Olney, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Olney, a census-designated place
and an unincorporated area of Montgomery County, Maryland
, USA, is located in the north central part of the county, twenty miles (32 km) north of Washington, D.C.
It was largely agricultural until the 1960s, when growth of the Washington suburbs led to its conversion into a mostly residential area. As generally defined, Olney had a total population of 31,438 in the 2000 census. In July 2007, Money magazine
ranked Olney as 17 (the highest ranked town in Maryland) out of the top 100 in its "America's Best Places To Live" edition.
poet
William Cowper
, and named their home after the poet's hometown. The area was in turn named for their home, which still stands and is known as the Olney House.
The Brooke family held the largest tracts of land in Olney, whose central village was at the intersection of the Rockville
to Baltimore road, and the one which connected Washington with Westminster, Maryland
, to the north. The Quaker community in Sandy Spring
thrived just to Olney's east. The Sandy Spring Museum is a historical museum featuring educational programs and displays. St. John's Episcopal Church was established in 1842 and survives to this day.
After the siege of Washington by the British in 1814 during the War of 1812
, President Madison and his family passed through Olney en route to taking refuge in the neighboring town of Brookeville
. Although not as involved in the Civil War
as areas of Maryland to the west, Olney residents still experienced the tug-of-war between loyalty to the plantation economy of the South and to the Federal government in Maryland's midst.
defines a Census-Designated Place
of Olney centered at 39°9' North and 77°5' West. It has a total area of 13 square miles (33.7 km²). None of the area is covered with water.
Olney's town center sits at the intersection of state route 97 (Georgia Ave.) and route 108 (Olney-Laytonsville Road). The town, larger than any other in the neighboring areas, lies south of Brookeville, west of Sandy Spring, east of Rockville and north of Aspen Hill.
, there were 31,438 people, 10,274 households, and 8,650 families residing in the area. The population density
is 2,420.1 people per square mile (934.4/km²). There are 10,415 housing units at an average density of 801.7 per square mile (309.6/km²). The racial makeup of the area is 79.04% White, 8.78% African American, 8.03% Asian, 5.01% Hispanic or Latino, and 0.48% Native American.
There are 10,274 households, of which 49.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% are married couples
living together, 10.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% are non-families. The average household size is 3.04 and the average family size is 3.34.
31.2% of residents are under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 93.5 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median household income is $116,319, and the median family income is $126,849. Males have a median income of $69,911 versus $45,818 for females. The per capita income
for the area is $35,267. 2.6% of the population and 1.9% of families are below the poverty line.
Olney, Maryland has the distinction of having the highest per-capita population of cutters in the United States
. Nearly 12% of high school youths answered a survey indicating that they had engaged in self-mutilation. Demographers and social psychologists have attributed this high proportion of "cutting behavior" to the dark underside of suburban living that contrasts sharply with the seemingly idyllic exterior of Olney.
Playgrounds, playing fields and courts are available throughout Olney and the surrounding area. Many of the parks are public and some belong to homeowners or other private associations. Public parks include Olney Manor Park (featuring the Olney Swim Center, a year-round indoor public pool), Southeast Olney Park, Longwood Park, Cherrywood Park, Bowie Mill Park, and the OBGC Park at Freeman Fields.
Olney is also home to a private country club and a golf driving range.
clusters that bisect Olney, with some children attending elementary and middle schools that send students on to Magruder High School
and others attending schools that send students to Sherwood High School or James Hubert Blake High School
. The new Our Lady Of Good Counsel High School
building opened in January 2007, enabling the Roman Catholic high school to relocate to Olney from Wheaton, Maryland
. The new building of Washington Christian Academy
recently opened in Olney, completing its long term goal to relocate to the blossoming suburb.
http://WoodlawnManorMuseum.com where visitors may learn more about the area or visit historic Woodlawn Manor c 1800 for Tea & Tour. Olney is also home to Montgomery General Hospital
, a branch of the Montgomery County Library, the Olney Aquatic Center, and the Norbeck golf course.
The Olney Theatre
presents professional level dramatic and musical live theatrical productions in its large and modern playhouse on the East edge of town, drawing audiences from across the Maryland and DC region.
Olney is also home to the Olney Big Band and Olney Concert Band. The Olney Concert Band is directed by Brian Damron, who is also a music teacher at James Hubert Blake High School.
