Charles County is a county in

Southern Maryland Southern Maryland is a geographical, cultural and historic region in Maryland composed of the state's southernmost counties on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. According to the state of Maryland, the region includes all of Calvert, Cha ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 166,617. The county seat is La Plata. The county was named for Charles Calvert (1637–1715), third Baron Baltimore. Charles County is part of the

Washington metropolitan area The Washington metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the National Capital Region, is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of the states of Maryland, Virgi ...

and the

region. With a median household income of $103,678, it is the 39th wealthiest county in the United States and the highest-income county with a Black-majority population.

History

Charles County was created in 1658 by an

Order in Council An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (''Kin ...

. There was also an earlier Charles County from 1650 to 1654, sometimes referred to in historic documents as Old Charles County, which consisted largely of lands within today’s borders but "included parts of St. Mary’s, Calvert, present-day Charles and Prince George’s County". In April 1865,

John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who assassinated United States President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. A member of the prominent 19th-century Booth ...

made his escape through Charles County after shooting President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

. He was on his way to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. He stopped briefly in Waldorf (then called Beantown) and had his broken leg set by local Doctor Mudd, who was later sent to prison for helping him. Boothe then proceeded to hide in the Zekiah Swamp in Charles County, avoiding search parties for over a week until he and his accomplice were able to successfully cross the Potomac River. In 1926, a tornado ripped through the county leaving 17 dead (including 13 schoolchildren). On April 28, 2002, another tornado (rated an F-4) destroyed much of downtown La Plata killing 3 and injuring over 100 people. The county has numerous properties on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. Among them are Green Park and Pleasant Hill, home of the Green and Spalding Families. On December 4, 2004, an arson took place in the development of Hunters Brooke, a few miles southeast of Indian Head. The Hunters Brooke Arson was the largest residential arson in Maryland history.

Politics and government

Owing to the considerable voting power of its large number of

freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom a ...

following the Civil War, and later its growth as a suburban area, Charles County was for a long time solidly Republican. The only Democrat to carry Charles County until 1956 was Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, although

Alf Landon Alfred Mossman Landon (September 9, 1887October 12, 1987) was an American oilman and politician who served as the 26th governor of Kansas from 1933 to 1937. A member of the Republican Party, he was the party's nominee in the 1936 presidential el ...

and

Wendell Willkie Wendell Lewis Willkie (born Lewis Wendell Willkie; February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944) was an American lawyer, corporate executive and the 1940 Republican nominee for President. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican ...

defeated Roosevelt in the next two elections by a combined margin of just 50 votes. Since the turn of the millennium, Charles County has become reliably Democratic, although not as overwhelmingly so as other parts of Maryland's Washington, D.C. suburbs. Charles County is one of only two counties in the nation to have voted for

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...

in 2000 after voting for Bob Dole in 1996, along with Orange County, Florida.

Board of Commissioners

Charles County is governed by county commissioners, the traditional form of county government in Maryland. There are five commissioners. , they are: Charles County is entirely within the 5th Congressional District, which also includes Calvert, St. Mary's, and parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties. The current representative is Democratic House Majority Leader and (former House Minority Whip) Steny H. Hoyer.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (29%) water. In its western wing, along the southernmost bend in

Maryland Route 224 Maryland Route 224 (MD 224) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from MD 6 at Riverside north to MD 227 at Pomonkey. MD 224 is a C-shaped route that mostly parallels the Potomac River through southwestern Charles ...

, Charles County contains a place due north, east, south, and west of the same state—Virginia.

Adjacent counties

Prince George's County ) , demonym = Prince Georgian , ZIP codes = 20607–20774 , area codes = 240, 301 , founded date = April 23 , founded year = 1696 , named for = Prince George of Denmark , leader_title = Executive , leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrook ...

(north) * Fairfax County, Virginia (northwest) * Calvert County (east) *

Stafford County, Virginia Stafford County is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a suburb outside of Washington D.C. It is approximately south of D.C. It is part of the Northern Virginia region, and the D.C area. It is one of the fastest growing, and highest- ...

(west) *

Prince William County, Virginia Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manass ...

(west) * St. Mary's County (southeast) *

Westmoreland County, Virginia Westmoreland County is a county located in the Northern Neck of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 18,477. Its county seat is Montross. History As originally established by the Virginia colony's ...

