Southern Maryland Tourism Rich in History, Enchantment,
and Growth...
Lord Baltimore had the right idea when he
began his colony in 1634 in St. Mary's City. The first settlement
founded by British Catholics on religious tolerance, Maryland's "St. Maries City" flourished
as the state's capital until 1695. Supported by waves of immigrants
and farming activities, St. Maries City settlers withstood attacks
by revolutionary Protestants, an invasion by the British, and became
embroiled in the Civil War. Today, St. Mary's City is recognized
as a National Historic Landmark and Maryland's western shore is the
focus of heavy historic and archeological study. The county seat
for St. Mary’s County Government remained in St. Mary's City
until 1654. From that time, county court was conducted in the homes
of various gentlemen in the Leonardtown area, then called "Newtown." In
1708, the original log courthouse was constructed in Leonardtown,
which was used until 1736 when a brick courthouse was constructed
and used exclusively until 1999. Currently, there is a complete
Governmental Center in the heart of Leonardtown housing an even
newer courthouse facility. For
more information on the history of St. Mary’s
County, visit the website of the Historic Society.
Located
just across the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge, Calvert County is bounded
by the Chesapeake Bay on the east and the Patuxent River on the west.
Calvert County contains about 219 square miles of land and is only
nine miles wide at its widest point.
Although its first identified settlers were members of the Piscataway
Nation, Cecil Calvert received the royal charter from Charles I for
establishment of a settlement in 1632. The colonists from England
began arriving in 1634, led by Cecil's brother, Leonard Calvert afterwhich
the English gentry were followed to Calvert County by the Puritans,
Huguenots, Quakers and Scots.
The
region known as "Southern Maryland" includes
Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's counties. Southern Maryland
is currently the fastest growing geographic region in the state
of Maryland.
The area's strong population and economic growth is due, in part,
to area dynamics and the close proximity to the Nation's Capitol.
Calvert and St. Mary's counties are among the leaders in growth
in the region with a combined projected population increase of
81% over the next two decades due to the Department of Defense's
efforts to consolidate military activities at Patuxent River
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). The 1991
and 1993 decisions of the federal defense Base Realignment and
Closure Commission changed the face
of Southern Maryland forever. Thousands of new administrative,
engineering, and high-technology research and development jobs
representing several
hundred million dollars worth of programs were reassigned to
Patuxent River, nearby Dahlgren, and Indian Head naval installations.
These decisions made in the early 90’s,
are expected to continue impacting Southern Maryland well into
the twenty-first century.
As
mentioned, the tremendous appeal of our region is partially due
to the area's dynamics.
Our residents enjoy the scenic landscape of a rural atmosphere
that is strong in its tobacco, corn, and soybean industries.
Any visitor to St. Mary's County will be enchanted to see the
horse-drawn carriages and traditional dress of the members of
the resident Amish community. To hearken back to their roots,
the Amish shun telephones, electricity, refrigeration and most
other modern conveniences. Amish-made furnishings are known for
their affordability and craftsmanship. Pesticide and chemical-free
Amish-grown produce is abundantly available at roadside stands.
But, in addition to its "home-town" feel,
Southern Maryland still has much more to offer.
Recreation and Leisure
With
hundreds of miles of scenic waterways, our area is known for
its boating, sailing, and fishing. The Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries abound with
our famous Chesapeake Bay oysters and the Maryland blue crab.
Our Maryland State Parks and county recreation areas offer natural
areas for camping, hunting, hiking, picnicking, as well as numerous
sports and special events. The best source of information on
Maryland’s
outdoor activities is the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
There are several golf courses in Southern Maryland, the Air
Station’s Officer’s Club facility being
one of the area’s finest.
The Department of Recreation and
Parks in St. Mary’s
County provides a wide range of year round activities for adults
and for children. Youth classes in art, music, drama, crafts,
dance and sports are provided at school community centers throughout
the County. Adult education and recreation classes such as aerobics,
cake decorating, dog obedience, painting, woodworking and yoga offer
a varied program for adults. In Lexington Park, there is a 6 screen
Lowes Cineplex. In Waldorf, Lowes also has a large theater. In Prince
Frederick, there is an Apex Theater. Roller skating rinks are located
in Northern Calvert County and in Waldorf.
