Elkton Md Original Photo Train Wreck Vintage 7 1/4 X 9 Inch Railroad 1940

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Seller: memorabilia111 ✉️ (807) 100%, Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, US, Ships to: US & many other countries, Item: 176270372970 ELKTON MD ORIGINAL PHOTO TRAIN WRECK VINTAGE 7 1/4 X 9 INCH RAILROAD 1940. Nigeria Cross River and Ondo States, Nigeria[216][217]. 2020 29,439 62.03% 16,809 35.42% 1,214 2.56%. 2020 103,725 2.6%. 2010 101,108 17.6%. 2000 85,951 20.5%. 1990 71,347 18.1%. 1980 60,430 13.4%. 1970 53,291 10.1%. A VINTAGE ORIGINAL PHOTO FROM 1940 MEASURING APPROXIMATELY  1/4  X 9 INCHES FEATURING A TRAIN WRECK IN ELKTON, MO
Elkton is a town in and the county seat[3] of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,443 at the 2010 census. It was formerly called Head of Elk because it sits at the head of navigation on the Elk River, which flows into the nearby Chesapeake Bay. The town constitutes part of the Delaware Valley (i.e. the Philadelphia metropolitan area). Elkton was once known as the Gretna Green of the East of the US because of its popularity as a place for eloping couples to marry.[4][5] History The town was founded by Swedish mariners and fishermen from Fort Casimir who settled the area in 1694. They called their settlement Head of Elk, as it was the head of navigation of the Elk River.[6][7] The town saw several actions during the American Revolutionary War. On August 25, 1777, Sir William Howe's Anglo-German army (13,000 British soldiers and 5,000 Germans) landed on the Elk River and marched 11 miles north to Head of Elk.[8] Howe soon advanced to the short and victorious campaign of the Brandywine, and thence to the capture of Philadelphia.[9] On March 8, 1781, the Marquis de Lafayette embarked his troops there to attempt a capture of Benedict Arnold. Returning on April 9, he began his overland march to Virginia.[10] George Washington and Rochambeau with their combined forces stopped in Elkton on September 6–7, 1781, on their way to Yorktown.[11] In 1787, the town was incorporated as Elkton. By 1880, the population was 1,752.[12] The landmark historic home, Holly Hall was built by James Sewall in the 1810s and quickly became a regional seat for important dignitaries and local politics.[13][better source needed] When northern states began to pass more restrictive marriage laws in the early 20th century, Maryland did not. As a result, a number of Maryland towns near borders with other states became known as places to get married quickly and without many restrictions, or "Gretna Greens".[14] Elkton, being the northeastern most county seat in Maryland (and thus closer to Philadelphia, New York, and New England), was particularly popular.[15] It was a notorious Gretna Green for years;[16] in its heyday, in the 1920s and 1930s, it was "the elopement capital of the East Coast" and thousands of marriages were performed there each year.[15][17] While some of the marriages obtained in Elkton were of celebrities or celebrities-to-be (Cornel Wilde, Joan Fontaine, Debbie Reynolds, Martha Raye, John and Martha Mitchell, Willie Mays, and Pat Robertson all got married in Elkton),[15] the overall tawdry flavor grew to be too much for the state. A 48-hour waiting period was imposed in 1938, but Elkton continued to be a place to marry, and especially elope; it simply took longer.[18] The year before the Maryland Legislature enacted a 48-hour waiting period, the marriage bureau in the town of about 3,300 people issued 16,054 licenses. That number slumped to 4,532 in 1939. Still, the marrying ministers found all sorts of loopholes that allowed the business to continue for decades. The waiting period could be lifted, for instance, if the "mother was expecting", or if a young man was preparing to go off to war. In 1942, Elkton had about 14,000 marriages.[19] In time, Las Vegas became the new "American Gretna Green", although hundreds of people still came to Elkton. But an era faded in the northeastern Maryland county seat when the last commercial wedding chapel closed in 2017.[20] On December 8, 1963, Pan Am Flight 214 was struck by lightning and crashed near Elkton, taking 81 lives. The crash was listed in the 2005 Guinness World Records as the "Worst Lightning Strike Death Toll."[21][nb 1] A small memorial marks the site of the crash, the worst loss of life accident in Maryland. The Boeing 707 had gone down in a cornfield on the eastern edge of the town, and in 1994 a granite memorial was placed at Delancy Road and Wheelhouse Drive. Today the area is a housing development.[22] Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.61 square miles (22.30 km2), of which 8.35 square miles (21.63 km2) is land and 0.26 square miles (0.67 km2) is water.[23] Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Elkton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[24] Climate data for Elkton, Maryland Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °F (°C) 75 (24) 79 (26) 89 (32) 94 (34) 97 (36) 100 (38) 105 (41) 103 (39) 100 (38) 90 (32) 85 (29) 75 (24) 105 (41) Average high °F (°C) 41 (5) 45 (7) 55 (13) 66 (19) 76 (24) 84 (29) 88 (31) 85 (29) 79 (26) 68 (20) 57 (14) 46 (8) 66 (19) Average low °F (°C) 23 (−5) 25 (−4) 32 (0) 41 (5) 51 (11) 60 (16) 65 (18) 64 (18) 57 (14) 44 (7) 34 (1) 28 (−2) 44 (7) Record low °F (°C) −10 (−23) −8 (−22) 4 (−16) 14 (−10) 28 (−2) 38 (3) 41 (5) 42 (6) 33 (1) 23 (−5) 12 (−11) −6 (−21) −10 (−23) Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.47 (88) 2.73 (69) 4.04 (103) 3.53 (90) 4.41 (112) 4.06 (103) 4.49 (114) 4.01 (102) 4.28 (109) 3.38 (86) 3.39 (86) 3.56 (90) 45.35 (1,152) Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.7 (14) 4.4 (11) 1.2 (3.0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.4 (1.0) 2.3 (5.8) 14 (34.8) Source: [25] Demographics Historical population Census Pop. Note %± 1850 1,099 — 1870 1,797 — 1880 1,752 −2.5% 1890 2,318 32.3% 1900 2,542 9.7% 1910 2,487 −2.2% 1920 2,650 6.6% 1930 3,331 25.7% 1940 3,518 5.6% 1950 5,245 49.1% 1960 5,989 14.2% 1970 5,362 −10.5% 1980 6,468 20.6% 1990 9,073 40.3% 2000 11,893 31.1% 2010 15,443 29.8% 2020 15,807 2.4% U.S. Decennial Census[26] 2010 census As of the census[27] of 2010, there were 15,443 people, 5,580 households, and 3,673 families living in the town. The population density was 1,849.5 inhabitants per square mile (714.1/km2). There were 5,944 housing units at an average density of 711.9 per square mile (274.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 76.0% White, 15.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.0% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population. There were 5,580 households, of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.21. The median age in the town was 32.8 years. 28% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.2% male and 51.8% female. 2000 census As of the census[28] of 2000, there were 11,893 people, 4,446 households, and 2,898 families living in the town. The population density was 1,480.5 inhabitants per square mile (571.6/km2). There were 4,743 housing units at an average density of 590.4 per square mile (228.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 85.85% White, 9.64% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population. There were 4,446 households, out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13. In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $38,171, and the median income for a family was $44,348. Males had a median income of $36,495 versus $25,543 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,789. About 9.4% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over. Education Students in Elkton are served by Cecil County Public Schools. Elkton High School is a public school located in the town. Cecil College operates the Elkton Station campus in Elkton. Three elementary and one middle school also serve Elkton. Government The town is managed with a Mayor–council government, in which it has an elected Mayor who serves 4-year terms and an elected Town Commissioner who also serves a 4-year term. Currently, there are only 4 seated Commissioners.[29] There have been a total of 41 Mayors in Elkton ever since the town was incorporated. The current Mayor of Elkton is Robert J. Alt, who has been Mayor since 2014. Alt previously served as Mayor from 1998 until 2002. Sports and recreation There are several parks located in the town limits, such as Marina Park, which is on Bridge Street (Maryland Route 213). Marina Park contains one tennis court and one small basketball court. Also to mention, there is Meadow Park (Officially called the John P. Stanley Memorial Park) located on Delaware Avenue (Maryland Route 7) which is the largest park in Elkton. Meadow Park is known for hosting kids football and soccer. There is also Eder Park, located near Meadow Park. Eder Park is located on Howard Street and is accessible to Meadow Park via a foot bridge. Eder Park is known for hosting little league baseball events in the spring and summer. Across the street from the former mentioned Meadow Park, there is a dog park. For fishing, there are many options. For instance, Howard's Pond on Red Hill Road (Maryland State Route 281), is known for hosting fishing tournaments and many people are often seen at Howard's Pond fishing for fish that have been stocked by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Transportation Roads and highways US 40 westbound past Maryland 781 in Elkton U.S. Route 40 is the most prominent highway directly serving Elkton. It serves as the main east–west highway through Elkton, passing just south of downtown via the Pulaski Highway. To the west, US 40 heads to North East and Perryville while eastward, it joins up with U.S. Route 13 beyond Glasgow, Delaware. Maryland Route 213 passes north–south through Elkton along Bridge Street, heading south to Chesapeake City and north to Fair Hill. Maryland Route 279 begins at US 40 west of Elkton and heads northeast on Newark Avenue and Elkton Road, bypassing the center of Elkton to the north and continuing toward Newark, Delaware. Other state highways serving Elkton include Maryland Route 7, which heads east along Main Street and Delaware Avenue from the downtown area to US 40; Maryland Route 268 which follows North Street from Main Street in downtown Elkton north to MD 279; Maryland Route 281, which heads east along Red Hill Road to the Delaware border and becomes Old Baltimore Pike; Maryland Route 545, which heads northwest from Elkton along Blue Ball Road; and Maryland Route 781, which follows Delancy Road from US 40 north to MD 281. Interstate 95 is the nearest Interstate highway, crossing the area just north of the town limits. It is accessible via an interchange with MD 279, from which point it heads south toward Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and north toward Wilmington and Philadelphia.[30] Public transportation Cecil County operates Cecil Transit, a multi-route bus system. The Glasgow Connection (Route 1) runs Monday through Saturday between Elkton and Peoples Plaza in Glasgow, Delaware. The Cross-County Connection (Route 2) runs Monday through Saturday between Elkton, North East, Cecil College, Perryville (town and the Perryville station along MARC's Penn Line) and Perry Point Veteran's Medical Center. The Elkton Newark Connection (Route 4) runs Monday through Friday and connects Elkton to Glasgow and Newark, Delaware, where it connects with the Newark Rail Station that serves Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line trains along with DART First State buses at the Newark Transit Hub.[31] Service between Elkton and Newark was previously provided by DART First State Route 65. The county also operates Demand Response, which is a countywide, curb-to-curb transit service for all ages. Rides must be scheduled in advance, and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Demand Response operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.[32] Notable people Robert Alexander, an American planter, lawyer, and Tory political leader during the American Revolution James Allison Jr. (1772–1854), born in Elkton, United States Congressman Rev. John Andrews (clergyman) D.D. (1746–1813), born near the head of the Elk River; attended Head of Elk School; graduate, professor and provost of University of Pennsylvania; founder of York College of Pennsylvania John A. J. Creswell, United States Postmaster General James G. Crouse, former Delegate and longest-serving mayor of Elkton, served as mayor 1978–1998 Austin Lane Crothers, 46th Governor of Maryland Martha Finley, author of children's books in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Although she was not born in Elkton, she lived there for several years. James Black Groome, 36th Governor of Maryland Dwayne Henry, former MLB relief pitcher Bob Jones, former outfielder and first baseman for the Texas Rangers, Bronze Star-awarded Vietnam War veteran Samuel J. Keys, mayor of Elkton and member of the Maryland House of Delegates[33] Henry McIntire (1835–1863), Union Army lieutenant colonel who died of wounds sustained at the Battle of Glendale Bernard Purdie, drummer and session musician who has worked with various well-known soul, rock, pop, and jazz musicians Jeremy Rose, jockey and 2005 ESPY award winner Michael Rudolph, United States Army officer, served as acting Adjutant General and acting Inspector General of the U.S. Army in 1793 Julian C. Smith, a United States Marine Corps general Larry Webster, former NFL defensive tackle with Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets Larry Webster III, NFL defensive end for the Carolina Panthers Vic Willis (April 12, 1876 – August 3, 1947), Hall of Fame MLB pitcher Harry Woolman, motorcycle daredevil, character actor, movie stuntman, and special effects performer Cecil County (SEE-sil) is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725.[1] The county seat is Elkton.[2] The county was named for Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605–1675), the first Proprietary Governor of the Province (colony) of Maryland. With the eastern part of the county closer to Philadelphia than Baltimore, it is part of the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3] The county is located in Wilmington's Radio Market and Baltimore's Designated Market Area. History This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Former county seal, used from the 17th century to the 20th century The area now known as Cecil County was an important trading center long before the county's official organization in 1674 by proclamation of Lord Baltimore. It had previously been a northeastern part of a much larger Baltimore County, Maryland, in the northeastern portion of the Province. This had included present-day Baltimore and Baltimore County, and Harford, Carroll, eastern Frederick, and portions of Howard and Anne Arundel counties. At the time of its founding, Cecil County also included modern Kent County and the border on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay went as far south as the Chester River, until its later formation in 1706. The Piscataway traded with the Susquehannocks near Conowingo, and with Lenape of the Delaware valley and their Nanticoke allies near the Elk River and Elk Neck Peninsula. A southern tribe sometimes called the Shawnace also moved into what later became North East, Maryland.[4] Captain John Smith visited the area in 1608. William Claiborne, a Puritan trader based in Virginia, earlier established a trading post at what is now known as Garrett island at the mouth of the Susquehanna River near what became Perryville. Bohemian immigrant Augustine Herman lobbied for Cecil County's creation, and drew the 1674 maps, in exchange for which Herman received extensive land grants, including one developed as Bohemia Manor, where he eventually died. Another early developer was George Talbot, appointed Surveyor-General of Maryland in 1683,[5] who came from Ballyconnell, County Cavan, Ireland.[6] Talbot's original grant of land in Susquehanna, Cecil County is viewable online.[7] Its subsequent history is told in the Crofton Papers, page 153.