Waldorf, Maryland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Waldorf, Maryland
Census-designated place
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House Museum
Location of Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland Location in Maryland Show map of Maryland Waldorf, Maryland Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Charles
Named for	William Waldorf Astor
Government
• Type	No city government, Charles County Board of Commissioners
Area
• Total	36.47 sq mi (94.46 km²)
• Land	36.24 sq mi (93.87 km²)
• Water	0.23 sq mi (0.59 km²)
Elevation	207 ft (63 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	81,410
• Density	2,246.23/sq mi (867.26/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	20601-20604
Area code(s)	301, 240
FIPS code	24-81175
GNIS feature ID	0588020

Waldorf is a large community in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It's not an official city, but a "census-designated place." This means it's a place the government counts for population, but it doesn't have its own city government.

Waldorf is about 23 miles (37 km) south of Washington, D.C.. It is part of the Washington metropolitan area. In 2020, about 81,410 people lived there. Waldorf has grown a lot! Its population increased 16 times since 1980. Today, it is the biggest business and living area in Southern Maryland.

History of Waldorf
Geography and Climate
- Weather in Waldorf
People of Waldorf
Economy and Jobs
Arts and Culture
Sports and Recreation
Education in Waldorf
Getting Around Waldorf
Famous People from Waldorf
Images for kids
See also

History of Waldorf

Waldorf was named after William Waldorf Astor. His great-grandfather came from Walldorf, Germany.

The land where Waldorf is now was once home to the Piscataway Indian Nation. This Native American group lived throughout Southern Maryland. Archeologists have found old villages and hunting camps nearby. Some of these sites are 6,000 years old.

European and African American people started settling here in the 1600s. The area was first called Beantown. This name was used as far back as the American Civil War. After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, John Wilkes Booth passed through Beantown. He received medical help for a broken leg from Dr. Samuel A. Mudd at his home in Beantown.

In 1880, the name of the town changed to "Waldorf." It was named to honor William Waldorf Astor (1848–1919). He was the great-grandson of John Jacob Astor, who was born in Walldorf, Germany. Another town in Minnesota, Waldorf, was later named after Waldorf, Maryland.

Waldorf used to be a small village known for growing tobacco. In the 1950s, it became popular for gambling. Slot machines were allowed in Charles County then. This lasted until 1968, when gambling became illegal again. Waldorf then started to grow as a place for people to live. A big loan in 1970 helped build the planned community of St. Charles nearby.

Geography and Climate

Waldorf covers about 36.5 square miles (94.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

The soil in Waldorf has a special type of clay called Marlboro Clay. This clay is only found in Southern Maryland. It can be red or gray.

Weather in Waldorf

Waldorf has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cold. It snows every year, but big snowstorms only happen every few years. The area has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain and has warm temperatures.

From late August through September, Waldorf can experience tropical storms or hurricanes. In the summer, there are often thunderstorms. Some of these can be strong. Very rarely, the area can also get serious tornadoes.

People of Waldorf

Waldorf has grown a lot over the years. In 1970, only 647 people lived here. By 2020, the population was 81,410.

According to the 2020 census:

About 60.6% of the people were Black or African American.
About 28.7% were White.
About 8.4% were Hispanic or Latino (who can be of any race).
About 5.8% were of two or more races.
About 4.1% were Asian.
About 0.7% were American Indian or Native Alaskan.
About 0.1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

Waldorf has the second largest African American community in Southern Maryland. About 9.7% of people aged 5 and older speak a language other than English at home. Most adults (94.3%) have finished high school. About 29.5% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher.

The average income for a household in Waldorf was about $95,695. About 5.5% of the people live in poverty.

Economy and Jobs

Waldorf is mainly a "bedroom community." This means many people who live there travel to other places for work. They often work in federal jobs, professional services, or healthcare in the Washington metropolitan area.

Local jobs in Waldorf are mostly in service and sales. Healthcare and construction jobs are also common. The St. Charles Towne Center is a large shopping mall that opened in 1990.

U.S. Route 301 is the main road through Waldorf. It has many car dealerships, known as the "Waldorf Motor Mile." In 2005, Waldorf opened its third public high school, North Point High School. This school has special science and technology programs. The Capital Clubhouse, a large indoor sports center and ice rink, also opened that year.

