Dundalk, Maryland

For other uses, see Dundalk (disambiguation).

Dundalk, Maryland
—  CDP  —
Old Dundalk Shopping Center
Flag
Location in the state of Maryland, USA
Coordinates: 39°15′57″N 76°30′19″W / 39.26583°N 76.50528°W / 39.26583; -76.50528Coordinates: 39°15′57″N 76°30′19″W / 39.26583°N 76.50528°W / 39.26583; -76.50528
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Baltimore
Founded	1856
Area
- Total	17.4 sq mi (45.0 km2)
- Land	13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2)
- Water	4.1 sq mi (10.6 km2)
Elevation	16 ft (5 m)
Population
- Total	62,306
- Density	4,689.5/sq mi (1,810.6/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	21222
Area code(s)	410
FIPS code	24-23975
GNIS feature ID	0590117

Dundalk is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 62,306 at the 2000 census. In 1960 and 1970, Dundalk was the largest unincorporated community in Maryland. It was named after the town of Dundalk, Ireland. Dundalk is considered one of the first inner-ring suburbs of Baltimore.

History

Dundalk Shopping Center 2006

The area now known as Dundalk was first explored by John Smith in 1608, when while conducting an expedition up the Chesapeake Bay he landed on the area known as the Patapsco Neck. Up until this time, the area was occupied by the tribes of the Susquehanna Indians.

In 1664 Thomas Todd of Virginia purchased 1,150 acres (4.7 km²) of land on the Patapsco Neck, this being the first deed in Baltimore County. The original house, “Todd’s Inheritance”, was burnt by the British during the War of 1812, Battle of North Point. After the war the house was rebuilt, and it still stands today as a historical landmark.

In 1856 Henry McShane, an immigrant from Ireland, established the McShane Bell Foundry on the banks of the Patapsco River in the then far southeastern outskirts of Baltimore.^[1] The foundry later relocated to the Patterson Park area of Baltimore until a fire during the 1940s caused it to move to 201 East Federal Street. In addition to bronze bells, the foundry once manufactured cast iron pipes and furnace fittings. When asked by the Baltimore and Sparrows Point Railroad for a name of a depot for the foundry, which was on their rail line, McShane wrote Dundalk, after the town of his birth Dundalk, Ireland. In 1977 the foundry moved to its current location in Glen Burnie.

One of the original stucco houses in Old Dundalk.

In 1916 the Bethlehem Steel Company purchased 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) of farmland, near the McShane foundry, to develop housing for its shipyard workers. The Dundalk Company was formed to plan a town in the new style, similar to that of the Roland Park area of Baltimore, excluding businesses except at specific spots and leaving land for future development of schools, playing fields, and parks. By 1917 Dundalk proper was founded, by then it had 62 houses, 2 stores, a post office, and a telephone exchange. Streets were laid out in a pedestrian-friendly open grid, with monikers like "Shipway," "Northship," "Flagship," and "Admiral." The two-story houses had steeply pitched roofs and stucco exteriors.

The Dundalk Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.^[2]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45 km²), of which 13.3 square miles (34 km²) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km²), or 23.58%, is water.

Most of Dundalk is flat and very near sea level, with a few small hills close to the city of Baltimore to the west. Dundalk is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Elevations range from sea level on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay to approximately 40 feet (12 m) above sea level along the northern reaches of Dundalk Avenue and North Point Boulevard.

Bread and Cheese Creek is a tributary of the Back River located in Dundalk, Maryland. The creek is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long, with headwaters in Baltimore City. It flows through Dundalk before emptying into the Back River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The watershed area of the creek is 1.85 mi2 (4.8 km2).

