new section by walkways.
In May 2003, the old courthouse was closed for a $25 million renovation. On November 3, 2004, two months before the building was scheduled to reopen, a fire broke out and destroyed much of the 151,000-square-foot (14,000m2) building. The fire left only a charred skeleton of the cupola, which had overlooked Main Street for 64 years.[14]
In January 2007, the courthouse briefly caught fire again when sparks from a construction worker's welding tool ignited building materials on the roof. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze, and the renovations continued.[15]
On March 12, 2009, the Duvall Wing of the Prince George's County Courthouse reopened after being closed in 2001 for renovations.[16]
Proposed move to Largo
Since the 1990s, the Prince George's County government has been purchasing land in Largo, Maryland, due to its convenient location near the Washington Metro and interstate highways. In 2015, County Executive Rushern Baker recommended the move of the county's seat from Upper Marlboro to Largo so that residents could be better served.[17]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.43 square miles (1.11km2), of which 0.40 square miles (1.04km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08km2) is water.[19]
Upper Marlboro is the county seat of Prince George's County,[20] a large urban and suburban area of some 850,000 people adjacent to Washington. U.S. Route 301 and Maryland Route 4 intersect at the edge of town. The northern terminus of the Stephanie Roper HighwayArchived December 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (Maryland Route 4) is in Upper Marlboro at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Water Street. Major features of the town include the courthouse, jail, county office building, board of education, and a lake with a walking path. Just to the south of town is the Prince George's Equestrian Center which is the location of the annual county fair, a major annual antiques show and The Show Place Arena on the former Marlboro racetrack grounds. This arena is used for events such as hockey games, circuses, rodeos, conventions, trade shows, and graduation ceremonies of many regional high schools, as well as daily overflow parking for county governmental employees, jurors, and visitors.
Although the surrounding area has many rural, pastoral features, including horse farms, housing developments are increasingly prevalent. The Town of Upper Marlboro is quite small and often confused with the large surrounding unincorporated area known as Greater Upper Marlboro. Greater Upper Marlboro has a population of nearly 20,000 in an area of 77 square miles (200km2), as designated by the post office.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Upper Marlboro has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[21]
Climate data for Upper Marlboro, Maryland (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1956–present)
Inside of the city of Upper Marlboro, there are three bodies of water: Federal Spring Branch, Western Branch Patuxent River, and School House Pond. Federal Spring Branch flows into the Western Branch Patuxent River nearby Main Street, Upper Marlboro. School House Pond is to the south of the other two bodies.
Federal Spring Branch
The branch is approximately two miles long and starts approximately one mile to the west of Upper Marlboro. It splits into four unnamed steams, that join later on. The only bridge over the branch is Old Marlboro Pike, or Maryland Route 725.[23]
School House Pond
School House Pond is a small pond north of Main Street, yet south of Federal Spring Branch. The pond is 12 acres in size, with a 0.75-mile boardwalk around the edge. There is also a walking trail through the small forested area north of the pond. The largest attraction at the pond is fishing. The pond is restocked with 800 trout a year.
Western Branch Patuxent River
The Western Branch Patuxent River is one of the largest tributaries of the Patuxent River. Its flow starts in Woodmore, Maryland, and enters the Patuxent River just a few miles south of Upper Marlboro. The river's largest tributary south of Upper Marlboro is Collington Branch, which flows into the Western Branch Patuxent River just before entering the Patuxent.
Upper Marlboro town, Maryland – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of 2015[update] about 6,000 people work in the town, with employees of the Prince George's County government making up the majority.[7]
2010 census
As of the census[27] of 2010, there were 631 people, 290 households, and 157 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,577.5 inhabitants per square mile (609.1/km2). There were 310 housing units at an average density of 775.0 per square mile (299.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 33.8% White, 57.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.1% of the population.
There were 290 households, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.1% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.9% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.88.
The median age in the town was 39.5 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.1% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
2000 census
As of the census[28] of 2000, there were 648 people, 292 households, and 165 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,586.7 inhabitants per square mile (612.6/km2). There were 309 housing units at an average density of 756.6 per square mile (292.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 51.54% White, 45.06% African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 292 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.5% were married couples living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 72.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,813, and the median income for a family was $58,542. Males had a median income of $42,639 versus $39,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,892. About 1.3% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Upper Marlboro's economy consists of small businesses, with a majority of employment opportunities in the city in the courthouse. There are 26 shops and restaurants in Upper Marlboro, 22 of which are small businesses. The courthouse makes up a large amount of revenue for the city.[29]The Enquirer-Gazette is the city's weekly newspaper.
