Frederick County, Maryland

Frederick County, Maryland
Seal
Location in the state of Maryland
Maryland's location in the U.S.
Founded	1748
Seat	Frederick
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	667.34 sq mi (1,728 km²) 662.88 sq mi (1,717 km²) 4.46 sq mi (12 km²), 0.67%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	233,385 352/sq mi (135.9/km²)
Website	FrederickCountyMD.gov

Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385. It is a part of the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area, and is often recognized as part of Western Maryland. The county is home to Catoctin Mountain Park (encompassing the presidential retreat Camp David) and to the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick. The county seat is Frederick, which was home to several celebrated historical figures like Francis Scott Key, Thomas Johnson (governor), Roger B. Taney, and Barbara Fritchie. The county (and the county seat) may have been named for Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore.

History

Frederick County was created in 1748 from parts of Prince George's County and Baltimore County.

In 1776, Frederick County was divided into three parts. The westernmost portion became Washington County, named after George Washington, the easternmost portion became Montgomery County, named after another Revolutionary War general, Richard Montgomery. The central portion remained Frederick County.

In 1837 a part of Frederick County was combined with a part of Baltimore County to form Carroll County.

The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places.

Law, government, and politics

Frederick County is governed by county commissioners, the traditional form of county government in the state of Maryland.

Current County Commissioners

Position		Name	Affiliation	District
	President	Blaine Young	Republican	At-Large
	Vice President	C. Paul Smith	Republican	At-Large
	Commissioner	Billy Shreve	Republican	At-Large
	Commissioner	David Gray	Republican	At-Large
	Commissioner	Kirby Delauter	Republican	At-Large

The Frederick County State's Attorney, elected November 2, 2010, is Republican Charlie Smith. The sheriff of Frederick County is Republican Chuck Jenkins. The Executive Director for the Frederick County Office of Economic Development is Laurie Boyer.

Frederick County is one of the most historically Republican counties in Maryland. It has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964 when it voted for Lyndon B. Johnson. In 2004 George W. Bush defeated John Kerry 59-39%. Democrats came closer in 2008, when John McCain defeated Barack Obama by a mere 1,157 votes (49.62-48.58). Nevertheless, Republicans in Frederick rebounded to more historical levels in the 2010 Maryland Gubernatorial & Senatorial Elections, giving the Republican Ehrlich/Kane ticket 55% to Democrat O'Malley/Brown's 45. Frederick voters also supported Republican Senate challenger Eric Wargotz over incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara A Milkulski by a margin of 51-46, even as Mikulski was winning statewide by a landslide 61-37.

Frederick County's fire and rescue service is handled by a combination career and volunteer service delivery system. Frederick County employs over 350 firefighters. Volunteers of the 26 volunteer fire and rescue corporations number approximately 800 active operational members. Emergency Medical Services, including Advanced Life Support is integrated with the fire service. Career and volunteers alike work side-by-side to provide exceptional fire and emergency medical services to the citizens of Frederick County. Frederick County has a MD State Police Medevac located at the Frederick Municipal Airport and is designated "Trooper 3". Trooper 3 handles calls all throughout the state, but provides immediate assistance to local Police Departments and the fire and rescue service.

Geography

A farm in Frederick County, Maryland

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 667.34 square miles (1,728.4 km²), of which 662.88 square miles (1,716.9 km²) (or 99.33%) is land and 4.46 square miles (11.6 km²) (or 0.67%) is water. It is the largest county in Maryland in terms of area.

Attractions in the Frederick area include the Clustered Spires, a monument to Francis Scott Key, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Monocacy National Battlefield and South Mountain battlefields, and the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum.

