Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 154,705 as of the 2020 census.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Hagerstown.[2] The county is part of the Western Maryland region of the state.
Washington County | |
|---|---|
 Burnside's Bridge in Washington County, site of heavy combat during the Battle of Antietam | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Maryland | |
 Maryland's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 39°36′N 77°49′W / 39.6°N 77.81°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| Founded | September 6, 1776 |
| Named for | George Washington |
| Seat | Hagerstown |
| Largest city | Hagerstown |
| Area | |
• Total | 467 sq mi (1,210 km2) |
| • Land | 458 sq mi (1,190 km2) |
| • Water | 9.6 sq mi (25 km2) 2.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 154,705 |
• Estimate (2023) | 155,813  |
| • Density | 330/sq mi (130/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Website | www |
Washington County was the first county in the United States to be named for the Revolutionary War general (and later President) George Washington. Washington County is one of three Maryland counties recognized by the Appalachian Regional Commission as being part of Appalachia.[3] The county borders southern Pennsylvania to the north, Northern Virginia to the south, and the Martinsburg Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. Washington County is included in the Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area.
History
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The western portions of the Province of Maryland (including present Washington County) were incorporated into Prince George's County in 1696. This original county included six current counties. The first to be created was Frederick, separated from Prince George's County in 1748.
Following independence, the sovereign State of Maryland formed Washington County on September 6, 1776, by the division of Frederick County. At the same time, a portion of Frederick County became part of the newly created Montgomery County along with portions from Prince George's County and Charles' County, and was named for General Richard Montgomery. Washington County as created included land later to become Allegany County (created in 1789) and Garrett County (included in Allegany County when it was created in 1789, but separated from Allegany County in 1872). Washington County thus originally included the entire western part of the state.[4]
A number of properties in the county are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]
Geography
editAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 467 square miles (1,210 km2), of which 458 square miles (1,190 km2) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km2) (2.0%) is water.[6]
Washington County is located in the Appalachian Mountains, stretching from the Ridge-and-Valley Country in the west to South Mountain in the east, which is an extension of the Blue Ridge. Much of the county lies in the broad Hagerstown Valley between these two zones; the valley is part of the Great Appalachian Valley that continues southward into Virginia and West Virginia as the Shenandoah Valley and northward into Pennsylvania as the Cumberland Valley.
The county is bordered to the north by the Mason–Dixon line with Pennsylvania, to the south by the Potomac River and the states of Virginia and West Virginia, to the west by Sideling Hill Creek and Allegany County, Maryland, and to the east by Frederick County and South Mountain.
Adjacent counties
edit- Fulton County, Pennsylvania (northwest)
- Allegany County (west)
- Morgan County, West Virginia (southwest)
- Berkeley County, West Virginia (south)
- Jefferson County, West Virginia (south)
- Loudoun County, Virginia (southeast)
- Frederick County (east)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania (northeast)
Major highways
edit
Interstate 68
Interstate 70
Interstate 81
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 Alternate
US 40 Scenic
U.S. Route 340
U.S. Route 522
Maryland Route 34
Maryland Route 56
Maryland Route 57
Maryland Route 58
Maryland Route 60
Maryland Route 62
Maryland Route 63
Maryland Route 64
Maryland Route 65
Maryland Route 66
Maryland Route 67
Maryland Route 68
Maryland Route 77
Maryland Route 144
Maryland Route 180
Maryland Route 418
Maryland Route 491
Maryland Route 494
Maryland Route 550
Maryland Route 615
Maryland Route 632
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Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 15,822 | — | |
| 1800 | 18,650 | 17.9% | |
| 1810 | 18,730 | 0.4% | |
| 1820 | 23,075 | 23.2% | |
| 1830 | 25,268 | 9.5% | |
| 1840 | 28,850 | 14.2% | |
| 1850 | 30,848 | 6.9% | |
| 1860 | 31,417 | 1.8% | |
| 1870 | 34,712 | 10.5% | |
| 1880 | 38,561 | 11.1% | |
| 1890 | 39,782 | 3.2% | |
| 1900 | 45,133 | 13.5% | |
| 1910 | 49,617 | 9.9% | |
| 1920 | 59,694 | 20.3% | |
| 1930 | 65,882 | 10.4% | |
| 1940 | 68,838 | 4.5% | |
| 1950 | 78,886 | 14.6% | |
| 1960 | 91,219 | 15.6% | |
| 1970 | 103,829 | 13.8% | |
| 1980 | 113,086 | 8.9% | |
| 1990 | 121,393 | 7.3% | |
| 2000 | 131,923 | 8.7% | |
| 2010 | 147,430 | 11.8% | |
| 2020 | 154,705 | 4.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 155,813 | [7] | 0.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010–2018[12] | |||
2000 census
editAs of the census of 2010, there were 147,430 people, 49,726 households, and 34,112 families residing in the county. The population density was 315 inhabitants per square mile (122/km2). There were 52,972 housing units at an average density of 116 per square mile (45/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.71% White or Caucasian, 7.77% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, 32.1% identified as being of German ancestry, 21.4% American, 8.8% Irish, and 8.4% English ancestry.
