Laurel, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....

, Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...

, and Howard County
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, located midway between Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...

 including its Main Street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...

. The population at the 2010 census was 25,115.

Laurel is near Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory
Applied Physics Laboratory
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory , located in Howard County, Maryland near Laurel and Columbia, is a not-for-profit, university-affiliated research center employing 4,500 people. APL is primarily a defense contractor. It serves as a technical resource for the Department of...

, the Fort Meade
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...

 Army base, and the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...

 (NSA). It is also adjacent to Laurel Park Racecourse, a horse racetrack in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...

.

Pre-history

The Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...

 Era brought dinosaurs to the area which left a number of fossils, now preserved in a 7.5 acres (3 ha) park in Laurel
Dinosaur Park (Prince George's County, Maryland)
Dinosaur Park is a park located in the 13200 block of Mid-Atlantic Boulevard, near Laurel and Muirkirk, Maryland, and operated by the Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation. The park features a fenced area where paleontologists and volunteers periodically dig for fossils dating...

. The site, which among other finds has yielded fossilized teeth from Astrodon
Astrodon
Astrodon was a genus of large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur, related to Brachiosaurus, that lived in what is now the eastern United States during the Early Cretaceous period. Its fossils have been found in the Arundel Formation, which has been dated through palynomorphs to the Aptian-Albian...

 and Priconodon
Priconodon
Priconodon is an extinct genus of dinosaur , known from its large teeth. Its remains have been found in the Aptian-Albian age Lower Cretaceous Arundel Formation of Muirkirk, Prince George's County, Maryland.-History:...

 species, has been called the most prolific in the eastern United States.

Pre-20th century

Laurel, Maryland was formed from land on the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...

 of the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in 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...

 owned by the Snowden family
Richard Snowden
Richard Snowden is the grandson of Richard Snowden Sr , one of Maryland's early colonists, who arrived in 1658. Richard founded the Patuxent Iron Works, on the site of Maryland's oldest iron forge...

, which also owned Montpelier. A grist mill on the site circa 1811 grew to a small cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....

 by the 1820s. In 1835, coinciding with the opening of the Capital Subdivision
rail line from Baltimore to Washington, the Patuxent Manufacturing Company was chartered and the mill expanded greatly. Mill president Horace Capron
Horace Capron
Horace Capron was an American businessman and agriculturalist, a founder of Laurel, Maryland, a Union officer in the American Civil War, the United States Commissioner of Agriculture under U.S. Presidents Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S...

 with his partners built housing for close to 300 workers, and a bigger cotton mill. Cotton duck
Cotton duck
Cotton duck , also simply duck, sometimes duck cloth or duck canvas, commonly called "canvas" outside the textile industry, is a heavy, plain woven cotton fabric...

 from the mill was shipped down what would become Laurel’s Main Street, then by rail to Baltimore. A substantial dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 was built in 1850. As a mill town, Laurel was somewhat unique in Prince George’s County and was surrounded by agricultural endeavors.

The community was originally known as Laurel Factory, 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
First United Methodist Church (Laurel, Maryland)
The First United Methodist Church of Laurel is a member of the Baltimore/Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church. It is located on Main Street in the historic district of Laurel, Maryland...

, St. Mary of the Mills (Roman Catholic) Est. 1845, and St. Philip's (Episcopal) established what are still-vigorous congregations. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, 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
Electric power
Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...

 plant and paved
Pavement (material)
Road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past cobblestones and granite setts were extensively used, but these surfaces have mostly been replaced by asphalt or concrete. Such...

 streets and boarded sidewalks. By this time, the town had grown to population of 2080, and the city banned livestock from the streets.

Citizens National Bank opened its doors on Main Street in 1890 as Prince George's County's first nationally chartered bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...

, and remained independently managed and with the same name until acquired by PNC Financial Services
PNC Financial Services
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial services corporation, with assets of approximately $264.3 billion...

 in 2007. Branch
Branch (banking)
A branch, banking center or financial center is a retail location where a bank, credit union, or other financial institution offers a wide array of face-to-face and automated services to its customers....

 services are still provided from the original building.