Adjacent counties

• Adams County, Pennsylvania (north)
• Carroll County (east)
• Howard County (southeast)
• Franklin County, Pennsylvania (northwest)
• Montgomery County (south)
• Washington County (west)
• Loudoun County, Virginia (southwest)

National protected areas

• Catoctin Mountain Park
• Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (part)
• Monocacy National Battlefield

Major highways

• Interstate 70
• Interstate 270
• U.S. Route 15
• U.S. Route 40
• 
  U.S. Route 40 Alternate
• U.S. Route 340

• Maryland Route 17
• Maryland Route 26
• Maryland Route 28
• Maryland Route 31
• Maryland Route 75
• Maryland Route 76

• Maryland Route 77
• Maryland Route 79
• Maryland Route 80
• Maryland Route 85
• Maryland Route 180
• Maryland Route 194

• Maryland Route 351
• Maryland Route 355
• Maryland Route 550

Demographics

Historical populations
of Frederick County

Year Population 1790 30,791 1800 31,523 1810 34,437 1820 40,459 1830 45,789 1840 36,405 1850 40,987 1860 46,591 1870 47,572 1880 50,482 1890 49,512

Year Population 1900 51,920 1910 52,673 1920 52,541 1930 54,440 1940 57,312 1950 62,287 1960 71,930 1970 84,927 1980 114,792 1990 150,208 2000 195,277 2010 233,385

2010

Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

• 81.5% White
• 8.6% Black
• 0.3% Native American
• 3.8% Asian
• 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 2.8% Two or more races
• 3.0% Other races
• 7.3% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

2000

There were 84,800 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females there were 96.85 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.02 males.

Economy

The median income for a household in Frederick county is $60,276, and the median income for a family was $67,879. Males had a median income of $42,378 versus $30,564 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,404. About 2.90% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.90% of those under age 18 and 6.00% of those age 65 or over.

Fort Detrick is the largest employer in Frederick County. The largest employers aside from the government are the Frederick Memorial Healthcare System, Bechtel, SAIC and Wells Fargo. Frederick County has a strong agricultural component of its economy, and it is the largest producer of milk in Maryland.

Communities

Map of urban areas in Frederick County

As of the census of 2010, there were 233,385 people, 84,800 households, and 61,198 families residing in the county. The population density was 295 people per square mile (114/km²). There were 90,136 housing units at an average density of 110/square mile (43/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.5% White, 8.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.045% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. 7.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. According to Census 2000 24.7% were of German, 12.9% American, 12.3% Irish and 10.1% English ancestry.

Brunswick

Burkittsville

Emmitsburg

Frederick, the county seat and largest community in Frederick County.

Middletown

Frederick County contains the following incorporated municipalities:

• 2 cities:
  1. Brunswick (incorporated 1890)
  2. Frederick (incorporated 1816)
• 9 towns:
  1. Burkittsville (incorporated 1894)
  2. Emmitsburg (incorporated 1824)
  3. Middletown (incorporated 1833)
  4. Mount Airy (This town is partly in Frederick County and partly in Carroll County.) (incorporated 1894)
  5. Myersville (incorporated 1904)
  6. New Market (incorporated 1878)
  7. Thurmont (incorporated 1831)
  8. Walkersville (incorporated 1892)
  9. Woodsboro (incorporated 1836)
• 1 Village:
  1. Rosemont (incorporated 1953)

Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government. Various organizations, such as the United States Census Bureau, the United States Postal Service, and local chambers of commerce, define the communities they wish to recognize differently, and since they are not incorporated, their boundaries have no official status outside the organizations in question. The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county:

1. Ballenger Creek
2. Braddock Heights
3. Clover Hill
4. Discovery-Spring Garden (a combination of the communities of Discovery and Spring Garden recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)
5. Green Valley
6. Linganore-Bartonsville (a combination of the communities of Linganore and Bartonsville recognized as a unit by the Census Bureau)

Other unincorporated areas include:

1. Adamstown
2. Buckeystown
3. Graceham
4. Ijamsville
5. Jefferson
6. Knoxville
7. Ladiesburg
8. Lewistown
9. Libertytown
10. Lake Linganore
11. Monrovia
12. New Midway
13. Petersville
14. Point of Rocks
15. Rocky Ridge
16. Sabillasville
17. Sunny Side
18. Tuscarora
19. Urbana
20. Utica
21. Wolfsville

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Frederick County, Maryland

References

• "Major Frederick County Employers". Frederick County Office of Economic Development. http://www.discoverfrederickmd.com/business/directory/majoremployers.cfm. Retrieved May 25, 2007. 
• The newspaper of record is The Frederick News-Post.
• Fire Rescue Information: Frederick County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association

External links

• Frederick County government
• Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS)
• Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL)
• Frederick County Tourism
• Frederick County, Maryland at the Open Directory Project
• Frederick County Restaurants
• Frederick County Board of County Commissioners