There were 49,726 households, out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.00 males.
2010 census
editAs of the 2010 United States Census, there were 147,430 people, 55,687 households, and 37,506 families residing in the county.[13] The population density was 322.1 inhabitants per square mile (124.4/km2). There were 60,814 housing units at an average density of 132.8 per square mile (51.3/km2).[14] The racial makeup of the county was 85.1% white, 9.6% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.5% of the population.[13] In terms of ancestry, 31.7% were German, 14.1% were Irish, 9.8% were English, 8.5% were American, and 5.1% were Italian.[15]
Of the 55,687 households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.6% were non-families, and 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 39.7 years.[13]
The median income for a household in the county was $52,994 and the median income for a family was $65,811. Males had a median income of $47,622 versus $34,225 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,588. About 7.7% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.[16]
Communities
edit
City
edit- Hagerstown (county seat)
Towns
editCensus-designated places
editThe Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county:
- Antietam
- Bagtown
- Bakersville
- Beaver Creek
- Big Pool
- Big Spring
- Breathedsville
- Brownsville
- Cavetown
- Cearfoss
- Charlton
- Chewsville
- Dargan
- Downsville
- Eakles Mill
- Edgemont
- Ernstville
- Fairplay
- Fairview
- Fort Ritchie
- Fountainhead-Orchard Hills
- Gapland
- Garretts Mill
- Greensburg
- Halfway
- Highfield-Cascade
- Indian Springs
- Jugtown
- Kemps Mill
- Leitersburg
- Mapleville
- Maugansville
- Mercersville
- Middleburg
- Mount Aetna
- Mount Briar
- Mount Lena
- Paramount-Long Meadow
- Pecktonville
- Pinesburg
- Pondsville
- Reid
- Ringgold
- Robinwood
- Rohrersville
- Saint James
- San Mar
- Sandy Hook
- Tilghmanton
- Trego-Rohrersville Station
- Wilson-Conococheague
- Yarrowsburg
Unincorporated communities
edit
Politics and government
editFederal representation
editThe county is located within Maryland's 6th congressional district. The representative of the district currently is David Trone (D).
Like most of Appalachia, German-influenced and Unionist Western Maryland,[17] Washington County is solidly Republican. The last Democrat to carry Washington County at a Presidential level was Lyndon Johnson during his 1964 landslide win over Barry Goldwater, although between 1888 and 1940 the county was a consistent bellwether for all Presidential elections.
