Adelphi, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Adelphi is an unincorporated area
and census-designated place
in Prince George's County, Maryland
, United States
. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census. It includes the communities of Adelphi Hills, Buck Lodge, Chatham, Cool Spring Terrace, and White Oak Manor.
, established in 1796 along the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River
. The Adelphi Mill
is administered by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
and continues to attract visitors and can be rented for special functions. During the 19th century, George Washington Riggs
acquired much of the area northeast of Washington, D.C.
as his Green Hill estate in the Chillum
Manor district. That estate included present day Adelphi. In the early 1920s, part of the area was acquired by Leander McCormick-Goodhart as part of his Langley Park
estate. Labor organizer Mary Harris "Mother" Jones died in 1930, at the farm of Walter and Lillie May Burgess near Powder Mill and Riggs Roads in present day Adelphi. A marker was erected by the Maryland State Highway Administration
commemorating Mother Jones at her death site.
Unlike its nearby neighbors Hyattsville
and College Park
, the area remained relatively undeveloped until immediately following World War II. At that time, subdivisions quickly developed. To distinguish it from the other neighboring unincorporated West Hyattsville communities of Lewisdale and Langley Park
, the growing subdivisions banded together in the mid-1950s and adopted the name "Adelphi" to reflect their commitment to the preservation of the historic mill of the same name. These subdivisions now include Adelphi Hills, Adelphi Knolls, Buck Lodge, Chatham, Cool Spring Terrace, Heitmuller Estates, Hillandale Forest, Knollwood, Riggs Hill Manor, and White Oak Manor. A community focal point originally developed in the late 1950s is the Adelphi Pool.
In 1971, the Harry Diamond Laboratories
was established on 137 acre (0.55441982 km²) in the northern part of Adelphi. That facility continues as the Adelphi Laboratory Center, Army Research Laboratory
(ARL); the U.S. Army's corporate research laboratory. Other adjacent federal facilities include the National Archives at College Park
and headquarters of the Food and Drug Administration
.
:
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 14,998 people, 5,332 households, and 3,321 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 5,067.9 people per square mile (1,956.3/km²). There were 5,627 housing units at an average density of 1,901.4/sq mi (734.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 29.48% White, 39.83% African American, 0.28% Native American, 9.95% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 15.04% from other races
, and 5.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.74% of the population.
There were 5,332 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,827, and the median income for a family was $53,839. Males had a median income of $32,495 versus $31,932 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $20,952. About 6.6% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
, and the community is located near the University of Maryland
main campus in College Park, Maryland
.
Adelphi is served by the Prince George's County Public Schools
system. In 2000, a new elementary school opened in the community dedicated to labor organizer Mary Harris "Mother" Jones.
Private and parochial schools in Adelphi include:
shopping center and within a few miles of the regional mall The Mall at Prince Georges. Additional shopping opportunities are available along University Boulevard
at the Adelphi Shopping Center and Riggs Road
at Metzerott Plaza. Until 2010, Adelphi was home to the original Ledo Restaurant
, an Italian restaurant with pizza that remains a favorite of University of Maryland and community residents.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
and census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census. It includes the communities of Adelphi Hills, Buck Lodge, Chatham, Cool Spring Terrace, and White Oak Manor.
Bordering areas
- HillandaleHillandale, MarylandHillandale is an unincorporated area located on the boundary between Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, Maryland.-Geography:As an unincorporated area, Hillandale's boundaries are not officially defined...
(North) - HyattsvilleHyattsville, MarylandHyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
(Southeast) - ChillumChillum, MarylandChillum is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 34,252 at the 2000 census...
(South) - College ParkCollege Park, MarylandCollege Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
(East) - Langley ParkLangley Park, MarylandLangley Park is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It is located inside the Capital Beltway, on the northwest edge of Prince George's County, Maryland, bordering Montgomery County, Maryland....
(Southwest) - Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, MarylandMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
(North and West) - University ParkUniversity Park, MarylandUniversity Park is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:University Park is located at ....
(Southeast)
History
The unincorporated Adelphi community takes its name from the historic Adelphi MillAdelphi Mill
The Adelphi Mill, is the only surviving historic mill in Prince George's County. It is the oldest and largest mill in the Washington D.C. area.-History:...
, established in 1796 along the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River
Anacostia River
The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel to empty into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. It is approximately long...
. The Adelphi Mill
Adelphi Mill
The Adelphi Mill, is the only surviving historic mill in Prince George's County. It is the oldest and largest mill in the Washington D.C. area.-History:...
is administered by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
and continues to attract visitors and can be rented for special functions. During the 19th century, George Washington Riggs
George Washington Riggs
George Washington Riggs was an American businessman and banker. He was known as "The President's Banker."- Life and work :...
acquired much of the area northeast of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as his Green Hill estate in the Chillum
Chillum, Maryland
Chillum is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 34,252 at the 2000 census...
Manor district. That estate included present day Adelphi. In the early 1920s, part of the area was acquired by Leander McCormick-Goodhart as part of his Langley Park
Langley Park, Maryland
Langley Park is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It is located inside the Capital Beltway, on the northwest edge of Prince George's County, Maryland, bordering Montgomery County, Maryland....
estate. Labor organizer Mary Harris "Mother" Jones died in 1930, at the farm of Walter and Lillie May Burgess near Powder Mill and Riggs Roads in present day Adelphi. A marker was erected by the Maryland State Highway Administration
Maryland State Highway Administration
The Maryland State Highway Administration is the state agency responsible for maintaining Maryland numbered highways outside of Baltimore City...
commemorating Mother Jones at her death site.
