78-585: The Avondale Mill was a large gable-front stone structure, three stories in height, and 10 bays long by three wide. It was located on the bank of the Patuxent River in the city of Laurel , Prince George's County, Maryland . It was constructed in 1844–1845 for Captain William Mason & Son of Baltimore. It was complemented by the neighboring Laurel Mill built in 1811, S.D. Heath's machine shop, and Richard Israel's flouring mill. At that time it
156-469: A CarMax dealership, Weis supermarket, and a strip 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 the Patuxent River . In February 1913, Laurel was a stopping point in the Suffrage hike led by Rosalie Gardiner Jones . She was joined by a Laurel-based colored women's suffrage group and sent
234-468: A thoroughbred 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 named Freestate Raceway from 1948 to 1990; it was located in Howard County on the west side of US Route 1, south of Savage in an area that now includes
312-486: A casket saved from the burning mortuary. The resulting losses inspired efforts to bring water and fire apparatus to the town. 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). Proposed in 1897, Laurel's seven-term mayor Edward Phelps succeeded in constructing
390-530: A compelling discussion on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, led by host Frank Sesno. Laurel, Maryland Ward 1: Carl DeWalt Ward 2: Kyla Clark Ward 2: Jeffrey Mills Laurel is a city in Maryland , United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore on the banks of the Patuxent River , in northern Prince George's County . Founded as a mill town in
468-401: A detailed survey was conducted to build a canal from Baltimore to Georgetown to connect to the proposed C&O canal . The route from Elkridge Landing to Bladensburg would have built a waterway roughly aligning with modern U.S. Route 1 and Kenilworth Avenue , with special consideration not to harm the water power for Savage Mill . The project did not go forward; the preference was to build
546-526: A juvenile, affiliated with the KKK , attempted to burn St. Mark's United Methodist Church and then a private residence in the predominantly African-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
624-461: 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 and paved streets and boarded sidewalks. By this time, the town had grown to a population of 2,080, and the city banned livestock from
702-419: A parcel with a flag and message ahead to President-elect Wilson . 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. Despite crowds of up to 30,000, receipts did not cover the $ 400,000 cost of building
780-551: 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. 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. In 1890, Citizens National Bank opened its doors on Main Street, as Prince George's County's first nationally chartered bank. Charles H. Stanley
858-605: A railroad, the B&;O . 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 the Capital Subdivision rail 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
SECTION 10
#1732790269740936-517: Is a crucial tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Despite the central role the river has played in the history of the Bay's environmental movement and abundant conservation resources funneled to it over the years, it remains polluted. Its riverkeeper, Fred Tutman, believes that environmental injustice exists along its banks. On 21 April 2022, PBS released a 56 minute special: " The Chesapeake Bay Summit 2022 " - Experts, scientists and policy makers converge for
1014-548: Is a large planned community in Howard County that opened in 1967. Columbia's major downtown roadway is called Little Patuxent Parkway, and Maryland Route 175 in East Columbia was known as the Patuxent Parkway until May 2006, when it was renamed for Columbia's founder, the late James Rouse , and his wife, Patty. It was the largely unchecked erosion from this late 1960s and 1970s building spree that contributed
1092-494: Is a percentage of agricultural activity in the region as well. The mid and lower banks of the river have swamp and marshland ecosystems . Many of those ecosystems are protected by some form of parkland, on the state and local levels. The most notable of which include Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary , Merkle Wetlands Sanctuary in the Edgar A. Merkle Wildlife Refuge , and Patuxent River Park , along with many more. Farther north, there
1170-531: Is available. Several taxicab and shuttle services also support the region. Suburban Airport was located on Brock Bridge Road, just over the Anne Arundel County border. For decades the airport provided general aviation access for medivac helicopters, flight training, business travelers, and served as a relief airport for light traffic into and out of the two major regional airports. This airport closed in 2017. The major airports currently serving
1248-608: Is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km ) is water. As is typical of central Maryland, Laurel lies within the humid 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. For statistical reporting, the Census Bureau identifies four adjacent unincorporated areas : As of the census of 2010, there were 25,115 people, 10,498 households, and 5,695 families residing in
