Hyattsville, Maryland

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Hyattsville, Maryland
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

---

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in Maryland


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Maryland
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Prince George's
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = William F. Gardiner
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1886
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 6.4
area_total_sq_mi = 2.5
area_land_km2 = 6.3
area_land_sq_mi = 2.43
area_water_km2 = 0.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.04
area_water_percent = 1.38
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 14733
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = 2658.2
population_density_sq_mi = 6885.9
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 38 |latm = 57 |lats = 25 |latNS = N
longd = 76 |longm = 57 |longs = 5 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 32
elevation_ft = 105
website = [http://www.hyattsville.org www.hyattsville.org]
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code = 301
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 24-41250
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0597595
footnotes =

Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.

History

The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845. He thought the proximity to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks and the telegraph lines made the area a good site for a town, and the surrounding farmlands were soon subdivided into housing lots. The name "Hyattsville" was being used for the settlement by 1859.

As a community inside the Capital Beltway, Hyattsville enjoys easy access to Washington and Baltimore by the West Hyattsville and Prince George's Plaza stops on the Metro subway system's Green Line or by MARC commuter rail trains on the Camden Line in the neighboring town of Riverdale Park.

The historic district of the city is home to a number of Victorian houses built in the late 1880s and Sears bungalows and Arts & Crafts houses built between the wars (late 1910s and early 1940s).

In 1982, a portion of the city was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hyattsville Historic District; the district was extended in late 2004.

The city was involved in a minor controversy in April 2006. In the episode airing April 27, the Geena Davis television series "Commander in Chief" depicted Hyattsville as having the highest murder rate in the United States; it also indirectly depicted the town as being an urban ghetto dominated by poor minorities. The city and Prince George's County were very upset at ABC. On May 1, ABC formally apologized to both the city and county.

Recent Changes

The city has undergone a major redevelopment over the last decade, including new a residential and retail development in the Arts District downtown and University Town Center, which is located across Belcrest Road from The Mall at Prince Georges. UTC contains residential condos, student housing, office buildings, a public plaza, and retail space, including Regal Royale Cinemas 14, Three Brothers Italian Restaurant, Carolina Kitchen, Wild Onion, Gifford's Ice Cream, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Smoothie King, Old Dominion Brewhouse, Original Soup Man, and other shopping and eating establishments.

The National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is headquartered in Hyattsville and located at University Town Center.

Geography

Hyattsville is located at coor dms|38|57|25|N|76|57|5|W|city (38.956910, -76.951270).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.4 km²), of which, 2.43 square miles (6.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.38%) is water.

Crime and Misrepresentation

(taken from the [http://www.hyattsville.org/almarpm/cpublic/rosterview.cfm?RID=88 Community Legacy Revitalization Plan] )"The City of Hyattsville is often misrepresented in the local news media leading people to believe crime is a problem. Accidents and criminal activities that occur in unincorporated areas outside the City limits but within a Hyattsville zip code are often reported as occurring within Hyattsville. Although Hyattsville maintains its own nationally accredited full-service police department to serve City residents, the negative public perception of the Prince George’s County Police Department also contributes to this issue. The Organization for the City of Hyattsville’s Identity (ORCHID) is working in conjunction with the City’s Police Department to address themis-identification of Hyattsville. The Hyattsville Police Department reports that the overall crime rate in Hyattsville decreased 12% from January to November, 2002. Of the crimes reported in 2002, 81% were related to non-violent crimes against property (breaking and entering, stolen vehicles, theft, arson); crimes against people, (homicide, rape, robbery, carjacking, assault), increased slightly. Hyattsville maintains an overall low crime rate compared to nearby communities. Of the City’s five wards, Ward 1 experienced the highest crime rate and Ward 2 experienced the lowest rate."