Unlike its nearby neighbors Hyattsville
Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
and College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
, the area remained relatively undeveloped until immediately following World War II. At that time, subdivisions quickly developed. To distinguish it from the other neighboring unincorporated West Hyattsville communities of Lewisdale and Langley Park
Langley Park, Maryland
Langley Park is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It is located inside the Capital Beltway, on the northwest edge of Prince George's County, Maryland, bordering Montgomery County, Maryland....
, the growing subdivisions banded together in the mid-1950s and adopted the name "Adelphi" to reflect their commitment to the preservation of the historic mill of the same name. These subdivisions now include Adelphi Hills, Adelphi Knolls, Buck Lodge, Chatham, Cool Spring Terrace, Heitmuller Estates, Hillandale Forest, Knollwood, Riggs Hill Manor, and White Oak Manor. A community focal point originally developed in the late 1950s is the Adelphi Pool.
In 1971, the Harry Diamond Laboratories
Harry Diamond Laboratories
The Harry Diamond Laboratories began in 1940, though that name was not given to the organization until 1962. In 1992, HDL was one of seven Army laboratories merged into a new organization, the Army Research Lab.- History :...
was established on 137 acre (0.55441982 km²) in the northern part of Adelphi. That facility continues as the Adelphi Laboratory Center, Army Research Laboratory
Army Research Laboratory
The Army Research Laboratory is the U.S. Army's corporate research laboratory. ARL is headquartered at the Adelphi Laboratory Center in Adelphi, Maryland. Its largest single site is at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland...
(ARL); the U.S. Army's corporate research laboratory. Other adjacent federal facilities include the National Archives at College Park
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
and headquarters of the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
.
Historic sites
The following is a list of historic sites in Adelphi identified by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning CommissionMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
:
| Site name | Image | Location | M-NCPPC Inventory Number | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelphi Mill and Storehouse Adelphi Mill The Adelphi Mill, is the only surviving historic mill in Prince George's County. It is the oldest and largest mill in the Washington D.C. area.-History:... |
8401 and 8402 Riggs Road | 65-006 | ||
| 2 | Cool Spring Farm (Miller’s House) | 2201 Cool Spring Road | 65-005 | ||
| 3 | Gallant House | 3124 Powder Mill Road | 61-013 |
Geography
Adelphi is located at 38°59′49"N 76°58′0"W (38.996860, -76.966755).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,998 people, 5,332 households, and 3,321 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,067.9 people per square mile (1,956.3/km²). There were 5,627 housing units at an average density of 1,901.4/sq mi (734.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 29.48% White, 39.83% African American, 0.28% Native American, 9.95% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 15.04% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.74% of the population.
There were 5,332 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,827, and the median income for a family was $53,839. Males had a median income of $32,495 versus $31,932 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $20,952. About 6.6% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Adelphi is the home of the University of Maryland University CollegeUniversity of Maryland University College
The University of Maryland University College is located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Serving over 90,000 students worldwide, UMUC is the largest 4-year public university in Maryland and one of the largest distance learning...
, and the community is located near the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
main campus in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
.
Adelphi is served by the Prince George's County Public Schools
Prince George's County Public Schools
The Prince George's County Public Schools system is a large school district administered by the government of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States and is overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education...
system. In 2000, a new elementary school opened in the community dedicated to labor organizer Mary Harris "Mother" Jones.
- Adelphi Elementary School
- Cherokee Lane Elementary School
- Cool Spring Elementary School
- Mary Harris "Mother" Jones Elementary School
- Buck Lodge Middle School
- High Point High SchoolHigh Point High SchoolHigh Point High School is a high school located in Beltsville, an unincorporated section of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States of America, and built on the highest point in Prince George's County....
Private and parochial schools in Adelphi include:
Commerce
The Adelphi community is located adjacent to the Langley ParkLangley Park, Maryland
Langley Park is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It is located inside the Capital Beltway, on the northwest edge of Prince George's County, Maryland, bordering Montgomery County, Maryland....
shopping center and within a few miles of the regional mall The Mall at Prince Georges. Additional shopping opportunities are available along University Boulevard
Maryland Route 193
Maryland Route 193 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as University Boulevard and Greenbelt Road, the state highway runs from MD 185 in Kensington east to MD 202 in Greater Upper Marlboro...
at the Adelphi Shopping Center and Riggs Road
Maryland Route 212
Maryland Route 212, also known as Riggs Road south of MD 193 and Powder Mill Road to its northern end, is a state highway which crosses northern Prince George's County.-Route description:...
at Metzerott Plaza. Until 2010, Adelphi was home to the original Ledo Restaurant
Ledo Pizza
Ledo Pizza is a pizzeria restaurant chain in the Southeastern United States, with the heaviest concentration in Maryland and Virginia. Their first pizzeria was opened in Adelphi, Maryland, in 1955 on University Boulevard in Adelphi Shopping Center near the University of Maryland, College Park...
, an Italian restaurant with pizza that remains a favorite of University of Maryland and community residents.
External links
- Cool Spring Terrace Civic Association website
- Adelphi Pool website
- Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Department website
- History of the Army Research Laboratory
- Mother Jones Plaque in Adelphi, MD
- A scalable PDF map of Prince George's County, MD showing the boundaries of the Adelphi Census Designated Place and other CDPs and Census Incorporated Places in the county -- from the Maryland Department of Planning web site