[8] Until the American Revolution, Cecil County was an important shipping center, both within the colonies and abroad. It exported not only its own agricultural products but also animal skins from the west and tobacco from the south. St. Francis Xavier Church (Warwick, Maryland) begun as a Jesuit mission in 1704 and rebuilt in 1792, is one of Maryland's oldest churches, though now a museum. St. Mary Anne's Episcopal Church, authorized in 1706 and rebuilt in 1742 is another (and still in use, as well as maintaining a historic graveyard). West Nottingham Academy, founded by Presbyterian Rev. Samuel Finley in 1744, educated Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton, both of whom signed the Declaration of Independence, and still operates today (though disaffiliated from the Presbyterian church and with additional buildings). The Principio Furnace, founded in 1719, became an important exporter of pig iron. During the American Revolution both British and colonial troops traveled through Cecil County, although no major battles occurred within its borders. The Battle of Cooch's Bridge occurred in nearby Delaware, and both General Howe and General George Washington stopped in Elkton during the summer of 1777. Robert Alexander, the area's delegate to the Continental Congress of 1776, spoke with both sides but ultimately decided to go into exile in England without his wife. She remained a loyal Marylander and received a life estate in some of Elkton property that Maryland confiscated. Early 20th century postcard depicting Cecil County's Elkton Armory The War of 1812 caused Cecil County considerable damage. Not only did British Admiral George Cockburn blockade the upper Chesapeake Bay, in response to musket fire from colonials at Welch Point, his troops destroyed a trading post known as Frenchtown. They tried to sail further up the Elk River to the county seat at Elkton, but turned back under fire from Fort Defiance, also hindered by a cable across the navigation channel. British troops also destroyed most of Havre de Grace in nearby Harford County, Maryland. Cockburn's ships then traveled up the Sassafras River, and, meeting resistance, destroyed Georgetown, Maryland and Fredericktown, Maryland. Avoiding Port Deposit which rumors called heavily defended, the British destroyed the Principio Iron Works, an important military target. Port Deposit boomed after the Susquehanna Canal opened in 1812. Engineer James Rumsey, who grew up in Bohemia Manor before moving to Bath, Virginia (or Berkeley Springs, West Virginia), invented a steamboat which he demonstrated to George Washington, before traveling to London to secure patents against competition from John Finch. Rumsey died there in 1792, but his lawyer brother Benjamin Rumsey moved south to Joppa, Maryland and served as Maryland's Chief Justice for 25 years. Steamboats, using technology such as by Robert Fulton, came to dominate travel on the bay during the following decades. The Eagle, built in Philadelphia in 1813, transported travelers between Baltimore and Elkton, where they connected with stagecoaches to travel to Wilmington, Philadelphia and other points north. An 1802 attempt to build a canal to connect the Elk River to Christiana, Delaware (connecting the Chesapeake and Delaware watersheds) failed within two years. However, between 1824 and 1829, with financial support from the states of Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, over 2600 workers built the 14 miles long Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, which became for a while the busiest canal in the new nation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still operates it today, and Chesapeake City, Maryland, which had been Bohemia Manor until 1839, has a museum explaining the canal's importance. Railroads and bridges also proved economically important to Cecil County and surrounding region. The New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad began service in 1831. Railroads crisscrossed Cecil county within three decades, although they ultimately greatly reduced its importance as a trading center. Cities such as Philadelphia and Baltimore could achieve economies of scale impossible for the county's small Chesapeake ports. Even the railroad's Frenchtown section was abandoned in 1859, and the port became a ghost town, though other sections remain in use, operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway. During the American Civil War, Perryville, Maryland became an important staging ground for Union troops. It had been the halfway point of the railroad line between Wilmington and Baltimore, but damage to the section into Baltimore caused Union troops to embark ferries at Perryville. No Civil War battles occurred in Cecil County, but residents had strongly divided loyalties. Slavery had declined from 3,400 slaves in the county in 1790 to just 800 in 1850. The Underground Railroad had crossed through Cecil County, perhaps assisted by the 'Fighting Quaker,' former Congressman and U.S. Marshall John Conard, who moved to North East between 1834 and 1851 and was reburied at St. Mary Anne's Episcopal Church there after his death in Philadelphia in 1857. Frederick Douglass crossed Cecil County on his road to freedom in 1838. While Jacob Tome made his fortune in the area and stayed, other Cecil County natives left in search of economic opportunity. David Davis moved to Illinois upon graduating from Yale Law School in 1835, where he became Abraham Lincoln's law partner and later served in that legislature as well as a judge, before moving to Washington D.C. to help President Lincoln, who later named him to the United States Supreme Court. Slavery's abolition affected many local property owners, as well as their slaves. After the war, Perryville again became a railroad town, and later received business from interstate highway travelers crossing the Susquehanna bridges. Although Cecil County had once been one of the wealthiest in Maryland and has worked hard recently to attract industry as well as tourist dollars, the average income of residents is now near that of Americans as a whole. From the start, Cecil County's future was shaped by its strategic location between the growing cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New York City. In the 20th century, as modern highways arrived its placement along the heavily traveled northeast corridor brought new opportunities and change to the county. By June 1941, the final segment of the Philadelphia Road, the new dual highway designated as Route 40 was completed across the center of Cecil County. In 1943, the dual highway was dedicated as the Pulaski Highway, to honor the Polish patriot and friend of Revolutionary American, according to The Baltimore Sun. Soon new motels, restaurants, and gas stations started sprouting up along what was once rural fields and woods.[9] On Nov. 14, 1963, President John F. Kennedy visited Cecil County to formally open and dedicate the Northeastern Expressway (I-95). Motorists were relieved to be "on the clear new road" one editor noted in The Baltimore Sun. After President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, I-95 was rededicated as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. As traffic started zipping along the superhighway, without one light halting the fast trip, a corridor that would yield major dividends to the county had opened. It spurred business growth along the route, as commercial, industrial, and residential development clustered near the interchanges in the decades ahead.[10] In 2013, the county became a Second Amendment sanctuary.[11] Cecil County has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places.[12] Politics, government and law In the early post-Civil War period, Cecil County, having been generally pro-secession, leaned strongly towards the Democratic Party.[13] It was carried by the Democratic Party nominee in every Presidential election between 1868 and 1920 except that of 1896 when the Northeast was vigorously opposed to William Jennings Bryan’s “free silver” policy. Since Dwight Eisenhower carried the county in 1952, Cecil County has become a solidly Republican county. The last Democrat to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Prior to December 3, 2012, Cecil County was governed by county commissioners, the traditional form of county government in Maryland. On that date, Cecil County began governance under a new charter approved via voter referendum in November 2010, which authorized an elected County Executive and a five-member County Council, which separates the legislative and executive functions of local government (unlike the old "board of commissioner" system). Cecil County thus joined most of the other larger, increasingly urban and complex county governments in central Maryland with county executive-county council forms, such as Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George's, and Montgomery counties.[14] Elected on November 3, 2020, Danielle Hornberger (R) is the current County Executive.[15] In addition, Cecil County is an area that has some home rule in its towns, in places such as Perryville and North East, who have town governments, and hence have minimal county reliance. Voter Registration and Party Enrollment of Cecil County[16] Party Total Percentage Democratic 20,856 29.26% Republican 32,323 45.34% Independents, unaffiliated, and other 18,106 25.40% Total 71,285 100.00% United States presidential election results for Cecil County, Maryland[17][18]  Year Republican Democratic Third party No.  % No.  % No.  % 2020 29,439 62.03% 16,809 35.42% 1,214 2.56% 2016 28,868 63.77% 13,650 30.15% 2,751 6.08% 2012 24,806 58.39% 16,557 38.98% 1,117 2.63% 2008 23,855 56.14% 17,665 41.57% 974 2.29% 2004 22,556 59.87% 14,680 38.97% 438 1.16% 2000 15,494 53.66% 12,327 42.69% 1,055 3.65% 1996 10,885 44.50% 10,144 41.47% 3,431 14.03% 1992 10,784 39.47% 10,232 37.45% 6,303 23.07% 1988 13,224 62.51% 7,807 36.90% 124 0.59% 1984 13,111 65.93% 6,681 33.60% 93 0.47% 1980 9,673 51.33% 7,937 42.12% 1,236 6.56% 1976 7,833 46.67% 8,950 53.33% 0 0.00% 1972 10,759 70.82% 4,113 27.08% 319 2.10% 1968 6,462 45.46% 4,517 31.78% 3,235 22.76% 1964 5,330 40.43% 7,854 59.57% 0 0.00% 1960 7,368 54.85% 6,065 45.15% 0 0.00% 1956 7,217 59.38% 4,936 40.62% 0 0.00% 1952 6,482 53.58% 5,590 46.21% 26 0.21% 1948 3,866 46.94% 4,323 52.49% 47 0.57% 1944 3,680 44.11% 4,662 55.89% 0 0.00% 1940 3,878 41.75% 5,360 57.71% 50 0.54% 1936 3,617 42.15% 4,914 57.26% 51 0.59% 1932 3,569 44.84% 4,282 53.80% 108 1.36% 1928 5,706 71.67% 2,201 27.64% 55 0.69% 1924 3,156 50.37% 2,863 45.69% 247 3.94% 1920 3,435 49.37% 3,468 49.85% 54 0.78% 1916 1,959 42.34% 2,587 55.91% 81 1.75% 1912 1,509 31.86% 2,491 52.60% 736 15.54% 1908 2,378 45.04% 2,847 53.92% 55 1.04% 1904 2,425 48.14% 2,554 50.70% 58 1.15% 1900 2,959 48.78% 2,988 49.26% 119 1.96% 1896 3,128 50.21% 2,908 46.68% 194 3.11% 1892 2,310 42.32% 2,898 53.09% 251 4.60% Geography Farmland near Fair Hill in northeastern Cecil County According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 418 square miles (1,080 km2), of which 346 square miles (900 km2) is land and 72 square miles (190 km2) (17%) is water.[19] Cecil County is in the northeast corner of Maryland, bounded on the north and east by the Mason–Dixon line with Pennsylvania and Delaware. The western border is defined by the lower reaches of the Susquehanna River and the northernmost coves, flats and tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. On the south, the county is bounded by the Sassafras River and Kent County, Maryland. The county is part of the Delmarva Peninsula as well as Maryland's "Eastern Shore." Topographically, Cecil County straddles the border between the rolling hills of the Piedmont Plateau north of U.S. Route 40 and the flatlands of the Atlantic Coastal Plain to the south. The highest and most rugged hills are found in the northwestern and north-central parts of the county, reaching 534 feet (163 m) just south of the Mason–Dixon line near Nottingham, Pennsylvania and just east of U.S. Route 1. The lowest elevation is sea level along the Chesapeake Bay. Cecil County is primarily rural, with denser development around the county seat of Elkton and along U.S. Route 40. The county is bisected from east to west by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, which connects the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay by way of the Elk River. The canal passes through the town of Chesapeake City, where a high-level bridge facilitates the passage of large ships beneath Maryland Route 213. Cecil County is also bisected east-to-west by Interstate 95, known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in Maryland. The highway provides a major artery for traffic between the Baltimore-Washington area to the southwest and the Philadelphia and New York and New Jersey regions to the northeast. The Office of Management and Budget has designated Cecil County as part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area. Adjacent counties Chester County, Pennsylvania (north) Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (northwest) New Castle County, Delaware (east) Harford County (west) Kent County (south) Climate Cecil County has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) except in higher northern areas where a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) exists. There are four distinct seasons and seven months average above 50 °F (10 °C).) The hardiness zone is mostly 7a. Climate data for Elkton, Maryland Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °F (°C) 75 (24) 79 (26) 89 (32) 94 (34) 97 (36) 100 (38) 105 (41) 103 (39) 100 (38) 90 (32) 85 (29) 75 (24) 105 (41) Average high °F (°C) 41 (5) 45 (7) 55 (13) 66 (19) 76 (24) 84 (29) 88 (31) 85 (29) 79 (26) 68 (20) 57 (14) 46 (8) 66 (19) Average low °F (°C) 23 (−5) 25 (−4) 32 (0) 41 (5) 51 (11) 60 (16) 65 (18) 64 (18) 57 (14) 44 (7) 34 (1) 28 (−2) 44 (7) Record low °F (°C) −10 (−23) −8 (−22) 4 (−16) 14 (−10) 28 (−2) 38 (3) 41 (5) 42 (6) 33 (1) 23 (−5) 12 (−11) −6 (−21) −10 (−23) Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.47 (88) 2.73 (69) 4.04 (103) 3.53 (90) 4.41 (112) 4.06 (103) 4.49 (114) 4.01 (102) 4.28 (109) 3.38 (86) 3.39 (86) 3.56 (90) 45.35 (1,152) Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.7 (14) 4.4 (11) 1.2 (3.0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.4 (1.0) 2.3 (5.8) 14 (34.8) Source: [20] Transportation Major roads and highways I-95 southbound past MD 279 in Cecil County  I-95  US 1  US 40  US 222  US 301  MD 7  MD 213  MD 222  MD 267  MD 272  MD 273  MD 274  MD 275  MD 276  MD 277  MD 279  MD 281  MD 282  MD 284  MD 285  MD 286  MD 310  MD 316  MD 342  MD 537  MD 545  MD 781  MD 824  MD 896 Public transportation The county operates Cecil Transit, which provides fixed-route bus and demand responsive transport service throughout Cecil County. The northern terminus of MARC's Penn Line commuter rail service to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. is in Perryville, Maryland. Recently, the Wilmington Area Planning Council conducted a study on the travel patterns of residents in the county, and they suggested that the MARC line extends from Perryville up to Newark or even Wilmington, where it meets SEPTA and Amtrak lines. The county is one of only two areas on Amtrak's Acela that does not have local services. Demographics Historical population Census Pop. Note %± 1790 13,625 — 1800 9,018 −33.8% 1810 13,066 44.9% 1820 16,048 22.8% 1830 15,432 −3.8% 1840 17,232 11.7% 1850 18,939 9.9% 1860 23,862 26.0% 1870 25,874 8.4% 1880 27,108 4.8% 1890 25,851 −4.6% 1900 24,662 −4.6% 1910 23,759 −3.7% 1920 23,612 −0.6% 1930 25,827 9.4% 1940 26,407 2.2% 1950 33,356 26.3% 1960 48,408 45.1% 1970 53,291 10.1% 1980 60,430 13.4% 1990 71,347 18.1% 2000 85,951 20.5% 2010 101,108 17.6% 2020 103,725 2.6% U.S. Decennial Census[21] 1790-1960[22] 1900-1990[23] 1990-2000[24] 2010[25] 2020[26] 2020 census Cecil County, Maryland - Demographic Profile (NH = Non-Hispanic) Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[25] Pop 2020[26] % 2010 % 2020 White alone (NH) 88,348 83,485 87.38% 80.49% Black or African American alone (NH) 6,080 7,500 6.01% 7.23% Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 246 231 0.24% 0.22% Asian alone (NH) 1,078 1,232 1.07% 1.19% Pacific Islander alone (NH) 43 23 0.04% 0.02% Some Other Race alone (NH) 90 408 0.09% 0.39% Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,816 5,396 1.80% 5.20% Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3,407 5,450 3.37% 5.25% Total 101,108 103,725 100.00% 100.00% Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. 2010 census As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 101,108 people, 36,867 households, and 26,681 families living in the county.[27] The population density was 292.0 inhabitants per square mile (112.7/km2). There were 41,103 housing units at an average density of 118.7 per square mile (45.8/km2).[28] The racial makeup of the county was 89.2% white, 6.2% black or African American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.4% of the population.