Government
The town has three departments:
General Government: M. David Williams was hired as the Town Clerk in February 2007.[citation needed]
Public Safety: consists of the Upper Marlboro Police Department (UMPD), which is the primary law enforcement agency serving the municipality of Upper Marlboro. The current chief of police is David A. Burse. The UMPD is also aided by the Prince George's County Police and Sheriff's Office as directed by authority.[30]
Public Works: Darnell Bond III is the new Public Works Superintendent. The department has traditionally been divided into Highways and Streets and Sanitation.[citation needed]
Prince George's County Police Department District 2 Station in Brock Hall CDP, with a Bowie postal address, serves the community.[31] The area immediately to the south is served by District 5 Station in Clinton CDP.[32]
In the era of Jim Crow laws and legalized racial segregation of schools, before the mid-20th century Civil Rights Movement, white and black students attended separate schools. Beginning around 1868 the Upper Marlboro area had a school for African-American children. In the Upper Marlboro area, white students attended Upper Marlboro High School after it was built in 1921.[47] Prior to 1923 area black high school students traveled to Baltimore or Washington, D.C., to go to high school.[48] From 1923 to 1935, Black students attended Marlboro Colored High School in Upper Marboro.[47] After Marlboro Colored High School closed in 1935, and Frederick Douglass High School was opened on a new campus.[47]
Upper Marlboro is currently directly served by two state highways. Maryland Route 725 follows Main Street through downtown and connects the town to U.S. Route 301. MD 725 is the old alignment of Maryland Route 4, which currently bypasses the town just to the south. Maryland Route 717 connects MD 725 in downtown to MD 4 via Water Street. US 301 passes just east of the town.
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland bordering the eastern portion of Washington, D.C. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 967,201, making it the second-most populous county in Maryland, behind neighboring Montgomery County. The 2020 census counted an increase of nearly 104,000 in the previous ten years. Its county seat is Upper Marlboro. It is the largest and the second most affluent African American-majority county in the United States, with five of its communities identified in a 2015 top ten list. Portions of the county are part of the Southern Maryland region of the state.
Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,657 at the 2020 census. Areas in Bladensburg are located within ZIP code 20710. Bladensburg is 8.6 miles (13.8 km) from Washington, D.C.
Brentwood is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 3,828. Brentwood is located within 1-mile (1.6 km) of Washington. The municipality of Brentwood is located just outside the northeast boundary of the District of Columbia and surrounded by the communities of Mount Rainier, Cottage City, North Brentwood, and the nearby Hyattsville. Along the Route 1 Corridor, Brentwood is part of the Gateway Arts District.
Camp Springs is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 22,734 at the 2020 census. Camp Springs is not an official post office designation; the area is divided among the surrounding mailing addresses of Temple Hills, Fort Washington, Clinton, and Suitland.
Capitol Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located on the border of both the Northeast & Southeast quadrants of Washington. Per the 2020 census, the population was 4,050. The town of Capitol Heights is officially bounded between Southern Avenue NE/SE to the north, Yost Place, and Eastern Avenue NE to the east, the Watts Branch Stream, Brooke Road, and Capitol Heights Boulevard to the south, and Marlboro Pike to the west. The zip code of Capitol Heights is 20743.
District Heights is an incorporated municipality in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located near Maryland Route 4. Per the 2020 census, the population was 5,959. For more information, see the separate articles on Forestville and Suitland.
Greater Upper Marlboro is an area of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, that completely surrounds Upper Marlboro, the county seat. It was formerly a census-designated place (CDP), with a population of 18,720 at the 2000 census. However, the 2010 census divided the area into several smaller CDPs, including portions of Marlboro Meadows, Brock Hall, Marlboro Village, Queenland, and Croom.
Kettering is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, the population was 14,424,. Kettering is adjacent to Prince George's Community College, the upscale gated community of Woodmore, Six Flags America, Evangel Temple megachurch, and the community of Largo at the end of the Washington Metro Blue Line. Watkins Regional Park in Kettering offers a large playground, a colorful carousel, miniature golf, a miniature train ride, and various animals.
Largo is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,605 at the 2020 census.
Seabrook is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of Washington, D.C. Per the 2020 census, the population was 19,627. Prior to 2010, Seabrook was part of the Lanham-Seabrook census-designated place.
Maryland Route 725 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs 1.86 miles (2.99 km) from Brown Station Road east to U.S. Route 301 within Upper Marlboro. MD 725 is the old alignment of MD 4 through the county seat of Prince George's County. What is now MD 725 was constructed in the mid- to late 1910s and became MD 4 in 1927. After MD 4 bypassed Upper Marlboro in the early 1960s, the old highway through town became part of MD 408. After the Prince George's County segments of MD 408 were removed in the late 1970s, the remaining state-maintained highway through Upper Marlboro became MD 725.
Queen Anne in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, is a former port on the Patuxent River. It was delineated as a CDP for the 2010 census, at which time it had a population of 1,280. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,405.
Aquasco is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in southeastern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, surrounding the town of Eagle Harbor and bordering Charles County. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 913. Aquasco was home to the Aquasco Speedway.
Baden is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in southeastern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 2,114.
Brock Hall is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in eastern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located south of Largo and Bowie, and north of Upper Marlboro. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 13,181.
Marlboro Meadows is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 3,655. It was newly delineated for the 2010 census prior to which the area was part of the Greater Upper Marlboro census-designated place.
Marlboro Village is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 9,221.
Queensland is a census-designated place south of Upper Marlboro in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population of the CDP was 2,191 at the 2020 census. It was formerly known as Queenland until 2014 when its name was changed to Queensland and a small portion of its geography was transferred to Upper Marlboro.
Westphalia is a census-designated place in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population of the CDP was 11,770 at the 2020 census.
Brown Station is an census designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 3,298.
↑ HomeArchived June 17, 2019, at the Wayback Machine . Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School. Retrieved on August 27, 2018. "12650 Brooke Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772"
↑ "Stephen Williams Lynched in Upper Marlboro, October 20, 1894". Biographical Series. Maryland State Archives. November 13, 2007. pp.MSA SC 3520–13742.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
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