Odenton, Maryland

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Odenton is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,534 at the 2000 census. The town is named after former Governor of Maryland, Oden Bowie. It is bordered by Gambrills to the east, Severn to the north, Fort Meade to the west, and Crofton to the south. It is located at the intersection of Maryland routes 170 and 175 and is parallel to Route 32. The zipcode is 21113.

1 History and Railroad
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Education
- 4.1 Public Schools
- 4.2 Private Schools
5 Political
6 Recent Development
7 Communities in Odenton
8 References
9 External links

[edit] History and Railroad

An Amtrak service yard in front of the Piney Orchard water tower.

The town of Odenton was formed in 1868 with the construction of the Baltimore Potomac (B & P) Railroad connecting Baltimore and Washington, D. C.. Where the B&P crossed the Annapolis and Elkridge (A&E) Railroad, a train station and post office were established and named for Oden Bowie, President of the B&P. This line was later absorbed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and is presently used by Amtrak and MARC Train. In 1908, the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway was constructed east of the B&P line and crossed the A&E near the present day intersection of MD170 and MD175 at what became known as Naval Academy Junction.

Small villages developed around these various railroad lines, but none amounted to more than a cluster of shops and homes around a train station and post office. The 1878 Maryland Directory listed the following towns: Conaway, Odenton, Patuxent, Sappington, and Woodwardville. Odenton was the largest with a population of 100 with a church and school, and two stores. In nearby Woodwardville, where the B&P crossed the Little Patuxent, A. G. Woodward was the postmaster and operated a general merchandise store in a village of 50 people. Two churches and a school served that community. Land was worth from $5 and $30 per acre, producing wheat, corn and tobacco.

Canneries, primarily for tomatoes, were built in many locations in Anne Arundel County, including Odenton and Woodwardville. The George M. Murray Canning House, built in the late 19th century on Odenton Road (behind present day 1380 and 1382 Odenton Road) was a successful operation into the early 1900s.

In 1914, the United States Naval Academy purchased the 800-acre Hammond Manor Farm for the construction of a dairy following the 1910 typhoid fever outbreak at the Academy. The Academy operated the dairy until 1998. Until 2005 it was the home of Dean Foods' Horizon Organic dairy. The farm is currently the home of Maryland Sunrise Farm.

In 1917, at the advent of World War I, Odenton’s growth was spurred by the establishment of Fort Meade. The United States Department of War acquired 19,000 acres of land west of Odenton to develop a training camp, displacing numerous farmers, merchants and public and private enterprises; many of whom moved east to nearby Odenton. This growth accelerated in the 1950s with the establishment of the National Security Agency on the fort and Friendship International Airport (now the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) a few miles to the north. These, and the suburban expansion of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., have transformed Odenton from a farmland region to a business, residential and industrial center in Anne Arundel County.

[edit] Geography

Odenton is located at 39°4′17″N, 76°41′59″W (39.071276, -76.699756)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 32.2 km² (12.4 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 20,534 people, 7,594 households, and 5,551 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 638.3/km² (1,653.3/mi²). There were 7,900 housing units at an average density of 245.6/km² (636.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 80.15% White, 12.76% African American, 0.37% Native American, 3.06% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 2.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.

There were 7,594 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% 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 3.13.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 38.7% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,563, and the median income for a family was $69,098. Males had a median income of $45,965 versus $32,659 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,124. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public Schools

Arundel Middle School
Odenton Elementary School
Piney Orchard Elementary School
Waugh Chapel Elementary School

Note: Odenton students at the high school level attend Arundel High School in Gambrills, Maryland or the magnet school is Annapolis High School, in Annapolis, Maryland

[edit] Private Schools

Odenton Christian School

[edit] Political

Odenton is represented in the Maryland General Assembly by legislators in Districts 21 and 33. District 21 is primarily in Prince George's County. District 33 also includes Severna Park, Crownsville and Crofton. Odenton is represented in the Anne Arundel County Council in District 4 by Bill D. Burlison.

[edit] Recent Development

In recent years the Odenton area has become the fastest growing area in the county. This is because of its location near Fort George G. Meade, NSA Headquarters, and its proximity to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Annapolis. The development has been fueled by the construction of the massive Piney Orchard development as well as the soon to be under-construction Odenton Town Center.