, commonly known as OSTT, is a modern orthodox synagogue located on Georgia Avenue in Olney.
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...
and an unincorporated area of Montgomery County, Maryland
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...
, USA, is located in the north central part of the county, twenty miles (32 km) north of 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....
It was largely agricultural until the 1960s, when growth of the Washington suburbs led to its conversion into a mostly residential area. As generally defined, Olney had a total population of 31,438 in the 2000 census. In July 2007, Money magazine
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
ranked Olney as 17 (the highest ranked town in Maryland) out of the top 100 in its "America's Best Places To Live" edition.
History
Originally known as Mechanicsville, the village which became Olney was established in 1800. The area was mostly farmland, but it soon began attracting artisans. Early residents Sarah Brooke and Dr. Charles Farquhar were devotees of the EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
William Cowper
William Cowper
William Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry...
, and named their home after the poet's hometown. The area was in turn named for their home, which still stands and is known as the Olney House.
The Brooke family held the largest tracts of land in Olney, whose central village was at the intersection of the Rockville
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
to Baltimore road, and the one which connected Washington with Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
, to the north. The Quaker community in Sandy Spring
Sandy Spring, Maryland
Sandy Spring, Maryland is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland.The community was founded by Quakers who arrived in the early 18th century searching for land where they could grow tobacco and corn. One of the very early land owners in the Sandy Spring area was Richard Snowden,...
thrived just to Olney's east. The Sandy Spring Museum is a historical museum featuring educational programs and displays. St. John's Episcopal Church was established in 1842 and survives to this day.
After the siege of Washington by the British in 1814 during the War of 1812
War 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...
, President Madison and his family passed through Olney en route to taking refuge in the neighboring town of Brookeville
Brookeville, Maryland
Brookeville is a town located twenty miles north of Washington, D.C. and two miles north of Olney in northeastern Montgomery County, Maryland. Brookeville was settled by Quakers late in the 18th century, and was formally incorporated as a town in 1808...
. Although not as involved in 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...
as areas of Maryland to the west, Olney residents still experienced the tug-of-war between loyalty to the plantation economy of the South and to the Federal government in Maryland's midst.
Geography
As an unincorporated area, Olney's boundaries are not officially defined. The United States Census BureauUnited 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...
defines a Census-Designated Place
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...
of Olney centered at 39°9' North and 77°5' West. It has a total area of 13 square miles (33.7 km²). None of the area is covered with water.
Olney's town center sits at the intersection of state route 97 (Georgia Ave.) and route 108 (Olney-Laytonsville Road). The town, larger than any other in the neighboring areas, lies south of Brookeville, west of Sandy Spring, east of Rockville and north of Aspen Hill.
Demographics
At the 2000 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...
, there were 31,438 people, 10,274 households, and 8,650 families residing in the area. 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...
is 2,420.1 people per square mile (934.4/km²). There are 10,415 housing units at an average density of 801.7 per square mile (309.6/km²). The racial makeup of the area is 79.04% White, 8.78% African American, 8.03% Asian, 5.01% Hispanic or Latino, and 0.48% Native American.
There are 10,274 households, of which 49.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% are 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, 10.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% are non-families. The average household size is 3.04 and the average family size is 3.34.
31.2% of residents are under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 93.5 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median household income is $116,319, and the median family income is $126,849. Males have a median income of $69,911 versus $45,818 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 area is $35,267. 2.6% of the population and 1.9% of families are below the poverty line.
Olney, Maryland has the distinction of having the highest per-capita population of cutters in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Nearly 12% of high school youths answered a survey indicating that they had engaged in self-mutilation. Demographers and social psychologists have attributed this high proportion of "cutting behavior" to the dark underside of suburban living that contrasts sharply with the seemingly idyllic exterior of Olney.
Recreational facilities
Olney is also home to a private country club and a golf driving range.
