Bowie, Maryland: Difference between revisions
imported>Adavidb m →top: and → it is also |
(No difference)
|
Latest revision as of 05:31, 19 April 2025
Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement
Bowie (Template:IPAc-en) is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.<ref>Template:Cite GNIS</ref> Per the 2020 census, the population was 58,329.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County; it is also the fifth most populous city<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and third largest city by area in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2014, CNN Money ranked Bowie 28th in its Best Places to Live (in the United States) list.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city is home to Bowie State University, Maryland's oldest historically black university.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
History
[edit]19th century
[edit]The city of Bowie owes its existence to the railway. In 1853, Colonel William Duckett Bowie obtained a charter from the Maryland legislature to construct a rail line into Southern Maryland. In 1869, the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Company began the construction of a railroad from Baltimore to Southern Maryland, terminating in Pope's Creek. The area had already been dotted with small farms and large tobacco plantations in an economy based on agriculture and slavery. In 1870, Ben Plumb, a land speculator and developer, sold building lots around the railroad junction and named the settlement Huntington City. By 1872, the line was completed, together with a "spur" to Washington, D.C., and the entire line through Southern Maryland was completed in 1873.
In 1880, Huntington City was rechartered as Bowie, named for Colonel Bowie's son and business partner Oden Bowie,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=hall> Template:Cite web </ref><ref name=pg300>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=penn> Template:Cite book</ref> the former Governor of Maryland<ref name=nga> Template:Cite web</ref> and then-president of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad.<ref name=penn2> Template:Cite book</ref> In the early days the land was subdivided by developers into more than 500 residential building lots, to create a large town site at a junction of the Baltimore and Potomac's main line to southern Maryland, and the branch line to Washington, D.C.
20th century
[edit]Template:More citations needed section By 1902, the Baltimore & Potomac was purchased by the powerful Pennsylvania Railroad. A second railroad entered the community when the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway electric trolley line commenced service in 1908. The large interurban cars brought rapid transit to the area, with trains running hourly. Bowie area stations included High Bridge, Hillmeade, and the Race Track.
The convergence of the two rail systems induced the Southern Maryland Agricultural Society to build the Bowie Race Track in 1914. The track enabled the Belair Stud to become one of Maryland's premier areas for thoroughbreds. Also in 1914, a teacher-training college, or normal school as it was referred to then, was built for African-Americans, just outside the town. This now has become Bowie State University. The town of Bowie was incorporated in 1916.
Belair at Bowie
[edit]In 1957, the firm of Levitt and Sons acquired the nearby Belair Estate, the original colonial plantation of the Provincial Governor of Maryland, Samuel Ogle, and developed the residential community of Belair at Bowie. Two years later the town of Bowie annexed the Levitt properties and then re-incorporated the now-larger area as a city in 1963. The overwhelming majority of Bowie residents today live in this 1960s Levitt planned community, whose street names are arranged in alliterative sections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Levitt & Sons had a long history of prohibiting the sale of houses (including resale by owners) to African Americans which led to protests during the Civil Rights Movement in Bowie in 1963.<ref name = "Time200">Suburban Legend WILLIAM LEVITT</ref>
Belair Estate
[edit]The original Belair Estate contains the Belair Mansion (circa 1745), the five-part Georgian plantation house of Governor Samuel Ogle and his son Governor Benjamin Ogle. It was purchased in 1898 by the wealthy banker James T. Woodward who, on his passing in 1910, left it to his nephew, William Woodward Sr., who became a famous horseman. Restored to reflect its 250-year-old legacy, the Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Belair Stable, on the Estate, was part of the famous Belair Stud, one of the premier racing stables in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s.<ref name="Hahn 2013 h166">Template:Cite web</ref> Owned and operated by William Woodward Sr. (1876–1953), it closed in 1957 following the death of his son, Billy Woodward. Belair had been the oldest continually operating racing horse farm in the country.<ref name="Morvay 2005 o039">Template:Cite web</ref>
21st century
[edit]Template:More citations needed section Bowie has an area of Template:Convert and about 50,000 residents with nearly Template:Convert set aside as parks or open space. It has 72 ball fields, three community centers, an ice arena at Allen Pond Park, the Bowie Town Center, the 800-seat Bowie Center for the Performing Arts,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a 150-seat theatrical playhouse, a golf course, and three museums.
