Leonardtown, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Leonardtown is a town in and the county seat
of St. Mary's County, Maryland
, United States
. The population was 1,896 at the 2000 census. Leonardtown is perhaps most famous for the national oyster
-shucking championship that occurs annually at the St. Mary's County fairgrounds.
Historic Leonardtown includes both a large public high school
and a Catholic high school
, offices of the county government, and St. Mary's Hospital which serves the healthcare needs of the county. The College of Southern Maryland
maintains a growing satellite campus within city limits. An upscale home development located in the Breton Bay area is just outside of town, notable for both its country club golf course and swimming pool.
Leonardtown's population is growing due to the town's proximity to Patuxent River Naval Air Station
and the Washington, DC metro area. Several new ethnic restaurants and an upscale supermarket opened during 2006 and 2007. Two recently constructed hotels are open for business within city limits. An old order Mennonite
farming community is a few miles to the northwest where community members sell furniture, crafts, produce, and other homemade/home grown products. The Leonardtown Wharf waterfront park opened as a public attraction for both locals and tourists in May 2008.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), all of it land.
, who was Maryland's Governor during this period. In the decades that followed, Leonard Town became the place where local residents conducted their official business with the colony. Farm products were regularly shipped through the port.
, the British
blockaded the Chesapeake Bay
. 1,000 British Marines invaded the town. This crippled the Tidewater economy and subjected areas to repeated British plundering and destruction. By 1860, the Town had approximately 35 dwellings within these corporate limits. It was home to the County's newspaper, two hotels and several stores. During the American Civil War
, a Union
Naval contingent occupied Leonardtown, searching all houses for weapons and supplies intended for shipment across the Potomac River
to Virginia
as Southern Maryland
and the town's sympathies lay with the Confederacy
. Leonardtown served as a busy port and steamboat
landing. Until the passing of the steamboat era, steamboats carried goods and passengers all over the Chesapeake Bay area well into the 20th century, and a floating theater docked each year at the port, providing entertainment.
The Naval Air Base located at Patuxent River
has boosted the economy in Leonardtown largely. Many families have relocated to Leonardtown as a result of the base.
St. Andrew's Church
and Tudor Hall
were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973.
of 2000, there were 1,896 people, 598 households, and 367 families residing in the town. The population density
was 611.0 people per square mile (236.1/km²). There were 646 housing units at an average density of 208.2 per square mile (80.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 70.78% White, 26.00% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.48% Asian, 0.37% from other races
, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 598 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples
living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% 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 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 15.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 30.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,563, and the median income for a family was $42,083. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $25,125 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,614. About 12.9% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of St. Mary's County, 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...
. The population was 1,896 at the 2000 census. Leonardtown is perhaps most famous for the national oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
-shucking championship that occurs annually at the St. Mary's County fairgrounds.
Historic Leonardtown includes both a large public high school
Leonardtown High School
Leonardtown High School is a comprehensive public high school of 2,187 students in grades 9-12. It offers college preparatory programs and programs that prepare students for business and technical occupations. It serves the community in the central portion of St. Mary's County, Maryland, between...
and a Catholic high school
St. Mary's Ryken High School
St. Mary's Ryken, located on an campus on Breton Bay, is a coeducational, secondary school sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers.The campus has a 1,000-seat sports stadium with a turf field and six-lane track and six buildings: Paschal Hall; Rupert Hall; Romuald Hall; Xavier Hall; Alumni Hall ; and...
, offices of the county government, and St. Mary's Hospital which serves the healthcare needs of the county. The College of Southern Maryland
College of Southern Maryland
The College of Southern Maryland in La Plata, Maryland, is a public, regional community college, serving Southern Maryland Charles County, St. Mary's County, and Calvert County.-History:...
maintains a growing satellite campus within city limits. An upscale home development located in the Breton Bay area is just outside of town, notable for both its country club golf course and swimming pool.
Leonardtown's population is growing due to the town's proximity to Patuxent River Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station Patuxent River
"Pax River" redirects here. For the river, see Patuxent River.Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States Naval Air Station located in St. Mary's County, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to the U.S...
and the Washington, DC metro area. Several new ethnic restaurants and an upscale supermarket opened during 2006 and 2007. Two recently constructed hotels are open for business within city limits. An old order Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
farming community is a few miles to the northwest where community members sell furniture, crafts, produce, and other homemade/home grown products. The Leonardtown Wharf waterfront park opened as a public attraction for both locals and tourists in May 2008.
Geography
Leonardtown is located at 38°17′43"N 76°38′17"W (38.295332, -76.637939).According to the United States 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...
, the town has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), all of it land.
