Waldorf, Maryland

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Waldorf, Maryland
Census-designated place
A pond fed by the Wolf Den Branch in Cedarville State Forest.
A pond fed by the Wolf Den Branch in Cedarville State Forest.
Location of Waldorf, Maryland
Location of Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf is located in Maryland
Waldorf
Waldorf
Location of Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf is located in the United States
Waldorf
Waldorf
Waldorf (the United States)
Coordinates: 38°38′46″N 76°53′54″W / 38.64611°N 76.89833°W / 38.64611; -76.89833Coordinates: 38°38′46″N 76°53′54″W / 38.64611°N 76.89833°W / 38.64611; -76.89833
Country United States
State Maryland
CountyCharles
Area
 • Total36.5 sq mi (94.5 km2)
 • Land36.2 sq mi (93.8 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)
Elevation
207 ft (63 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total67,752
 • Density1,900/sq mi (720/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
20601-20604
Area code(s)301, 240
FIPS code24-81175
GNIS feature ID0588020

Waldorf is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is located 23 miles (37 km) south-southeast of Washington. The population of the census-designated area (excluding the CDP of St. Charles) was 67,752 at the 2010 census.[1] Waldorf was settled before 1900 as a rural crossroads with a train station and was called "Beantown" after a local family.

History[edit]

Waldorf, 1941

Waldorf's original name was Beantown. During his post-assassination flight, John Wilkes Booth told a road sentry he was headed to his home in Charles County near Beantown and was allowed to proceed.[2] In 1880, the General Assembly of Maryland by an act changed the name to "Waldorf" in honor of William Waldorf Astor (1848–1919), the great-grandson of John Jacob Astor (1763–1848), who was born in Walldorf, Palatinate, Germany.[3] On July 29, 1908, the city of Plumb Valley in Waseca County, Minnesota, changed its name to Waldorf after Waldorf, Maryland.[4]

Once a tobacco market village, Waldorf came to prominence in the 1950s as a gambling destination after slot machines were legalized in Charles County in 1949. The boom lasted until 1968, when gambling was once again outlawed.[5] Its subsequent substantial growth as a residential community began with a 1970 loan package from the Department of Housing and Urban Development which fueled the giant planned community of St. Charles, south of Waldorf.

St. Catharine, or the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[6]

Geography[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 36.5 square miles (94.5 km2), of which 36.2 square miles (93.8 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2), or 0.72%, is water.[7]

Most of Waldorf is flat, particularly the eastern part of the city. There are small hills to the west, and much of the southern and eastern parts of the city are wetlands, featuring very diverse wildlife in ponds and streams. Waldorf is forested, mostly with oak and pine trees.

Climate[edit]

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Waldorf has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[8]

Demographics[edit]

2010[edit]

Population by Race in Waldorf Maryland (2010)
Race Population % of Total
Total 67,752 100
African American 36,152 53
White 24,052 35
Hispanic 3,972 5
Two or More Races 3,078 4
Asian 2,664 3
Other 1,382 2
Three or more races 446 < 1%
American Indian 363 < 1%
[9]

2000[edit]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 22,312 people, 7,603 households, and 5,991 families residing in the CDP. In the CDP, the population density was 1,746.0 people per square mile (674.1/km2). There were 7,827 housing units at an average density of 612.5 per square mile (236.5/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 61.11% White, 31.98% African American, 0.54% Native American, 2.59% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.91% of the population.

There were 7,603 households, out of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $68,869, and the median income for a family was $71,439 (these figures had risen to $86,901 and $94,432 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[11]). Males had a median income of $45,293 versus $35,386 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,728. About 2.7% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy[edit]

Waldorf is predominantly a bedroom community for many residents who commute to work at other points in the Washington metropolitan area. Commuters work primarily in federal, professional services, and healthcare industries.[12] Waldorf's local jobs are primarily in the service and sales industry, with healthcare and construction industries having a strong presence as well. St. Charles Towne Center, a two-story shopping mall, opened in 1988[13] and was remodeled in 2007. St. Charles Towne Center draws shoppers and diners from several Maryland counties, Washington, and parts of Virginia, causing Charles County to be promoted as the "shopping capital of Southern Maryland."[citation needed] U.S. Route 301, the main highway through the town, boasts the "Waldorf Motor Mile,"[citation needed] with car dealerships located primarily along the northbound side. In 2005, Waldorf opened its third public high school (North Point High School),[14] which has advanced science/technology programs; the Capital Clubhouse 24-hour indoor sports complex and ice rink also opened that year.[15] A fourth public high school opened in 2014 called St. Charles High School.[16] Thomas Stone and Westlake High Schools are also located in Waldorf. Waldorf has a branch of the College of Southern Maryland. In 2006, plans were announced to build two more shopping centers, including one with high-end stores and an attractive "lifestyle" town center design layout.[citation needed] Ground was also broken to build an office park with mid-rise office buildings at the intersection of Western Parkway and Route 228 (Berry Road); the Residence Inn opened there in 2010, and another new hotel has opened across the road. In October 2017, Krispy Kreme opened a location in Waldorf.[17] The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball team is also based in Waldorf.

Farming[edit]

Shlagel Farms is a strawberry farm located in Waldorf that also offers vegetables and flowers,[18][19] along with Angus beef.