In 1899, Laurel's seven-time mayor Edward Phelps succeeded in constructing the first high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 in Prince George's County, despite several financial obstacles, by personally assuming the financial risks in doing so. The original building, now known as the Phelps Community Center
Laurel High School (Laurel, Maryland)
Laurel High School is a public high school located in Laurel, Maryland, and is the oldest school in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. Founded in 1899 with an enrollment of 59 students and four teachers, the original school building is now the Phelps Community Center in Laurel...

, still stands at the northeast corner of Montgomery and Eighth Streets. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1979.

20th century

The Laurel Sanitarium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...

 was built in 1905 on a 163 acre (0.65963818 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 included 8-, 14-, 30-, and 36-room facilities for men and women that were joined to a central administration building.

Laurel Park Racecourse, a thoroughbred racetrack, opened in 1911 and remains in operation. Laurel also hosted a horse trotter (harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...

) 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
Savage, Maryland
Savage is a historic town located in Howard County, Maryland, about south of Baltimore and north of Washington, D.C. It is situated close to the city of Laurel and to the planned community of Columbia.A rich vein of American industrial history lies in Savage...

 in an area that now includes a CarMax
CarMax
CarMax is the United States' largest used-car retailer and a Fortune 500 company. The first CarMax used car auto superstore was opened in September 1993. In the fiscal year ending February 28, 2009, more than 350,000 cars were sold; as of August 2010 the company has 103 locations.- Concept :The...

 dealership, Weis
Weis Markets
Weis Markets, Inc. is a chain of supermarkets based in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, with a presence in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Maryland. In 2011, it operates 162 stores in five states.-History:...

 supermarket, and strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...

.
Board track racing
Board track racing
Board track, or motordrome, racing was a type of motorsport popular in the United States between the second and third decades of the 20th century. Competition was conducted on oval race courses with surfaces composed of wooden planks...

 came to Laurel in 1925 when a 1.125 miles (1.8 km) wood oval track was built by Jack Prince and featured 48 degree banked turns. The Washington-Baltimore automobile speedway had a short lived life with featured races of 16 drivers at a time.

Natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...

 service was extended to the community in 1929.

On May 15, 1972, Governor George Wallace
George Wallace
George Corley Wallace, Jr. was the 45th Governor of Alabama, serving four terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher, he ran for U.S...

 of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

, running for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party, was campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...

ing at a rally in the parking lot of Laurel Shopping Center
Laurel Shopping Center
Laurel Shopping Center is an open air shopping complex located in Laurel, Maryland, on U.S. Route 1 just south of Maryland Route 198, and is positioned next to Laurel Mall.-History:...

, near what is today a Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...

 branch, when he was shot and paralyzed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...

 by Arthur Bremer
Arthur Bremer
Arthur Herman Bremer is an American convicted for an assassination attempt on U.S. Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace on May 15, 1972 in Laurel, Maryland, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life...

, a disturbed, out-of-work janitor (see An Assassin's Diary
An Assassin's Diary
An Assassin's Diary is the title of a book released in 1973 which was based on part of the diary of Arthur Bremer, the would-be assassin of Alabama Governor George Wallace...

).

On June 22, 1972, Laurel was impacted severely by Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...

, which caused the greatest flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...

ing ever recorded in Maryland. Several bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...

s were destroyed and the nearby T. Howard Duckett Dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 at Rocky Gorge Reservoir
Rocky Gorge Reservoir
Rocky Gorge Reservoir is located on the Patuxent River in Howard County, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland near the town of Burtonsville. The reservoir was created in 1952 by the construction of the T. Howard Duckett Dam on the Patuxent. The dam is visible from Interstate 95...

 was at capacity and posed a huge threat.

A former 1840s mill workers' home on the northeast corner of 9th and Main Streets was renovated and opened as the Laurel Museum
Laurel Museum
The Laurel Museum is an 1840s mill workers' home that was restored by the City of Laurel, Maryland and opened to the public on May 1, 1996. Located on the northeast corner of 9th and Main Streets, the museum features exhibits that highlight the history of Laurel and its citizens...

