Accokeek, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Accokeek, Maryland
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Accokeek Academy school at 14400 Berry Road in Accokeek, MD
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Location in Prince George's County
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Location of Prince George's County in Maryland
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 Accokeek, Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Prince George's |
| First settled | c. 1200 |
| Founded | 1608 |
| Designated CDP | 1990 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated, county administrated |
| Area | |
| • Total | 28.79 sq mi (74.57 km2) |
| • Land | 27.43 sq mi (71.03 km2) |
| • Water | 1.37 sq mi (3.54 km2) |
| Elevation | 194 ft (59 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,927 |
| • Rank | 118th |
| • Density | 507.78/sq mi (196.06/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
20607
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| Area code | 301, 240 |
| FIPS code | 24-00250 |
| GNIS feature ID | 596993 |
Accokeek (pronounced "ACK-uh-keek") is a special area in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Its name means "at the edge of the hill" in the Algonquin language. It's located right next to the Potomac River and is about 17 miles from Washington, D.C.. This makes it part of the larger Washington metropolitan area. In 2020, about 13,927 people lived here.
People have lived in the Accokeek area for a very long time, since about 2,000 BCE. The first European to visit was John Smith in 1608. In 1990, the United States Census Bureau officially named Accokeek a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area that the Census Bureau defines for gathering population data.
Contents
History
The land around Accokeek has been home to people for thousands of years. Around 1200 AD, the Piscataway tribe built their first permanent village here. Captain John Smith was the first European to explore this area in 1608. He sailed along the Potomac River and discovered the Moyaone village, which was an important center for the Piscataway Tribe. Over time, the Moyaone village was left, and its people joined other tribes before more Europeans arrived.
In the mid-1600s, European settlers began buying large areas of land for farming. This led to disagreements and battles with the Native Americans, who were concerned about the land being overused. By the late 1600s, Native Americans were forced to leave the area.
By 1861, Accokeek was still mostly a farming community. Agriculture was the main way people made a living, with tobacco being the most important crop. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), many people in Accokeek supported the Confederacy. There were even Confederate spies in the area, including Thomas Harbin.
In 1922, Henry and Alice Ferguson bought Hard Bargain Farm in Accokeek as a vacation spot. Alice Ferguson later started archaeological digs between 1935 and 1939. They found the remains of a fort built by the Susquehannock people, which was destroyed in 1675. In 1957, US Senator Frances P. Bolton created the Accokeek Foundation. This foundation helped buy 200 acres of land in Piscataway Park to protect the area.
A large part of Accokeek, known as the Moyaone Reserve, has unique homes on big wooded lots. You can visit places like Hard Bargain Farm and the National Colonial Farm (run by the National Park Service). These sites often host fun events like an annual Oktoberfest and outdoor theater shows.
In the 1960s, there was a plan to build a water treatment plant near Accokeek. Many people and groups protested because it would block the view of Mount Vernon and Fort Washington Park. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed a law to make 133 acres near Mockley Point a national landmark. The Accokeek Foundation and the Alice Ferguson Foundation also donated more land. This stopped the plant from being built there, though a plant was built nearby later.
Accokeek officially became a CDP in 1990 when the US Census Bureau set its borders.
Geography
Accokeek is located in Southern Maryland, about 17 miles from Washington, D.C.. To the north, it shares borders with Fort Washington and Clinton. To the east, it borders Brandywine. To the south, it borders Bryans Road, Bensville, and Waldorf, which are all in Charles County. To the west, it is next to the Potomac River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
The total area of Accokeek is about 28.8 square miles. Most of this (27.4 square miles) is land, and a smaller part (1.3 square miles) is water. Accokeek is about 194 feet above sea level.
Climate
Accokeek has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and mild winters. Rain is spread out fairly evenly throughout the year.
The most rain usually falls in May and July. Accokeek gets about 39 inches of rain each year. July is typically the hottest month. The coldest month is January.