(southeast) * King George County, Virginia (south)

National protected area

Thomas Stone National Historic Site The Thomas Stone National Historic Site, also known as Haberdeventure or the Thomas Stone House, is a United States National Historic Site located about south of Washington D.C. in Charles County, Maryland. The site was established to protect ...

* Mallows Bay

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...

, there were 146,551 people, 51,214 households, and 38,614 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 54,963 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 50.3% white, 41.0% black or African American, 3.0% Asian, 0.7% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.3% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 12.6% were German, 10.8% were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 8.7% were English, 6.3% were American, and 5.1% were

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

. Of the 51,214 households, 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 24.6% were non-families, and 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.24. The median age was 37.4 years. The median income for a household in the county was $88,825 and the median income for a family was $98,560. Males had a median income of $62,210 versus $52,477 for females. The per capita income for the county was $35,780. About 3.7% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 120,546 people, 41,668 households, and 32,292 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 43,903 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.51%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 26.06%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.75% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.72% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.08% from two or more races. 2.26% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race. 11.6% were of German, 10.8%

, 10.2% English, 9.3% American and 5.3%

ancestry. There were 41,668 households, out of which 41.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.50% were non-families. 17.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.21. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.70% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 33.20% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $62,199, and the median income for a family was $67,602 (these figures had risen to $80,573 and $89,358 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $43,371 versus $34,231 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $24,285. About 3.70% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the

, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over. As of 2010, the county population's racial makeup was 48.38% Non-Hispanic whites, 40.96% blacks, 0.65% Native Americans, 2.98% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islanders, 0.17% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 3.20% Non-Hispanics reporting more than one race and 4.27% Hispanic.

Economy

Top employers

According to Charles County's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, its top employers are:

Education

Public schools

Colleges and universities

* College of Southern Maryland, in La Plata.

Transportation

Charles County is served by numerous state highways and one U.S. Highway:

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Communities

Towns

* Indian Head * La Plata (county seat) * Port Tobacco Village

Census-designated places

The Census Bureau recognizes the following

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

s in the county: * Bensville * Bryans Road * Bryantown *

Cobb Island Cobb Island is a small island located at the confluence of the Potomac and Wicomico rivers in southern Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is located approximately south of Washington, and is considered to be within the Washington, D.C ...

* Hughesville *

Pomfret Pomfrets are perciform fishes belonging to the family Bramidae. The family currently includes 20 species across seven genera. Several species are important food sources for humans, especially ''Brama brama'' in South Asia. The earlier form of ...

* Potomac Heights * Rock Point * Saint Charles * Waldorf

Unincorporated communities

* Bel Alton * Benedict * Dentsville * Faulkner * Glymont * Grayton * Ironsides *

Issue Issue or issues may refer to: Publishing * ''Issue'' (company), a mobile publishing company * ''Issue'' (magazine), a monthly Korean comics anthology magazine * Issue (postal service), a stamp or a series of stamps released to the public * '' ...

* Malcolm * Marbury * Morgantown * Mount Victoria * Nanjemoy * Newburg * Pisgah * Popes Creek * Port Tobacco * Pomonkey * Ripley * Rison * Swan Point *

Welcome A welcome is a kind of greeting designed to introduce a person to a new place or situation, and to make them feel at ease. The term can similarly be used to describe the feeling of being accepted on the part of the new person. In some context ...

* White Plains

Notable people

* Charles Brooke (1636-1671) English immigrant & first Southerner to graduate from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

, Class of 1655; Sheriff, Calvert County 1665 *

Chuck Brown Charles Louis Brown (August 22, 1936 – May 16, 2012) was an American guitarist, bandleader and singer known as " The Godfather of Go-Go". Go-go is a subgenre of funk music developed around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the mid-197 ...

(1936-2012) "Godfather of Go-Go", a

subgenre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

of funk that evolved in the D.C. area in the 1970s; lived in

Brandywine Brandywine may refer to: Food and drink *Brandy, a spirit produced by distilling wine *Brandywine tomato, a variety of heirloom tomato Geographic locations Canada * Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia * Brandywine Mountain, British ...

* Gustavus Richard Brown (1747-1804)

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

-educated doctor; served in Revolutionary War; physician to

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

, attended his death * George Cary (1789-1843) born near Allen’s Fresh; practiced law in

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

; moved to

Appling County, Georgia Appling County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,444. The county seat is Baxley. History Appling County is named for Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Appling, a s ...