 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
John Calder Brennan
John Calder Brennan , a Laurel, Maryland historian, retired as a personnel specialist for the Federal Reserve. He was a member of the class of 1930 at The Citadel where he majored in English and History...

 Library is open to researchers by appointment.

21st century

On September 24, 2001, a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...

 passed through Laurel
Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. tornado outbreak of 2001
The Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., tornado outbreak of 2001 was the most dramatic recent tornado event to directly affect the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area in the United States...

 and left F3 property damage, including significant roof damage to the Laurel High School
Laurel High School (Laurel, Maryland)
Laurel High School is a public high school located in Laurel, Maryland, and is the oldest school in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. Founded in 1899 with an enrollment of 59 students and four teachers, the original school building is now the Phelps Community Center in Laurel...

 and the historic Harrison-Beard building.

Prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...

, several of the hijack
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...

ers of American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77 was American Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...

 (which crashed into the Pentagon) stayed at various motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...

s in the Laurel area, including the Budget Host Valencia and Pin-Del motels in Howard County
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

 just north of the city limits. The wing of the Valencia where they stayed was demolished and a new Sleep Inn was constructed on the ground, which opened in April 2007. They accessed the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 through public computers at a Kinko's just south of the city limits. The also prepared for the hijacking by working out at a Gold's Gym
Gold's Gym
Gold's Gym International, Inc. is an international chain of co-ed fitness centers originally started in California by Joe Gold. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients...

; a report by FBI Director Mueller states the gym was in Laurel, while other sources list the location as Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...

, several miles to the south.

On August 29, 2005, Laurel adopted Laurel, Mississippi
Laurel, Mississippi
Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...

 as a sister city to help with Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...

 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."

Historic sites

The following is a list of historic sites in Laurel and vicinity identified by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...

 and / or National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

:
Site name Image Location M-NCPPC Inventory Number Comment
1 Avondale Mill
Avondale Mill
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. At that time it was provided with the...

21 Avondale St. n/a Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, September 20, 1979; destroyed 1991
2 Duvall Bridge Telegraph Road at Patuxent River, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is a biological research center in Maryland. It is one of only 17 research centers in the United States run by the U.S. Geological Survey. This USGS research center is located on the U.S...

64-002
3 Laurel High School
Laurel High School (Laurel, Maryland)
Laurel High School is a public high school located in Laurel, Maryland, and is the oldest school in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. Founded in 1899 with an enrollment of 59 students and four teachers, the original school building is now the Phelps Community Center in Laurel...

 (original building) / Phelps Community Center
700 block of Montgomery St n/a Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, June 27, 1979
4 Laurel Railroad Station
Laurel (MARC station)
Laurel is a historic passenger rail station on the MARC Camden Line in Laurel, Maryland, between Union Station in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore's Camden Station....

E. Main St n/a Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, March 30, 1973
5 Montpelier 2.1 mi (3.4 km). E of Laurel on MD 197
Maryland Route 197
Maryland Route 197 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Laurel–Bowie Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 301 in Bowie north to MD 198 in Laurel. In addition to being the main connection between Bowie and Laurel, MD 197 provides access...

62-006 Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, April 17, 1970
6 Oaklands 8314 Contee Road 62-003
7 Snow Hill
Snow Hill (Laurel, Maryland)
Snow Hill is a manor house located south of Laurel, Maryland, off Maryland Route 197, in Prince George's County. Built between 1799 and 1801, the one-and-a-half-story brick house is rectangular, with a gambrel roof, interior end chimneys, and shed dormers. It has a center entrance with transom...

S of Laurel off MD 197
Maryland Route 197
Maryland Route 197 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Laurel–Bowie Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 301 in Bowie north to MD 198 in Laurel. In addition to being the main connection between Bowie and Laurel, MD 197 provides access...

62-004 Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, August 13, 1974
8 Snowden Hall
Snowden Hall (Laurel, Maryland)
Snowden Hall is a historic home located on the grounds of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, outside Laurel in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It stands on open rolling ground approximately ¾-mile west of the Patuxent River...