Bowie's rail town history is on display via the Huntington Railroad Museum, within the local rail station's restored railroad buildings. In 2006, the city reopened the Bowie Building Association building, a small brick and block structure constructed circa 1930, as a Welcome Center; it originally housed the Bowie Building Association, which helped finance much of the community's early development.
Bowie is home to the Chesapeake Baysox, a Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League which serves as the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Baysox moved to Bowie from Hagerstown in 1993 and began to play at Prince George's Stadium in 1994. In 2015, the Baysox captured their first Eastern League championship, defeating the Reading Fightin Phils in five games.
The city operates a senior citizens center and a gymnasium for community programs.
Geography
[edit]Bowie is located at Template:Coord (38.964727, −76.744531).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">Template:Cite web</ref>
Adjacent areas
[edit]- Glenn Dale (northwest)
- South Laurel (northwest)
- Crofton (northeast)
- Davidsonville (east)
- Queen Anne (southeast)Template:DubiousTemplate:Citation needed
- Brock Hall (south)
- Kettering (southwest)
- Woodmore (southwest)
- Fairwood (west)
ZIP codes
[edit]ZIP codes for mail delivery in Bowie are: 20715, 20716, 20717, 20718, 20719, 20720, 20721
Climate
[edit]The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bowie has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>Climate Summary for Bowie, Maryland</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2020 census
[edit]Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | % 2010 | Template:Partial |
---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH) | 21,287 | 16,182 | 38.90% | 27.74% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 26,199 | 30,832 | 47.87% | 52.86% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 115 | 105 | 0.21% | 0.18% |
Asian alone (NH) | 2,229 | 2,616 | 0.08% | 4.48% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 15 | 20 | 0.03% | 0.03% |
Other race alone (NH) | 142 | 374 | 0.26% | 0.64% |
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1,654 | 2,954 | 3.02% | 5.06% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,086 | 5,246 | 5.64% | 8.99% |
Total | 54,727 | 58,329 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
[edit]As of the census<ref name="wwwcensusgov">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 54,727 people, 19,950 households, and 14,264 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 20,687 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.
The ethnic makeup of the city was 41.4% White, 48.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.9% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.
There were 19,950 households, of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.23.
The median age in the city was 40.1 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.2% were from 25 to 44; 30.1% were from 45 to 64; and 11.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $99,105, and the median income for a family was $109,157. Males had a median income of $52,284 versus $40,471 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,703. About 0.7% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.
- Rank by per capita income in Prince George's County: 7
- Rank by per capita income in Maryland: 65
Government
[edit]The City of Bowie operates under a council-manager government as established by the city charter. This means that the mayor and council are responsible for making policy, passing ordinances, voting appropriations, and having overall supervisory authority in the city government.
The U.S. Postal Service operates multiple post offices including Mitchellville,<ref>"MITCHELLVILLE." U.S. Postal Service. Retrieved on September 11, 2018. "1500 POINTER RIDGE PL BOWIE, MD 20716-9998"</ref> West Bowie,<ref>"WEST BOWIE." U.S. Postal Service. Retrieved on September 11, 2018. "13030 9TH ST BOWIE, MD 20720-3645"</ref> and Bowie/Mitchellville Carrier Annex (adjacent to the city limits).<ref>"BOWIE." U.S. Postal Service. Retrieved on September 11, 2018. "6710 LAUREL BOWIE RD BOWIE, MD 20715-9997"</ref><ref>"MITCHELLVILLE CARRIER ANNEX." U.S. Postal Service. Retrieved on September 11, 2018. "6710 LAUREL BOWIE RD BOWIE, MD 20715-9998"</ref>
Law enforcement
[edit]The primary law enforcement agency for the city is the Bowie Police Department aided by the Prince George's County Police, the Maryland-National Capital Park Police Department, and the Sheriff's Office as directed by authority.