For
more information on St. Mary's County history or activities, we recommend
contacting the Historic St. Mary's Commission at P.O.Box 39, St.
Mary's City, MD 20686; 301-862-0990 and the St. Mary's County Chamber
of Commerce at 6260 Waldorf Leonardtown Road, Mechanicsville, MD
20659; 301-884-5555. For more detailed information on Calvert County,
contact the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce at 410-535-2577.
Shopping and Dining
The region’s largest shopping
mall is located in neighboring Charles County within a comfortable
30-minute drive of most locations in Southern Maryland. As the
home of the 1.2 million square foot St. Charles Towne Center
mall and more than 20 other shopping centers, Charles County
has become known as the "Shopping Capital of
Southern Maryland." The mall is anchored by Sears, Montgomery
Ward, J.C. Penney, Kohl's, and The Hecht Co. Inside, there are
120 of specialty stores. Outside and nearby, shoppers will find
a Hechingers, T.J. Maxx, Ames, and Service Merchandise,, Toys
'R' Us, and a nine-screen Cineplex Odeon Theater. BJ's Wholesale
Club opened on a large pad behind St. Charles Towne Plaza and,
the latest addition to the area is a 117,000 square foot Target
Store.
There are several small shopping
centers and stand alone shops in St. Mary’s County with the Lexington Park area having the greatest
concentration of facilities. Belk, Peebles, Wal-Mart, Ames, K-Mart
and Target all operate stores in the county with PetSmart and Staples,
and Giant to open later in 2000. Currently, there are several quality
grocery stores such as Superfresh, Food Lion, McKay’s. Additionally,
Woodburn’s Groceries, known for their quality butcher shop,
is just across the bridge in Solomons with a newly opened section
featuring extensive gourmet foods sections. In Calvert, the major
shopping hubs are located in the central town of Prince Frederick
and Dunkirk to the north.
Most
locals and tourists visit Solomons Island for their evening recreation
and for interesting day trips. The appeal of Solomons is the simplicity
of a small 128-year old fishing village, settled comfortably around
a deep, protected harbor rimmed with busy marinas. Bordered by the
Riverwalk on one side, visitors can wander down the main street bordered
by small white and gray houses of weathered wood, casual restaurants,
pot-pourri-scented
gift shops, and a general store that offers bait, tackle, hot
coffee, ice and rental boats. At Christmas time, residents look
forward to the Solomons Island Christmas Walk where all the shops,
bars, and restaurants host a combined open house over the course
of a weekend. In the springtime, Island businesses participate
in the annual "Spring Launch" festivities
beginning with the opening of the Tiki Bar and continuing throughout
the weekend with special festivities on the Island. This Solomons
Business Association sponsored event is usually attended by more
than 8,000 locals and tourists alike. Additionally, Solomons
Island offers several museums, including the Calvert Marine Museum
home to the relocated historic Drum Point Lighthouse.
There are several fine restaurants
in Solomons, but that’s
not the only place in Calvert County to go for an enjoyable meal.
Between Solomons and Dunkirk there are several well-known places
to dine that are slightly off the beaten path. St. Mary’s also
has many restaurants, some offering "fine dining." A couple
of the more historic and interesting restaurants in the county include
The Roost in Lexington Park. Nearby Waldorf, Charles County has many "chain" restaurants" such
as Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday’s, Pizzeria Uno’s, Chili’s,
and Chuck E. Cheese for the kids.
Regional Attractions
In
addition to our local historic sites like St. Mary's City and
the beautiful Sotterly Plantation, there are unlimited "big
city" leisure opportunities within an easy commute of Southern
Maryland. Families can easily take in the
grandeur of Washington D.C., our nation's capitol, from atop
the Washington Monument and visit all the traditional places,
the Smithsonian Institution and other famous museums, the White
House and other government buildings. Both the young and the
young at heart enjoy the National Zoo. The Kennedy Center host
the greatest performers from our nation and from around the world
and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra. Washington has
several great theatres with a wide variety of shows from which
to choose.
