Upper Marlboro is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 648 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince George's County.

In some business products, Upper Marlboro is often mistaken for the Unincorporated Census Designated Place of Greater Upper Marlboro, which surrounds the town with a population of nearly 20,000.

The fabled Lower Marlboro is an unincorperated subdivision about 30 minutes and 18 miles South of Upper Marlboro-in western Calvert County, along the Patuxent River.

Geography

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Upper Marlboro is located at (38.816488, -76.753454).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²). 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (4.65%) is water.

Demographics

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As of the census of 2000, there were 648 people, 292 households, and 165 families residing in the town. The population density was 610.2/km² (1,586.7/mi²). There were 309 housing units at an average density of 291.0/km² (756.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 51.54% White, 45.06% African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.

There were 292 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.5% were married couples living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 72.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $52,813, and the median income for a family was $58,542. Males had a median income of $42,639 versus $39,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,892. About 1.3% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Famous residents

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Dr. William Beanes: One of the most peripherally notable residents of Upper Marlboro was Dr. William Beanes, who was peripherally responsible for the writing of the poem that became American national anthem. He was at the very least sympathetic to the British, and when they marched through the town on their way to the Battle of Bladensburg in the War of 1812 their commander stopepd at his house for a time. After they had left, however, Beanes arrested (or got them arrested) some rowdy British stragglers, and was subsequently captured by the full British forces. He eventually ended up on a British warship in Baltimore Harbor as the British shelled Fort McHenry, where his friend Francis Scott Key, accompanied by American Prisoner Exchange Agent Col. John Stuart Skinner, came to negotiate his release. After he was released, the three were allowed to return to their sloop but not to leave, at which point Key received his inspiration for "The Defense of Ft. McHenry" later to become "The Star-Spangled Banner". Today Beanes and his wife are buried in their brick-walled and iron-fenced plot off Governor Oden Bowie Drive, on a hill overlooking Schoolhouse Pond.

External links

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Prince George's County, Maryland | Towns in Maryland | Washington, D.C. suburbs