Building 16, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is a biological research center in Maryland. It is one of only 17 research centers in the United States run by the U.S. Geological Survey. This USGS research center is located on the U.S...

64-001

Geography

Laurel is located at 39°5′45"N 76°51′35"W. The city is situated on the bank of the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in 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...

, which was the power source for the cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....

s 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, the larger area generally known by locals as Laurel spreads eastward into Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...

, northward into Howard County
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

, and west toward (though not into) Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...

.

The ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...

s for the community of Laurel are 20707 through 20709 and 20723 through 20729. Although served by the Laurel post office, Montpelier
Montpelier, Maryland
Montpelier, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA, is a Levitt community outside of the corporate boundaries of Laurel. Located near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, it was built in the late 1960s...

 is not within the city limits
City limits
The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...

; the same is true for the unincorporated communities of Scaggsville
Scaggsville, Maryland
Scaggsville is an unincorporated community in Maryland. It is situated near the southeastern tip of Howard County, between Laurel and Fulton. The name Scaggsville appears on exits for Maryland Route 216 off Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 29. The town mainly consists of residences, with some...

 and Whiskey Bottom
Whiskey Bottom Road
Whiskey Bottom Road is a historic road north of Laurel, Maryland that traverses Anne Arundel and Howard Counties.-Route description:Whiskey Bottom Road runs through North Laurel, Maryland starting at Maryland Route 198 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The road continues westward across U.S...

 in Howard County, and Maryland City
Maryland City, Maryland
Maryland City is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, a suburb of Washington, DC. The population was 6,814 at the 2000 census. It is located east of Laurel, just over the border with Prince George's County, and it has a Laurel zip code...

 and Russett
Russett, Maryland
Russett is an unincorporated planned community of near Laurel, Maryland in far-western Anne Arundel County, situated in a park-like setting complemented by of walking trails and a lake nature preserve....

 in Anne Arundel County.

Climate

Typical of central Maryland, Laurel lies within the Humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...

 zone, with hot humid summers and cool to mild winters with high annual precipitation. Laurel lies within USDA plant hardiness zones 7 and 8 http://www.arborday.org/treeinfo/ZoneInfo.cfm?ZipCode=20724&submit=Look+it+up%21.

Demographics

As of 2010 Laurel had a population of 25,115. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 24.4% non-Hispanic white, 47.8% non-Hispanic black, 0.4% Native American, 3.1% Asian Indian, 6.1% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% non-Hispanic reporting some other race, 3.8% reporting two or more races and 15.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 19,960 people, 8,931 households, and 4,635 families
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...

 residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 5,280.2 people per square mile (2,038.8/km²). There were 9,506 housing units at an average density of 2,514.7 per square mile (971.0/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% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 13.3% had a female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...

 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
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 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
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...

 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 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
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....

 reporting, the Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

 identifies four adjacent unincorporated area
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...

s:
  • West Laurel
    West Laurel, Maryland
    West Laurel is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,083 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Laurel is located at ....

     (upper west)
  • North Laurel
    North Laurel, Maryland
    North Laurel is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,468 at the 2000 census. It is located adjacent to the city of Laurel.right|thumb|North Laurel Community Center opening 3 June 2011-Geography:...

  • Maryland City
    Maryland City, Maryland
    Maryland City is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, a suburb of Washington, DC. The population was 6,814 at the 2000 census. It is located east of Laurel, just over the border with Prince George's County, and it has a Laurel zip code...

     (to the east)
  • South Laurel
    South Laurel, Maryland
    South Laurel is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Laurel is located at ....


Transportation

Laurel is traversed from north to south by U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maryland
U.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...

 (US 1), which links Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...

 with the Canadian border in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

. On the west the city is bordered by Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...

, and beyond the eastern border lies the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
The Baltimore–Washington Parkway is a highway in the U.S. state of Maryland, running southwest from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. The road begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 50 and Maryland Route 201 near Cheverly in Prince George's County at the D.C...

