Leonardtown, Maryland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leonardtown, Maryland
Town
Central Leonardtown
Flag Seal
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	St. Mary's
Founded	1660 as Seymour Town
Incorporation	1858
Named for	Benedict Leonard Calvert
Government
• Type	Incorporated town
Area
• Total	3.88 sq mi (10.04 km2)
• Land	3.81 sq mi (9.87 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2)
Elevation	85 ft (26 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,563
• Density	1,197.64/sq mi (462.38/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	20650
Area code(s)	301, 240
FIPS code	24-46475
GNIS feature ID	0594790
Website	http://leonardtown.somd.com

Leonardtown is a town in Maryland, United States. It is the main town (or county seat) of St. Mary's County. In 2020, about 4,563 people lived there.

Leonardtown is home to several schools, including public high, middle, and elementary schools. It also has a Catholic high school. The town is where you'll find county government offices and St. Mary's Hospital, which helps keep people healthy. The College of Southern Maryland has a campus here with a cool aquatic center.

The town has grown a lot since 1990. This is partly because it's close to Patuxent River Naval Air Station and the larger Washington metro area.

Exploring Leonardtown's Location

Leonardtown is located at 38°17′43″N 76°38′17″W / 38.29528°N 76.63806°W / 38.29528; -76.63806.

The United States Census Bureau says the town covers about 3.25 square miles (8.42 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

MD 5 southbound at MD 243 in Leonardtown

Getting Around Leonardtown

Most people travel to and from Leonardtown by car. Three main state highways serve the town.

• Maryland Route 5: This is the most important road. It goes through Leonardtown as Point Lookout Road.
  • Heading north, MD 5 connects to U.S. Route 301 near Waldorf. It also links to major highways like Interstate 95 and Interstate 495 (the Capital Beltway) near Washington, D.C..
  • Heading south, MD 5 leads to Point Lookout.
• Maryland Route 245: This road connects Leonardtown to Maryland Route 235 in Hollywood.
• Maryland Route 243: This highway passes through Compton and ends at Newtowne Neck State Park.

Other important roads, like Maryland Route 4 and Maryland Route 234, are just outside Leonardtown.

A Look Back: Leonardtown's History

How Leonardtown Began

Records show that as early as 1654, court meetings were held in the area known as "Newtown." It wasn't until 1708 that an official town was created with a special courthouse.

In 1708, Phillip Lynes, who was the Mayor of St. Mary's City (Maryland's first capital), set aside 50 acres of land. This land was divided into 100 lots, and one lot was for a county courthouse. At this time, Newtown was renamed Seymour Town, honoring Governor John Seymour.

About 20 years later, Seymour Town was renamed again to Leonard Town. This new name honored Benedict Leonard Calvert, who was Maryland's governor then. For many years, Leonard Town was the place where local people did their official business. Farm products were also shipped from its port.

Maryland Historic Society's Leonardtown marker

Leonardtown in the 1800s

During the War of 1812, the British navy blocked the Chesapeake Bay. About 1,000 British Marines even came into Leonardtown. This made it hard for the local economy, and British forces often raided the area.

By 1860, Leonardtown had about 35 homes, a newspaper, two hotels, and several stores. During the American Civil War, soldiers from the Union army occupied Leonardtown. They searched houses for weapons and supplies that might be sent to the Confederacy in Virginia. Many people in Southern Maryland, including Leonardtown, supported the Confederacy.

Leonardtown was a busy port where steamboats would dock. These steamboats carried goods and people all over the Chesapeake Bay area well into the 1900s. A floating theater even visited the port each year, bringing entertainment to the town.

Leonardtown Today: From the 1900s to Now

Leonardtown is the only town in St. Mary's County that has its own elected mayor and town council. The downtown area is becoming lively again, with new restaurants and businesses opening, often in historic buildings.

A few miles northwest of town, there's an old order Mennonite farming community. Members of this community sell furniture, crafts, fresh produce, and other homemade items. A large, modern public library and a center for seniors opened in 2021.

The Leonardtown Wharf waterfront park opened in May 2008. It's a popular spot for both locals and visitors. There are plans for boating, kayaking, and canoeing facilities there too.

The Naval Air Base nearby has greatly helped Leonardtown's economy. Many families have moved to Leonardtown because of the base.

Two historic places in Leonardtown, St. Andrew's Church and Tudor Hall, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Since 1967, Leonardtown has hosted the annual United States National Oyster Festival. This festival even has a competition to see who can shuck (open) oysters the fastest!

Entrance to the Leonardtown Wharf

People of Leonardtown

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 2,930 people living in Leonardtown. There were 1,067 households, and 614 of these were families.

• About 77% of the people were White.
• About 15% were African American.
• About 3% were Asian.
• About 1% were Native American.
• About 1% were from other backgrounds, and 3% were from two or more backgrounds.
• About 4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Leonardtown was about 40.8 years old.

• About 23% of residents were under 18.
• About 19.5% were 65 or older.
• The town had slightly more females (51.3%) than males (48.7%).

See also

In Spanish: Leonardtown (Maryland) para niños