Wonderful family memories can be created during
outings in Historic Annapolis , Old Town Alexandria, and Baltimore's
Inner Harbor, which is now home to the National Aquarium, and the
Walters Art Gallery which is a twenty minute walk north of the Inner
Harbor. Historically a center for the performing arts, Baltimore
is the site for the Baltimore Symphony, and several very well known
theaters for the Performing Arts.
Business Environment
St.
Mary's County is the home of over 1,575 businesses that employ
in excess of 20,119 people. The major employers include DynCorp,
Booz-Allen & Hamilton,
Allied-Signal, C-Cubed, Compliance Corp., Eagan McAllister Assoc.,
Eagle Systems, Information Spectrum, Lockhead Martine, Lundeberg
School of Seamanship, MACI, Mantech, St. Mary's Hospital, Sabre
Systems, PRB, Marconi, Veridian, and the NAWCAD, which employs
over 12,000 military and other federal service employees. The
Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is an
excellent source of state and regional information as is the
Census Office. St. Mary's County's business environment information
contact the St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce.
Of Calvert County's 75,000 people, more
than 18 percent hold college degrees. Calvert offers access
to one of the largest, most divers, and highly skilled pools of professional,
management, and technical labor in the nation. In excess of 50% of
the county's workforce, however, commutes outside the county for
employment. Among the largest employers in Calvert County are Baltimore
Gas & Electric, Calvert
Memorial Hospital, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory,
DynCorp and Direct Mail Management. For more information on business
in Calvert County, Contact the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce
at 410-535-2577 or the Calvert County Department of Economic
Development at 800-331-9771.
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Patuxent
River
The
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is a land, sea,
and air test laboratory complex responsible for evaluating naval
aviation's advanced weapons systems. Originally established in St.
Mary's County as the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in 1943,
the station quickly grew with the addition of the Naval Air Test
Center in 1945, and the evolution of the Navy Test Pilot School
in 1948. Today, the NAWCAD, the Flight Test and Engineering Group,
and approximately fifty tenant activities are responsible for
most of St. Mary's County job growth. Although it is no surprise to most residents of
Southern Maryland, newcomers should be made aware of the potential
of periodic daytime flyovers by our military's finest pilots and
their aircraft. We call it the sound of freedom. These
flyovers occur more frequently in certain areas which are outlined
in Noise Disturbance section of the NAS Patuxent River Operational
Environmental Planning website. We encouraged all new area residents to
visit that website for further information.
Government
Both
St. Mary's and Calvert Counties are governed by an elected five-member
Board of County Commissioners. The entire voting population in
their respective counties elects all Commissioners for four-year
terms. The "commissioner" form of government charges
these elected offices to be responsible for the establishment
of all County policies, the enactment of new ordinances, the
review and approval of annual budgets and workplans for all departments
and agencies receiving County funds as well as the appointment
of all department heads, and members
of boards, commissions, and committees. The commissioners conduct
public hearings and make decisions on land use matters including
zoning, water and sewer categories, and appeals for the Planning
Commission. Additionally, they are responsible for purchasing
and maintaining County property, approving road construction
and maintenance, and representing our county in state and federal
matters effecting our communities. Visit Southern Maryland's
Link to Government Information for information on Southern Maryland’s
state and federal governmental representation.
Public Education
Both St. Mary's and Calvert County Public Schools
are governed by a five-member
Board of Education. In the St. Mary's County public school system,
there are currently 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools,
3 high schools, special education schools, and 1 vocational-technical
school. Kindergarten is mandatory for all five-year olds on a
half-day basis. In addition, there is a half-day, four-year-old
program for students in selected schools. In Calvert County,
there are 11 elementary schools, 6 middle schools and 3 high
schools, vocational tech school, a special environmental training
program called "CHESPAX," and
the Arthur Storer Planetarium. Located at Calvert High School, the
planetarium is available students and the community as a unique cultural
facility that enables students and visitors to explore their world
and our cosmos in ways not possible in an ordinary classroom. For
test scores and other public school information call St. Mary’s
County Public Schools at 301-475-4230. For information on Calvert
County schools, you can call Cavert County Public Schools at
410-535-1700
Non-Public and Parochial Schools
Currently, there are several non-public
and parochial schools in Southern Maryland that serve students
from the kindergarten level through high school. Click here for
names and phone numbers of St. Mary’s County private schools
or for Calvert County private schools.