. Crossing all of these highways is the east-west artery of Maryland Route 198
Maryland Route 198
Maryland Route 198 is an east–west state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland that connects Fort Meade at Maryland Route 32 to Maryland Route 28 and Maryland Route 650 near Spencerville.-Spencerville Road:...

 (MD 198), which intersects with US 1 in the heart of Laurel.

Other major state roads in Laurel are MD 216
Maryland Route 216
Maryland Route 216 is a Maryland between Laurel and Highland, primarily within Howard County. The name for Route 216 is Scaggsville Road.-7th Street, Laurel:...

, which connects the city with southern Howard County, and MD 197
Maryland Route 197
Maryland Route 197 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Laurel–Bowie Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 301 in Bowie north to MD 198 in Laurel. In addition to being the main connection between Bowie and Laurel, MD 197 provides access...

, which runs from Laurel to Bowie
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...

. The eastern terminus of MD 200 (the Intercounty Connector) will lie just south of the city limits once the highway between Laurel and Gaithersburg
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...

 is completed.

Suburban Airport
Suburban Airport
Suburban Airport is a public-use airport located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, two miles southeast of the central business district of Laurel...

, a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...

 airport, is located on Brock Bridge Road, just over the Anne Arundel County border. For decades the airport has provided general aviation access for medivac helicopters, flight training, business travelers, and serves as a relief airport for light traffic into and out of the two major regional airports. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the...

 and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to...

 are both within about 25 miles (40.2 km) of Laurel.

Public Transport
Two MARC train stations on the Camden Line to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are located in Laurel: Laurel Station
Laurel (MARC station)
Laurel is a historic passenger rail station on the MARC Camden Line in Laurel, Maryland, between Union Station in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore's Camden Station....

 and Laurel Racetrack Station
Laurel Race Track (MARC station)
Laurel Race Track is a passenger rail station on the MARC Camden Line between Washington, DC and Baltimore's Camden Station. The station was built in 1911 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to serve the Laurel Park Racecourse, as indicated by the name....

, the latter with minimal service. Laurel Station is a particularly notable example of the stations designed by E. Francis Baldwin
Ephraim Francis Baldwin
Ephraim Francis Baldwin was an American architect, best known for his work for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and for the Roman Catholic Church.-Personal life:...

 for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...

.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess...

 (WMATA) Metrobus
Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)
Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are over 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009,...

 service provides four lines into Laurel, and local Connect-a-Ride
Connect-a-Ride
Connect-a-Ride is a bus service serving the greater Laurel, Maryland area and Anne Arundel County, Maryland and is managed by Central Maryland Rapid Transit...

 and Howard Transit
Howard Transit
Howard Transit is the primary public transit system in Howard County, Maryland, which grew from the former ColumBus bus system in Columbia, Maryland...

 bus service is available. Several taxicab and shuttle services also support the region.

Emergency services

The Laurel Police Department is part of the Sixth District of the Prince George's County Police Department
Prince George's County Police Department
The Prince George's County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States, servicing a population of over 850,000 residents and visitors within 498 square miles of jurisdiction.-History:The Prince George's County Police Department...

. The Maryland State Police
Maryland State Police
The Maryland State Police is the official state police force of the state of Maryland. The Maryland State Police is headquartered at 1201 Reisterstown Road in the Pikesville CDP in unincorporated Baltimore County.-Organizational structure:...

 patrol US 1, MD 198, and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...

, which pass through the area, and the United States Park Police
United States Park Police
The United States Park Police is one of the oldest uniformed federal law enforcement agencies in the United States. It functions as a full service law enforcement agency with responsibilities and jurisdiction in those National Park Service areas primarily located in the Washington, D.C., San...

 patrol the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
The Baltimore–Washington Parkway is a highway in the U.S. state of Maryland, running southwest from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. The road begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 50 and Maryland Route 201 near Cheverly in Prince George's County at the D.C...

 and its connectors.

The primary emergency services providers for the City of Laurel and surrounding parts of Prince George’s County are the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department (Company 10) and the Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad (Company 49). Both companies are part of the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department.