[27][29] Of the 36,867 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.6% were non-families, and 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age was 38.9 years.[27] The median income for a household in the county was $64,886 and the median income for a family was $75,742. Males had a median income of $54,379 versus $39,933 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,640. About 6.3% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.[30] 2000 census As of the census[31] of 2000, there were 85,951 people, 31,223 households, and 23,292 families living in the county. The population density was 247 inhabitants per square mile (95/km2). There were 34,461 housing units at an average density of 99 per square mile (38/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% White, 3.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 1.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.9% were of German, 16.1% Irish, 13.8% English, 13.8% American and 6.5% Italian ancestry. There were 31,223 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.12. In the county, 27.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $50,510, and the median income for a family was $56,469. Males had a median income of $40,350 versus $28,646 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,384. About 5.4% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. Maryland state planning data suggest that the population of the county could double in the next thirty years, reaching 160,000 by 2030.[Tangel] As of the 2010 Census, the racial makeup of Cecil County was 87.4% Non-Hispanic white, 6.2% black, 0.3% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 1.8% Non-Hispanics of two or more races and 3.4% Hispanics. Cecil County is home to a small Amish community in the Cecilton area that was founded in 1999.[32] Amish families moved to the area from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania because of increasing costs and the declining amount of farmland there.[33] Education There are 17 elementary schools, six middle schools, five high schools, and the Cecil County School of Technology, which specializes in career and technology education, all operated by Cecil County Public Schools.[34] Cecil County schools acts as the school district for the entire county.[35] Cecil College has four campuses in Cecil County.[36] Libraries There are 7 branches of the Cecil County Public Library and the Library also does significant outreach throughout the county. Crime rate The 2017 census accounted a population of 102,746 people.[37] On a scale of one, being low crime, to 100, being high crime, these statistics compare Cecil County's crime rates to US crime averages. In regards to violent crime, which includes murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, the rate is 40.8 compared to the U.S. average of 31.1.[38] In property crime, including offenses being burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson, the rate is 39.3 compared to the U.S. average of 38.1.[38] Populated areas Towns Cecilton Charlestown Chesapeake City Elkton (county seat) North East Perryville Port Deposit Rising Sun Unincorporated communities Appleton Bay View Blue Ball Village Calvert Carpenter Point Cherry Hill Childs Colora Conowingo Crystal Beach Earleville Elk Mills Elk Neck Fair Hill Fredericktown Frenchtown Hack's Point Harrisville Hopewell Manor Liberty Grove Oakwood Perry Point Providence Red Point St. Augustine Warwick Westminister White Crystal Beach White Hall Zion Notable people John Smith, (1580–1631), the first White man to explore what is now known as Cecil County[39] William Paca, (1740–1799), a Statesman and Revolutionary War leader, served Continental Congress and was later the Governor of Maryland, signer of the Declaration of Independence[39] George Read, (1733–1798), judge and Revolutionary War Statesman, served as a member of 2nd Continental Congress, later became a U.S. Senator and Delaware State Chief Justice[39] Robert Alexander, born in Cecil County, delegate to the Continental Congress[40] John Andrews, (1746–1813), professor and clergyman[40] Robert Somers Brookings, founder of the Brookings Institution Emma Alice Browne (1835–1890), poet Annie McCarer Darlington (1836–1907), poet David Davis, Associate Supreme Court Justice Levi Davis, Illinois State Auditor and lawyer In popular culture In MacKinlay Kantor's If the South Had Won the Civil War, Cecil County counter-secedes from Maryland to join the State of Delaware, following Maryland's secession from the U.S. after R.E. Lee's victory against the U.S. at Gettysburg. See also flag Maryland portal Cecil Whig – the local newspaper National Register of Historic Places listings in Cecil County, Maryland Cecil County Sheriff's Office Cecil County Circuit Courthouse Maryland (US: /ˈmɛrɪlənd/ i MERR-il-ənd)[b] is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.[8][9] It borders Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. With a total land area of 12,407 square miles (32,130 km2), Maryland is the eighth-smallest state by land area, but its population of 6,177,224 ranks it the 18th-most populous state and the fifth-most densely populated. Baltimore[10] is the largest city in the state, and the capital is Annapolis. The western portion of the state contains numerous stretches of the Appalachian Mountains, while the central portion is primarily composed of the Piedmont. The eastern side of the state makes up the Chesapeake Bay, sharing the border with Delaware, and the southeastern side borders the Atlantic Ocean. Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State, the Free State, and the Chesapeake Bay State. It is named after Henrietta Maria, the French-born queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, who was known then in England as Mary.[11][12] Before its coastline was explored by Europeans in the 16th century, Maryland was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans – mostly by Algonquian peoples and, to a lesser degree, Iroquoian and Siouan.[13] As one of the original Thirteen Colonies of England, Maryland was founded by George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, a Catholic convert[14][15] who sought to provide a religious haven for Catholics persecuted in England.[16] In 1632, Charles I of England granted Lord Baltimore a colonial charter, naming the colony after his wife, Henrietta Maria.[17] Unlike the Pilgrims and Puritans, who rejected Catholicism in their settlements, Lord Baltimore envisioned a colony where people of different religious sects would coexist under the principle of toleration.[16] Accordingly, in 1649 the Maryland General Assembly passed an Act Concerning Religion, which enshrined this principle by penalizing anyone who "reproached" a fellow Marylander based on religious affiliation.[18] Nevertheless, religious strife was common in the early years, and Catholics remained a minority, albeit in greater numbers than in any other English colony. Maryland's early settlements and population centers clustered around rivers and other waterways that empty into the Chesapeake Bay. Its economy was heavily plantation-based and centered mostly on the cultivation of tobacco. Demand for cheap labor from Maryland colonists led to the importation of numerous indentured servants and enslaved Africans. In 1760, Maryland's current boundaries took form following the settlement of a long-running border dispute with Pennsylvania. Maryland was an active participant in the events leading up to the American Revolution, and by 1776, its delegates signed the Declaration of Independence. Many of its citizens subsequently played key political and military roles in the war. In 1790, the state ceded land for the establishment of the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. Although then a slave state, Maryland remained in the Union during the American Civil War, its strategic location giving it a significant role in the conflict. After the Civil War, Maryland took part in the Industrial Revolution, driven by its seaports, railroad networks, and mass immigration from Europe. Since the 1940s, the state's population has grown rapidly, to approximately six million residents, and it is among the most densely populated U.S. states. As of 2015, Maryland had the highest median household income of any state, owing in large part to its proximity to Washington, D.C., and a highly diversified economy spanning manufacturing, retail services, public administration, real estate, higher education, information technology, defense contracting, health care, and biotechnology.[19] Maryland is one of the most multicultural states in the country; it is one of the six states where non-Whites compose a majority of the population, with the fifth-highest percentage of African Americans, and high numbers of residents born in Africa, Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean. The state's central role in U.S. history is reflected by its hosting of some of the highest numbers of historic landmarks per capita. Sixteen of Maryland's twenty-three counties, as well as the city of Baltimore, border the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and its many tributaries,[20][10] which combined total more than 4,000 miles of shoreline. Although one of the smallest states in the U.S., it features a variety of climates and topographical features that have earned it the moniker of America in Miniature.[21] In a similar vein, Maryland's geography, culture, and history combine elements of the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, and Southern regions of the country. History Main articles: History of Maryland and Native American tribes in Maryland 17th century Maryland's first colonial settlement Main article: Province of Maryland George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (1579–1632), sought a charter from King Charles I for the territory between Massachusetts to the north and Virginia to the immediate south.[22] After Baltimore died in April 1632, the charter was granted to his son, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605–1675), on June 20, 1632. Officially, the new "Maryland Colony" was named in honor of Henrietta Maria of France, wife of Charles I of England.[23] Lord Baltimore initially proposed the name "Crescentia", the land of growth or increase, but "the King proposed Terra Mariae [Mary Land], which was concluded on and Inserted in the bill."[16] The original capital of Maryland was St. Mary's City, on the north shore of the Potomac River, and the county surrounding it, the first erected/created in the province,[24] was first called Augusta Carolina, after the King, and later named St. Mary's County.[25] Lord Baltimore's first settlers arrived in the new colony in March 1634, with his younger brother the Honorable Leonard Calvert (1606–1647), as first provincial Governor of Maryland. They made their first permanent settlement at St. Mary's City in what is now St. Mary's County. They purchased the site from the paramount chief of the region, who was eager to establish trade. St. Mary's became the first capital of Maryland, and remained so for 60 years until 1695. More settlers soon followed. Their tobacco crops were successful and quickly made the new colony profitable. However, given the incidence of malaria, yellow fever, and typhoid, life expectancy in Maryland was about 10 years less than in New England.[26] Persecution of Catholics See also: Plundering Time Maryland was founded to provide a haven for England's Roman Catholic minority.[27] Although Maryland was the most heavily Catholic of the English mainland colonies, the religion was still in the minority, consisting of less than 10% of the total population.[28] In 1642, a number of Puritans left Virginia for Maryland and founded Providence (now called Annapolis) on the western shore of the upper Chesapeake Bay.[29] A dispute with traders from Virginia over Kent Island in the Chesapeake led to armed conflict. In 1644, William Claiborne, a Puritan, seized Kent Island while his associate, the pro-Parliament Puritan Richard Ingle, took over St. Mary's.[30] Both used religion as a tool to gain popular support. The two years from 1644 to 1646 when Claiborne and his Puritan associates held sway were known as "The Plundering Time". They captured Jesuit priests, imprisoned them, then sent them back to England. In 1646, Leonard Calvert returned with troops, recaptured St. Mary's City, and restored order. The House of Delegates passed the "Act concerning Religion" in 1649 granting religious liberty to all Trinitarian Christians.[26] In 1650, the Puritans revolted against the proprietary government. "Protestants swept the Catholics out of the legislature ... and religious strife returned."[26] The Puritans set up a new government prohibiting both Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism. The Puritan revolutionary government persecuted Maryland Catholics during its reign, known as the "plundering time". Mobs burned down all the original Catholic churches of southern Maryland. The Puritan rule lasted until 1658 when the Calvert family and Lord Baltimore regained proprietary control and re-enacted the Toleration Act. After England's "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, Maryland outlawed Catholicism. In 1704, the Maryland General Assembly prohibited Catholics from operating schools, limited the corporate ownership of property to hamper religious orders from expanding or supporting themselves, and encouraged the conversion of Catholic children.[28] The celebration of the Catholic sacraments was also officially restricted. This state of affairs lasted until after the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). Wealthy Catholic planters built chapels on their land to practice their religion in relative secrecy. Into the 18th century, individual priests and lay leaders claimed Maryland farms belonging to the Jesuits as personal property and bequeathed them in order to evade the legal restrictions on religious organizations' owning property.[28] Border disputes (1681–1760) Main articles: Penn–Calvert Boundary Dispute and Cresap's War 1732 map of Maryland[31] The royal charter granted Maryland the land north of the Potomac River up to the 40th parallel. A problem arose when Charles II granted a charter for Pennsylvania. The grant defined Pennsylvania's southern border as identical to Maryland's northern border, the 40th parallel. But the grant indicated that Charles II and William Penn assumed the 40th parallel would pass close to New Castle, Delaware when it falls north of Philadelphia, the site of which Penn had already selected for his colony's capital city. Negotiations ensued after the problem was discovered in 1681. A compromise proposed by Charles II in 1682 was undermined by Penn's receiving the additional grant of what is now Delaware.[32] Penn successfully argued that the Maryland charter entitled Lord Baltimore only to unsettled lands, and Dutch settlement in Delaware predated his charter. The dispute remained unresolved for nearly a century, carried on by the descendants of William Penn and Lord Baltimore—the Calvert family, which controlled Maryland, and the Penn family, which controlled Pennsylvania.[32] The border dispute with Pennsylvania led to Cresap's War in the 1730s. Hostilities erupted in 1730 and escalated through the first half of the decade, culminating in the deployment of military forces by Maryland in 1736 and by Pennsylvania in 1737. The armed phase of the conflict ended in May 1738 with the intervention of King George II, who compelled the negotiation of a cease-fire. A provisional agreement had been established in 1732.[32] Negotiations continued until a final agreement was signed in 1760. The agreement defined the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania as the line of latitude now known as the Mason–Dixon line. Maryland's border with Delaware was based on a Transpeninsular Line and the Twelve-Mile Circle around New Castle.[32] 18th century Main articles: American Revolutionary War, Maryland in the American Revolution, Lee Resolution, United States Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia campaign, Articles of Confederation § Ratification, Treaty of Paris (1783), Mount Vernon Conference, Annapolis Convention (1786), Constitutional Convention (United States), Admission to the Union, and List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union Most of the English colonists arrived in Maryland as indentured servants, and had to serve a several years' term as laborers to pay for their passage.