1326-484: Is located at 39°5′45″N 76°51′35″W / 39.09583°N 76.85972°W / 39.09583; -76.85972 . The city is situated on the bank of the Patuxent River , which was the power source for the cotton mills that were the early industry of the town. The zip codes for the incorporated city of Laurel are 20707, 20708, 20709, 20723, 20724 and 20756. Although served by the Laurel post office, Montpelier
1404-409: Is never wider than 2.3 miles (3.7 km). It marks the boundary between Montgomery , Prince George's , Charles and St. Mary's counties on the west and Howard , Anne Arundel , and Calvert counties on the east. The Chesapeake estuary's deepest point, 130 feet (40 m) below sea level, is in the lower Patuxent. The two largest cities in the watershed are Bowie and Laurel, Maryland . There
1482-573: Is not within the city limits; the same is true of the unincorporated communities of Scaggsville and Whiskey Bottom in Howard County, and Maryland City and Russett in Anne Arundel County. A small section of ZIP Code 20707 is located in Montgomery County . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.33 square miles (11.21 km ), of which 4.30 square miles (11.14 km )
1560-763: Is the 20 square mile Patuxent Research Refuge, which helps to protect Patuxent River wildlife. The Little Patuxent River , the Middle Patuxent River , and the Western Branch are the three largest tributaries. The Middle Patuxent flows into the Little Patuxent just upstream from the historic Savage Mill in Savage . The Little Patuxent then joins the Patuxent just southwest of Crofton . The Middle Patuxent flows 24 miles (39 km) through
1638-590: Is the largest completely within the state. The river source, 115 miles (185 km) from the Chesapeake, is in the hills of the Maryland Piedmont near the intersection of four counties – Howard , Frederick , Montgomery and Carroll , and only 0.6 miles (0.97 km) from Parr's Spring, the source of the south fork of the Patapsco River . Flowing in a generally southeastward direction,
SECTION 20
#17327902697401716-632: Is the sole known source for Maryland's State Gemstone, a form of agate called Patuxent River stone . According to EcoHealth Report Cards, the Patuxent River has a below average health rating, scoring a 38%, compared to the Chesapeake's over all health rating of 54%, as of 2016. However, the river does have higher ratings in dissolved oxygen, and likely, will soon have higher ratings in phosphorus. The Middle and Little Patuxent watersheds include nearly all of Columbia, Maryland , including its downtown urban Lake Kittamaqundi and Wilde Lake. Columbia
1794-535: The British fleet under Admiral Sir George Cockburn . To keep them from British hands, Barney's men ignited the magazines of his ships in the four mile (6 km) stretch above Pig Point (44 miles (71 km) upriver from the Chesapeake when the British approached. The British then launched their attack on Washington, D.C. , from their warships in the Patuxent at Benedict , 22 miles (35 km) away. From there,
1872-547: 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. On September 24, 2001, a tornado passed through Laurel and left F3 property damage, including significant roof damage to the Laurel High School and
1950-559: The "place where tobacco grows". The Patuxent River was first named ("Pawtuxunt") on the detailed map resulting from the 1608 voyage upriver by Jamestown, Virginia settler John Smith . Captain Smith got as far as the rough vicinity of the present-day Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary ( Lyons Creek ) area, 40 miles (60 km) from the Chesapeake near what is now the Anne Arundel–Calvert–Prince George's County tripoint. This
2028-412: The 12,250-acre New Birmingham plantation , which included the later Montpelier . 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. Nicholas Snowden built a grist mill on the site circa 1811 which grew to a small cotton mill by the 1820s. In 1828,
2106-633: The Baltimore-Washington bedroom community sprawl . The southern half of the U.S. Army's Fort Meade was added to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center , which, at 12,300 acres (50 km ), is the second largest contiguous public park-refuge within 30 miles (50 km) of either Washington or Baltimore . It is located midway between these two cities. The contiguous public area of 8,575 acres (35 km ) centered on Jug Bay, 42 miles (68 km) upriver from
2184-535: The Chesapeake that are today part of Patuxent River Park. By 1705, the Snowden iron ore furnace (also known as the Patuxent Iron Works ) just southeast of Laurel , was shipping " pig iron " downriver from the current vicinity of the 1783 Montpelier Mansion , also part of Patuxent River Park. In August 1814, Commodore Joshua Barney and his Chesapeake Bay Flotilla were trapped in the Patuxent by
2262-757: The Chesapeake, form the fifth largest such Baltimore-D.C. preserve and largest tidewater one and consist of the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary , the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Jug Bay component of the Patuxent River Park. The 6,600-acre (27 km ) Patuxent River State Park in the uppermost part of the basin is the seventh largest. On 20 April 2022, PBS released a 26 minute documentary: " Troubled Tributary: Maryland's Patuxent River " - The Patuxent River
2340-543: The City and Suburban and Washington, Berwyn, and Laurel railway started single line electric trolley service. The Laurel Sanitarium was built in 1905 on a 163-acre (0.66 km ) 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. Laurel Park Racecourse ,
