Brandywine, Maryland Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Brandywine, Maryland
Census-designated place
Location of Brandywine, Maryland
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Prince George's
Area
• Total	21.12 sq mi (54.70 km²)
• Land	21.04 sq mi (54.49 km²)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.20 km²)
Elevation	220 ft (67 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	10,550
• Density	501.43/sq mi (193.60/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	20613
Area code(s)	301, 240
FIPS code	24-09325
GNIS feature ID	0597115

Brandywine is an area in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. It's not an official town but a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area that the government tracks for population data.

Brandywine is located in the southern part of Prince George's County. It's mostly a rural area, meaning it has a lot of open land. It's also considered a suburb of Washington D.C. and Waldorf.

Geography
Population Information
History
- Historical Sites
Community and Activities
Education
Notable People
Images for kids
See also

Geography

Brandywine is right next to the southern border of Prince George's County. Important roads like Maryland Route 5 and U.S. Route 301 pass through it. These roads even join together in Brandywine.

Brandywine is surrounded by other areas in Prince George's County. To the west is Accokeek. To the north are Clinton and Rosaryville. Croom is to the northeast, and Cedarville is to the southeast. Just south of Brandywine, in Charles County, is Waldorf.

Even though it's mostly rural, Brandywine has some suburban and commercial areas. This means you'll find homes and businesses there too.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
2000	1,410	—
2010	6,719	376.5%
2020	10,550	57.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020

In 2020, the population of Brandywine was 10,550 people. This number has grown quite a bit over the years. For example, in 2010, there were 6,719 people living here.

The community is made up of people from many different backgrounds. In 2020, about 76% of the population was Black or African American. About 9% was White. Other groups, including Asian, Native American, and people of mixed races, also live in Brandywine. About 7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

History

The name Brandywine comes from William H. Early, who owned land here in the mid-1800s. It's believed the area was named after the Battle of Brandywine from the American Revolutionary War.

Brandywine started to grow around 1873 because of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad. It was the only town along this specific railroad line that truly became a "railroad town."

An interesting event happened on September 1, 1877. A small earthquake, measuring 2.7 magnitude, shook Brandywine around 4 p.m.

In 1912, the Bank of Brandywine was officially started. Before that, it was known as the Southern Maryland German-American Bank.

For a long time, Brandywine stayed mostly rural. But after the year 2000, things started to change. New shopping centers, including large stores, and small housing areas were built. Even with new roads and traffic solutions built in 2019, the area can still have traffic jams. This is because many people drive through Brandywine every day for work or travel.

Historical Sites

Brandywine and nearby areas like Baden have several historic sites. These places are important because they show what life was like in the past. None of them are museums today.

The Black Swamp School was built in 1899. It was known as "Colored School No. 2, District 8."
The Chapel of the Incarnation is a historic church. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
The Charles S. Early House is a farmhouse built around 1870.
The William W. Early House is another historic home. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 and is privately owned.
The Old Bank of Brandywine building is also a historic site.
St. Paul's Parish Church is located near Brandywine in Baden. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Community and Activities

Brandywine is home to Gwynn Park High School. You can also find several businesses here, like car salvage yards and places that sell construction equipment.

A big shopping center called Brandywine Crossing opened in 2008. It has grown a lot and now has many stores and businesses.