Voter registration
edit| Voter registration and party enrollment as of March 2024[18] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 44,200 | 43.9% | |||
| Democratic | 30,839 | 30.63% | |||
| Unaffiliated | 23,794 | 23.63% | |||
| Libertarian | 655 | 0.65% | |||
| Other parties | 1,187 | 1.18% | |||
| Total | 100,675 | 100% | |||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 40,224 | 59.35% | 26,044 | 38.42% | 1,511 | 2.23% |
| 2016 | 40,998 | 62.13% | 21,129 | 32.02% | 3,864 | 5.86% |
| 2012 | 36,074 | 57.48% | 25,042 | 39.90% | 1,639 | 2.61% |
| 2008 | 34,169 | 55.47% | 26,245 | 42.61% | 1,186 | 1.93% |
| 2004 | 36,917 | 63.76% | 20,387 | 35.21% | 600 | 1.04% |
| 2000 | 27,948 | 58.88% | 18,221 | 38.38% | 1,301 | 2.74% |
| 1996 | 21,434 | 50.86% | 16,481 | 39.11% | 4,227 | 10.03% |
| 1992 | 21,977 | 47.56% | 16,495 | 35.70% | 7,736 | 16.74% |
| 1988 | 25,912 | 63.76% | 14,408 | 35.45% | 318 | 0.78% |
| 1984 | 27,118 | 66.68% | 13,329 | 32.78% | 219 | 0.54% |
| 1980 | 22,901 | 58.60% | 14,118 | 36.12% | 2,064 | 5.28% |
| 1976 | 20,194 | 55.95% | 15,902 | 44.05% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1972 | 24,234 | 69.27% | 10,039 | 28.70% | 712 | 2.04% |
| 1968 | 16,050 | 47.13% | 11,266 | 33.08% | 6,737 | 19.78% |
| 1964 | 12,756 | 39.11% | 19,858 | 60.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 17,828 | 53.28% | 15,632 | 46.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 19,455 | 62.72% | 11,562 | 37.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 17,653 | 58.08% | 12,657 | 41.64% | 84 | 0.28% |
| 1948 | 11,887 | 52.53% | 10,588 | 46.79% | 155 | 0.68% |
| 1944 | 12,227 | 51.83% | 11,365 | 48.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 11,054 | 43.76% | 14,125 | 55.91% | 83 | 0.33% |
| 1936 | 10,619 | 42.96% | 14,050 | 56.84% | 49 | 0.20% |
| 1932 | 8,929 | 43.50% | 11,370 | 55.39% | 228 | 1.11% |
| 1928 | 12,404 | 67.78% | 5,816 | 31.78% | 81 | 0.44% |
| 1924 | 7,460 | 54.21% | 4,620 | 33.57% | 1,682 | 12.22% |
| 1920 | 8,757 | 54.75% | 6,852 | 42.84% | 386 | 2.41% |
| 1916 | 5,093 | 45.88% | 5,642 | 50.83% | 365 | 3.29% |
| 1912 | 1,907 | 19.99% | 4,589 | 48.10% | 3,044 | 31.91% |
| 1908 | 4,650 | 49.59% | 4,518 | 48.18% | 209 | 2.23% |
| 1904 | 4,581 | 51.86% | 4,064 | 46.01% | 188 | 2.13% |
| 1900 | 5,475 | 52.05% | 4,862 | 46.22% | 182 | 1.73% |
| 1896 | 5,428 | 53.57% | 4,382 | 43.24% | 323 | 3.19% |
| 1892 | 4,373 | 47.16% | 4,667 | 50.33% | 233 | 2.51% |
State representation
editWashington County is represented by two senators in the Maryland State Senate. Member Mike McKay (R), serves the 1st district in Maryland and Paul D. Corderman (R), serves in the 2nd district. The county also is represented in Maryland General Assembly’s other primary division, the Maryland House of Delegates. Delegates who stand for Washington County include: Terry Baker (R) for District 1C, William Valentine (R) and William J. Wivell (R) for District 2A and Brooke Grossman (D) for District 2B.[21]
County government
editWashington County’s “leader” is known as the County Administrator. Currently, Kirk C. Downey serves as the Interim Administrator. However, Washington County's County Commissioners exercise executive powers as they exist in the government of the county.
The County Commissioners in Washington County comprise the traditional form of county government in Maryland. Current members include: Terry Baker (Vice President), Randall Wagner, Cort Meinelschmidt, Jeffrey A. Cline (President), and Wayne K. Keefer.[22]
Economy
editIn 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $40,617, and the median income for a family was $48,962. Males had a median income of $34,917 versus $24,524 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,062. About 7.00% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.
