Westphalia, Maryland

Westphalia is a census-designated place in southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population of the CDP was 7,266 at the 2010 census.[1]

Westphalia, Maryland
Census-designated place
Westphalia, Maryland
Location within the state of Maryland
Westphalia, Maryland
Westphalia, Maryland (the United States)
Coordinates: 38°50′24″N 76°49′26″W
Country United States
State Maryland
County Prince George's
Area
 • Total13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2)
 • Land13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation
180 ft (50 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total7,266
 • Density550/sq mi (210/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code(s)301

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Westphalia has a total area of 13.3 square miles (34.4 km2), of which 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 0.20%, is water.[2] The CDP is bordered to the west by the Capital Beltway (I-495/95) and to the south by Maryland Route 4. The CDP of Largo borders Westphalia to the north, Brock Hall is to the northeast, Marlboro Village is to the east, Queenland, Rosaryville and Melwood are to the south, Andrews Air Force Base is to the southwest, and Forestville is to the west.

Planning issues

On February 6, 2007, the Prince George's County Council approved the Westphalia Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment.[3] This document established a planning concept for the Westphalia area and rezoned specified properties.[4] This concept is envisions a "high-density, transit- and pedestrian-oriented urban town center" surrounded by three village centers and multiple residential modules. Buildout is proposed to include 14,000 - 15,300 new residential units, 4.5 million square feet of commercial space, and 750,000 square feet of retail space. A 150-acre Central Park is proposed immediately north of the Town Center, approximately at the center of the Westphalia area.[4]

Education

Prince George's County Public Schools operates public schools serving the census-designated place.[5]

Elementary schools:[6]

  • Arrowhead Elementary School
  • Barack Obama Elementary School
    • Obama Elementary, in the Westphalia CDP,[5][7] was the first school in the Washington, DC area that was named after the former president.[8] It is adjacent to Wise High School.[9]
    • The Prince George's County school board approved of the name of the school on June 25, 2009;[8] all board members voted in favor of the renaming.[9] The school opened on August 23, 2010 and had a cost of $25 million. The architect was Grimm + Parker Architects,[10] and it was built for 792 students.[9] The school's cooling system relies on over 144 geothermal pumps.[11] The initial enrollment was 798, slightly higher than the school's stated capacity.[8] Its opening relieved Arrowhead, Marlton, Melwood, Patuxent and Perrywood, elementary schools.[10] The first principal was Pearl Harmon, a Liberian American;[11] in 2014 she was reassigned to an administrative position in the PG County school system.[12]
    • Several school board members argued that naming a school after Obama would inspire area students. Many schools in PG County were named after African-Americans, and PG County voters primarily support the Democratic Party, Obama's political party.[13] In the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, 89% of PG County residents voted for Obama. The chairperson of the PG County Republican Party Central Committee, Mykel Harris, argued that the county should not name a school after a current president, while the chairperson of the board, Ron L. Watson, stated that the vote was not done out of political considerations.[9]

Middle schools:[14]

  • Kettering Middle School
  • James Madison Middle School

High schools:[15]

References
  1. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Westphalia CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  2. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Westphalia CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  3. "Prince George's County Council Resolution CR-2-2007" (PDF). Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  4. Prince George's County Planning Department (2007). Approved Westphalia Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment. Upper Marlboro, MD: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. p. 148.
  5. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Westphalia CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 27, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
  6. "NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
  7. Home. Barack Obama Elementary School. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. "Barack Obama Elementary 12700 Brooke Lane Upper Marlboro, MD 20772"
  8. Dickson, Akeya (2010-10-21). "Much hope at dedication of Barack Obama Elementary School in Upper Marlboro". Washington Post. p. 1.
  9. King, Megan (2009-06-26). "School board approves Barack Obama Elementary name". The Gazette.
  10. Dickson, Akeya (2010-10-21). "Much hope at dedication of Barack Obama Elementary School in Upper Marlboro". Washington Post. p. 2.
  11. Tillman, Zoe (2010). "Upper Marlboro school makes final touches". Prince George's County The Gazette. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  12. Wiggins, Ovetta (2014-06-30). "Barack Obama Elementary School principal in Prince George's County is transferred". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  13. Hernandez, Nelson (2009-06-24). "Prince George's County Board of Education May Name Upper Marlboro School After Obama". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  14. "NEIGHBORHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
  15. "NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
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