The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...

 was formed in 1902. Today the department is located at 7411 Cherry Lane. Volunteer staffing is supplemented by four career personnel from 7:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday excluding holidays. The company operates three fire engines (Engine 101, Engine 103, and Engine 104); and an aerial tower (Tower 10). Ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...

 service began December 11, 2006.

The Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad
Rescue squad
A rescue company is a public service organization that uses specialized equipment and knowledge to rescue people. There are two typical applications: squads that rescue trapped people, and squads that rescue people who are having medical emergencies....

 was formed in 1952. Today the department is located at 14910 Bowie Road. Volunteer staffing is supplemented by four career personnel from 7:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday excluding holidays. The company operates one heavy rescue squad, one rescue-engine, three basic life support ambulances, and a swiftwater rescue
Swiftwater rescue
Swiftwater rescue is a subset of technical rescue dealing in whitewater river conditions. Due to the added pressure of moving water, swiftwater rescue involves the use of specially trained personnel, ropes and mechanical advantage systems that are often much more robust than those used in standard...

 team. A paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...

 unit staffed by two career personnel is also assigned to Company 49.

Laurel Regional Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....

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

Municipal government

Laurel is governed by a 5-member city council and a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

. There are two political ward
Wards of the United States
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city or town, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes...

s 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 by residents of both wards. City Council candidates must reside in Laurel a year before their election and during their full term of office. Similarly, mayoral candidates must reside in the city for at least two years prior to their election.

Nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....

 city-wide elections are held every two years on the first Tuesday in November of the odd year. Phelps Senior Center on the corner of Montgomery Street and 8th Street/St. Mary's Place is the polling place for Ward 1, and the Robert J. DiPietro Community Center on Cypress Road is the polling place for Ward 2 voters. The next election, to select a mayor and city council members, will be held on November 1, 2011 with elected individuals to take office at the second regular City Council meeting that follows (i.e., on November 28, 2011). Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

The council elects one of its members to serve as president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...

. 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 each term
Term of office
Term of office or term in office refers to the length of time a person serves in a particular office.-Prime Minister:In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister has no term limits...

; the mayor serves for four years.

Media and culture

Stanley Memorial Library
Stanley Memorial Library
Stanley Memorial Library is the Laurel, Maryland branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System, located at the intersection of Seventh Street and Talbott Avenue. The library is named after Charles H. Stanley, a city commissioner , mayor , and state comptroller .The library opened in...

, the Laurel branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...

 System, is located at the intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...

 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.

Media

Television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 arrived in Laurel with the establishment of the first TV broadcast stations in Washington in 1946. For decades, Laurel has been served by the TV channels 4, 5, 7, and 9 from Washington, and channels 2, 11, and 13 from Baltimore. In addition, there are dozens of former UHF TV stations from Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...

. From these three cities, scores of AM and FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...

 radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

 stations reach Laurel.

There are two local newspapers: Laurel Leader and The Laurel Gazette
The Gazette (Maryland)
The Gazette publishes weekly community newspapers serving Montgomery, Frederick, Prince George's and Carroll counties in Maryland, including a subscription-based weekend edition covering business and politics throughout the state. The group of papers consistently wins awards from the Suburban...

. In addition, there is one mediumwave
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...

 AM radio
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...

 station, WILC
WILC
WILC is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Contemporary format, licensed in Laurel, Maryland, USA. The station is currently owned by ZGS Communications and features programming from CNN Radio...

 ("Viva 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 Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...

, The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...

and The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....

. Many Laurel residents also read a free newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...

, the Washington Examiner
Washington Examiner
The Washington Examiner is a free daily newspaper published in Springfield, Virginia, and distributed in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. It is owned by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz....

.

In the book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend, Laurel is mentioned several times as an important horse racing venue.

Arts

Local performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...

 outlets include the Venus Theatre
Venus Theatre
The Venus Theatre is a major American regional theater in Laurel, Maryland. The theater was founded by Deborah Randall in 2001. The theatrical company is currently the largest production company in Maryland focussed primarily on the retelling and adaptation of classics. Past productions have won...