[33] In the early years, the line between indentured servants and African slaves or laborers was fluid, and white and black laborers commonly lived and worked together, and formed unions. Mixed-race children born to white mothers were considered free by the principle of partus sequitur ventrem, by which children took the social status of their mothers, a principle of slave law that was adopted throughout the colonies, following Virginia in 1662. Many of the free black families migrated to Delaware, where land was cheaper.[34] As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased with improving economic conditions in England, planters in Maryland imported thousands more slaves and racial caste lines hardened. Maryland was one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. Near the end of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), on February 2, 1781, Maryland became the last and 13th state to approve the ratification of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, first proposed in 1776 and adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1778, which brought into being the United States as a united, sovereign and national state. It also became the seventh state admitted to the Union after ratifying the new federal Constitution in 1788. In December 1790, Maryland donated land selected by first President George Washington to the federal government for the creation of the new national capital of Washington, D.C. The land was provided along the north shore of the Potomac River from Montgomery and Prince George's counties, as well as from Fairfax County and Alexandria on the south shore of the Potomac in Virginia; however, the land donated by the Commonwealth of Virginia was later returned to that state by the District of Columbia retrocession in 1846. 19th century The bombardment of Fort McHenry in the Battle of Baltimore inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner". Influenced by a changing economy, revolutionary ideals, and preaching by ministers, numerous planters in Maryland freed their slaves in the 20 years after the Revolutionary War. Across the Upper South the free black population increased from less than 1% before the war to 14% by 1810.[35] Abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were born slaves during this time in Dorchester County and Talbot County, respectively.[36][37] During the War of 1812, the British military attempted to capture Baltimore, which was protected by Fort McHenry. During this bombardment the song "Star-Spangled Banner" was written by Francis Scott Key; it was later adopted as the national anthem. The National Road (U.S. Hwy 40 today) was authorized in 1817 and ran from Baltimore to St. Louis—the first federal highway. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was the first chartered railroad in the United States. It opened its first section of track for regular operation in 1830 between Baltimore and Ellicott City,[38] and in 1852 it became the first rail line to reach the Ohio River from the eastern seaboard.[39] Civil War Main article: Maryland in the American Civil War The Battle of Antietam in 1862 was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War with nearly 23,000 casualties. The state remained with the Union during the Civil War,[40] due in significant part to demographics and Federal intervention. The 1860 census, held shortly before the outbreak of the civil war, showed that 49% of Maryland's African Americans were free.[35] Governor Thomas Holliday Hicks suspended the state legislature, and to help ensure the election of a new pro-union governor and legislature, President Abraham Lincoln had a number of its pro-slavery politicians arrested, including the Mayor of Baltimore, George William Brown; suspended several civil liberties, including habeas corpus; and ordered artillery placed on Federal Hill overlooking Baltimore. Historians debate the constitutionality of these wartime actions, though the suspension of civil liberties during wartime was later sustained by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases such as Schenck v. United States[41] In April 1861, Federal units and state regiments were attacked as they marched through Baltimore, sparking the Baltimore riot of 1861, the first bloodshed in the Civil War.[42] Of the 115,000 Marylanders who joined the military during the Civil War, around 85,000, or 77%, joined the Union army, while the remainder joined the Confederate Army.[citation needed] The largest and most significant battle in the state was the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg. Although a tactical draw, the battle was considered a strategic Union victory and a turning point of the war. After the war A new state constitution in 1864 abolished slavery and Maryland was first recognized as a "Free State" in that context.[43] Following passage of constitutional amendments that granted voting rights to freedmen, in 1867 the state extended suffrage to non-white males. The Democratic Party rapidly regained power in the state from Republicans. Democrats replaced the Constitution of 1864 with the Constitution of 1867. Following the end of Reconstruction in 1877, Democrats devised means of disenfranchising blacks, initially by physical intimidation and voter fraud, later by constitutional amendments and laws. Blacks and immigrants, however, resisted Democratic Party disfranchisement efforts in the state. Maryland blacks were part of a biracial Republican coalition elected to state government in 1896–1904 and comprised 20% of the electorate.[44] Compared to some other states, blacks were better established both before and after the civil war. Nearly half the black population was free before the war, and some had accumulated property. Half the population lived in cities. Literacy was high among blacks and, as Democrats crafted means to exclude them, suffrage campaigns helped reach blacks and teach them how to resist.[44] Whites did impose racial segregation in public facilities and Jim Crow laws, which effectively lasted until the passage of federal civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s. Baltimore grew significantly during the Industrial Revolution, due in large part to its seaport and good railroad connections, attracting European immigrant labor. Many manufacturing businesses were established in the Baltimore area after the Civil War. Baltimore businessmen, including Johns Hopkins, Enoch Pratt, George Peabody, and Henry Walters, founded notable city institutions that bear their names, including respectively a university, library system, music and dance conservatory, and art museum. Cumberland was Maryland's second-largest city in the 19th century. Nearby supplies of natural resources along with railroads fostered its growth into a major manufacturing center.[45] 20th and 21st centuries Early 20th century Ruin left by the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 The Progressive Era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought political reforms. In a series of laws passed between 1892 and 1908, reformers worked for standard state-issued ballots (rather than those distributed and marked by the parties); obtained closed voting booths to prevent party workers from "assisting" voters; initiated primary elections to keep party bosses from selecting candidates; and had candidates listed without party symbols, which discouraged the illiterate from participating. These measures worked against ill-educated whites and blacks. Blacks resisted such efforts, with suffrage groups conducting voter education. Blacks defeated three efforts to disenfranchise them, making alliances with immigrants to resist various Democratic campaigns.[44] Disenfranchisement bills in 1905, 1907, and 1911 were rebuffed, in large part because of black opposition. Blacks comprised 20% of the electorate and immigrants comprised 15%, and the legislature had difficulty devising requirements against blacks that did not also disadvantage immigrants.[44] The Progressive Era also brought reforms in working conditions for Maryland's labor force. In 1902, the state regulated conditions in mines; outlawed child laborers under the age of 12; mandated compulsory school attendance; and enacted the nation's first workers' compensation law. The workers' compensation law was overturned in the courts, but was redrafted and finally enacted in 1910. The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 burned for more than 30 hours, destroying 1,526 buildings and spanning 70 city blocks. More than 1,231 firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control. With the nation's entry into World War I in 1917, new military bases such as Camp Meade, the Aberdeen Proving Ground, and the Edgewood Arsenal were established. Existing facilities, including Fort McHenry, were greatly expanded. After Georgia congressman William D. Upshaw criticized Maryland openly in 1923 for not passing Prohibition laws, Baltimore Sun editor Hamilton Owens coined the "Free State" nickname for Maryland in that context, which was popularized by H. L. Mencken in a series of newspaper editorials.[43][46] Maryland's urban and rural communities had different experiences during the Great Depression. The "Bonus Army" marched through the state in 1932 on its way to Washington, D.C. Maryland instituted its first income tax in 1937 to generate revenue for schools and welfare.[47] Passenger and freight steamboat service, once important throughout Chesapeake Bay and its many tributary rivers, ended in 1962.[48] Baltimore was a major war production center during World War II. The biggest operations were Bethlehem Steel's Fairfield Yard, which built Liberty ships; and Glenn Martin, an aircraft manufacturer. 1950–present Maryland experienced population growth following World War II. Beginning in the 1960s, as suburban growth took hold around Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, the state began to take on a more mid-Atlantic culture as opposed to the traditionally Southern and Tidewater culture that previously dominated most of the state. Agricultural tracts gave way to residential communities, some of them carefully planned such as Columbia, St. Charles, and Montgomery Village. Concurrently the Interstate Highway System was built throughout the state, most notably I-95, I-695, and the Capital Beltway, altering travel patterns. In 1952, the eastern and western halves of Maryland were linked for the first time by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which replaced a nearby ferry service.[49] Maryland's regions experienced economic changes following WWII. Heavy manufacturing declined in Baltimore. In Maryland's four westernmost counties, industrial, railroad, and coal mining jobs declined. On the lower Eastern Shore, family farms were bought up by major concerns and large-scale poultry farms and vegetable farming became prevalent. In Southern Maryland, tobacco farming nearly vanished due to suburban development and a state tobacco buy-out program in the 1990s. In an effort to reverse depopulation due to the loss of working-class industries, Baltimore initiated urban renewal projects in the 1960s with Charles Center and the Baltimore World Trade Center. Some resulted in the break-up of intact residential neighborhoods, producing social volatility, and some older residential areas around the harbor have had units renovated and have become popular with new populations. Geography See also: Geography of Maryland, List of islands of Maryland, and List of rivers of Maryland Physical regions of Maryland Maryland has an area of 12,406.68 square miles (32,133.2 km2) and is comparable in overall area with Belgium [11,787 square miles (30,530 km2)].[50] It is the 42nd largest and 9th smallest state and is closest in size to the state of Hawaii [10,930.98 square miles (28,311.1 km2)], the next smallest state. The next largest state, its neighbor West Virginia, is almost twice the size of Maryland [24,229.76 square miles (62,754.8 km2)]. Description This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Western Maryland is known for its heavily forested mountains. A panoramic view of Deep Creek Lake and the surrounding Appalachian Mountains in Garrett County. Great Falls on the Potomac River Patapsco River includes the Thomas Viaduct and is part of the Patapsco Valley State Park. The river forms Baltimore's Inner Harbor as it empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Sunset over a marsh at Cardinal Cove on the Patuxent River Tidal wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the nation and the largest water feature in Maryland Maryland possesses a variety of topography within its borders, contributing to its nickname America in Miniature. It ranges from sandy dunes dotted with seagrass in the east, to low marshlands teeming with wildlife and large bald cypress near the Chesapeake Bay, to gently rolling hills of oak forests in the Piedmont Region, and pine groves in the Maryland mountains to the west. Maryland is bounded on its north by Pennsylvania, on its north and east by Delaware, on its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on its south and west, across the Potomac River, by West Virginia and Virginia. The mid-portion of its border with Virginia is interrupted by Washington, D.C., which sits on land that was originally part of Montgomery and Prince George's counties and including the town of Georgetown, Maryland. This land was ceded to the United States Federal Government in 1790 to form the Washington, D.C. The Commonwealth of Virginia gave land south of the Potomac, including the town of Alexandria, Virginia; however, Virginia retroceded its portion in 1846. Chesapeake Bay nearly bisects the state, and the counties east of the bay are known collectively as the Eastern Shore. Most of the state's waterways are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with the exceptions of a tiny portion of extreme western Garrett County (drained by the Youghiogheny River as part of the watershed of the Mississippi River), the eastern half of Worcester County (which drains into Maryland's Atlantic coastal bays), and a small portion of the state's northeast corner (which drains into the Delaware River watershed). So prominent is the Chesapeake in Maryland's geography and economic life that there has been periodic agitation to change the state's official nickname to the "Bay State", a nickname that has been used by Massachusetts for decades. The highest point in Maryland, with an elevation of 3,360 feet (1,020 m), is Hoye Crest on Backbone Mountain, in the southwest corner of Garrett County, near the border with West Virginia, and near the headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac River. Close to the small town of Hancock, in western Maryland, about two-thirds of the way across the state, less than 2 miles (3.2 km) separates its borders,[51] the Mason–Dixon line to the north, and the northwards-arching Potomac River to the south. Portions of Maryland are included in various official and unofficial geographic regions. For example, the Delmarva Peninsula is composed of the Eastern Shore counties of Maryland, the entire state of Delaware, and the two counties that make up the Eastern Shore of Virginia, whereas the westernmost counties of Maryland are considered part of Appalachia. Much of the Baltimore–Washington corridor lies just south of the Piedmont in the Coastal Plain,[52] though it straddles the border between the two regions. Geology Earthquakes in Maryland are infrequent and small due to the state's distance from seismic/earthquake zones.[53][54] The M5.8 Virginia earthquake in 2011 was felt moderately throughout Maryland. Buildings in the state are not well-designed for earthquakes and can suffer damage easily.[55] Maryland has no natural lakes, mostly due to the lack of glacial history in the area.[56] All lakes in the state today were constructed, mostly via dams.[57] Buckel's Bog is believed by geologists to have been a remnant of a former natural lake.[58] Maryland has shale formations containing natural gas, where fracking is theoretically possible.[59] Flora Black-eyed susans, the state flower, grow throughout much of the state.[60] As is typical of states on the East Coast, Maryland's plant life is abundant and healthy. A modest volume of annual precipitation helps to support many types of plants, including seagrass and various reeds at the smaller end of the spectrum to the gigantic Wye Oak, a huge example of white oak, the state tree, which can grow over 70 feet (21 m) tall. Middle Atlantic coastal forests, typical of the southeastern Atlantic coastal plain, grow around Chesapeake Bay and on the Delmarva Peninsula. Moving west, a mixture of Northeastern coastal forests and Southeastern mixed forests cover the central part of the state. The Appalachian Mountains of western Maryland are home to Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests. These give way to Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests near the West Virginia border.