Early History
Records indicate that by 1654, county court was conducted at the house of John Hammond in the area known as "Newtown" or "Newtowne Hundred". During the late 17th century, it appears that court was held at various homes throughout Newtown, and that it wasn't until 1708 that an official town with a designated courthouse was established. It was during this same year that Phillip Lynes, then Mayor of St. Mary's City, Maryland's Colonial Capital, designated fifty acres of land at the head of "Brittons Bay" to be divided into 100 lots. He further ordered that one lot be set aside for a county courthouse to be built at an expense not to exceed 12,000 pounds of tobacco. At this time, Newtown was promptly renamed Seymour Town in honor of Governor John Seymour. Nearly 20 years later, Seymour Town was renamed again to Leonard Town in honor of Benedict Leonard CalvertBenedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore
Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore, 10th Proprietary Governor of Maryland was an English nobleman and politician. He was the second son of Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore by Jane Lowe. He became his father's heir upon the death of his elder brother, Cecil in 1681...
, who was Maryland's Governor during this period. In the decades that followed, Leonard Town became the place where local residents conducted their official business with the colony. Farm products were regularly shipped through the port.
The 19th Century
During the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
blockaded the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. 1,000 British Marines invaded the town. This crippled the Tidewater economy and subjected areas to repeated British plundering and destruction. By 1860, the Town had approximately 35 dwellings within these corporate limits. It was home to the County's newspaper, two hotels and several stores. During the American 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...
, a Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Naval contingent occupied Leonardtown, searching all houses for weapons and supplies intended for shipment across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
as Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
and the town's sympathies lay with the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. Leonardtown served as a busy port and steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
landing. Until the passing of the steamboat era, steamboats carried goods and passengers all over the Chesapeake Bay area well into the 20th century, and a floating theater docked each year at the port, providing entertainment.
The 20th Century to the Present
Historic Leonardtown remains the only incorporated municipality in St. Mary's County with its own elected Mayor and Town Council. The Town is experiencing a renaissance of its downtown as witnessed by recent openings of several new restaurants and businesses, some of which are located in historic buildings. The town is currently being revitalized starting with the transformation of the Leonardtown Wharf at the foot of Washington Street into a public waterfront park along with the inclusion of a mix of retail shops, office space, a first-class hotel, and residential units. Facilities for boating, kayaking and canoeing are also planned.The Naval Air Base located at 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...
has boosted the economy in Leonardtown largely. Many families have relocated to Leonardtown as a result of the base.
St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Church (Leonardtown, Maryland)
St. Andrew's Church is an historic church located at 44078 St. Andrew's Church Road, California near Leonardtown, St. Mary's County, Maryland. It was built in 1766 to serve as the parish church of St. Andrew's Parish, which had been established in 1744...
and Tudor Hall
Tudor Hall (Leonardtown, Maryland)
Tudor Hall is a historic home located at Leonardtown, St. Mary's County, Maryland. It is a large, rectangular, -story, Georgian brick building built about 1798. It is one of the oldest buildings in Leonardtown, which was created by the Maryland Legislature in 1720. It is home to the St...
were 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 1973.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 1,896 people, 598 households, and 367 families residing in the town. 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 611.0 people per square mile (236.1/km²). There were 646 housing units at an average density of 208.2 per square mile (80.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 70.78% White, 26.00% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.48% Asian, 0.37% 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 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 598 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% 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, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% 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 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 15.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 30.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,563, and the median income for a family was $42,083. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $25,125 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 town was $16,614. About 12.9% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.
See also
- Moll DyerMoll DyerMoll Dyer is the name of a legendary 17th-century resident of Leonardtown, Maryland who was said to have been accused of witchcraft and chased out of her home by the local townsfolk on a winter night. Her body was found a few days later, partially frozen to a large stone. Stories say her spirit...
- St. Mary's County
- Southern MarylandSouthern MarylandSouthern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
- Patuxent River Naval Air StationNaval Air Station Patuxent River"Pax River" redirects here. For the river, see Patuxent River.Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States Naval Air Station located in St. Mary's County, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to the U.S...
- St. Mary's County Public SchoolsSt. Mary's County Public SchoolsSt. Mary's County Public Schools is a school district that serves St. Mary's County, Maryland, USA, at the confluence of the Potomac River, Patuxent River, and Chesapeake Bay. The area is a mixture of rural and suburban communities. Many of the families are employed by NAS Patuxent River,...
- Leonardtown High SchoolLeonardtown High SchoolLeonardtown High School is a comprehensive public high school of 2,187 students in grades 9-12. It offers college preparatory programs and programs that prepare students for business and technical occupations. It serves the community in the central portion of St. Mary's County, Maryland, between...
- St. Mary's Ryken High SchoolSt. Mary's Ryken High SchoolSt. Mary's Ryken, located on an campus on Breton Bay, is a coeducational, secondary school sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers.The campus has a 1,000-seat sports stadium with a turf field and six-lane track and six buildings: Paschal Hall; Rupert Hall; Romuald Hall; Xavier Hall; Alumni Hall ; and...
- St. Mary's Hospital