Universities and Colleges
The
College of Southern Maryland (CSM), formerly Charles County Community
College, is a regionally accredited institution that prides itself
on delivering quality higher education programs and services
to more than 60 percent of the tri-county residents who attend
higher education institutions. CSM also offers programs in Europe
to Department of Defense (DOD) personnel stationed there through
the "Maryland
in Europe" program with the University of Maryland University
College.
CSM offers an array of associate's degree
programs and brokers four-year degree programs locally through partnerships
with colleges and universities such as University of Maryland University
College (UMUC), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Towson University,
and Capitol College. The college also offers job and career training
opportunities, wellness and fitness activities, theater and fine
arts programs, and personal enrichment courses, and serves the business
community through programs offered by the Economic and Community
Development Institute. CSM prepares its students for transfer to
four-year colleges and provides them with the tools and resources
necessary to succeed in a competitive workplace. The college also
focuses on workforce development with the participation of local
businesses interested in growing and maintaining a healthy economy
and community.
The College of Southern Maryland is now one institution serving
all of Southern Maryland. It operates four campuses in the tri-county
area and offers programs in Europe. The La Plata Campus, nestled
on 173 wooded acres off of Mitchell Road and the Waldorf Center at
Old Washington Road are both located in Charles County. The Prince
Frederick Campus is located in Calvert County, and the Leonardtown
Campus is situated in St. Mary's County.
St. Mary's College
of Maryland , founded in 1840, is a public honors
college offering the academic excellence of private education.
The average SAT scores of entering freshmen are the highest of any
college in the state. The capstone of the St. Mary's experience,
the St. Mary's Project, engages seniors in a program of independent
research of the kind found only in a few prominent colleges.
In 1999, these distinctions led St. Mary's College of Maryland to
be ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the number one public
liberal arts college in the nation. For more information on St. Mary's
College , check out the website or call 301-862-0380
The Southern Maryland Higher Education
Center is a multi-purpose, multi-instructional, and multi-institutional
higher education facility located in St. Mary's County and created
to serve the expanding needs of all of Southern Maryland. Currently,
there are nine participating universities including George Washington
University, Strayer College, Towson State University, Bowie State
University, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University
offering twenty-three masters and upper division programs. These
educational opportunities will serve the needs of the technical population
at the NAWCAD and our quickly growing local community. For more information
on the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, call 301-737-2500.
For those wishing graduate degrees, several higher education institutions
are located at or near NAWCAD. Some graduate programs currently offered
in the area include: MA and MS degrees in Aerospace Technology, Computer
Systems, Computer Science, Contract Management, Electrical Engineering,
and Human Resource Management.
Health Care & Emergency
Services
Located in Leonardtown, St. Mary’s
Hospital serves county residents with state-of-the-art health-care
offering the latest surgical, diagnostic and treatment procedures.
The members of our Medical Staff are among the most specialized in
the area.
The Calvert Memorial Hospita in Prince Frederick is a private, community-based
hospital. Certified as a 141-bed acute care facility with an additional
16 skilled bed rehabilitative Transitional Care Unit, the hospital
is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations, licensed by the Maryland Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene. For information, call (410) 535-4000.
A rescue helicopter operated by
the Maryland State Police is permanently stationed at St. Mary’s airport transporting critically injured
people to regional trauma centers such as Children’s Hospital,
Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Prince George’s Hospital
Center and many others.
In addition to medical transport,
the The Maryland State Police provide airborne delivery of law
enforcement, and search and rescue services to the citizens of
Southern Maryland. There are currently 8 stations around the
state like the one at St. Mary’s Airport.
Our local Trooper 7 spends over 400 hours a year airborne conducting
over 350 medivacs and 700 law enforcement/search and rescue missions
each year.