Education
Olney has various public and private schools, including three private elementary schools. Brooke Grove Elementary School, a public elementary school in Olney, was awarded the prestigious Blue Ribbon School for Excellence. There are three Montgomery County Public SchoolMontgomery County Public Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools ' is a school district that serves Montgomery County, Maryland, USA. It is the largest school district in Maryland. As of the 2009–2010 school year, the district had 11,500 FTE teachers serving 141,777 students at 200 schools.Students in the district score among the...
clusters that bisect Olney, with some children attending elementary and middle schools that send students on to Magruder High School
Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School
Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School is a secondary public school located in Rockville , Maryland.Magruder is named for Colonel Zadok Magruder, a Revolutionary War patriot and farmer. He was colonel in command of part of the Maryland militia and helped establish Montgomery County's government in...
and others attending schools that send students to Sherwood High School or James Hubert Blake High School
James Hubert Blake High School
James Hubert Blake High School is a secondary school located in Silver Spring, an unincorporated section of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States....
. The new Our Lady Of Good Counsel High School
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (Montgomery County, Maryland)
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School is a private, Catholic, college-preparatory high school in Olney, an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington....
building opened in January 2007, enabling the Roman Catholic high school to relocate to Olney from Wheaton, Maryland
Wheaton, Maryland
Wheaton is an unincorporated, urbanized area in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, north of Washington, D.C., northwest of Silver Spring. Wheaton takes its name from Frank Wheaton , a career officer in the United States Army and volunteer from Rhode Island in the Union Army who rose to the rank of...
. The new building of Washington Christian Academy
Washington Christian Academy
Washington Christian Academy is a private Christian school originally established in 1960 and presently located in Olney, Maryland at a new campus that was finished in 2008...
recently opened in Olney, completing its long term goal to relocate to the blossoming suburb.
Arts and community activities
Although largely a residential area, Olney maintains ties to its cultural past. The stately Olney Inn was destroyed by fire in March, 1978, but the historic Olney Ale House continues to operate on the east edge of town. Farther east lies the Sandy Spring Museum and Woodlawn Manor Living History Museumhttp://WoodlawnManorMuseum.com where visitors may learn more about the area or visit historic Woodlawn Manor c 1800 for Tea & Tour. Olney is also home to Montgomery General Hospital
Montgomery General Hospital
Montgomery General Hospital is a large hospital in Olney, Maryland. The hospital is a member of MedStar Health.- External links :*...
, a branch of the Montgomery County Library, the Olney Aquatic Center, and the Norbeck golf course.
The Olney Theatre
Olney Theatre
Located just north of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County, Maryland, the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts offers a diverse array of professional productions year-round that enrich, nurture and challenge a broad range of artists, audiences and students...
presents professional level dramatic and musical live theatrical productions in its large and modern playhouse on the East edge of town, drawing audiences from across the Maryland and DC region.
Olney is also home to the Olney Big Band and Olney Concert Band. The Olney Concert Band is directed by Brian Damron, who is also a music teacher at James Hubert Blake High School.
Religious institutions
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah Congregation of OlneyOhev Shalom Talmud Torah Congregation of Olney
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah Congregation of Olney , commonly known as OSTT, is a modern orthodox synagogue located on Georgia Avenue in Olney, Maryland.-History:...
, commonly known as OSTT, is a modern orthodox synagogue located on Georgia Avenue in Olney.
Notable residents
- Harold L. IckesHarold L. IckesHarold LeClair Ickes was a United States administrator and politician. He served as United States Secretary of the Interior for 13 years, from 1933 to 1946, the longest tenure of anyone to hold the office, and the second longest serving Cabinet member in U.S. history next to James Wilson. Ickes...
, President Roosevelt'sFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
Secretary of InteriorUnited States Secretary of the InteriorThe United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
, owned a 250 acres (1 km²) farm from 1937 until his death in 1952. His wife maintained the farm after his death until she sold it in 1971. The Ickes' large white house still stands in the middle of the original core of the Olney Oaks development/subdivision. - Frank MillerFrank Miller (comics)Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
, an artistArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and film directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
best known for his film noirFilm noirFilm noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
-style comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
stories, is an Olney native. - Johnny "Cakes" Auville, from the JunkiesThe JunkiesThe Sports Junkies, also known as The Junkies, are the hosts of an eponymous morning drive time radio show aired in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The hosts are John Auville, Eric Bickel, Jason Bishop and John-Paul Flaim. Their show is heard on WJFK-FM, at 106.7 on the FM radio dial...
on 106.7 WJFKWJFK-FMWJFK-FM, known on-air as 106.7 The Fan, is a sports radio-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Manassas, Virginia, serving the metro Washington DC area...
, resides in Olney.