[61] Many foreign species are cultivated in the state, some as ornamentals, others as novelty species. Included among these are the crape myrtle, Italian cypress, southern magnolia, live oak in the warmer parts of the state,[62] and even hardy palm trees in the warmer central and eastern parts of the state.[63] USDA plant hardiness zones in the state range from Zones 5 and 6 in the extreme western part of the state to Zone 7 in the central part, and Zone 8 around the southern part of the coast, the bay area, and parts of metropolitan Baltimore.[64] Invasive plant species, such as kudzu, tree of heaven, multiflora rose, and Japanese stiltgrass, stifle growth of endemic plant life.[65] Maryland's state flower, the black-eyed susan, grows in abundance in wild flower groups throughout the state. Fauna A feral Chincoteague Pony on Assateague Island on Maryland's Atlantic coastal islands The state harbors a considerable number of white-tailed deer, especially in the woody and mountainous west of the state, and overpopulation can become a problem. Mammals can be found ranging from the mountains in the west to the central areas and include black bears,[66] bobcats,[67] foxes, coyotes,[68] raccoons, and otters.[66] There is a population of rare wild (feral) horses found on Assateague Island.[69] They are believed to be descended from horses who escaped from Spanish galleon shipwrecks.[69] Every year during the last week of July, they are captured and swim across a shallow bay for sale at Chincoteague, Virginia, a conservation technique which ensures the tiny island is not overrun by the horses.[69] The ponies and their sale were popularized by the children's book, Misty of Chincoteague. The purebred Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog was bred specifically for water sports, hunting and search and rescue in the Chesapeake area.[70] In 1878, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was the first individual retriever breed recognized by the American Kennel Club.[70] and was later adopted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County as their mascot. Maryland's reptile and amphibian population includes the diamondback terrapin turtle, which was adopted as the mascot of University of Maryland, College Park, as well as the threatened Eastern box turtle.[71] The state is part of the territory of the Baltimore oriole, which is the official state bird and mascot of the MLB team the Baltimore Orioles.[72] Aside from the oriole, 435 other species of birds have been reported from Maryland.[73] The state insect is the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly, although it is not as common in Maryland as it is in the southern edge of its range.[74] Environment Maryland joined with neighboring states during the end of the 20th century to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The bay's aquatic life and seafood industry have been threatened by development and by fertilizer and livestock waste entering the bay.[75][76] In 2007, Forbes.com rated Maryland as the fifth "Greenest" state in the country, behind three of the Pacific States and Vermont. Maryland ranks 40th in total energy consumption nationwide, and it managed less toxic waste per capita than all but six states in 2005.[77] In April 2007, Maryland joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) — a regional initiative, formed by all the Northeastern states, Washington, D.C., and three Canadian provinces, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[78] In March 2017, Maryland became the first state with proven gas reserves to ban fracking by passing a law against it. Vermont has such a law, but no shale gas, and New York has such a ban, though it was made by executive order.[59] Climate Further information: Climate change in Maryland Köppen climate types of Maryland, using 1991–2020 climate normals Winter on Lancaster Street in Baltimore's Fells Point Maryland has a wide array of climates, due to local variances in elevation, proximity to water, and protection from colder weather due to downslope winds. The eastern half of Maryland — which includes the cities of Ocean City, Salisbury, Annapolis, and the southern and eastern suburbs of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore — lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, with flat topography and sandy or muddy soil. This region has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with hot, humid summers and a mild to cool, occasionally cold, winter; it falls under USDA Hardiness zone 8a.[64] The Piedmont region, which includes northern and western greater Baltimore, Westminster, Gaithersburg, Frederick, and Hagerstown, has average seasonal snowfall totals generally exceeding 20 inches (51 cm), and, as part of USDA Hardiness zones 7b and 7a,[64] temperatures below 10 °F (−12 °C) are less rare. From the Cumberland Valley on westward, the climate begins to transition to a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa). In western Maryland, the higher elevations of Allegany and Garrett counties, including the cities of Cumberland, Frostburg, and Oakland, display more characteristics of the humid continental zone, due in part to elevation. They fall under USDA Hardiness zones 6b and below.[64] Precipitation in the state is characteristic of the East Coast. Annual rainfall ranges from 35 to 45 inches (890 to 1,140 mm) with more in higher elevations. Nearly every part of Maryland receives 3.5–4.5 inches (89–114 mm) per month of rain. Average annual snowfall varies from 9 inches (23 cm) in the coastal areas to over 100 inches (250 cm) in the western mountains of the state.[79] Because of its location near the Atlantic Coast, Maryland is somewhat vulnerable to tropical cyclones, although the Delmarva Peninsula and the outer banks of North Carolina provide a large buffer, such that strikes from major hurricanes (category 3 or above) occur infrequently. More often, Maryland gets the remnants of a tropical system that has already come ashore and released most of its energy. Maryland averages around 30–40 days of thunderstorms a year, and averages around six tornado strikes annually.[80] Monthly average high and low temperatures for various Maryland cities and landmarks (covering breadth and width of the state) City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Oakland 34 °F (1 °C) 16 °F (−9 °C) 38 °F (3 °C) 17 °F (−8 °C) 48 °F (9 °C) 25 °F (−4 °C) 59 °F (15 °C) 34 °F (1 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 45 °F (7 °C) 75 °F (24 °C) 53 °F (12 °C) 79 °F (26 °C) 58 °F (14 °C) 78 °F (26 °C) 56 °F (13 °C) 71 °F (22 °C) 49 °F (9 °C) 62 °F (17 °C) 37 °F (3 °C) 50 °F (10 °C) 28 °F (−2 °C) 39 °F (4 °C) 21 °F (−6 °C) Cumberland 41 °F (5 °C) 22 °F (−6 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 24 °F (−4 °C) 56 °F (13 °C) 32 °F (0 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 41 °F (5 °C) 77 °F (25 °C) 51 °F (11 °C) 85 °F (29 °C) 60 °F (16 °C) 89 °F (32 °C) 65 °F (18 °C) 87 °F (31 °C) 63 °F (17 °C) 80 °F (27 °C) 55 °F (13 °C) 69 °F (21 °C) 43 °F (6 °C) 57 °F (14 °C) 34 °F (1 °C) 45 °F (7 °C) 26 °F (−3 °C) Hagerstown 39 °F (4 °C) 22 °F (−6 °C) 42 °F (6 °C) 23 °F (−5 °C) 52 °F (11 °C) 30 °F (−1 °C) 63 °F (17 °C) 39 °F (4 °C) 72 °F (22 °C) 50 °F (10 °C) 81 °F (27 °C) 59 °F (15 °C) 85 °F (29 °C) 64 °F (18 °C) 83 °F (28 °C) 62 °F (17 °C) 76 °F (24 °C) 54 °F (12 °C) 65 °F (18 °C) 43 °F (6 °C) 54 °F (12 °C) 34 °F (1 °C) 43 °F (6 °C) 26 °F (−3 °C) Frederick 42 °F (6 °C) 26 °F (−3 °C) 47 °F (8 °C) 28 °F (−2 °C) 56 °F (13 °C) 35 °F (2 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 45 °F (7 °C) 77 °F (25 °C) 54 °F (12 °C) 85 °F (29 °C) 63 °F (17 °C) 89 °F (32 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 87 °F (31 °C) 66 °F (19 °C) 80 °F (27 °C) 59 °F (15 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 47 °F (8 °C) 56 °F (13 °C) 38 °F (3 °C) 45 °F (7 °C) 30 °F (−1 °C) Baltimore 42 °F (6 °C) 29 °F (−2 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 31 °F (−1 °C) 54 °F (12 °C) 39 °F (4 °C) 65 °F (18 °C) 48 °F (9 °C) 75 °F (24 °C) 57 °F (14 °C) 85 °F (29 °C) 67 °F (19 °C) 90 °F (32 °C) 72 °F (22 °C) 87 °F (31 °C) 71 °F (22 °C) 80 °F (27 °C) 64 °F (18 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 52 °F (11 °C) 58 °F (14 °C) 43 °F (6 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 33 °F (1 °C) Elkton 42 °F (6 °C) 24 °F (−4 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 26 °F (−3 °C) 55 °F (13 °C) 32 °F (0 °C) 67 °F (19 °C) 42 °F (6 °C) 76 °F (24 °C) 51 °F (11 °C) 85 °F (29 °C) 61 °F (16 °C) 88 °F (31 °C) 66 °F (19 °C) 87 °F (31 °C) 65 °F (18 °C) 80 °F (27 °C) 57 °F (14 °C) 69 °F (21 °C) 45 °F (7 °C) 58 °F (14 °C) 36 °F (2 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 28 °F (−2 °C) Ocean City 45 °F (7 °C) 28 °F (−2 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 29 °F (−2 °C) 53 °F (12 °C) 35 °F (2 °C) 61 °F (16 °C) 44 °F (7 °C) 70 °F (21 °C) 53 °F (12 °C) 79 °F (26 °C) 63 °F (17 °C) 84 °F (29 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 82 °F (28 °C) 67 °F (19 °C) 77 °F (25 °C) 60 °F (16 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 51 °F (11 °C) 58 °F (14 °C) 39 °F (4 °C) 49 °F (9 °C) 32 °F (0 °C) Waldorf 44 °F (7 °C) 26 °F (−3 °C) 49 °F (9 °C) 28 °F (−2 °C) 58 °F (14 °C) 35 °F (2 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 43 °F (6 °C) 75 °F (24 °C) 53 °F (12 °C) 81 °F (27 °C) 62 °F (17 °C) 85 °F (29 °C) 67 °F (19 °C) 83 °F (28 °C) 65 °F (18 °C) 78 °F (26 °C) 59 °F (15 °C) 68 °F (20 °C) 47 °F (8 °C) 59 °F (15 °C) 38 °F (3 °C) 48 °F (9 °C) 30 °F (−1 °C) Point Lookout State Park 47 °F (8 °C) 29 °F (−2 °C) 51 °F (11 °C) 31 °F (−1 °C) 60 °F (16 °C) 38 °F (3 °C) 70 °F (21 °C) 46 °F (8 °C) 78 °F (26 °C) 55 °F (13 °C) 86 °F (30 °C) 64 °F (18 °C) 89 °F (32 °C) 69 °F (21 °C) 87 °F (31 °C) 67 °F (19 °C) 81 °F (27 °C) 60 °F (16 °C) 71 °F (22 °C) 49 °F (9 °C) 61 °F (16 °C) 41 °F (5 °C) 50 °F (10 °C) 32 °F (0 °C) [81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90] Cities and metro areas See also: Maryland statistical areas Maryland population distribution map. Maryland's population is concentrated mostly in the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas. Most of the population of Maryland lives in the central region of the state, in the Baltimore metropolitan area and Washington metropolitan area, both of which are part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. The majority of Maryland's population is concentrated in the cities and suburbs surrounding Washington, D.C., as well as in and around Maryland's most populous city, Baltimore. Historically, these and many other Maryland cities developed along the Fall Line, the line along which rivers, brooks, and streams are interrupted by rapids and waterfalls. Maryland's capital city, Annapolis, is one exception to this pattern since it lies along the banks of the Severn River, close to where it empties into the Chesapeake Bay. The Eastern Shore is less populous and more rural, as are the counties of western Maryland. The two westernmost counties of Maryland, Allegany and Garrett, are mountainous and sparsely populated, resembling West Virginia and Appalachia more than they do the rest of the state. Both eastern and western Maryland are, however, dotted with cities of regional importance, such as Ocean City, Princess Anne, and Salisbury on the Eastern Shore and Cumberland, Frostburg, and Hancock in Western Maryland. Southern Maryland is still somewhat rural, but suburbanization from Washington, D.C., has encroached significantly since the 1960s; important local population centers include Lexington Park, Prince Frederick, California, and Waldorf.[91][92]    Largest cities or towns in Maryland 2020 U.S. Census populations Rank Name County Pop. Baltimore Baltimore Columbia Columbia 1 Baltimore Independent city 585,708 Germantown Germantown Waldorf Waldorf 2 Columbia Howard 104,681 3 Germantown Montgomery 91,249 4 Waldorf Charles 81,410 5 Silver Spring Montgomery 81,015 6 Frederick Frederick 78,171 7 Ellicott City Howard 75,947 8 Glen Burnie Anne Arundel 72,891 9 Gaithersburg Montgomery 69,657 10 Bethesda Montgomery 68,056 Demographics See also: List of counties in Maryland, List of incorporated places in Maryland, and List of census-designated places in Maryland Maryland's counties Historical population Census Pop. Note %± 1790 319,728 — 1800 341,548 6.8% 1810 380,546 11.4% 1820 407,350 7.0% 1830 447,040 9.7% 1840 470,019 5.1% 1850 583,034 24.0% 1860 687,049 17.8% 1870 780,894 13.7% 1880 934,943 19.7% 1890 1,042,390 11.5% 1900 1,188,044 14.0% 1910 1,295,346 9.0% 1920 1,449,661 11.9% 1930 1,631,526 12.5% 1940 1,821,244 11.6% 1950 2,343,001 28.6% 1960 3,100,689 32.3% 1970 3,922,399 26.5% 1980 4,216,975 7.5% 1990 4,781,468 13.4% 2000 5,296,486 10.8% 2010 5,773,552 9.0% 2020 6,177,224 7.0% 2022 (est.) 6,164,660 −0.2% Source: 1910–2020[93] In the 2020 United States census, the United States Census Bureau found that population of Maryland was 6,185,278 people, a 7.1% increase from the 2010 United States census.[93] The United States Census Bureau estimated that the population of Maryland was 6,045,680 on July 1, 2019, a 4.71% increase from the 2010 United States census and an increase of 2,962, from the prior year. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 269,166 (464,251 births minus 275,093 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 116,713 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 129,730 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 13,017 people.[94] In 2018, The top countries of origin for Maryland’s immigrants were El Salvador (11%), India (6%), China (5%), Nigeria (5%), and the Philippines (4%).[95] The center of population of Maryland is located on the county line between Anne Arundel County and Howard County, in the unincorporated community of Jessup.[96] Maryland's history as a border state has led it to exhibit characteristics of both the Northern and the Southern regions of the United States. Generally, rural Western Maryland between the West Virginian Panhandle and Pennsylvania has an Appalachian culture; the Southern and Eastern Shore regions of Maryland embody a Southern culture,[97] while densely populated Central Maryland – radiating outward from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. – has more in common with that of the Northeast.[98] The U.S. Census Bureau designates Maryland as one of the South Atlantic States, but it is commonly associated with the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States by other federal agencies, the media, and some residents.[99][100][101][102][103] According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 5,349 homeless people in Maryland.[104][105] Birth data As of 2011, 58.0 percent of Maryland's population younger than age 1 were minority background.