The
St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department has been
the primary law enforcement agency of the County for the past five
centuries. Established in 1637 to serve and protect the citizens
of the Mother County of Maryland, the modern day Sheriff’s
manages approximately 100 Deputies, 65 Correctional Officers, 35
civilian employees and more than 45 volunteers. St. Mary's County
has seven (7) Volunteer Fire Departments and six (6) Volunteer Rescue
Squads. Together, they provide law enforcement and fire prevention
services to the county’s 85,000 permanent residents and
the additional 15,000 people who commute to the county for work
and for recreation.
Calvert Control provides assistance to citizens in Calvert County
needing emergency services. The volunteer fire department has 7 company
locations throughout Calvert County, Advanced Life Support teams
and Rescue Dive teams. The Sheriff's Department is located in the
main Courthouse in Prince Frederick. They respond to emergencies,
citizen's requests and/or complaints, provide traffic control, assist
at functions needing law enforcement, and provide many other needed
services to Calvert County residents and visitors.
Housing
Southern
Maryland offers a wide variety of homes to select from in location,
style, age, and price range. There are old established neighborhoods
near the military base and in the county seat of Leonardtown and
Prince Frederick. From St. Mary's northern most location of Charlotte
Hall to as far south as Point Lookout, there are new homes and new
subdivisions appearing on the horizon to accommodate the sudden popularity
of Lord Baltimore's
little colony. There are single family homes, townhomes, and condominium
apartments available for sale and for rent in most major areas in
Southern Maryland. There are rural residences, small and large, some
on farms, others on lots or small acreages. Lot sizes in these communities
range from a quarter acre homesite to several acres in the more rural
areas of both counties. Some home sites are heavily wooded and private,
some are cleared and ready for swingsets. With miles and miles of
shoreline, there is also an abundance of prime waterfront homes from
which to choose. Sheltered waterfront lots are available along the
county's various tributaries for boating enthusiasts, and Chesapeake
Bay front or river front homes are available overlooking the scenic
Patuxent or the historic Potomac Rivers.
Commuters who work in Waldorf and
Washington, D.C. find a "better
quality of life" in the rural atmosphere of St. Mary's and
Calvert Counties. Families are able to get larger homes and more
land than they can in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
According to the 1999 year end records of the Southern Maryland
Association of REALTORS ,
the median home sales price in St. Mary's County was $144,900
and in Calvert County was $152,552. Both are significantly lower
than the average home price in the metro area. One to two bedroom
condominium apartments are available in the $70,000's and $80,000's
and our newer executive homes on larger homesites may average
$280,000. Waterfront homes are reasonably priced compared to
many other waterfront areas. Home purchasers can expect to pay
in excess of $300,000 for water frontage.
Home styles vary with most homes
following more traditional architectural styles, such as ramblers/ranchers,
two stories, or cape cods, but contemporary style homes are also
obtainable. All residential areas are convenient to schools,
parks, shopping centers, libraries, and health care facilities.
From "starter" homes to retirement
communities, Southern Maryland has something to offer everyone.
Your RE/MAX 100 Top Professional can help guide you through your
search to find the perfect home for you and your family.
The best way to get to know Southern
Maryland, of course, is not to read about it, but to come and
experience it for yourself. Whether relocating to the area due
to take a position at the Navy facilities, or to satisfy a desire
to move further from densely populated urban areas, you and your
family will need assistance in finding a new home. When you're
ready to consider Southern Maryland, RE/MAX 100 will
be ready to help you begin experiencing our community from your
own front porch!
Lord Baltimore had the right idea when he
began his colony in 1634 in St. Mary's City. The first settlement
founded by British Catholics on religious tolerance, Maryland's "St. Maries City" flourished
as the state's capital until 1695. Supported by waves of immigrants
and farming activities, St. Maries City settlers withstood attacks
by revolutionary Protestants, an invasion by the British, and became
embroiled in the Civil War. Today, St. Mary's City is recognized
as a National Historic Landmark and Maryland's western shore is the
focus of heavy historic and archeological study. The county seat
for St. Mary’s County Government remained in St. Mary's City
until 1654. From that time, county court was conducted in the homes
of various gentlemen in the Leonardtown area, then called "Newtown." In
1708, the original log courthouse was constructed in Leonardtown,
which was used until 1736 when a brick courthouse was constructed
and used exclusively until 1999. Currently, there is a complete
Governmental Center in the heart of Leonardtown housing an even
newer courthouse facility. For
more information on the history of St. Mary’s
County, visit the website of the Historic Society.
