Good Luck, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Good Luck, Maryland
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Ghost town and former census-designated place
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 Good Luck, Maryland
Location in Maryland
Good Luck, Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Prince George's |
| Elevation | 52 m (171 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1714391 |
Good Luck is a place in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. It used to be a small town and a special area called a census-designated place. Good Luck was started way back in 1672. Today, the Goddard Space Flight Center (a big NASA center!) and homes are located where Good Luck used to be.
Contents
The Story of Good Luck
Good Luck is known as a "ghost town" because it's no longer a busy town like it once was. It has a long history, starting centuries ago.
Early Days of Good Luck
Good Luck began as a large piece of land, about 100 acres (40 hectares), given to a man named Alexander Magruder in 1672. Magruder owned a lot of land in Maryland, and he named some of his properties, like Good Luck, after places in the Scottish Highlands.
- By 1677, the Good Luck property had grown to 500 acres (200 hectares).
- In 1702, a bigger piece of land, 780 acres (316 hectares), also called "Good Luck," was sold.
The Post Office and Its Name Changes
A post office was first opened in the area in 1817. It was called "Magruder's" at first.
- In 1830, the post office was renamed "Good Luck." It stayed open until 1852.
- It reopened in 1872 but closed again in 1876.
Why Good Luck Changed
In 1871, a new village called Glennville was planned nearby. This village later became known as Glenn Dale. Glenn Dale was built along the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, which helped it grow and become successful.
- Because Glenn Dale was doing so well, Good Luck's post office was moved there in 1876.
- By 1899, Good Luck was described as a "rural village," meaning it was a quiet, country place, while Glenn Dale was the busy "railroad village."
Today, you can still find "Good Luck Road" where the old settlement used to be. This area is now home to the Goddard Space Flight Center, a famous NASA facility, and a residential community.
What is a Census-Designated Place?
A census-designated place (CDP) is a special area that the United States Census Bureau defines for gathering population information. It's not an officially incorporated town or city, but it's treated like one for census purposes.
- A CDP called "Good Luck" was created for the 1970 United States Census.
- At that time, the Good Luck CDP had a population of 10,584 people.
- The land area was about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers).
- In 1980, the Good Luck CDP was split into two new CDPs: Glenn Dale and Goddard. This means the "Good Luck" CDP no longer existed as a separate area for the census.