[106] Note: Births in the table do not add up because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. Live births by single race/ethnicity of mother Race 2013[107] 2014[108] 2015[109] 2016[110] 2017[111] 2018[112] 2019[113] 2020[114] 2021[115] White: 41,474 (57.6%) 42,525 (57.5%) 42,471 (57.7%) ... ... ... ... ... ... > Non-hispanic White 32,568 (45.2%) 33,178 (44.9%) 32,412 (44.0%) 31,278 (42.8%) 29,809 (41.6%) 29,585 (41.6%) 28,846 (41.1%) 28,060 (40.9%) 28,193 (41.3%) Black 24,764 (34.4%) 25,339 (34.3%) 25,017 (34.0%) 22,829 (31.2%) 22,327 (31.1%) 21,893 (30.8%) 21,494 (30.6%) 20,869 (30.4%) 20,449 (29.9%) Asian 5,415 (7.5%) 5,797 (7.8%) 5,849 (7.9%) 5,282 (7.2%) 5,276 (7.3%) 4,928 (6.9%) 4,928 (7.0%) 4,595 (6.7%) 4,431 (6.5%) American Indian 300 (0.4%) 260 (0.3%) 279 (0.4%) 104 (0.1%) 127 (0.2%) 114 (0.2%) 113 (0.2%) 79 (0.1%) 83 (0.1%) Hispanic (of any race) 10,515 (14.6%) 10,974 (14.8%) 11,750 (16.0%) 11,872 (16.2%) 12,223 (17.1%) 12,470 (17.5%) 12,872 (18.3%) 13,034 (19.0%) 13,164 (19.3%) Total Maryland 71,953 (100%) 73,921 (100%) 73,616 (100%) 73,136 (100%) 71,641 (100%) 71,080 (100%) 70,178 (100%) 68,554 (100%) 68,285 (100%) Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Country of birth (2022)[116][117] Birthplace Population United States 4,999,873  El Salvador 105,778  India 60,535  China 43,499  Nigeria 39,185  Guatemala 38,222  Philippines 37,020  South Korea 34,091  Mexico 33,833  Ethiopia 28,554  Jamaica 26,068  Honduras 21,991  Cameroon 19,934  Vietnam 19,082  Peru 17,414  Pakistan 16,386  Ghana 14,722  Dominican Republic 13,880    Nepal 8,646-25,000[c] Language and ancestry Racial makeup of Maryland excluding Hispanics from racial categories (2019)[118] NH = Non-Hispanic   White NH (49.82%)   Black NH (29.75%)   Asian NH (6.35%)   Native American NH (0.25%)   Pacific Islander NH (0.04%)   Two or more races NH (2.85%)   Other NH (0.31%)   Hispanic Any Race (10.64%) As of 2016, the most spoken languages in Maryland other than English were Spanish (9%), Chinese (1.2%), West African languages (mostly Yoruba and Igbo, 1%), French (1%), Korean (0.7%), Afro-Asiatic languages (mostly Amharic, 0.6%), and Tagalog (0.6%). Other languages with a large number of speakers in Maryland include Vietnamese (0.4%), Arabic (0.4%), Russian (0.4%), Hindi (0.3%), Urdu (0.3%), Persian (0.3%), Nepali (0.3%), Haitian Creole (0.2%), and Telugu (0.2%) [119][120] Racial breakdown of population of Maryland  Racial composition 1970[121] 1990[121] 2000[122] 2010[123] 2020[124] White 81.5% 71.0% 64.0% 60.8% 58.5% Black 17.8% 24.9% 27.9% 29.8% 31.1% Asian 0.5% 2.9% 4.0% 5.5% 6.7% Native American 0.1% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.6% Other race 0.1% 0.9% 1.8% 3.6% – Two or more races – – 2.0% 2.9% 2.9% Non-Hispanic whites 80.4% 69.6% 62.1% 54.7% 50.0% Ethnic origins in Maryland Map of counties in Maryland by racial plurality, according to 2020 U.S. census findings Non-Hispanic White   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%   90%+ Black or African American   50–60%   60–70% In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Maryland's population as 17.8 percent African-American and 80.4 percent non-Hispanic White.[125] In 2019, non-Hispanic white Americans were 49.8% of Maryland's population (White Americans, including White Hispanics, were 57.3%), which made Maryland a majority minority state.[126] 50.2% of Maryland's population is non-white, or is Hispanic or Latino, the highest percentage of any state on the East Coast, and the highest percentage after the majority-minority states of Hawaii, New Mexico, Texas, California, and Nevada, along with Washington D.C.[127] By 2031, minorities are projected to become the majority of voting eligible residents of Maryland.[128] Maryland's multiculturalism and diversity can be explained by its historically large African American population, and immigration brought by the importance of the D.C. and Baltimore areas, especially from Central America, Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia. African Americans form a sizable portion of the state's population, 31.1% as of 2020.[124] Most are descendants of people transported to the area as slaves from West Africa. Concentrations of African Americans live in Baltimore City, Prince George's County, Charles County, western parts of Baltimore County, and the southern Eastern Shore. Charles County and Prince George's County are the two counties where African Americans are the most successful monetarily in the country, with average household incomes much higher than in the rest of the country. As a former slave state, Maryland has had a large African-American population for much of its history; African American populations have increased over time with the Great Migration to the D.C. and Baltimore areas, and in more recent times with the New Great Migration and with movement out from Washington D.C. into Montgomery, Prince George's, and Charles counties, as a result of gentrification and rising housing costs in D.C. causing many African Americans to leave. Prince George's County in particular has been a magnet for African Americans from D.C. to move to for decades; it is often referred to as "Ward 9" of D.C. Maryland has by far the highest percentage of residents born in Africa out of any state; residents of African descent include 20th-century and later immigrants from Nigeria, particularly of the Igbo and Yoruba tribes; Ethiopia, particularly Amharas with significant Oromo and Tigrayan populations; Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Kenya.[129] Maryland also hosts populations from other African and Caribbean nations. Maryland's African immigrant population is generally well-educated and is most concentrated in the inner suburbs of Baltimore and D.C. Nigerians are the fourth-largest immigrant group in Maryland, and are largely concentrated in the Baltimore area and surrounding suburbs, as well as Prince George's county. Many immigrants from the Horn of Africa, especially Ethiopia, have settled in Maryland, with large communities in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. (particularly Montgomery County and Prince George's County); the Greater Washington area has the world's largest population of Ethiopians outside of Ethiopia.[130] The Ethiopian community of Greater D.C. was historically based in Washington, D.C.'s Adams Morgan and Shaw neighborhoods, but as the community has grown, many Ethiopians have settled in Silver Spring.[131] The Ethiopian American population in Maryland and the rest of the D.C. area is largely Amharic-speaking, but there are significant numbers of speakers of Oromo and Tigrinya speakers as well. The Washington, D.C., metropolitan area is also home to a large Eritrean community. The top reported ancestries by Maryland residents are: German (15%), Irish (11%), English (8%), American (7%), Italian (6%), and Polish (3%).[132] Irish American populations can be found throughout the Baltimore area,[133] and the Northern and Eastern suburbs of Washington, D.C., in Maryland (descendants of those who moved out to the suburbs[134] of Washington's once predominantly Irish neighborhoods[134][135]), as well as Western Maryland, where Irish immigrant laborers helped to build the B&O Railroad.[133] Smaller but much older Irish populations can be found in Southern Maryland, with some roots dating as far back as the early Maryland colony.[136] This population, however, still remains culturally very active and yearly festivals are held.[137] A large percentage of the population of the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland are descendants of British American ancestry. The Eastern Shore was settled by Protestants, chiefly Methodist and the southern counties were initially settled by English Catholics. Western and northern Maryland have large German-American populations. More recent European immigrants of the late 19th and early 20th century settled first in Baltimore, attracted to its industrial jobs. These groups were largely of Jewish, Italian, Greek, Polish, Czech, Lithuanian, Russian and Ukrainian descent. The Greek community includes a number of Greek Jews.[138] These Southern and Eastern European immigrants were largely concentrated in Southeast Baltimore and significantly influenced the unique culture of the city; although many have moved out into surrounding areas of Baltimore County due to gentrification, the city retains the culture and influence of these immigrants, and cultural events celebrating these communities are common in Baltimore. Maryland has had a significant Jewish American presence since the early 20th century, with large numbers of Jewish immigrants to the Baltimore area, followed by Jewish migration to the Washington D.C. area; Maryland has the fifth-highest percentage of Jewish residents in the country (including Washington D.C.), with 239,000 Jews making up 4 percent of the population, and the Washington-Baltimore area having the seventh-largest number of Jews of any combined metropolitan area in the country, with a Jewish population estimated at 300,000.[citation needed] The shares of European immigrants born in Eastern Europe increased significantly between 1990 and 2010. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia, many immigrants from Eastern Europe came to the United States—12 percent of whom currently reside in Maryland.[139][140] Hispanic immigrants of the later 20th century have settled in Aspen Hill, Hyattsville/Langley Park, Glenmont/Wheaton, Bladensburg, Riverdale Park, Gaithersburg, as well as Highlandtown and Greektown in East Baltimore. Maryland has the highest percentage of residents of Central American origin of any state.[citation needed] Salvadorans are the largest Hispanic group in Maryland, and Maryland has the largest percentage of Salvadoran residents of any state.[citation needed] The D.C. area also has the highest percentage of Salvadorans of any American metro area, who are particularly concentrated in Prince George's and Montgomery counties, and has the second-highest total number of Salvadorans after the Los Angeles area. Other Hispanic groups with significant populations in the state include Mexicans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, Dominicans, Peruvians, and Puerto Ricans, along with growing populations of Brazilians, Colombians, Ecuadorians, and Bolivians. Maryland's Hispanic population is especially concentrated in Montgomery County and Prince George's County, with other large populations in the Baltimore area and Frederick County. Maryland has one of the most diverse Hispanic populations in the country, with significant populations from various Caribbean and Central American nations.[141] Caribbean Americans have a significant presence in Maryland, especially Jamaican Americans, who make up 0.6% of the population and have had a significant presence and influence in Maryland's politics and culture; Maryland's current governor, Wes Moore, is the son of a Jamaican immigrant mother. Other Caribbean American nationalities with a large population in Maryland include Dominicans, Haitians, Trinidadians and Tobagonians, and Guyanese. Caribbean Americans are most concentrated in Prince George's County, the city of Baltimore, and Baltimore County. Asian Americans are concentrated in the suburban counties surrounding Washington, D.C., and in Baltimore suburbs, especially Howard County, with Chinese American, Korean American and Taiwanese American communities in Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Germantown. Chinese in particular form the second largest group of Asian Americans, and are the largest group in Montgomery County.[citation needed] Maryland also has a large Korean American population, especially in Howard County, where there is a Koreatown in Ellicott City.[142][143] Filipino Americans, the largest group of Southeast Asians, form major communities in Montgomery, Prince George's, and Charles counties; other large groups of Southeast Asians include Vietnamese, who are concentrated in Montgomery County, and Burmese, who are concentrated in Frederick, Howard, and Baltimore Counties.[citation needed] Maryland has a very large and diverse South Asian American population that has had a major presence in the state since the 1970s. Indian Americans are the largest Asian group in Maryland, making up 1.7 percent of the population, and live throughout the state, especially in Montgomery and Howard counties, with large numbers in Baltimore, Frederick, and Prince George's counties.[citation needed] The Indian American population is culturally and linguistically diverse, with the Indian languages spoken most being Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, and Tamil.[citation needed] There are also large Pakistani American populations throughout the D.C. and Baltimore areas, especially in Baltimore County and Howard County, and a large Bangladeshi American community in the D.C. area.[citation needed] Maryland has one of the largest populations of Nepali Americans, including Bhutanese Americans of Nepali descent, in the U.S., many of whom are recent immigrants or refugees who sought asylum after expulsion from Bhutan or the 2015 Nepal earthquake; there are an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 Nepalis in Maryland, concentrated in the Baltimore area with significant populations in the D.C. area.[citation needed] The first Nepali American elected to a state legislature, Harry Bhandari, was elected in Maryland, representing part of Baltimore County.[144][145] Attracting educated Asians and Africans to the professional jobs in the region, Maryland has the fifth-largest proportions of racial minorities in the country.[146] In 2006, 645,744 were counted as foreign born, which represents mainly people from Latin America and Asia. About four percent are undocumented immigrants.[147] According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. census, 12,538 same-sex couples are living in Maryland, representing 5.8 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.[148] Religion Baltimore Basilica was the first Catholic cathedral built in the U.S. Religion in Maryland (2014)[149] religion percent Protestant 52% None 23% Catholic 15% Jewish 3% Other faiths 2% Buddhist 1% Hindu 1% Islam 1% Mormon 1% Orthodox Christian 1% Maryland has been historically prominent to American Catholic tradition because the English colony of Maryland was intended by George Calvert as a haven for English Catholics. Baltimore was the seat of the first Catholic bishop in the U.S. (1789), and Emmitsburg was the home and burial place of the first American-born citizen to be canonized, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Georgetown University, the first Catholic University, was founded in 1789 in what was then part of Maryland; it became a part of the District of Columbia when it was created in the 1790s. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Baltimore was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States, and the Archbishop of Baltimore is, albeit without formal primacy, the United States' quasi-primate,[citation needed] and often a cardinal. Among the immigrants of the 19th and 20th centuries from eastern and southern Europe were many Catholics. Despite its historic relevance to the Catholic Church in the United States, the percentage of Catholics in the state of Maryland is below the national average of 20%. Demographically, both Protestants and those identifying with no religion are more numerous than Catholics. According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, 69 percent of Maryland's population identifies themselves as Christian. Nearly 52% of the adult population are Protestants.[d] Following Protestantism, Catholicism is the second largest religious affiliation, comprising 15% percent of the population.[149][150] Amish/Mennonite communities are found in St. Mary's, Garrett, and Cecil counties.[151] Judaism is the largest non-Christian religion in Maryland, with 241,000 adherents, or four percent of the total population.[152] Jews are numerous throughout Montgomery County and in Pikesville and Owings Mills northwest of Baltimore. An estimated 81,500 Jewish Americans live in Montgomery County, constituting approximately 10% of the total population.[153] The Seventh-day Adventist Church's world headquarters and Ahmadiyya Muslims' national headquarters are located in Silver Spring, just outside Washington, D.C.. Per the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, 61 percent of Maryland's population identified with Christianity.[154] Protestantism and Roman Catholicism continued to dominate the Christian landscape, and the Jewish community remained at 3% of the total religious population. Of the unaffiliated, the PRRI study determined their increase to 28% of the population. LGBT population Main article: LGBT rights in Maryland Maryland has one of the highest percentages of LGBT people in its populace out of any state; 5.7% of Marylanders identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, the highest of any state. (Washington, D.C. ranks higher with a LGBT population of 8.6%.) Maryland ranks as one of the best states in the nation for rights of the LGBT community, with protections against discrimination enacted since 2001 for sexuality and 2014 for gender, same-sex marriage legalization in 2013, bans on conversion therapy enacted in 2018, abolition of the gay panic defense in 2021, and issuance in 2023 of an executive order protecting the rights of transgender individuals. In 2020, Montgomery County unanimously passed an ordinance implementing an LGBTIQ+ bill of rights. The first person known to describe himself as a drag queen was William Dorsey Swann, born enslaved in Hancock, Maryland. Swann was the first American on record who pursued legal and political action to defend the LGBTQ community's right to assemble.[155] In February 2010, Attorney General Doug Gansler issued an opinion stating that Maryland law should honor same-sex marriages from out of state. At the time, the state Supreme Court wrote a decision upholding marriage discrimination.