; Member, U.S. House 1823-27 *

Barnes Compton Barnes Compton (November 16, 1830 – December 2, 1898) was a Representative of the fifth congressional district of Maryland and a Treasurer of Maryland. Early life Barnes Compton was born on November 16, 1830 in Port Tobacco, Charles Count ...

(1830-1898) born Port Tobacco, Princeton '51; Pres.,

Maryland Senate The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. Composed of 47 senators elected from an equal number of constituent single-m ...

; Treasurer of Maryland; Member,

U.S. House The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

1885-90, 91-94 *

James Craik James Craik (; 17276 February 1814) was Physician General (precursor of the Surgeon General) of the United States Army, as well as George Washington's personal physician and close friend. Biography Education and emigration to America Born on ...

(1727-1814) Scottish immigrant; Physician General of the Continental Army; friend & physician to

, attended his death *

Danny Gatton Daniel Wood Gatton Jr. (September 4, 1945 – October 4, 1994) was an American virtuoso guitarist who combined blues, rockabilly, jazz, and country to create a musical style he called "redneck jazz". Career Daniel Wood Gatton Jr. was born in ...

(1945-1994) Virtuoso guitarist; created a jazz fusion musical style he called "redneck jazz"; lived in Newburg, died by suicide *

John Hanson John Hanson ( – November 15, 1783) was an American Founding Father, merchant, and politician from Maryland during the Revolutionary Era. In 1779, Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress after serving in a variety of ...

(1721-1783) born Port Tobacco; Founding Father of United States; Signer, Articles of Confederation; President, Confederation Congress *

Josiah Henson Josiah Henson (June 15, 1789 – May 5, 1883) was an author, abolitionist, and minister. Born into slavery, in Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland, he escaped to Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1830, and founded a settlement and laborer's scho ...

(1789-1883) born into slavery in Port Tobacco; escaped to Canada & founded community of

fugitive slaves In the United States, fugitive slaves or runaway slaves were terms used in the 18th and 19th century to describe people who fled slavery. The term also refers to the federal Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850. Such people are also called freed ...

; author, abolitionist & minister *

Matthew Henson Matthew Alexander Henson (August 8, 1866March 9, 1955) was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on seven voyages to the Arctic over a period of nearly 23 years. They spent a total of 18 years on expeditions together.

(1866-1955) born in Nanjemoy; African-American explorer; first to reach

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...

in 1909, with Robert Peary & 4

Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...

companions * Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer (1723-1790) born Port Tobacco; Founding Father of U.S.; Delegate, Constitutional Convention; Signer,

U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nation ...

* Larry Johnson (born 1979) from

; former NFL

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. Ther ...

; played for K.C. Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals,

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

* Shawn Lemon (born 1988) Attended Westlake H.S. in Waldorf; played with seven teams in the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

as a defensive lineman * Jane Herbert Wilkinson Long (1798-1880) born Charles County; Texas Patriot & boarding-house matron; dubbed " Mother of Texas" by Sam Houston *

Joel Joel or Yoel is a name meaning "Yahweh Is God" and may refer to: * Joel (given name), origin of the name including a list of people with the first name. * Joel (surname), a surname * Joel (footballer, born 1904), Joel de Oliveira Monteiro, Brazili ...

Benji Madden Benjamin Levi Madden (né Combs; born March 11, 1979) is an American musician. He is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the band Good Charlottefor which he has received various awardsas well as pop rock collaboration the Madden Brothe ...

(born 1979) Identical twins from Waldorf; both with bands

The Madden Brothers The Madden Brothers are an American pop rock duo made up of twin brothers Joel Madden and Benji Madden, both of whom are also founding members of the rock band Good Charlotte. History Twin brothers Joel and Benji Madden formed The Madden Broth ...

& Good Charlotte; Benji married to Cameron Diaz * Christina Milian (born 1981) Movie & TV actress;

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...

singer/songwriter in US (Top 4 in UK); raised in Waldorf to age 13 & part of high school * Samuel A. Mudd (1833-1883) born near Bryantown; physician imprisoned for aiding

after assassination of Pres.

* Sydney E. Mudd (1858-1911) born in Gallant Green; Speaker,

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...

