Hollywood, Maryland facts for kids

Hollywood is a small community in St. Mary's County, Maryland, in the United States. It got its name in 1867. A store owner needed a name for the post office inside his store. He saw a huge holly tree outside and decided to call the post office Hollywood.

Hollywood's History

Hollywood has some very old and important places. One is the St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church, which started way back in 1690!

Another famous spot is Sotterley Plantation. It sits right by the Patuxent River. Sotterley was built in 1703 by a rich farmer named James Bowles. Over time, it was owned by different people, including a former Maryland Governor named George Plater. Later, Louisa Satterlee, whose father was the famous banker J.P. Morgan, lived there with her husband.

Hollywood was also home to Resurrection Manor, a very old house built around 1640. It was thought to be built by Thomas Cornwalleys. He was the grandfather of General Lord Cornwallis, a British leader who surrendered to George Washington during the American Revolutionary War at the Battle of Yorktown.

What Hollywood Does Today

Today, Hollywood is mostly a small farming community. Farmers here grow crops like soybeans, corn, hay, and wheat. In the past, they also grew a lot of tobacco.

The area also has an industrial park. Big companies like Northrop Grumman have offices there. There's also a special training center for engineers who work near the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Many roads in Hollywood lead right to the beautiful Patuxent River.

Hollywood is not its own official town. It's managed directly by the leaders of St. Mary's County.

Schools in Hollywood

Hollywood is proud to have two schools.

Hollywood Elementary School

Hollywood Elementary School is on Joy Chapel Road. This school is special because it's divided into different "houses." Each house focuses on a different culture from around the world, helping students learn about global diversity.

St. John Francis Regis Catholic School

St. John Francis Regis Catholic School also calls Hollywood home. It opened on September 12, 1923. At first, the younger grades were taught in the church's sacristy (a room where priests prepare), and older grades were in a room above it.

From the 1920s to the 1980s, nuns from the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky, taught at the school. In 1924, a four-room school building was finished. Later, in 1952, a new brick part was added with more classrooms and an auditorium. Part of the auditorium was later turned into a library.

In February 2010, a big snowstorm caused the roof over the library and some classrooms to collapse. But the community and volunteer firefighters quickly helped clear everything. After the snow melted, they rebuilt the school. The new building reopened the next January, stronger than before!

Socks the Cat

Did you know a famous cat once lived in Hollywood? Socks was the pet cat of President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton. After the Clintons left the White House in 2001, Socks moved to Hollywood to live with Bill Clinton's secretary, Betty Currie. Socks lived a long life, nearly twenty years, before he passed away in 2009 due to old age.