| Climate data for Accokeek, MD | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) |
81 (27) |
91 (33) |
95 (35) |
96 (36) |
100 (38) |
103 (39) |
102 (39) |
103 (39) |
96 (36) |
86 (30) |
77 (25) |
103 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44 (7) |
49 (9) |
58 (14) |
68 (20) |
75 (24) |
81 (27) |
85 (29) |
83 (28) |
78 (26) |
68 (20) |
59 (15) |
48 (9) |
66 (19) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26 (−3) |
28 (−2) |
35 (2) |
43 (6) |
53 (12) |
62 (17) |
67 (19) |
65 (18) |
59 (15) |
47 (8) |
38 (3) |
30 (−1) |
46 (8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) |
−2 (−19) |
1 (−17) |
20 (−7) |
29 (−2) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
45 (7) |
31 (−1) |
19 (−7) |
9 (−13) |
1 (−17) |
−8 (−22) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.4 (86) |
3.0 (76) |
4.0 (100) |
3.1 (79) |
4.1 (100) |
3.8 (97) |
4.1 (100) |
4.6 (120) |
4.3 (110) |
3.4 (86) |
3.2 (81) |
3.2 (81) |
44.2 (1,116) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
Demographics
A census is an official count of a population. It helps us understand how many people live in an area and what groups they belong to.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1980 | 3,894 | — | |
| 1990 | 4,477 | 15.0% | |
| 2000 | 7,349 | 64.2% | |
| 2010 | 10,573 | 43.9% | |
| 2020 | 13,927 | 31.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020 |
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2020 Census
The 2020 census showed that Accokeek's population was 13,927 people. The table below shows the different racial and ethnic groups living in Accokeek.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 2,488 | 1,996 | 23.53% | 14.33% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 6,706 | 9,345 | 63.43% | 67.10% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 44 | 51 | 0.42% | 0.37% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 579 | 652 | 5.48% | 4.68% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 9 | 0.03% | 0.06% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 6 | 95 | 0.06% | 0.68% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 250 | 664 | 2.36% | 4.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 497 | 1,115 | 4.70% | 8.01% |
| Total | 10,573 | 13,927 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 Census
In 2010, Accokeek had 10,573 people living in 3,601 households. About 34.4% of households had children under 18. Most households (62.8%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.94 people.
The average age in Accokeek was 41.2 years. About 24.3% of residents were under 18. Most people (92.8%) spoke English at home as their main language.
Economy
In 2014, the average household income in Accokeek was about $126,000. This was much higher than the average for the United States and for Maryland.
The biggest job sector in Accokeek is public administration, which means working for the government. Other important jobs are in professional, scientific, and management services.
An Italian gun company called Beretta opened a factory in Accokeek in 1978. They made pistols for the military and were the largest employer in Accokeek. In 2013, Beretta decided to close the factory and move its operations to Tennessee.
Parks and recreation
Accokeek has several important historical sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These places help preserve the history and natural beauty of the area.
| Name on the Register | Image | Date listed | Location | Description | |
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| 1 | Accokeek Creek Site |
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(#66000909) |
3400 Bryan Point Rd, Accokeek, MD 20607 38°41′46″N 77°03′07″W / 38.696028°N 77.051833°W |
This is where an old village with walls stood from about 1300 AD to 1630 AD. |
| 2 | Bellevue |
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(#86001738) |
200 Manning Rd E 38°39′42″N 77°00′11″W / 38.661734°N 77.0029897°W |
A beautiful home built around 1840 in the Greek Revival style. |
| 3 | Hard Bargain Farm |
.jpg) |
(#14000839) |
2001 Bryan Point Road 38°41′21″N 77°02′41″W / 38.689166666666665°N 77.04472222222222°W |
This was once the country home and working farm of Alice and Henry Ferguson. |
| 4 | Moyaone Reserve |
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(#100005659) |
Roughly bounded by Bryan Point Rd., Piscataway Park, Overlook Dr./Old Landing Rd., and Farmington Rd. West 38°41′27″N 77°01′25″W / 38.6909°N 77.0237°W |
A community known for its efforts to protect nature and its modern-style homes. |
| 5 | Piscataway Park |
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(#66000144) |
East of Potomac River, south of Piscataway Creek, in Prince George's and Charles Counties 38°40′43″N 77°05′34″W / 38.67861111111111°N 77.09277777777777°W |
This park is home to Marshall Hall and the National Colonial Farm. |
Education
Most adults in Accokeek have a high school diploma or higher. Many also have college degrees.
Primary and secondary schools
Accokeek is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district.
The main public school in Accokeek is Accokeek Academy. It serves students from elementary to middle school. This school was created in 2009 by combining Henry G. Ferguson Elementary School and Eugene Burroughs Middle School. The elementary and middle school parts are still in separate buildings.
In 2010, Accokeek Academy had 1,178 students. Later, the fifth grade moved to the middle school building. This helped the middle school get funds for renovations and eased crowding in the elementary building. The school district planned to build a new elementary building and renovate the middle school building.
All high school students in Accokeek attend Gwynn Park High School, which is located in Brandywine. There is also a private school called Accokeek College Preparatory School, which is part of The Beddow Schools.
Public libraries
The Prince George's County Memorial Library System has a branch library in Accokeek.
Transportation
The State of Maryland's MTA Maryland offers two express bus routes, 640 and 650. These buses travel from Waldorf or La Plata, stop in Accokeek, and then continue to Washington, D.C.
There are no major Interstate Highways directly in Accokeek. However, there are four important state highways:
MD 210, known as Indian Head Highway
MD 228, known as Berry Road
MD 229, known as Bensville Road
MD 373, known as Accokeek Road
Notable people
- Jarrett Hurd, a boxer who was a world champion in light middleweight boxing.
- Link Wray, a famous American rock and roll guitarist and singer.
- Henry G. Ferguson, a geologist who worked for the U.S. Geological Survey.
- Kimberly Klacik, a politician and founder of a non-profit organization.
See also
In Spanish: Accokeek para niños