2418-475: The Grove. 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. On May 15, 1972, Governor George Wallace of Alabama , running for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party ,
Avondale Mill - Misplaced Pages Continue
2496-582: The Laurel area are Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in adjacent Anne Arundel County , and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Virginia near downtown Washington, D.C. The Laurel Police Department and the Prince George's County Police Department are the principal providers of the region's police officers. The Maryland State Police patrol US 1, MD 198, and Interstate 95 , which pass through
2574-634: The Laurel area today, with the Fort Meade Army base, the NSA and Johns Hopkins' Applied Physics Laboratory all located nearby. Laurel Park , a thoroughbred horse racetrack , is located just outside the city limits. Many dinosaur fossils from the Cretaceous Era are preserved in a 7.5-acre (3.0 ha) park in Laurel . The site, which among other finds has yielded fossilized teeth from Astrodon and Priconodon species, has been called
2652-556: The Mills (Roman Catholic) est. 1845, and St. Philip's (Episcopal) est. 1839 —established what are still vigorous congregations. During the Civil 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
2730-478: 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
2808-628: 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-acre Maryland 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. 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
2886-552: The Patuxent crosses the urbanized corridor between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. , and opens up into a navigable tidal estuary near the colonial seaport of Queen Anne in Prince George's County, Maryland , just southeast of Bowie . The river is bounded by significant marsh areas for 22 miles (35 km) from the Waysons Corner area to the Hunting Creek confluence. The 52 miles (84 km)-long tidal estuary
2964-474: The Patuxent near Upper Marlboro . Native Americans have lived along the Patuxent River since at least 1100 BC. An archaeological dig at Pig Point (just north of Jug Bay at the end of Wrighton Road ) uncovered some of the oldest known artifacts in the Mid Atlantic states, including pottery, arrow and spear points, and remnants of wigwams, fires and foodways. The site was probably a center of trade in
3042-414: The bulk of the Patuxent River's highest and most damaging sediment , siltation , and pollution levels to date downstream. This in turn led to a nearly complete destruction of a once thriving seafood industry along the brackish portion of the river. "The Patuxent River has known no greater friend, advocate, and defender than Bernie Fowler ." Fowler, as an early-1970s Calvert County commissioner, led
3120-761: The city limits along U.S. Route 1 and connects Laurel with Gaithersburg . 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 routes (87, 89, 89M, and Z7 ) into Laurel, and local RTA bus service
3198-602: The city. Access from I-95 to Laurel is provided by Maryland Route 198 , which also intersects U.S. Route 1 in the center of the city, Maryland Route 197 just east of downtown, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway just east of the city limits. Other major state roads in Laurel are MD 216 , which connects the city with southern Howard County, and MD 206 . The eastern terminus of MD 200 (the Intercounty Connector) lies just south of
Avondale Mill - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-437: The city. The population density was 5,840.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,255.1/km ). There were 11,397 housing units at an average density of 2,650.5 per square mile (1,023.4/km ). 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% from other races , and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 15.5% of
3354-439: The city. The population density was 5,280.2 inhabitants per square mile (2,038.7/km ). There were 9,506 housing units at an average density of 2,514.7 per square mile (970.9/km ). 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 people of any race were 6.24% of
3432-457: The early 19th century, Laurel expanded local industry and was later able to become an early commuter 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 , highlighting its industrial past. The Department of Defense is a prominent presence in
3510-630: The end of the 1933 season in the peak of the depression. 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. In 1954, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory built its campus west of Laurel in Howard County, using a Laurel address. By 1960, Laurel anticipated massive growth from Fort Meade and NSA. The town still used
3588-567: The first high school in Prince 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 the Phelps Community Center , still stands at the northeast corner of Montgomery and Eighth Streets. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. In 1902, the City and Suburban Railway with
3666-600: The historic Harrison-Beard building. On August 29, 2005, Laurel adopted Laurel, Mississippi , as a sister city to help with Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery. In the two years following adoption, "the government, businesses and residents of Laurel, Md. ... raised more than $ 20,000 for Laurel, Miss." The following is a list of historic sites in Laurel and vicinity identified by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and / or National Register of Historic Places : Laurel