[148] On March 1, 2012, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed the freedom to marry bill into law after it passed in the state legislature. Opponents of same-sex marriage began collecting signatures to overturn the law, which faced a referendum, as Question 6, in the November 2012 election.[148] A January 2011 Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies poll showed 51% support for marriage in the state.[156] In May 2012, Maryland's Court of Appeals ruled that the state will recognize marriages of same-sex couples who married out-of-state, no matter the outcome of the November election.[148] Voters upheld the bill, passing Question 6 with 52% to 48% on November 6, 2012. Same-sex couples began marrying in Maryland on January 1, 2013.[148] Economy See also: Business in Maryland, List of federal installations in Maryland, List of shopping malls in Maryland, and Maryland locations by per capita income A map showing Maryland's median income by county. Data is sourced from the 2014 ACS five-year estimate report published by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Maryland's gross state product in 2016 was $382.4 billion.[157] However, Maryland has been using Genuine Progress Indicator, an indicator of well-being, to guide the state's development, rather than relying only on growth indicators like GDP.[158][159] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland households are currently the wealthiest in the country, with a 2013 median household income of $72,483,[160] which puts it ahead of New Jersey and Connecticut, which are second and third respectively. Two of Maryland's counties, Howard and Montgomery, are the second and eleventh wealthiest counties in the nation respectively. Maryland has the most millionaires per capita in 2013, with a ratio of 7.7 percent.[161] Also, the state's poverty rate of 7.8 percent is the lowest in the country.[162][163][164] Per capita personal income in 2006 was $43,500, fifth in the nation. As of March 2022, the state's unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.[165] Maryland's economy benefits from the state's proximity to the federal government in Washington, D.C., with an emphasis on technical and administrative tasks for the defense/aerospace industry and bio-research laboratories, as well as staffing of satellite government headquarters in the suburban or exurban Baltimore/Washington area. Ft. Meade serves as the headquarters of the Defense Information Systems Agency, United States Cyber Command, and the National Security Agency/Central Security Service. In addition, a number of educational and medical research institutions are located in the state. In fact, the various components of The Johns Hopkins University and its medical research facilities are now the largest single employer in the Baltimore area.[citation needed] Altogether, white collar technical and administrative workers comprise 25 percent of Maryland's labor force,[citation needed] attributable in part to nearby Maryland being a part of the Washington Metro Area where the federal government office employment is relatively high. Manufacturing, while large in dollar value, is highly diversified with no sub-sector contributing over 20 percent of the total. Typical forms of manufacturing include electronics, computer equipment, and chemicals. The once-mighty primary metals sub-sector, which once included what was then the largest steel factory in the world at Sparrows Point, still exists, but is pressed with foreign competition, bankruptcies, and mergers.[citation needed] During World War II, the Glenn Martin Company (now part of Lockheed Martin) airplane factory employed some 40,000 people. Mining other than construction materials is virtually limited to coal, which is located in the mountainous western part of the state. The brownstone quarries in the east, which gave Baltimore and Washington much of their characteristic architecture in the mid-19th century, were once a predominant natural resource. Historically, there used to be small gold-mining operations in Maryland, some near Washington, but these no longer exist. In 2022, the top private employers by number of employees were BYK Gardner, Clean Harbors, Holy Cross Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland Neuroimaging Center, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, University of Maryland, and University of Maryland Medical Center.[166] Port of Baltimore One major service activity is transportation, centered on the Port of Baltimore and its related rail and trucking access. The port ranked 17th in the U.S. by tonnage in 2008.[167] Although the port handles a wide variety of products, the most typical imports are raw materials and bulk commodities, such as iron ore, petroleum, sugar, and fertilizers, often distributed to the relatively close manufacturing centers of the inland Midwest via good overland transportation. The port also receives several brands of imported motor vehicles and is the number one auto port in the U.S.[168] Baltimore City is among the top 15 largest ports in the nation,[169] and was one of six major U.S. ports that were part of the February 2006 controversy over the Dubai Ports World deal.[170] The state as a whole is heavily industrialized, with a booming economy and influential technology centers. Its computer industries are some of the most sophisticated in the United States, and the federal government has invested heavily in the area. Maryland is home to several large military bases and scores of high-level government jobs. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14 miles (23 km) canal on the Eastern Shore that connects the waters of the Delaware River with those of the Chesapeake Bay, and in particular with the Port of Baltimore, carrying 40 percent of the port's ship traffic.[171] Fishing Maryland has a large food-production sector. A large component of this is commercial fishing, centered in the Chesapeake Bay, but also including activity off the short Atlantic seacoast. The largest catches by species are the blue crab, oysters, striped bass, and menhaden. The Bay also has overwintering waterfowl in its wildlife refuges. The waterfowl support a tourism sector of sportsmen. Agriculture Main article: Agriculture in Maryland Agriculture is an important part of Maryland's economy. Maryland has large areas of fertile agricultural land in its coastal and Piedmont zones, though this land use is being encroached upon by urbanization. Agriculture is oriented to dairy farming (especially in foothill and piedmont areas) for nearby large city milksheads, plus specialty perishable horticulture crops, such as cucumbers, watermelons, sweet corn, tomatoes, muskmelons, squash, and peas (Source:USDA Crop Profiles). The southern counties of the western shoreline of Chesapeake Bay are warm enough to support a tobacco cash crop zone, which has existed since early Colonial times, but declined greatly after a state government buy-out in the 1990s. There is also a large automated chicken-farming sector in the state's southeastern part; Salisbury is home to Perdue Farms. Maryland's food-processing plants are the most significant type of manufacturing by value in the state. Farming suffers from weeds as anywhere else, including an unusual multiply resistant ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) found by Rousonelos et al., 2012 with both ALS- and PPO-resistances[172] and which by 2016 had developed a third, EPSP resistance.[173] This ragweed population is a drag on soybean cultivation and, as of May 7, 2022, is the worst multiresistant weed problem in the state.[173] Biotechnology Maryland is a major center for life sciences research and development. With more than 400 biotechnology companies located there, Maryland is the fourth largest nexus in this field in the United States.[174] Institutions and government agencies with an interest in research and development located in Maryland include the Johns Hopkins University, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, more than one campus of the University System of Maryland, Goddard Space Flight Center, the United States Census Bureau, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Celera Genomics company, the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), and AstraZeneca (formerly MedImmune). Maryland is home to defense contractor Emergent BioSolutions, which manufactures and provides an anthrax vaccine to U.S. government military personnel.[175] Tourism See also: List of National Historic Landmarks in Maryland Ocean City, a beach resort along the Atlantic Ocean, is a popular tourist destination in Maryland. Tourism is popular in Maryland. Many tourists visit Baltimore, the beaches of the Eastern Shore, and the nature of western Maryland. Attractions in Baltimore include the Harborplace, the Baltimore Aquarium, Fort McHenry, as well as the Camden Yards baseball stadium. Ocean City on the Atlantic Coast has been a popular beach destination in summer, particularly since the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was built in 1952 connecting the Eastern Shore to the more populated Maryland cities.[49] The state capital of Annapolis offers sites such as the state capitol building, the historic district, and the waterfront. Maryland also has several sites of interest to military history, given Maryland's role in the American Civil War and in the War of 1812. Other attractions include the historic and picturesque towns along the Chesapeake Bay, such as Saint Mary's, Maryland's first colonial settlement and original capital.[176] Healthcare Main articles: List of hospitals in Maryland and Maryland hospital payment system As of 2017, the top two health insurers including all types of insurance were CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield with 47% market share followed by UnitedHealth Group at 15%.[177] Maryland has experimented with healthcare payment reforms, notably beginning in the 1970s with an all-payer rate setting program regulated by the Health Services Cost Review Commission.[178] In 2014, it switched to a global budget revenue system, whereby hospitals receive a capitated payment to care for their population.[178] Transportation The Maryland Department of Transportation oversees most transportation in the state through its various administration-level agencies.[179] The independent Maryland Transportation Authority maintains and operates the state's eight toll facilities. Roads See also: List of Interstate Highways in Maryland, List of Maryland state highways, List of minor Maryland state highways, and List of former Maryland state highways The Chesapeake Bay Bridge connects Maryland's Eastern and Western Shores. Maryland's Interstate highways include 110 miles (180 km) of Interstate 95 (I-95), which enters the northeast portion of the state, travels through Baltimore, and becomes part of the eastern section of the Capital Beltway to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. I-68 travels 81 miles (130 km), connecting the western portions of the state to I-70 at the small town of Hancock. I-70 enters from Pennsylvania north of Hancock and continues east for 93 miles (150 km) to Baltimore, connecting Hagerstown and Frederick along the way. I-83 has 34 miles (55 km) in Maryland and connects Baltimore to southern central Pennsylvania (Harrisburg and York, Pennsylvania). Maryland also has an 11-mile (18 km) portion of I-81 that travels through the state near Hagerstown. I-97, fully contained within Anne Arundel County and the shortest (17.6 miles (28.3 km)) one- or two-digit interstate highway in the contiguous US, connects the Baltimore area to the Annapolis area. There are also several auxiliary Interstate highways in Maryland. Among them are two beltways encircling the major cities of the region: I-695, the McKeldin (Baltimore) Beltway, which encircles Baltimore; and a portion of I-495, the Capital Beltway, which encircles Washington, D.C. I-270, which connects the Frederick area with Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. through major suburbs to the northwest of Washington, is a major commuter route and is as wide as fourteen lanes at points. I-895, also known as the Harbor Tunnel Thruway, provides an alternate route to I-95 across Baltimore Harbor. Both I-270 and the Capital Beltway were extremely congested; however, the Intercounty Connector (ICC; MD 200) has alleviated some congestion over time. Construction of the ICC was a major part of the campaign platform of former Governor Robert Ehrlich, who was in office from 2003 until 2007, and of Governor Martin O'Malley, who succeeded him. I-595, which is an unsigned highway concurrent with US 50/US 301, is the longest unsigned interstate in the country and connects Prince George's County and Washington, D.C. with Annapolis and the Eastern Shore via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Maryland also has a state highway system that contains routes numbered from 2 through 999, however most of the higher-numbered routes are either unsigned or are relatively short. Major state highways include Routes 2 (Governor Ritchie Highway/Solomons Island Road/Southern Maryland Blvd.), 4 (Pennsylvania Avenue/Southern Maryland Blvd./Patuxent Beach Road/St. Andrew's Church Road), 5 (Branch Avenue/Leonardtown Road/Point Lookout Road), 32, 45 (York Road), 97 (Georgia Avenue), 100 (Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway), 210 (Indian Head Highway), 235 (Three Notch Road), 295 (Baltimore-Washington Parkway), 355 (Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike/Frederick Road), 404 (Queen Anne Highway/ Shore Highway), and 650 (New Hampshire Avenue). Airports See also: Aviation in Maryland and List of airports in Maryland Maryland's largest airport is Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, more commonly referred to as BWI. The airport is named for the Baltimore-born Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court justice. The only other airports with commercial service are at Hagerstown and Salisbury. The Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. are also served by the other two airports in the region, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport, both in Northern Virginia. The College Park Airport is the nation's oldest, founded in 1909, and is still used. Wilbur Wright trained military aviators at this location.[180][181] Rail See also: List of Maryland railroads vte Maryland passenger rail stations Ellicott City Station, on the original B&O Railroad line, is the oldest remaining passenger station in the nation. The rail line is still used by CSX Transportation for freight trains, and the station is now a museum. Amtrak trains, including the high-speed Acela Express serve Baltimore's Penn Station, BWI Airport, New Carrollton, and Aberdeen along the Washington, D.C. to Boston Northeast Corridor. In addition, train service is provided to Rockville and Cumberland by Amtrak's Washington, D.C., to Chicago Capitol Limited. The WMATA's Metrorail rapid transit and Metrobus local bus systems (the 2nd and 6th busiest in the nation of their respective modes) provide service in Montgomery and Prince George's counties and connect them to Washington, D.C., with the express Metrobus Route B30 serving BWI Airport. The Maryland Transit Administration (often abbreviated as "MTA Maryland"), a state agency part of the Maryland Department of Transportation also provides transit services within the state. Headquartered in Baltimore, MTA's transit services are largely focused on central Maryland, as well as some portions of the Eastern Shore and Southern MD. Baltimore's Light RailLink and Metro SubwayLink systems serve its densely populated inner-city and the surrounding suburbs. The MTA also serves the city and its suburbs with its local bus service (the 9th largest system in the nation). The MTA's Commuter Bus system provides express coach service on longer routes connecting Washington, D.C. and Baltimore to parts of Central and Southern MD as well as the Eastern Shore. The commuter rail service, known as MARC, operates three lines which all terminate at Washington Union Station and provide service to Baltimore's Penn and Camden stations, Perryville, Frederick, and Martinsburg, WV. In addition, many suburban counties operate local bus systems which connect to and complement the larger MTA and WMATA/Metro services. The MTA will also administer the Purple Line, an under-construction light rail line that will connect the Maryland branches of the Red, Green/Yellow, and Orange lines of the Washington Metro, as well as offer transfers to all three lines of the MARC commuter rail system.