Prince George's County Police Department District 2 Station in Brock Hall CDP, with a Bowie postal address, serves the community.<ref>"District 2 Station – Bowie." Prince George's County Police Department. Retrieved on September 9, 2018. "District 2 Station – Bowie 601 SW Crain Highway Bowie, MD 20715 ". Beat map. 2010 U.S. Census Bureau index map of Brock Hall CDP as well as the detail on Page 1.</ref>
Transportation
[edit]Bowie is served by several significant highways. The most prominent of these is Interstate 595/U.S. Route 50, the John Hanson Highway, which follows an east–west route through the city. Via I-595/US 50, Bowie has direct connections westward to Washington, D.C., and eastward to Annapolis and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. U.S. Route 301 and Maryland Route 3 skim the eastern edge of the city, providing connections southward to Waldorf and La Plata and northward to Baltimore. Other state highways serving the city include Maryland Route 197, Maryland Route 214, Maryland Route 450 and Maryland Route 564.
It is served by Bowie State station on MARC's Penn Line.
Economy
[edit]Largest employers
[edit]According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the largest employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of Employees |
---|---|---|
1 | Prince George's County Public Schools | 1,178 |
2 | Inovalon | 605 |
3 | City of Bowie | 446 |
4 | Bowie Baysox | 260 |
5 | P.G. County Public Safety Communications Control | 195 |
Education
[edit]Primary and secondary schools
[edit]Public schools
[edit]Bowie is within the Prince George's County Public Schools system.<ref name=BowieMap>"Bowie Neighborhoods." City of Bowie. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. This map indicates the locations of schools.</ref>
Area residents are zoned to Benjamin Tasker Middle School or Samuel Ogle Middle School,<ref>"NEIGHBORHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.</ref> and Bowie High School.<ref>"NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.</ref> Some Bowie residents also attend Eleanor Roosevelt High School in their STEM program.Template:Citation needed
Elementary schools in Bowie include Heather Hills, Kenilworth, Northview, Pointer Ridge, Rockledge, Tulip Grove, Whitehall, and Yorktown Elementary Schools. Elementary schools not in Bowie and serving Bowie include High Bridge and Woodmore.<ref name=BowieMap/><ref>"NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.</ref> Two special education centers are Chapel Forge and C. Elizabeth Reig. A voc/tech school is located at Tall Oaks High School.
Samuel Ogle was previously a junior high school, then an elementary school; around 2005, PGCPS planned to convert it into a middle school.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
From 1950 to 1964, during the era of legally-required racial segregation of schools, black students from Bowie attended Fairmont Heights High School, then near Fairmount Heights.<ref name=FairmontHeightshistoryasof2005>Template:Cite web</ref>
Private schools
[edit]Bowie is home to several private schools: Template:Columns-list
Colleges and universities
[edit]Bowie State University, located north of Bowie, has been open since 1865.
Public libraries
[edit]Prince George's County Memorial Library System operates two public libraries in Bowie: Bowie Branch and South Bowie Branch.<ref>"Bowie Branch." Prince George's County Memorial Library System. Retrieved on August 29, 2018.</ref><ref>"South Bowie Branch." Prince George's County Memorial Library System. Retrieved on August 29, 2018.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Sports
[edit]Team | Sport | League | Championships | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chesapeake Baysox | Baseball | Eastern League | 1 (2015) | Prince George's Stadium |
Capital Seahawks | Basketball | The Basketball League | 0 | Bowie State University |
Historic sites
[edit]The following is a list of historic sites in the city of Bowie and vicinity identified by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission:<ref>M-NCPPC Illustrated Inventory of Historic Sites (Prince George's County, Maryland), 2006 Template:Webarchive.</ref>
Parks
[edit]- Allen Pond Park
- Foxhill Park
- Buckingham Park
- Somerset Park
- Whitemarsh Park
- Jericho Park
Sister Cities
[edit]In June 2016, Mayor Robinson gave honorary Bowie citizenship to Mayor Luigi Lucchi of Berceto, Italy as part of an International Youth Festival being held there.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
[edit]External links
[edit]Template:Geographic Location Template:Bowie, Maryland Template:Prince George's County, Maryland Template:Maryland Template:Authority control