3744-406: 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. The most prominent highway serving Laurel is Interstate 95 , which skims the western edge of
3822-499: The mid and lower Patuxent valley into a period of decline that would last until the 1930s, when there were fewer residents in the Patuxent's Calvert County than there were in the 1840s, and only a few hundred more than in the first Calvert County census in 1790. The Patuxent was plied by regular steamship service, mostly from the Weems Line, from the 1820s to the 1920s, replacing the schooners and sailing packets that had for
3900-547: The middle of Howard County, while the Little Patuxent flows 38 miles (61 km) through northeast and southeast Howard County and western Anne Arundel County. Western Branch originates under the name Folly Branch in the Wingate Drive area of the northern part of Glenn Dale , assuming the name "Western Branch" in Woodmore , continuing southward through Prince George's County, joined by Collington Branch before it joins
3978-550: The mill expanded greatly with the addition of the Avondale Mill building in 1844. Mill president Horace Capron with his partners built housing for close to 300 workers, and a bigger cotton mill. Cotton duck from the mill was shipped down what would become Laurel's Main Street, then by rail to Baltimore. A substantial dam was built in 1850. As a mill town, Laurel was somewhat unusual in Prince George's County and
SECTION 50
#17327902697404056-612: The most prolific in the eastern United States. 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 the Late Archaic period from 4,000 to 1,000 B.C., Laurel would have been covered primarily with an oak and hickory forest. Laurel was formed from land on the fall line of the Patuxent River patented by the Snowden family in 1658 as part of
4134-479: The name Konterra , buoyed by access to major highways via the construction of Maryland Route 200 . The Elizabeth 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. A former 1840s mill workers' home on the northeast corner of 9th and Main Streets was renovated and opened as
4212-476: The nearby T. Howard Duckett Dam at Rocky Gorge Reservoir was at capacity and posed a huge threat. In 1975, the city council passed ordinances to create a historic district around Main Street. In 1982, developer Kingdon Gould III bought 3,539 acres of Laurel property (539 in North Laurel ) in two deals for $ 15 million. The largest parcel lies between Laurel and Beltsville and is being developed under
4290-442: The population. There were 10,498 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married 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
4368-413: The population. There were 8,931 households, of which 26.7% had 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
4446-528: The previous centuries served the river's many landings and docks along the 52-mile (84 km) tidal reach. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission constructed two dams on the main branch in the mid-twentieth century. Brighton Dam was constructed 96 miles (154 km) from the Chesapeake in 1943, impounding the waters of Triadelphia Reservoir ; in 1952 the T. Howard Duckett Dam was constructed 14 miles (23 km) farther downstream, near Laurel, thus creating Rocky Gorge Reservoir . The land surrounding
4524-732: The region and has one of the best unbroken archaeological records on the East Coast. The Pig Point site includes remnants of the oldest structures ever found in Maryland, wigwam post holes dating to the third century. The word Patuxent is derived from the Algonquin language used by the indigenous people living in the area prior to the arrival of the European settlers. Its meaning is debated. According to some sources it means "water running over loose stones" while others believe it means
4602-461: The river from the Snowden plantation to where Clarksville is sited. In 1702 George Plater I was the Patuxent naval officer (later based at Sotterley Plantation ), having earlier served as Collector after Calvert, Rousby, Sewall, Digges, and Payne held the collectorship. By the mid and late seventeenth century respectively, colonists spread upriver to Mt. Calvert and Billingsley Point, two 18th-century mansions 43.5 miles (70 km) upriver from
4680-404: The river's 115 miles including the reservoir land, the impact that recreation in natural settings now has on the river's economy is obvious. The Patuxent Naval Air Station at the mouth of the river has continued to grow during past decades along with tourism, providing another main economic engine in the lower river valley that includes the popular boating center of Solomons . The Patuxent River
4758-515: The state of Maryland . There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington, D.C. , the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between the two. The 908-square-mile (2,352 km ) Patuxent watershed had a rapidly growing population of 590,769 in 2000. It is the largest and longest river entirely within Maryland, and its watershed
SECTION 60
#17327902697404836-483: The streets. In 1870, the Patuxent Bank of Laurel was founded on the corner of Main Street and Washington Avenue. 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. In 1879 Laurel Academy of Music was built along Route 1. The building was converted to a movie theatre in 1915, with