Located
just across the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge, Calvert County is bounded
by the Chesapeake Bay on the east and the Patuxent River on the west.
Calvert County contains about 219 square miles of land and is only
nine miles wide at its widest point.
The
region known as "Southern Maryland" includes
Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's counties. Southern Maryland
is currently the fastest growing geographic region in the state
of Maryland.
The area's strong population and economic growth is due, in part,
to area dynamics and the close proximity to the Nation's Capitol.
Calvert and St. Mary's counties are among the leaders in growth
in the region with a combined projected population increase of
81% over the next two decades due to the 
Department of Defense's
efforts to consolidate military activities at Patuxent River
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). The 1991
and 1993 decisions of the federal defense Base Realignment and
Closure Commission changed the face
of Southern Maryland forever. Thousands of new administrative,
engineering, and high-technology research and development jobs
representing several
hundred million dollars worth of programs were reassigned to
Patuxent River, nearby Dahlgren, and Indian Head naval installations.
These decisions made in the early 90’s,
are expected to continue impacting Southern Maryland well into
the twenty-first century.
As
mentioned, the tremendous appeal of our region is partially due
to the area's dynam
ics.
Our residents enjoy the scenic landscape of a rural atmosphere
that is strong in its tobacco, corn, and soybean industries.
Any visitor to St. Mary's County will be enchanted to see the
horse-drawn carriages and traditional dress of the members of
the resident Amish community. To hearken back to their roots,
the Amish shun telephones, electricity, refrigeration and most
other modern conveniences. Amish-made furnishings are known for
their affordability and craftsmanship. Pesticide and chemical-free
Amish-grown produce is abundantly available at roadside stands.
But, in addition to its "home-town" feel,
Southern Maryland still has much more to offer.
With
hundreds of miles of scenic waterways, our area is known for
its boating, sailing, and fishing. The Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries abound wit
h
our famous Chesapeake Bay oysters and the Maryland blue crab.
Our Maryland State Parks and county recreation areas offer natural
areas for camping, hunting, hiking, picnicking, as well as numerous
sports and special events. The best source of information on
Maryland’s
outdoor activities is the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
There are several golf courses in Southern Maryland, the Air
Station’s Officer’s Club facility being
one of the area’s finest.
yoga offer
a varied program for adults. In Lexington Park, there is a 6 screen
Lowes Cineplex. In Waldorf, Lowes also has a large theater. In Prince
Frederick, there is an Apex Theater. Roller skating rinks are located
in Northern Calvert County and in Waldorf.
For
more information on St. Mary's County history or activities, we recommend
contacting the Historic St. Mary's Commission at P.O.Box 39, St.
Mary's City, MD 20686; 301-862-0990 and the St. Mary's County Chamber
of Commerce at 6260 Waldorf Leonardtown Road, Mechanicsville, MD
20659; 301-884-5555. For more detailed information on Calvert County,
contact the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce at 410-535-2577.
The region’s largest shopping
mall is located in neighboring Charles County within a comfortable
30-minute drive of most locations in Southern Maryland. As the
home of the 1.2 million square foot St. Charles Towne Center
mall and more than 20 other shopping centers, Charles County
has become known as the "Shopping Capital of
Southern Maryland." The mall is anchored by Sears, Montgomery
Ward, J.C. Penney, Kohl's, and The Hecht Co. Inside, there are
120 of specialty stores. Outside and nearby, shoppers will find
a Hechingers, T.J. Maxx, Ames, and Service Merchandise,, Toys
'R' Us, and a nine-screen Cineplex Odeon Theater. BJ's Wholesale
Club opened on a large pad behind St. Charles Towne Plaza and,
the latest addition to the area is a 117,000 square foot Target
Store.