[182][183] Freight rail transport is handled principally by two Class I railroads, as well as several smaller regional and local carriers. CSX Transportation has more extensive trackage throughout the state, with 560 miles (900 km),[184] followed by Norfolk Southern Railway. Major rail yards are located in Baltimore and Cumberland,[184] with an intermodal terminal (rail, truck and marine) in Baltimore.[185] Law and government Main article: Government of Maryland See also: List of Governors of Maryland, Maryland Army National Guard, and Maryland Air National Guard The Maryland State House in Annapolis dates to 1772, and houses the Maryland General Assembly and offices of the governor. The historical coat of arms of Maryland in 1876 The government of Maryland is conducted according to the state constitution. The government of Maryland, like the other 49 state governments, has exclusive authority over matters that lie entirely within the state's borders, except as limited by the Constitution of the United States. Power in Maryland is divided among three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Maryland General Assembly is composed of the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate. Maryland's governor is unique in the United States as the office is vested with significant authority in budgeting. The legislature may not increase the governor's proposed budget expenditures. Unlike many other states, significant autonomy is granted to many of Maryland's counties. Most of the business of government is conducted in Annapolis, the state capital however some cabinet departments and state officials have their offices in Baltimore. Elections for governor and most statewide offices, as well as most county elections, are held in midterm-election years (even-numbered years not divisible by four). The judicial branch of state government consists of one united District Court of Maryland that sits in every county and Baltimore City, as well as 24 Circuit Courts sitting in each County and Baltimore City, the latter being courts of general jurisdiction for all civil disputes over $30,000, all equitable jurisdiction and major criminal proceedings. The intermediate appellate court is known as the Appellate Court of Maryland and the state supreme court is the Supreme Court of Maryland. The appearance of the justices of the Supreme Court of Maryland is unique; Maryland is the only state whose justices wear red robes.[186] Taxation Maryland imposes five income tax brackets, ranging from 2 to 6.25 percent of personal income.[187] The city of Baltimore and Maryland's 23 counties levy local "piggyback" income taxes at rates between 1.25 and 3.2 percent of Maryland taxable income. Local officials set the rates and the revenue is returned to the local governments quarterly. The top income tax bracket of 9.45 percent is the fifth highest combined state and local income tax rates in the country, behind New York City's 11.35 percent, California's 10.3 percent, Rhode Island's 9.9 percent, and Vermont's 9.5 percent.[188] Maryland's state sales tax is six percent.[189] All real property in Maryland is subject to the property tax.[190] Generally, properties that are owned and used by religious, charitable, or educational organizations or property owned by the federal, state or local governments are exempt.[190] Property tax rates vary widely.[190] No restrictions or limitations on property taxes are imposed by the state, meaning cities and counties can set tax rates at the level they deem necessary to fund governmental services.[190] Elections Main article: Elections in Maryland Further information: Political party strength in Maryland Spiro Agnew, 39th Vice President of the United States, is the highest-ranking political leader from Maryland since the nation's founding. Prior to the American Civil War, Maryland's elections were largely controlled by the Democrats, which account for 54.9% of all registered voters as of May 2017.[191] State elections are dominated by Baltimore and the populous suburban counties bordering Washington, D.C., and Baltimore: Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties. As of July 2017,[192] 66 percent of the state's population resides in these six jurisdictions, most of which contain large, traditionally Democratic voting blocs: African Americans in Baltimore City and Prince George's; federal employees in Prince George's, Anne Arundel, and Montgomery; and post-graduates in Montgomery. The remainder of the state, particularly Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore, is more supportive of Republicans.[citation needed] One of Maryland's best known political figures is a Republican – former governor Spiro Agnew, who pled no contest to tax evasion and resigned in 1973.[193] In 1980, Maryland was one of six states to vote for Jimmy Carter. In 1992, Bill Clinton fared better in Maryland than any other state, except his home state of Arkansas. In 1996, Maryland was Clinton's sixth best; in 2000, Maryland ranked fourth for Gore; and in 2004, John Kerry showed his fifth-best performance in Maryland. In 2008, Barack Obama won the state's 10 electoral votes with 61.9 percent of the vote, to John McCain's 36.5 percent. In 2002, former Governor Robert Ehrlich was the first Republican to be elected to that office in four decades, and after one term, he lost his seat to Baltimore Mayor and Democrat Martin O'Malley. Ehrlich ran again for governor in 2010, losing again to O'Malley. Voter registration and party enrollment in Maryland[194] Party Total Percentage Democratic 2,242,166 54.01% Republican 993,842 23.94% Independents and unaffiliated 845,262 20.36% Other parties 70,286 1.69% Total 4,151,556 100.00% The 2006 election brought no change in the pattern of Democratic dominance. After Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes announced that he was retiring, Democratic Congressman Benjamin Cardin defeated Republican Lieutenant Governor Michael S. Steele, with 55 percent of the vote, against Steele's 44 percent. While Republicans typically win more counties in statewide elections by piling up large margins in the west and east, they are usually overcome by the densely populated and solidly Democratic Baltimore–Washington axis. In 2008, for instance, McCain won 17 counties to Obama's six (plus Baltimore City). While McCain won most of the western and eastern counties by margins of 2-to-1 or more, he was almost completely shut out in the larger counties surrounding Baltimore and Washington; every large county except Anne Arundel went for Obama, who won by 25 points statewide.[195] From 2007 to 2011, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5), a Democrat, was elected as Majority Leader for the 110th Congress and 111th Congress of the House of Representatives, serving in that post again from 2019 to 2023. In addition, Hoyer served as House Minority Whip from 2003 to 2006 and 2012 to 2018. His district covers parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties, in addition to all of Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's counties in southern Maryland.[196] In 2010, Republicans won control of most counties. The Democratic Party remained in control of eight county governments, including that of Baltimore.[197] In 2022, Wes Moore became the first Democrat elected Governor of Maryland since 2010, replacing moderate Republican Larry Hogan, who did not run for re-election due to term limits. Moore is the first African-American elected Governor of Maryland, and the fifth African-American governor in American history.[198] Media A well-known newspaper in Maryland is The Baltimore Sun.[199] Many residents of the Washington metropolitan area receive The Washington Post.[citation needed] The most populous areas are served by either Baltimore or Washington, D.C. broadcast stations. The Eastern Shore is served primarily by broadcast media based around the Delmarva Peninsula; the northeastern section receives both Baltimore and Philadelphia stations. Garrett County, which is mountainous, is served by stations from Pittsburgh, and requires cable or satellite for reception. Maryland is served by statewide PBS member station Maryland Public Television (MPT).[citation needed] Education Primary and secondary education See also: List of school districts in Maryland, List of high schools in Maryland, and Arts and culture of Maryland Memorial Chapel at the University of Maryland, Maryland's flagship university UMBC Commons and Quad Education Week ranked Maryland #1 in its nationwide 2009–2013 Quality Counts reports.[citation needed] The College Board's 9th Annual AP Report to the Nation also ranked Maryland first.[citation needed] Primary and secondary education in Maryland is overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education, which is headquartered in Baltimore.[200] The highest educational official in the state is the State Superintendent of Schools, who is appointed by the State Board of Education to a four-year term of office. The Maryland General Assembly has given the Superintendent and State Board autonomy to make educationally related decisions, limiting its influence on the day-to-day functions of public education. Each county and county-equivalent in Maryland has a local Board of Education charged with running the public schools in that particular jurisdiction. The budget for education was $5.5 billion in 2009, representing about 40 percent of the state's general fund.[201] Data from the 2017 census shows that, among large school districts, four Maryland districts are in the top six for per-pupil annual spending, exceeded only by the Boston and New York City districts.[202] Maryland has a broad range of private primary and secondary schools. Many of these are affiliated with various religious sects, including parochial schools of the Catholic Church, Quaker schools, Seventh-day Adventist schools, and Jewish schools. In 2003, Maryland law was changed to allow for the creation of publicly funded charter schools, although the charter schools must be approved by their local Board of Education and are not exempt from state laws on education, including collective bargaining laws. In 2008, the state led the entire country in the percentage of students passing Advanced Placement examinations. 23.4 percent of students earned passing grades on the AP tests given in May 2008. This marks the first year that Maryland earned this honor.[203] Three Maryland high schools (in Montgomery County) were ranked among the top 100 in the country by US News in 2009, based in large part on AP test scores.[204] Colleges and universities See also: List of colleges and universities in Maryland Maryland has several historic and renowned private colleges and universities, the most prominent of which is Johns Hopkins University, founded in 1876 with a grant from Baltimore entrepreneur Johns Hopkins. The first public university in the state is the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which was founded in 1807 and contains the University of Maryland's only public academic health, human services, and one of two law centers (the other being the University of Baltimore School of Law). Seven professional and graduate schools train the majority of the state's physicians, nurses, dentists, lawyers, social workers, and pharmacists.[205] The flagship university and largest undergraduate institution in Maryland is the University of Maryland, College Park which was founded as the Maryland Agricultural College in 1856 and became a public land grant college in 1864. Towson University, founded in 1866, is the state's second largest university. In 1974, Maryland, along with seven other states, mainly in the South, submitted plans to desegregate its state universities; Maryland's plans were approved by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.[206] Baltimore is home to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the Maryland Institute College of Art. The majority of public universities in the state (Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Frostburg State University, Salisbury University and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore) are affiliated with the University System of Maryland. Two state-funded institutions, Morgan State University and St. Mary's College of Maryland, as well as two federally funded institutions, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the United States Naval Academy, are not affiliated with the University System of Maryland. The University of Maryland Global Campus is the largest public university in Maryland[207] and one of the largest distance-learning institutions in the world.[208] St. John's College in Annapolis and Washington College in Chestertown, both private institutions, are the oldest colleges in the state and among the oldest in the country. Other private institutions include Mount St. Mary's University, McDaniel College (formerly known as Western Maryland College), Hood College, Stevenson University (formerly known as Villa Julie College), Loyola University Maryland, and Goucher College, among others. Public libraries Maryland's 24 public library systems deliver public education for everyone in the state of Maryland through a curriculum that comprises three pillars: Self-Directed Education (books and materials in all formats, e-resources), Research Assistance & Instruction (individualized research assistance, classes for students of all ages), and Instructive & Enlightening Experiences (e.g., Summer Reading Clubs, author events). Maryland's library systems include, in part: Baltimore County Public Library System Cecil County Public Library Enoch Pratt Free Library Frederick County Public Library Harford County Public Library Howard County Public Library Montgomery County Public Libraries Prince George's County Memorial Library System St. Mary's County Public Library[209] Many of the library systems have established formalized partnerships with other educational institutions in their counties and regions.[210] Sports See also: Sports in Maryland and List of people from Maryland § Athletes Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens With two major metropolitan areas, Maryland has a number of major and minor professional sports franchises. Two National Football League teams play in Maryland, the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore and the Washington Commanders in Landover. The Baltimore Colts represented the NFL in Baltimore from 1953 to 1983 before moving to Indianapolis. The Baltimore Orioles are the state's Major League Baseball franchise. The National Hockey League's Washington Capitals and the National Basketball Association's Washington Wizards formerly played in Maryland, until the construction of an arena in Washington, D.C. in 1997 (now known as Capital One Arena). University of Maryland's team is the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland enjoys considerable historical repute for the talented sports players of its past, including Cal Ripken Jr. and Babe Ruth. In 2012, The Baltimore Sun published a list of Maryland's top ten athletes in the state's history. The list includes Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken Jr, Johnny Unitas, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Ray Lewis, Michael Phelps, Jimmie Foxx, Jim Parker, and Wes Unseld.[211] Other professional sports franchises in the state include three affiliated minor league baseball teams, one independent league baseball team, the Baltimore Blast indoor soccer team, two indoor football teams and three low-level outdoor soccer teams. Maryland is also home to one of the three races in horse racing's annual Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, which is run every spring at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football Team in the CFL that played the 1994–95 season. The Congressional Country Club has hosted three golf tournaments for the U.S. Open and a PGA Championship. The official state sport of Maryland, since 1962, is jousting; the official team sport since 2004 is lacrosse.[212] The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame is located in Sparks, Maryland at the USA Lacrosse headquarters. In 2008, intending to promote physical fitness for all ages, walking became the official state exercise. Maryland is the first state with an official state exercise.[213] Friendship partners Maryland has relationships with many provinces, states, and other entities worldwide. Liberia Bong and Maryland Counties, in Liberia[214] Mexico Jalisco, Mexico (1996)[215] Nigeria Cross River and Ondo States, Nigeria[216][217]
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