4914-475: The track on the 364-acre Avondale property which fell into receivership in 1926. Natural gas service was extended to the community in 1929. In 1931, "Angy Gerrin" built a 7,000-seat amphitheater next to the Duvall Farm between Laurel 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
4992-412: The troops marched through Nottingham, Upper Marlboro , Bladensburg , and on to Washington. Tobacco farming dominated the Patuxent's economy for the two centuries following white settlement, with about sixty percent of Maryland's tobacco coming from the Patuxent valley by the late eighteenth century. Destruction of the plantations by the British and of the soil by centuries of tobacco farming brought
5070-454: The two reservoirs is administered by the WSSC, creating a forested reserve of 4,400 acres (18 km ) accessible to the public for horseback riding, hunting, fishing, and picnicking in limited areas. The state of Maryland classifies the T. Howard Duckett Dam as "high hazard" because large releases of water flood areas of North Laurel. With public recreational land on one or both shores of 74 of
5148-399: The watershed by 2002. Of the Chesapeake's major tributaries, the Patuxent is the only one having most of its harmful phosphorus and nitrogen nutrient overloads coming from urban runoff . The river's other two largest contributors, point sources ( industrial , sewage , etc.) and the declining (24%) agricultural areas, contribute less of the nutrient load. Forested areas account for 43% of
5226-605: The watershed. In 2004, Fred Tutman became the first "Riverkeeper" for the Patuxent. The mission of the Patuxent Riverkeeper organization, a member of the worldwide Waterkeeper Alliance , is to protect and improve the quality of the river's water and watershed and provide access and education at its facility in Nottingham . Over the past 50 years, nationally recognized land preservation efforts in this part of Maryland have saved tens of thousands of acres from
5304-420: The way in a lawsuit filed by downriver Charles, Calvert and St. Mary's counties against upriver counties. The lawsuit forced the state, the upriver counties, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact pollution control measures. Between 1985 and 2005, the Patuxent saw a 26% decrease in nitrogen , a 46% decrease in phosphorus , and a 35% reduction in sediment, despite urban areas increasing to 31% of
5382-438: 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 of 2000, there were 19,960 people, 8,931 households , and 4,635 families residing in
5460-401: 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
5538-405: Was campaigning at a rally in the parking lot of Laurel Shopping Center , near what is today a Bank of America branch, when 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. Several bridges were destroyed and
5616-457: Was converted to a gristmill . The waters of the Patuxent provided an 8–9 foot fall and gave the mill 60-70 horsepower to use, along with steam power fueled by coal from Cumberland as early as 1854. George William Brown purchased the 21.7 acre property and outbuildings from Benjamin F. Crabbs, but sold his holdings in a mortgage auction on 20 October 1897. By 1904, the mill employed only 4 people, but produced $ 10,400 in product annually. Avondale Mill
5694-504: Was most likely the second visit by Europeans to the Patuxent, as in June 1588 a small Spanish expedition under Vicente Gonzalez is believed to have anchored for the night in the Patuxent mouth. The river was an important colonial shipping port with the government's garrison situated at the mouth of the river where Charles Calvert was first Collector in 1673. In 1699, Thomas Browne , sometimes referred to as 'The Patuxent Ranger', followed
5772-414: Was provided with the machinery for the manufacture of fine cloth, running as many as 1,500 cotton spindles with 150 employees. In 1845, industrialist Peter Gorman was responsible for the first macadamized (paved) road in Laurel, Avondale Street next to the new Mill. The mill was sold for $ 10,000 with a $ 13,000 ground rent in 1850 to S.P. Heath and James Arthur (Webb Heath & Co.). In the mid-1850s, it
5850-627: Was sold the same year to C.E. Cornell, who called it "Twin Cities Arena" or "Mid City Arena". The arena was active through 1932 with the entire delegation of the National Boxing Association attending a fight with Governor Ritchie in attendance. 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. Operations ceased by
5928-470: Was surrounded by agricultural endeavors. The community was originally known as "Laurel Factory", named for its laurel trees, 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. During the 1840s, three historic churches in the community—the Methodist est. 1842, St. Mary of
6006-428: Was the bank's first president, and it remained independently managed and with the same name until acquired by PNC Financial Services in 2007. 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. At the turn of the century, Louis Barret operated a hotel called the "Half Way House", later called
6084-463: Was the only one of Laurel's 19th century mills to have survived into the late 20th century. A devastating fire on December 19, 1991, destroyed the mill. The remains were then demolished and the site cleared for use as a community park. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Patuxent River The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in
#739260