Most
locals and tourists visit Solomons Island for their evening recreation
and for interesting day trips. The appeal of Solomons is the simplicity
of a small 128-year old fishing village, settled comfortably around
a deep, protected harbor rimmed with busy marinas. Bordered by the
Riverwalk on one side, visitors can wander down the main street bordered
by small white and gray houses of weathered wood, casual restaurants,
pot-pour
ri-scented
gift shops, and a general store that offers bait, tackle, hot
coffee, ice and rental boats. At Christmas time, residents look
forward to the Solomons Island Christmas Walk where all the shops,
bars, and restaurants host a combined open house over the course
of a weekend. In the springtime, Island businesses participate
in the annual "Spring Launch" festivities
beginning with the opening of the Tiki Bar and continuing throughout
the weekend with special festivities on the Island. This Solomons
Business Association sponsored event is usually attended by more
than 8,000 locals and tourists alike. Additionally, Solomons
Island offers several museums, including the Calvert Marine Museum
home to the relocated historic Drum Point Lighthouse.
In
addition to our local historic sites like St. Mary's City and
the beautiful Sotterly Plantation, there are unlimited "big
city" leisure opportunities within an easy commute of Southern
Maryland. Families can easily take in
the
grandeur of Washington D.C., our nation's capitol, from atop
the Washington Monument and visit all the traditional places,
the Smithsonian Institution and other famous museums, the White
House and other government buildings. Both the young and the
young at heart enjoy the National Zoo. The Kennedy Center host
the greatest performers from our nation and from around the world
and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra. Washington has
several great theatres with a wide variety of shows from which
to choose.
St.
Mary's County is the home of over 1,575 businesses that employ
in excess of 20,119 people. The major employers include DynCorp,
Booz-Allen & Hamilton,
Allied-Signal, C-Cubed, Compliance Corp., Eagan McAllister Assoc.,
Eagle Systems, Information Spectrum, Lockhead Martine, Lundeberg
School of Seamanship, MACI, Mantech, St. Mary's Hospital, Sabre
Systems, PRB, Marconi, Veridian, and the NAWCAD, which employs
over 12,000 military and other federal service employees. The
Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is an
excellent source of state and regional information as is the
Census Office. St. Mary's County's business environment information
contact the St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce.
Of Calvert County's 75,000 people, more
than 18 percent hold college degrees. Calvert offers access
to one of the largest, most divers, and highly skilled pools of professional,
management, and technical labor in the nation. In excess of 50% of
the county's workforce, however, commutes outside the county for
employment. Among the largest employers in Calvert County are Baltimore
Gas & Electric, Calvert
Memorial Hospital, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory,
DynCorp and Direct Mail Management. For more information on business
in Calvert County, Contact the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce
at 410-535-2577 or the Calvert County Department of Economic
Development at 800-331-9771.
The
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is a land, sea,
and air test laboratory complex responsible for evaluating naval
aviation's advanced weapons systems. Originally established in St.
Mary's County as the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in 194
Both
St. Mary's and Calvert Counties are governed by an elected five-member
Board of County Commissioners. The entire voting population in
their respective counties elects all Commissioners for four-year
terms. The "commissioner" form of government charges
these elected offices to be responsible for the establishment
of all County policies, the enactment of new ordinances, the
review and approval of annual budgets and workplans for all departments
and agencies receiving County funds as well as the appointment
of all department heads, and 
members
of boards, commissions, and committees. The commissioners conduct
public hearings and make decisions on land use matters including
zoning, water and sewer categories, and appeals for the Planning
Commission. Additionally, they are responsible for purchasing
and maintaining County property, approving road construction
and maintenance, and representing our county in state and federal
matters effecting our communities. Visit Southern Maryland's
Link to Government Information for information on Southern Maryland’s
state and federal governmental representation.