Arts and Culture

Boyd Rutherford, the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, visited the Piscataway Indian Museum and Cultural Center.

Waldorf has two branches of the Charles County Public Library. These are the P.D. Brown Memorial Branch and the Waldorf West Branch.

The Piscataway Indian Nation has a museum and a cultural center in Waldorf. It is called the Maryland Indian Cultural Center.

Sports and Recreation

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs play baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Regency Furniture Stadium is a big place in Waldorf. It has 4,200 seats and is used for baseball games, soccer, and music concerts.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are a professional baseball team. They play their games at Regency Furniture Stadium.

The Capital Clubhouse is a huge sports complex. It is 90,000 square feet! It has an ice skating rink and many other sports areas. You can find a hockey center, a rock climbing gym, and other fitness areas there.

Education in Waldorf

The schools in Waldorf are part of the Charles County Public Schools system.

Waldorf has several public high schools:

Westlake High School
St. Charles High School
North Point High School
Thomas Stone High School

There are also private schools:

St. Peter's School is a Catholic school for kindergarten through 8th grade.
Grace Christian Academy goes through high school grades.
The Beddow School has a Waldorf Montessori Campus.

The largest campus of the College of Southern Maryland is also very close to Waldorf.

Getting Around Waldorf

Main Roads

The main roads in Waldorf help people travel easily.

U.S. Route 301 is the main road for businesses. It runs through Waldorf from northeast to southwest.
Maryland Route 5 (Leonardtown Road) starts in Waldorf and goes south.
Maryland Route 228 (Berry Road) crosses Waldorf from east to west.
Maryland Route 925 (Old Washington Road) runs southwest from Route 5.
The St. Charles Parkway helps drivers avoid busy areas. It runs mostly next to Route 301.

Buses and Future Trains

Public buses are available through Van-Go. This bus system serves most of Charles County, including Waldorf. It also connects to buses in nearby St. Mary's County.

MTA Maryland has commuter bus routes that take people to and from downtown Washington, D.C. Many people use these buses, and more are joining every day. Waldorf has seven "park & ride" lots. These are places where people can park their cars and then take a bus.

There are plans for a new train line called Southern Maryland Rapid Transit. This line would connect Waldorf to the Washington Metro system.

Utilities and Services

The local electric company is the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative.

Charles County's Department of Public Works manages water and sewer services in Waldorf. They operate many miles of water and sewer lines.

A natural gas power plant in Waldorf, called CPV St. Charles Energy Center, makes electricity. It provides power for over 700,000 customers in the area.

Famous People from Waldorf

Many notable people have connections to Waldorf:

William Waldorf Astor – A politician and businessman. The town was named after him.
Thomas M. Middleton – A former Maryland state senator.
Christina Milian – A movie and TV actress and singer. She grew up in Waldorf.
Herbert 'Herb' Kalin – A musician from the 1950s. He lived and died in Waldorf.
Joel and Benji Madden – Members of the band Good Charlotte. They grew up in Waldorf.
Paul Thomas – The bassist for Good Charlotte. He was born in Waldorf.
Robert Stethem – A U.S. Navy diver who was tragically killed in 1985. He was from Pinefield, part of Waldorf.
Jovan Adepo – A British-American actor who was raised in Waldorf.
Asante Blackk – An Emmy Award-winning actor born in Waldorf.
John Flowers – A professional basketball player.
Marquis Wright – A professional basketball player who went to North Point High School.
Adam Thorn – A singer for the band Kudzu Wish. He was born in Waldorf.
Ellie Stokes – A professional soccer player who attended North Point High School.
Randy Starks – A professional football player who grew up in Waldorf.
Marquel Lee – A professional football player who attended Westlake High School.
Shawn Lemon – A professional football player who attended Westlake High School.
David Hayes – A professional soccer player born in Waldorf.
Dr. Samuel Mudd – A doctor who helped the man who killed President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Dr. Mudd lived in Waldorf (then Beantown).
A.C. Crispin – A science fiction writer.