Tobacco, once a dominant crop in Southern Maryland, has decreased as a crop grown by farmers, since most area farmers accepted buy-outs during the 1990s from the Maryland state government.[citation needed]

Sports[edit]

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, established in 2006, complete in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, playing at Regency Furniture Stadium.[citation needed]

Education[edit]

Charles County Public Schools is the area school district.

Westlake High School (Maryland), St. Charles High School (Maryland), North Point High School, and Thomas Stone High School are public high schools in Waldorf.

The Beddow School's Waldorf Montessori Campus is in Waldorf CDP.[20][21]

Infrastructure[edit]

Transportation[edit]

Major routes in Waldorf include U.S. Route 301, Maryland Route 5 (Leonardtown Road), Maryland Route 228 (Berry Road), Maryland Route 925 (Old Washington Road), and St. Charles Parkway.

Public transportation is provided by Van-Go, a bus system administered by Charles County for most of the county, including Waldorf, and interconnecting to nearby St.Mary's County Transit System buses.[22] MTA Maryland has four commuter routes (901, 903, 905, and 907, all operated by Dillons Transportation except the 903 which is serviced by Keller Transportation) that takes commuters to and from downtown Washington, D.C., and ridership is rapidly growing.[citation needed] Waldorf has seven park & ride lots served by MTA Maryland routes: two at St. Charles Towne Center, one at St. Charles Towne Plaza, one at Smallwood Drive and US 301, one on Mattawoman Beantown Road, one at Smallwood Village Center, and one at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Vehicular traffic[edit]

Vehicular traffic in Waldorf is usually congested, and the state is still evaluating options for a U.S. Route 301 bypass around western Waldorf. Through Virginia and Maryland, US 301 along with U.S. Route 17 are used as alternate routes from I-95, due to I-95 vehicular traffic congestion.[citation needed] Due to Waldorf's bedroom community nature and lack of any significant hometown industry, its highways can become very congested in the morning commutes north to Washington, and also on Friday through Sunday in every direction due to shoppers, many of them visiting from other counties. Much of the congestion is seen at the intersection of Route 228 and 301 and Community Drive, on Berry Road going westward to Western Parkway, near St. Patrick's Drive, on Mall Circle surrounding St. Charles Towne Center, and on Smallwood Drive near the neighborhood of Carrington. Most vehicular traffic is in the southern areas of Waldorf. The Maryland Transit Administration is currently working with Prince George's County and Charles County in planning a transit line called Southern Maryland Rapid Transit, which would connect Waldorf to the Branch Avenue station of the Washington Metro.[23]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Waldorf CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  2. ^ "The Death of John Wilkes Booth, 1865".
  3. ^ Herbert C. Ebeling: William Waldorf Astor. (Walldorf: Astor-Stiftung, 2007, p. 106).
  4. ^ Herbert C. Ebeling: William Waldorf Astor. (Walldorf: Astor-Stiftung, 2007, pp. 107+113).
  5. ^ Janis, Stephen (2004-12-01). "Feature: What Can Maryland's Troubled History with Slot Machines Tell Us About the Odds for the Future?". Baltimore City Paper. Archived from the original on 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  6. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  7. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Waldorf CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  8. ^ Climate Summary for Waldorf, Maryland
  9. ^ "Waldorf Maryland Population Statistics". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  10. ^ "Community Facts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics: 2005-2007; 2005-2007 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates — Waldorf CDP, Maryland". American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  12. ^ "Downloads". Charles County Economic Development. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  13. ^ "St. Charles Towne Center". American Community Properties Trust. Archived from the original on 2008-03-22. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  14. ^ "Charles County MD Board of Ed page on high schools". Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  15. ^ "Capital Clubhouse". m2architects. Archived from the original on 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  16. ^ "Charles County MD Board of Ed page on news". Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  17. ^ "Commercial Happenings in Southern Maryland: Krispy Kreme Coming to Waldorf". 7 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Shlagel Farms in Waldorf, Maryland". GardenGuides.com. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  19. ^ "National Capital Farms". Metropolitan Washington Regional Agricultural Workgroup. Archived from the original on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  20. ^ Home. The Beddow Schools. Retrieved on September 8, 2018. "Fort Washington Montessori School 8600 Loughran Road Fort Washington, MD 20744" and "Waldorf Montessori School 6008 Hampshire Circle Waldorf, MD 20603" and "Accokeek College Preparatory School 501 Bryan Point Road Accokeek, MD 20607"
  21. ^ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Waldorf CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 9, 2018. The portion containing The Waldorf School is on page 6.
  22. ^ "VanGO Cover Original". Charles County Department of Community Services. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  23. ^ http://smrtmaryland.com/smrt/images/maps/corridor_map/SMRT%20Corridor%20Map.pdf

External links[edit]

Compass rose pale.svg Fort Washington
MD Route 210.svg MD 210 North 		Brandywine
US 301.svg US 301 North 		Cedarville
MD Route 381.svg MD 381
 
Compass rose pale.svg
 
North
Accokeek
MD Route 228.svg MD 228 West 		West   Waldorf    East Aquasco
MD Route 382.svg MD 382 East
South
Bennsville
MD Route 229.svg MD 229 South 		La Plata
US 301.svg US 301 South 		Hughesville
MD Route 5.svg MD 5 South
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