Climate

Dundalk lies in the Humid subtropical climate zone. Summers are quite hot and humid, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Spring and fall bring pleasant temperatures and lower humidity. Winters range from mild to chilly by U.S. standards, with lighter rain showers of longer duration. Precipitation is evenly spread throughout the year, with each month recording between 3-4 inches of rainfall. Snow can occur in winter, but virtually always sporadic and light, with an average of 1-2 snowfalls per year, usually melting quickly. Dundalk's location along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and low elevation give it more moderate temperatures than locations further north and inland in the metro area, with higher low temperatures and lower high temperatures than neighboring Baltimore. The greater Dundalk area lies within Plant Hardiness Zone 8.

Climate data for Dundalk, MD
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	78 (26)	85 (29)	97 (36)	97 (36)	100 (38)	105 (41)	107 (42)	105 (41)	101 (38)	97 (36)	87 (31)	85 (29)	107 (42)
Average high °F (°C)	47 (8)	51 (11)	59 (15)	69 (21)	79 (26)	87 (31)	90 (32)	88 (31)	81 (27)	70 (21)	61 (16)	54 (12)	69
Average low °F (°C)	33 (1)	35 (2)	42 (6)	50 (10)	58 (14)	68 (20)	73 (23)	71 (22)	64 (18)	55 (13)	48 (9)	39 (4)	53
Record low °F (°C)	−1 (−18)	−4 (−20)	13 (−11)	16 (−9)	32 (0)	47 (8)	54 (12)	53 (12)	39 (4)	30 (−1)	14 (−10)	0 (−18)	−4 (−20)
Precipitation inches (mm)	3.48 (88.4)	3.07 (78)	4.12 (104.6)	3.06 (77.7)	4.18 (106.2)	3.28 (83.3)	3.96 (100.6)	4.05 (102.9)	4.06 (103.1)	3.19 (81)	3.45 (87.6)	3.6 (91)	43.59 (1,107.2)
Source: The Weather Channel[3]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1960	82,248		—
1970	85,377		3.8%
1980	71,293		−16.5%
1990	65,800		−7.7%
2000	62,306		−5.3%
source:[4]

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 62,306 people, 24,772 households, and 16,968 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,689.5 people per square mile (1,810.1/km²). There were 26,385 housing units at an average density of 1,985.9 per square mile (766.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.58% White, 7.51% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.45% of the population.

There were 24,772 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.

A springtime scene in Dundalk.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,789, and the median income for a family was $46,035. Males had a median income of $36,512 versus $25,964 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,543. About 6.6% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Roads

Some of the major roads in the Dundalk area are:

• Dundalk Avenue
• Holabird Avenue
• Merritt Boulevard
• Sollers Point Road
• Wise Avenue

Public transit

Public transportation between Sparrows Point, Dundalk and Baltimore City was operated by the United Railways and Electric Company's (later the Baltimore Transit Company) #26 streetcar line which ran down the middle of Dundalk Avenue until August 1958. Until the early 1950s, the line carried the famous "Red Rocket" streetcars which were two and three car trains of wooden trolleys. During World War II's rush hours on the line, trains operated on a 30 second headway.

Between 1940 and 1972, bus service in the Dundalk area was provided by Dundalk Bus Lines.^[6]

Today, public transportation is provided by the Maryland Transit Administration. Three major MTA lines that serve the area are Routes 4, 10, and 20.

Education

Dundalk Elementary School

Dundalk contains a campus of the Community College of Baltimore County, known as CCBC-Dundalk. It was formerly known as Dundalk Community College.

For primary and secondary education Dundalk is served by the Baltimore County Public Schools system, with Dundalk High School, Patapsco High School, and Sparrows Point High School being the major high schools to serve the area.

In addition, Dundalk is home to Sollers Point Technical High School, one of the only high schools in the country to hold a ISO 9001 certification.