, Laurel Mill Playhouse, Central Maryland Chorale
Central Maryland Chorale
The Central Maryland Chorale, formerly known as the Laurel Oratorio Society, is a classical music group based out of Laurel, Maryland. The Laurel Oratorio Society was founded in 1969, and officially incorporated in 1973...

 (formerly Laurel Oratorio Society) and Montpelier Arts Center, which also features an art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...

. Another local exhibitor is the WSSC Art Gallery.

Events

The city government supports an annual LakeFest in May and Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...

 celebration each July. Since 1981, the Laurel Board of Trade
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...

 has sponsored a Main Street Festival (held on Saturday of Mother's Day
Mother's Day (United States)
In the United States, Mother's Day is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well the positive contributions that they make to society....

 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.

Famous people

Future President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

 lived at Mrs. Ray's Boarding House at 327 Montgomery Street in June 1919 during the couple's third year of marriage.

Hall of Fame race horse jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

 Ron Turcotte
Ron Turcotte
Ron Joseph Morel Turcotte, CM is a Hall of Fame thoroughbred race horse jockey best known as the rider of Secretariat, winner of the U.S. Triple Crown in 1973....

 trained at Laurel Park race course in the late 1960s.

Rap artist
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...

 Biz Markie
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...

 moved to Laurel in 1996.

Former Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...

 lead guitarist Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman (guitarist)
Marty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade...

 attended Laurel High School in the 1970s.

Laurel is the hometown of Olympic short track speed skater Simon Cho
Simon Cho
Simon Cho is an American short track speed skater who was a member of the US Olympic Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.-Early life:...

.

National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 Tight End Visanthe Shiancoe
Visanthe Shiancoe
Visanthe Shiancoe is an American football tight end who currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.-High school:...

 is from Laurel.

Public schools within city limits

Prince George's County Public Schools
Prince George's County Public Schools
The Prince George's County Public Schools system is a large school district administered by the government of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States and is overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education...

 serves residents within Laurel's city limits.

City residents are zoned to Laurel Elementary School or Scotchtown Hills Elementary School, both within the city limits.

Two public middle schools in the Laurel area, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Schools in Prince George's County, serve the actual city of Laurel.

Laurel High School
Laurel High School (Laurel, Maryland)
Laurel High School is a public high school located in Laurel, Maryland, and is the oldest school in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. Founded in 1899 with an enrollment of 59 students and four teachers, the original school building is now the Phelps Community Center in Laurel...

 serves the city of Laurel.

Public schools nearby

Nearby elementary schools serving areas outside of the Laurel city limits 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.

Areas near Laurel in adjacent counties are served by MacArthur and Meade Middle Schools in Anne Arundel County and Hammond and Murray Hill Middle Schools in Howard County.

Other public high schools which serve the adjacent areas outside Prince George's County include Meade High School
Meade Senior High School
Meade Senior High School is a public secondary school for grades 9 through 12 located at Fort Meade, Maryland and is administered by Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Since its opening in 1977, Meade High School has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools...

 in Anne Arundel County and Atholton
Atholton High School
Atholton High School is a high school in Columbia, Maryland and is a part of the Howard County public school system. The school opened in 1966, is scheduled for a major systemic renovation in FY12 and hosts a JROTC program. The mascot is the Raider and colors are green and white. It features...

, Hammond
Hammond High School (Columbia, Maryland)
Hammond High School, established in 1976, is a public secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland and is part of the Howard County Public School System. It is located near the Kings Contrivance Village Center, south of Maryland Route 32, east of U.S...

 and Reservoir High School
Reservoir High School
Reservoir High School is a public high school in Fulton, Maryland, United States. It was opened in 2002 and is a part of the Howard County public school system. The school's mascot, logo, colors, and fight song were the same as those of the University of Florida...

s in Howard County. A notable magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...

 in Prince George's County is Eleanor Roosevelt High School.