According to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the following were the major employers in the county (excluding post offices, state government, and local governments, but including public institutions of higher education):[23]
| Employer | Employees (Nov. 2014)[23] |
|---|---|
| Meritus Health | 2,730 |
| Citi | 2,700 |
| First Data | 2,322 |
| Volvo Group | 1,350 |
| The Bowman Group | 718 |
| FedEx Ground | 648 |
| Staples Inc. | 597 |
| Hagerstown Community College | 594 |
| Merkle Response Management Group | 545 |
| Arc of Washington County | 500 |
| Direct Mail Processors | 500 |
| Walmart/Sam's Club | 500 |
| Sierra Nevada Corp. | 486 |
| Giant Food Stores/ Martin's Food Markets |
420 |
| Weis Markets | 400 |
| Brook Lane Health Services | 395 |
| Lehigh Phoenix | 360 |
| A.C.&T | 350 |
| Susquehanna Bancshares | 345 |
| Dot Foods | 312 |
| JLG Industries | 300 |
| Home Depot | 296 |
| Lowe's | 276 |
| Thompson's Gas & Electric Service | 275 |
| United Parcel Service (UPS) | 274 |
| CertainTeed | 250 |
| Darden Restaurants | 250 |
| Sheetz | 250 |
| Tractor Supply | 250 |
| Homewood Retirement Centers | 249 |
| NMS Healthcare of Hagerstown | 240 |
| Horizon Goodwill Industries | 229 |
| C. William Hetzer | 225 |
| FedEx Freight | 225 |
Washington County is top in the state for commercial production of fruits, tree nuts, and berries.[24]
Parks and recreation
edit_from_the_Victor_Cushwa_Memorial_Bridge_as_it_passes_through_the_Sideling_Hill_Road_Cut_in_Forest_Park,_Washington_County,_Maryland.jpg)
National parks
edit- Antietam National Battlefield
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
State parks
edit- Fort Frederick State Park
- Fort Tonoloway State Park
- Gathland State Park
- Greenbrier State Park
- South Mountain State Park
- Washington Monument State Park
Museums, historic sites, and other points of interest
edit- Bowman House, Boonsboro
- Crystal Grottoes, the only show caves in Maryland.
- Discovery Station, Hagerstown
- Hager House, Hagerstown
- Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum, Hagerstown
- Price-Miller House, Hagerstown
- Sideling Hill, man-made mountain pass on Interstate 68/U.S. Route 40 roughly 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Hancock shows off 100 million years+ of rock formation with Information Center and walkways on the premises.
- Springfield Farm, Williamsport
- Stoney Creek Farm, Boonsboro
- Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown
- Washington County Rural Heritage Museum, Boonsboro
Education
editWashington County Public Schools administers public schools in the county. See Washington County Public Schools – School Directory for a detailed listing of elementary, middle, high, and other schools.
High schools
edit|
Public high schools
|
Private high schools
|
Colleges and universities
edit- Antietam Bible College, Biblical Seminary, and Graduate School
- Hagerstown Community College, two-year public community college
- Kaplan College (formerly Hagerstown Business College)
- Mount Saint Mary's University, Hagerstown Campus, offers Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.
- University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, branch of the University System of Maryland; offers various associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs in connection with other state colleges and universities in Maryland.
Notable residents and natives
editSee also
edit
References
edit- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Washington County, Maryland". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Counties in Appalachia - Appalachian Regional Commission". www.arc.gov. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ^ [1], Washington County, Maryland History and Genealogy, 2006. Retrieved 2008.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 24, 2008.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
- ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ Levine, Mark V.; ‘Standing Political Decisions and Critical Realignment: The Pattern of Maryland Politics, 1872-1948’; The Journal of Politics, volume 38, no. 2 (May 1976), pp. 292-325
- ^ "Maryland Board of Elections Voter Registration Activity Report March 2024" (PDF). Maryland Board of Elections. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
- ^ "Géographie électorale" [Electoral geography] (in French). Archived from the original on November 18, 2005. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ "Maryland General Assembly - Washington County Members". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ "County Commissioners".
- ^ a b Major Employers in Washington County, Maryland, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (Nov. 2014 data).
- ^ "Census of Agriculture - State and County Profiles - Maryland". USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
External links
edit
- Washington County government
- Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce
- Hagerstown-Washington County Convention & Visitor's Bureau
- Washington County Free Library
- WHILBR – Western Maryland's Historical Library
- Washington County Free Library – Historic Newspaper Indexing Project
- Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
- Washington County Economic Development Commission