Poolesville, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Poolesville is a town in Montgomery County
, Maryland
United States
with a population of approximately 5000 people. It is surrounded by (but is technically not part of) the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve
, and is considered a distant bedroom community for commuters to Washington, DC.
The name of the town comes from the brothers John Poole, Sr. and Joseph Poole, Sr. who owned land in what is now Poolesville. Due to a historical anomaly, until 2010 the legal name of the town was "The Commissioners of Poolesville". Residents overwhelmingly voted to formally change the name to "The Town of Poolesville" in the November, 2010 general election.
During the Civil War
Union military leaders realized that the shallow fords of the Potomac River
posed a threat to the capital city
. At certain times of the year the Potomac River is shallow enough to cross and thus thousands of troops were moved to both Darnestown and Poolesville. The Corps of Observation was established just outside of Poolesville and soldiers were stationed near the river to watch for Confederate incursions into Maryland. During the winter of 1861-1862 it is estimated that 20,000 Union troops were stationed in or around the town. There were no battles fought in Poolesville; however, the infamous Battle of Ball's Bluff
was fought nearby on October 21, 1861. Hundreds of Union soldiers who were stationed in Poolesville were killed in this battle that was badly managed by inexperienced Union generals.
There were several Confederate raids into the town during the war and the Confederate Army invaded Maryland by crossing the Potomac near Poolesville in both 1862 and 1864. The old Poolesville Methodist Church cemetery contains the remains of approximately twenty soldiers who either were killed in action at Bulls Bluff or who died of illness while in camp.
The Poolesville Historic District
was listed in 1975 on the National Register of Historic Places
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²) which is all land.
of 2000, there were 5,151 people, 1,601 households, and 1,402 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,333.8 people per square mile (515.2/km²). There were 1,630 housing units at an average density of 422.1 per square mile (163.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town in 2000 was 93.57% White, 2.85% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 1.4% from other races
, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.68% of the population.
There were 1,601 households out of which 56.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.6% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.4% were non-families. 9.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.22 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the town the population was spread out with 35.0% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 3.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $85,092, and the median income for a family was $88,916. Males had a median income of $60,596 versus $42,051 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,211. About 2.5% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
. Three schools are located in Poolesville: Poolesville High School
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/poolesvillehs/index.html, John Poole Middle School
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/poolems/, and Poolesville Elementary School http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/poolesvillees/. Monacacy Elementary School http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/monocacyes/ in Dickerson
also feeds into John Poole MS.
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...
, 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...
with a population of approximately 5000 people. It is surrounded by (but is technically not part of) the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve
Montgomery County, Maryland Agricultural Reserve
The Montgomery County, Maryland, Agricultural Reserve was created in 1980 by Royce Hanson to preserve farmland and rural space in Montgomery County, Maryland. Some 10,000 people work within the Reserve, which covers about one-quarter of the county's total area...
, and is considered a distant bedroom community for commuters to Washington, DC.
The name of the town comes from the brothers John Poole, Sr. and Joseph Poole, Sr. who owned land in what is now Poolesville. Due to a historical anomaly, until 2010 the legal name of the town was "The Commissioners of Poolesville". Residents overwhelmingly voted to formally change the name to "The Town of Poolesville" in the November, 2010 general election.
Government
Poolesville is governed by five commissioners elected in staggered 4-year terms. Commissioners are not paid. The commissioners elect among themselves a president (known informally as "the mayor") and vice president. A Town Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the town. Six Boards and Commissions assist the commissioners: the Planning Commission, Parks Board, Board of Elections, Sign Review Board, Board of Zoning Appeals, and Ethics Commission.History
In 1760, brothers John Poole, Sr. and Joseph Poole, Sr. purchased 160 acre (0.6474976 km²; 0.250000221043486 sq mi) acres in the area that is now Poolesville. Thirty-three years later, John Poole, Jr. used a 15 acre (0.0607029 km²) tract that he inherited from his father to build a log store and subdivided the tract, selling portions to a number of other merchants. The settlement grew from there and was incorporated in 1867.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...
Union military leaders realized that the shallow fords of 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...
posed a threat to the capital city
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....
. At certain times of the year the Potomac River is shallow enough to cross and thus thousands of troops were moved to both Darnestown and Poolesville. The Corps of Observation was established just outside of Poolesville and soldiers were stationed near the river to watch for Confederate incursions into Maryland. During the winter of 1861-1862 it is estimated that 20,000 Union troops were stationed in or around the town. There were no battles fought in Poolesville; however, the infamous Battle of Ball's Bluff
Battle of Ball's Bluff
The Battle of Ball's Bluff, also known as the Battle of Harrison’s Island or the Battle of Leesburg, was fought on October 21, 1861, in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Union Maj. Gen. George B...
was fought nearby on October 21, 1861. Hundreds of Union soldiers who were stationed in Poolesville were killed in this battle that was badly managed by inexperienced Union generals.
There were several Confederate raids into the town during the war and the Confederate Army invaded Maryland by crossing the Potomac near Poolesville in both 1862 and 1864. The old Poolesville Methodist Church cemetery contains the remains of approximately twenty soldiers who either were killed in action at Bulls Bluff or who died of illness while in camp.
The Poolesville Historic District
Poolesville Historic District
The Poolesville Historic District is a national historic district located at Poolesville, Montgomery County, Maryland. It consists of 33 buildings of local architectural and / or historical significance including structures representing a diversity of styles, materials, and usages, and includes...
was listed in 1975 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...
.
Geography
Poolesville is located at 39°8′26"N 77°24′30"W (39.140540, -77.408461).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 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²) which is all land.
Per 2000 Census
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 5,151 people, 1,601 households, and 1,402 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 1,333.8 people per square mile (515.2/km²). There were 1,630 housing units at an average density of 422.1 per square mile (163.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town in 2000 was 93.57% White, 2.85% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 1.4% 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 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.68% of the population.
There were 1,601 households out of which 56.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.6% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.4% were non-families. 9.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.22 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the town the population was spread out with 35.0% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 3.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $85,092, and the median income for a family was $88,916. Males had a median income of $60,596 versus $42,051 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 $30,211. About 2.5% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Per 2010 Census
Information available from the 2010 Census as of April, 2011 indicated that the current population was 4,883, giving a population density of 1,193.2 people per square mile (460.7/km²). The current racial makeup of the town is 88.4% White, 5.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race are 6.3% of the population.Education
Poolesville is served by Montgomery County Public SchoolsMontgomery 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...
. Three schools are located in Poolesville: Poolesville High School
Poolesville High School
Poolesville High School is a public high school located in Poolesville, Maryland. It is home to a Global Ecology Studies Program, a Math Science/Computer Science Magnet Program, and a Humanities Program.-History:...
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/poolesvillehs/index.html, John Poole Middle School
John Poole Middle School
John Poole Middle School is a public school for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 located in Poolesville, Maryland. It is the only middle school that feeds to Poolesville High School...
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/poolems/, and Poolesville Elementary School http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/poolesvillees/. Monacacy Elementary School http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/monocacyes/ in Dickerson
Dickerson, Maryland
Dickerson is an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located on Maryland Route 28, between Sugarloaf Mountain and the Potomac River. It is a community situated near the town of Poolesville, Maryland. Dickerson is .-History of Dickerson:...
also feeds into John Poole MS.
Notable people of Poolesville
- Thomas PlaterThomas PlaterThomas Plater was an American lawyer and politician from Maryland. He represented the third district of Maryland in the U.S. House from 1801 to 1805....
, U.S. Congressman for Maryland's 3rd District, 1801–1805, died in Poolesville.