Pomonkey, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pomonkey, Maryland
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 Pomonkey, Maryland
Location in Maryland
Pomonkey, Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Charles |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 586633 |
Pomonkey is a small community in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it's a place where people live, located near the crossing of Livingston and Pomfret Roads. It is about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from Bryans Road.
Contents
History of Pomonkey
How Pomonkey Got Its Name
Pomonkey gets its name from the Pamunkey tribe. These Native Americans lived in this area a long time ago.
Early Families and Leaders
The Brent family owned a lot of land in Pomonkey even before the American Revolutionary War. Their land claims came from when Giles Brent married Princess Mary Kittamaquund in the 1600s. A member of this family, Robert Brent (1764-1819), became the very first mayor of Washington, D.C. In his will, he made sure that the people he had enslaved would be set free.
In the early 1800s, a small village called Bumpy Oak was renamed Pomonkey. This happened when it became a place where mail could be sent and received. Another Robert Brent (1759-1810) and Dorothy Leigh Brent built a large farm house called Brentfield in this area. Sadly, this house later burned down. Their children grew up to be important people. One son became a judge in Maryland, and another, William Leigh Brent (1784-1848), became a U.S. Representative for Louisiana.
Pomonkey High School's Legacy
The former Pomonkey High School was very important. It was one of only two high schools in Charles County specifically for Black students until the 1960s. These schools were part of a system where Black and white students were kept separate. Pomonkey High School has a very proud group of former students. In 2022, the Pomonkey High School Alumni Association celebrated its 100th anniversary. This celebrated its long history as the first high school in the county created for Black students.
Local Industry and Research
From 1946 to 1970, a factory called the "Pomonkey Spoon Factory" made wooden tools and small items. Today, the Naval Research Laboratory has a special antenna range on Bumpy Oak Road. This is where they test antennas for various research projects.
Maryland Airport has plans to expand. This expansion would include a specialized research center and a business park. This could create over 3,000 jobs. However, there have been some environmental concerns. These concerns are about how stormwater might affect Mattawoman Creek.
About Pomonkey's Population
Pomonkey is an unincorporated area. This means it doesn't have its own official population count like a city or town. So, there aren't many specific numbers just for Pomonkey. The closest community with available information is Bryans Road, Maryland.
The Pomonkey area is covered by parts of three different ZIP codes: 20616 (Bryans Road), 20640 (Indian Head), and 20646 (La Plata). In 2000, Election District 7, which is named for Pomonkey but includes Bryans Road and Indian Head, had a total population of 11,859 people. This area is home to a diverse group of residents.
Local Landmarks
- J.C. Parks Elementary School
- Maryland Airport
- Matthew Henson Middle School
- Saint Johns Cemetery
- Saint Johns Chapel
