Learn About The History Of Bowie MD

Bowie City is located in Prince Georges County which is situated on the North-Eastern flank of the state of Maryland. The bustling metropolitan started as a railroad station and grew into the second-largest municipality area in the entire of Prince Georges County. It emerges fifth on the list of the most populous cities in Maryland and third among the largest cities in terms of size. Bowie has been previously ranked as one of the top 30 best cities to live in in the United States.

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Founding and Growth

The founding and the eventual rapid growth of Bowie city can be attributed entirely to the railway. The precursor of Bowie City was established by Colonel William Duckett Bowie in 1853 when he was awarded a charter by the Maryland legislature to lay a rail line through the southern region of Maryland. It was not until late 1869 when Baltimore and Potomac Railway Company began laying the railroad from Southern Maryland to Baltimore which concluded in Pope's Creek. Around this time, the area was already thriving on the economy based on slavery and agriculture. As a result, the railroad passed through dots of established large tobacco plantations and small farms.

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The land acquisition and resale efforts by Ben Plumb

A renowned land speculator - around the rail line junction culminated in the establishment of a settlement that came to be known as Huntington. In 1872, the rail line came to completion alongside its spur that ran to Washington D.C. In 1873, the whole Southern Maryland line came to conclusion.

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At this time

There were two prominent figures in the Huntington City: William Duckett Bowie's son and his business associate, Oden Bowie - president of Baltimore and Potomac railway and previous Governor of Maryland. To honor the two great men, the city of Huntington reached a decision to rename itself Bowie City. In 1880 the city was fully re-chartered as Bowie City. To create a bigger town, developers divided the land into 500 smaller residential buildings sections at the junction of the railway.

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In 1902

The Baltimore and Potomac railway company was bought by Pennsylvania Railroad which introduced larger interurban cars that enabled rapid transit in the region. The railway brought about the establishment of Bowie Race Track and the normal university (as known at that time) now identified as Bowie State University.

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Belair at Bowie

Levitt and Sons Company acquired the adjacent Belair Estate in 1957 and redeveloped it into the Belair at Bowie residential community. The Levitt properties were later annexed by Bowie City in 1959 and incorporated into the larger Bowie City we see today.

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Today

Bowie City covers 16 square miles of land, 2,000 acres of open space and parks, and a population of over 50,000 residents. The city boasts three community centers, 72 ball fields, an ice arena located in Allen Pond Park, three community centers among others.

In 2016, Bowie City declared the Bowie Building Association center as a welcome joint for tourists. Some of the sporting teams that call Bowie City home include Baltimore Orioles and Bowie Baysox.

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