Natives and residents of note

• Kevin Clash, native and resident of Dundalk's Turners Station neighborhood, the voice and soul of Elmo.
• Robert Curbeam, native of Turners Station neighborhood, NASA astronaut.
• Bucky Lasek, professional skateboarder.
• Rodney Jones professional skateboarder, born raised and still resides in Dundalk.
• Dave Johnson, former Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Mike Bielecki, former Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Rudy Gay, resident of Turners Station neighborhood, NBA player, former UConn and Archbishop Spalding star.
• Calvin Hill, resident of Turners Station neighborhood,^[7] NFL Running back, and father of NBA star Grant Hill
• Wild Bill Hagy, notable Baltimore Orioles fan.
• "Nasty" Nestor Aparicio, sports writer and radio talk show host, radio station owner.
• Ronnie Franklin, jockey who won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes aboard Spectacular Bid in 1979.
• Michael S. Kearns, native of Dundalk's Old Inverness neighborhood, was the first person to parachute over all seven Continents.[1]
• Judy McGowan, 2009 inductee into the International Swimming Hall of Fame honored as a competitive swimmer, judge, coach, and administrator.
• Henrietta Lacks, resident of Turners Station neighborhood, source of the HeLa cell line.
• E. J. Pipkin, member of the Maryland State Senate.
• Rex Derr, Director of Washington State Recreation and Parks Agency, former mayor of Olympia, WA., Thurston County, Washington Citizen of the Year in 2000
• Bernie Wrightson, illustrator, known for his horror illustrations and comic books.
• Tony Sweet, fine art nature photography, workshop instructor, columnist Nikon World and Shutterbug magazines, author of three books on the art of photography, Nikon Legend Behind the Lens Team Nik Member, jazz musician.
• Juliana L'Heureax, newspaper columnist, executive director of The Maine Association of Mental Health Services.
• Deborah Rudacille, independent journalist and author of three books, including ROOTS OF STEEL: Boom and Bust in an American Mill Town" about Dundalk.
• Christopher Thomas Anglim, author of Encyclopedia of Religion and the Law in America plus other published works
• Gina Schock, drummer for the first great all female rock 'n roll band The Go-Go's, currently a successful songwriter and very active drummer.
• Jessica Williams, one of the top Jazz pianists of our time.
• Douglas Purviance, Turners' native, Grammy winning Jazz Trombonist, produces, engineers and markets Jazz recordings, while also being a band manager and booking agent, scores and edits movie and TV soundtracks, Jazz educator and clinician on a world wide basis.[2]
• Robert "Wawa" Legrand, native and resident of Turners Station neighborhood, long time guitarist for Teddy Pendergrass, and has played live and/or recorded with Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Ciara, Bonnie Raitt and others.
• Tom Maxwell, native and resident of Dundalk Proper, guitarist/songwriter for international rock band HELLYEAH.
• Gerda Deterer - founder, longtime Volunteer President and Executive Director of Wildlife Rescue, Inc.
• Joshua Barney, United States Navy commodore during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
• Jack Womer, member of the heroic Filthy Thirteen in World War Two.

References

1. ^ McShane Bell Foundry Business Ledger Vol I (1856)
2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
3. ^ "Monthly Averages for Dundalk, MD (21222)". The Weather Channel. 2009. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/2122?from=36hr_bottomnav_undeclared. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
4. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ Books.Google.com
7. ^ AAFLA.org

Bibliography

• Neidt, C., 2006, Gentrification and grassroots: Popular support in the revanchist suburb. Journal of Urban Affairs, Vol. 28, No. 2, 99–120.
• Reutter, M. Making Steel: Sparrows Point and the Rise and Ruin of American Industrial Might. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2004.
• Rudacille, Deborah, 2010. Roots of Steel: Boom and Bust in an American Mill Town. Pantheon. ISBN 978-0375423680
• Vicino, Thomas, J. Transforming Race and Class in Suburbia: Decline in Metropolitan Baltimore. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.

External links

• Dundalk Eagle newspaper
• Greater Dundalk Alliance
• Chorus of the Chesapeake
• Dundalk Chamber of Commerce
• Dundalk Renaissance Corporation