; Member, U.S. House of Reps 1890-91, 1897-1911 *

Francis Neale Francis Ignatius Neale (June 3, 1756December 20, 1837), also known as Francis Xavier Neale, was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who led several academic and religious institutions in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. He played a substan ...

(1756-1836) born Port Tobacco; Jesuit pastor of St. Thomas Manor & Holy Trinity, first Catholic Church in D.C., President of Georgetown * Capt. James Neale (1615-1684) born in London, immigrated around 1635; Member, Maryland Council; founded Wollaston Manor &

Leonard Neale Leonard Neale (October 15, 1746 – June 18, 1817) was an American Catholic prelate and Jesuit who became the second Archbishop of Baltimore and the first Catholic bishop to be ordained in the United States. While president of Georgetown Co ...

(1746-1817) born Port Tobacco; Jesuit President of Georgetown;

Archbishop of Baltimore The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore ( la, link=no, Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis) is the premier (or first) see of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore and nine of M ...

; first U.S.-consecrated Catholic prelate (1800) * Raphael Semmes (1809-1877) born near Nanjemoy; US Navy officer; Captain, CSS ''Sumter'' & CSS ''Alabama''; Rear Admiral,

Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the Navy, naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the Amer ...

William Smallwood William Smallwood (1732February 14, 1792) was an American planter, soldier and politician from Charles County, Maryland. He served in the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of major general. He was serving as the fourth Governor ...

(1732-1792) Officer, Provincial Troops; Major General,

1st Maryland Regiment The 1st Maryland Regiment (Smallwood's Regiment) originated with the authorization of a Maryland Battalion of the Maryland State Troops on 14 January 1776. It was organized in the spring at Baltimore, Maryland (three companies) and Annapolis, M ...

of the Continental Army; Governor of Maryland *

Randy Starks Randolph Starks, Jr. (born December 14, 1983) is a former American football defensive end who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played ...

(born 1983) Attended Westlake in Waldorf; played NFL as a

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is ...

with

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...

* Robert Stethem (1961-1985) U.S. Navy diver; murdered in

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

during hijacking of TWA Flight 847; grew up in Pinefield community of Waldorf *

Benjamin Stoddert Benjamin Stoddert (1751 – 18 December 1813) was the first United States Secretary of the Navy from 1 May 1798 to 31 March 1801. Early life and education Stoddert was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1751, the son of Captain Thomas Stoddert. ...

(1751-1813) Captain of Cavalry in the Continental Army; first U.S. Secretary of the Navy in the

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of t ...

administration *

Thomas Stone Thomas Stone (1743 – October 5, 1787) was an American Founding Father, planter, politician, and lawyer who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a delegate for Maryland. He later worked on the committee that formed the Artic ...

(1743-1787) born at Poynton Manor near Port Tobacco;

Founding Father of the United States The Founding Fathers of the United States, known simply as the Founding Fathers or Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the war for independence from Great Britai ...

; Signer,

U.S. Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House (l ...

* Turkey Tayac (1895-1978) born Charles County; Chief, one branch of

Piscataway Indian Nation The Piscataway Indian Nation , also called Piscatawa , is a state-recognized tribe in Maryland that is descended from the historic Piscataway people. At the time of European encounter, the Piscataway was one of the most populous and powerful Nat ...

; WWI veteran;

Medicine Man A medicine man or medicine woman is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas. Individual cultures have their own names, in their respective languages, for spiritual healers and cerem ...

& Native American activist * Andrew White (1579-1656) born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

; Jesuit with first colonists arriving on ''Ark'' & ''Dove''; established

mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

to the Potapoco at Chapel Point (1641) * Angela Renée White ''a.k.a.'' "Blac Chyna" (born 1988) Model, socialite & television personality; attended Henry E. Lackey High School in Indian Head

Sports

References

External links

*
Charles County Commissioners' Office
* * Hamilton Family papers, at the University of Maryland libraries. A prominent Charles County family with records from 1803 to 1923. * Paul Dennis Brown Family papers, at the University of Maryland libraries. A prominent Charles County family with records from 1879 to 1973. Documents civil engagement, agriculture, and history of life in Charles County. {{authority control Maryland counties Maryland counties on the Potomac River Washington metropolitan area 1658 establishments in Maryland Populated places established in 1658 Majority-minority counties and independent cities in Maryland