ber
Board of Education. In the St. Mary's County public school system,
there are currently 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools,
3 high schools, special education schools, and 1 vocational-technical
school. Kindergarten is mandatory for all five-year olds on a
half-day basis. In addition, there is a half-day, four-year-old
program for students in selected schools. In Calvert County,
there are 11 elementary schools, 6 middle schools and 3 high
schools, vocational tech school, a special environmental training
program called "CHESPAX," and
the Arthur Storer Planetarium. Located at Calvert High School, the
planetarium is available students and the community as a unique cultural
facility that enables students and visitors to explore their world
and our cosmos in ways not possible in an ordinary classroom. For
test scores and other public school information call St. Mary’s
County Public Schools at 301-475-4230. For information on Calvert
County schools, you can call Cavert County Public Schools at
410-535-1700
The
College of Southern Maryland (CSM), formerly Charles County Community
College, is a regionally accredited institution that prides itself
on delivering quality higher education programs and services
to more than 60 percent of the tri-county residents who attend
higher education institutions. CSM also offers programs in Europe
to Department of Defense (DOD) personnel stationed there through
the "Maryland
in Europe" program with the University of Maryland University
College.
d University
College (UMUC), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Towson University,
and Capitol College. The college also offers job and career training
opportunities, wellness and fitness activities, theater and fine
arts programs, and personal enrichment courses, and serves the business
community through programs offered by the Economic and Community
Development Institute. CSM prepares its students for transfer to
four-year colleges and provides them with the tools and resources
necessary to succeed in a competitive workplace. The college also
focuses on workforce development with the participation of local
businesses interested in growing and maintaining a healthy economy
and community.
St. Mary's College
of Maryland , founded in 1840, is a public honors
college offering the academic excellence of private education.
and multi-institutional
higher education facility located in St. Mary's County and created
to serve the expanding needs of all of Southern Maryland. Currently,
there are nine participating universities including George Washington
University, Strayer College, Towson State University, Bowie State
University, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University
offering twenty-three masters and upper division programs. These
educational opportunities will serve the needs of the technical population
at the NAWCAD and our quickly growing local community. For more information
on the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, call 301-737-2500.
al, diagnostic and treatment procedures.
The members of our Medical Staff are among the most specialized in
the area.
The
St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department has been
the primary law enforcement agency of the County for the past five
centuries. Established in 1637 to serve and protect the citizens
of the Mother County of Maryland, the modern day Sheriff’s
manages approximately 100 Deputies, 65 Correctional Officers, 35
civilian employees and more than 45 volunteers. St. Mary's County
has seven (7) Volunteer Fire Departments and six (6) Volunteer Rescue
Squads. Together, they provide law enforcement and fire prevention
services to the county’s 85,000 permanent residents and
the additional 15,000 people who commute to the county for work
and for recreation.
Southern
Maryland offers a wide variety of homes to select from in location,
style, age, and price range. There are old established neighborhoods
near the military base and in the county seat of Leonardtown and
Prince Frederick. From St. Mary's northern most location of Charlotte
Hall to as far south as Point Lookout, there are new homes and new
subdivisions appearing on the horizon to accommodate the sudden popularity
of Lord Baltimore'
s
little colony. There are single family homes, townhomes, and condominium
apartments available for sale and for rent in most major areas in
Southern Maryland. There are rural residences, small and large, some
on farms, others on lots or small acreages. Lot sizes in these communities
range from a quarter acre homesite to several acres in the more rural
areas of both counties. Some home s
ites are heavily wooded and private,
some are cleared and ready for swingsets. With miles and miles of
shoreline, there is also an abundance of prime waterfront homes from
which to choose. Sheltered waterfront lots are available along the
county's various tributaries for boating enthusiasts, and Chesapeake
Bay front or river front homes are available overlooking the scenic
Patuxent or the historic Potomac Rivers.
ALTORS ,
the median home sales price in St. Mary's County was $144,900
and in Calvert County was $152,552. Both are significantly lower
than the average home price in the metro area. One to two bedroom
condominium apartments are available in the $70,000's and $80,000's
and our newer executive homes on larger homesites may average
$280,000. Waterfront homes are reasonably priced compared to
many other waterfront areas. Home purchasers can expect to pay
in excess of $300,000 for water frontage.