District of Columbia alternative school

District of Columbia Public Schools
District of Columbia Public Schools
District of Columbia Public Schools is the traditional public school system of Washington, D.C. in the United States.- Composition and enrollment :...

 operates an alternative middle and high school near Laurel named Maya Angelou Academy
Maya Angelou Academy
The Maya Angelou Academy at New Beginnings, renamed from Oak Hill Academy in May 2009, is an alternative school operated by the non-profit See Forever Foundation...

.

Private schools

  • Augsburg Academy – Christian Day School; age 4 through grade 9
  • Faith Baptist Christian School – Pre-K through grade 8
  • First Baptist School of Laurel – Pre-K through grade 8
  • Julia Brown Montesorri
    Montessori method
    Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. Montessori education is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children from birth to eighteen years old.-Overview:...

     School – Pre-K through grade 3
  • Kiddie Academy of Laurel – for ages 6 weeks through 12 years
  • Kiddies Kollege Christian Center – for ages 2 years through 5 years
  • Laurel Baptist Academy – kindergarten
    Kindergarten
    A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...

     through grade 12
  • Pallotti Day Care Center – Catholic
    Catholic
    The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

     kindergarten
  • St. Mary of the Mills School – Catholic kindergarten through grade 8
  • St. Vincent Pallotti High School
    St. Vincent Pallotti High School
    St. Vincent Pallotti Preparatory High School, usually called Pallotti, is a private school located in eastern Laurel, Maryland. It was founded by the Pallottines in 1921 and is within in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington....

     – Catholic high school

Colleges, universities, and trade schools

Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College is a community college located in the unincorporated community of Largo in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States...

 and Howard Community College
Howard Community College
Howard Community College is a community college in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland. HCC, in partnership with Prince George's Community College and 5 four year colleges, also has a campus in Laurel that is known as Laurel College Center...

 share a campus in Laurel called the Laurel College Center.

Capitol College
Capitol College
Capitol College is a private, non-profit, and non-sectarian college located just south of Laurel, Maryland, in unincorporated Prince George's County. It was founded in 1927 as the Capitol Radio Engineering Institute, changed its name to the Capitol Institute of Technology in 1964, and assumed its...

 is located south of Laurel.

The Anne Arundel County section of Laurel hosts the Woodland Job Corps
Job Corps
Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free-of-charge education and vocational training to youth ages 16 to 24.-Mission and purpose:...

 Center.

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. Events are held among eleven city parks, three athletic fields, and three community centers. The city also operates a municipal swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...

 and tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...

s. Four indoor facilities and seven outdoor facilities are available for private rental.

The Fairland Sports and Athletic Complex on the grounds of the Fairland Regional Park, southwest of the city limits, is operated by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...

. These facilities offer a broad variety of activities including swimming, gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

, tennis, racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...

, weight training
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...

, child sitting, and massage
Massage
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...

 therapy.

Also located within Fairland Regional Park, The Gardens Ice House skating facility offers three rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...

s for ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...

 lessons, public skating, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

, hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...

, speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...

, and curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...

. Recent additional activities include basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 and lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...

. The Gardens Ice House is also home to the Washington Jr. Nationals
Washington Jr. Nationals
The Washington Junior Nationals are an USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Jr. A ice hockey team from Laurel, Maryland. Until the 2010-11 season the team played in Arlington, Virginia at the 1,200-seat Kettler Capitals Iceplex, official practice facility of the Washington Capitals, but now play at the...

 Tier III Junior A
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...

 ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 team, playing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League
Atlantic Junior Hockey League
The Atlantic Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior ice hockey league with 12 teams in the Northeastern part of the United States...

.

The Laurel Roller Skating Center, just north of the city limits, provides a location for public roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...

, and AMF Bowling Center
AMF Bowling Center
AMF Bowling Centers, Inc. is the world's largest owner and operator of bowling centers, employing more than 10,000 people. The centers offer multi-lane Ten-pin bowling for all ages, support league play, and local events such as Dollar Mania and Late Night College Fest as well as Xtreme Bowling...

s has a location in Laurel.

External links

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