Bordering Areas

* Brentwood
* Edmonston
* Mount Rainier
* North Brentwood
* Riverdale Park
* University Park
* Adelphi

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 14,733 people, 5,540 households, and 3,368 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,885.9 people per square mile (2,658.2/km²). There were 5,795 housing units at an average density of 2,708.5/sq mi (1,045.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 39.53% White, 41.03% African American, 0.50% Native American, 4.02% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 10.91% from other races, and 3.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.14% of the population.

There were 5,540 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,355, and the median income for a family was $51,625. Males had a median income of $33,163 versus $31,088 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,152. About 7.9% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

When first incorporated, Hyattsville was run by a Board of Commissioners; in May 1900, it switched to a mayor and common council system. Today, the city government consists of a popularly elected mayor and a ten-person city council. Each of the five wards in the city are represented by two popularly elected councilmen.

Presidents of the Board of Commissioners

* Richard P. Evans (1886–87)
* Francis H. Smith (1887–89)
* Francis J. Gramlick (1889–90)
* Jackson H. Ralston (1890–91)
* Frederic A. Holden (1891–92)
* Jackson H. Ralston (1892–93)
* Francis H. Smith (1893–97)
* Michael V. Tierney (1897–98)
* L. K. Miller (1898–99)
* Charles E. Postley (1899–1900)

Mayors

*Michael V. Tierney (1900–02)
* Charles A. Wells (1902–06)
* Joseph R. Owens (1906–08)
* John J. Fainter (acting mayor) (1908–09)
* William P. Magruder (1909–11)
* Roger Bellis (1911–12)
* Harry W. Shepherd (1912–14)
* Oswald A. Greagor (1914–15)
* Edward Devlin (1915–16)
* John G. Holden (1916–17)
* William A. Brooks (1917–19)
* Matthew F. Halloran (1919–20)
* T. Hammond Welsh (1920–21)
* J. Frank Rushe (1921–25)
* Irvin Owings (1925–27)
* Hillary T. Willis (1927–31)
* Lemuel L. Gray (1931–33)
* Hillary T. Willis (1933–38)
* E. Murray Gover (1938–46)
* R. T. Plitt (acting mayor) (1946–47)
* Caesar L. Aiello (1947–51)
* Jesse S. Baggett (1951–54)
* Thomas E. Arnold (acting mayor) (1954–55)
* George J. O'Hare (1955–59)
* Joseph F. Lilly (1959–67)
* Charles L. Armentrout (1967–75)
* George C. Harrison (1975–76)
* Jeremiah Harrington (1976–79)
* Thomas L. Bass (1979–95)
* Mary K. Prangley (1995–99)
* Robert W. Armentrout (1999–2003)
* William F. Gardiner (2003– )

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

The city is served by Prince George's County Public Schools.

Hyattsville is zoned to the following public schools:
* Lewisdale Elementary
* Hyattsville Elementary
* Rosa Parks Elementary
* Northwestern High School
*Carole Highlands Elementary School

Private schools

* Concordia Lutheran School (Pre-K - 8)
* St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic School (Pre-K - 8)
* St. Jerome Catholic School (Pre-K - 8)
* St. Matthew's Episcopal School (Pre-K - K)
* DeMatha Catholic High School

Houses of Worship

*Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church

References

External links

* [http://www.hyattsville.org/ City of Hyattsville]
* [http://www.inform.umd.edu/UMS+State/MD_Resources/Cities/PG/Route1/hyatt.html Route 1 Communities: Hyattsville]
* [http://www.mdmunicipal.org/cities/index.cfm?townname=Hyattsville&page=home Maryland Municipal League: Hyattsville]
* [http://www.preservehyattsville.org/ Hyattsville Preservation Association]
* [http://hvfd.com/ Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department]
* [http://www.hyattsvilleh4x.com/ Hyattsville H4X] - Community Podcast
* [http://hyattsville.wetpaint.com/ My Hyattsville] - Community Website & Wiki
* [http://hyattsville.blogspot.com/ The Hyattsville Blog] - Hyattsville Blog