Croom, Maryland

Croom
Census-designated place
The Patuxent River forms the eastern boundary of Croom
Croom Location within the state of Maryland Show map of Maryland Croom Croom (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 38°45′9″N76°45′50″W / 38.75250°N 76.76389°W / 38.75250; -76.76389
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Prince George's
Area [1]
• Total	35.41 sq mi (91.70 km2)
• Land	34.19 sq mi (88.56 km2)
• Water	1.21 sq mi (3.14 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,720
• Density	79.55/sq mi (30.71/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
FIPS code	24-20925
GNIS feature ID	597296

Croom is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Southern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. ^[2] As of the 2020 census it had a population of 2,720. ^[3] Croom largely consists of former tobacco farms and forests converted to Washington bedroom subdivisions such as nearby Marlton. The main (Jug Bay Natural Area) part of Patuxent River Park is in Croom.

History

The community was patented in 1671 as Croome by Christopher Rousby; it was named for the manor of Croom, near Sledmere in the East Riding of Yorkshire. ^[4] In August 1814, British forces marched through Croom on their way to the Burning of Washington in the War of 1812. ^[4]

St. Thomas' Episcopal Church dates to colonial times and was listed on the NRHP in 2000. Other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places located at Croom are the John W. Coffren House and Store, Bellefields, Brookefield of the Berrys, Mattaponi (John Bowie Jr. House), St. Thomas' Episcopal Parish Historic District, and Waverly. ^{[5] [6]}

The Columbia Air Center was located in Croom from 1941-1956. ^[7] It was among the first African-American owned airports in the United States.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Croom has a total area of 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²), of which 34.2 square miles (88.6 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), or 3.43%, is water. ^[8]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2010	2,631		—
2020	2,720		3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 2010 [10] 2020 [11]

2020 census

Croom CDP, Maryland – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2010 [10]	Pop 2020 [11]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	1,321	1,089	50.21%	40.04%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,068	1,126	40.59%	41.40%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	16	11	0.61%	0.40%
Asian alone (NH)	35	30	1.33%	1.10%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	1	0.04%	0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	16	29	0.61%	1.07%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	64	160	2.43%	5.88%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	110	274	4.18%	10.07%
Total	2,631	2,720	100.00%	100.00%

Government

Prince George's County Police Department District 5 Station in Clinton CDP serves the community. ^[12]

Education

Prince George's County Public Schools operates public schools serving the census-designated place. ^[13]

Elementary schools serving sections of Croom are Baden, Brandywine, Marlton, Mattaponi, and Patuxent. ^[14] Most areas are zoned to Gwynn Park Middle School, with some zoned to James Madison Middle School and Kettering Middle School. ^[15] Most areas are zoned to Frederick Douglass High School in Croom, with some areas to the north zoned to Dr. Henry A Wise, Jr. High School and some to the south zoned to Gwynn Park High School. ^[16]

Notable people

• William Duckett Bowie (1803–1873), politician ^[17]
• Robert Bowie, governor of Maryland (1750–1818) ^{[ citation needed ]}
• William Williams (c. 1793–1814), an escaped slave who enlisted in 38th United States Colored Infantry Regiment and died from his wounds after the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Croom, Maryland
3. "Croom CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 13, 2022.
4. "Croom". Historical Marker Project. 3RiverDev. Retrieved May 27, 2019. Christopher Rousby patented Croome in 1671. Home of Thomas John Claggett (1743-1816). First Episcopal Bishop of Maryland (1792), First Protestant Bishop consecrated in the United States, And first Chaplain of the US Senate. In August 1814 British forces marched through before burning Washington. Croom Post Office established in 1855. By 1873 a stop on the Pope's Creek branch of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad.
5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
6. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/27/11 through 12/30/11. National Park Service. January 6, 2012. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015.
7. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (June 2010). "Approved Historic Sites and District Plan" (PDF): 153. Retrieved August 15, 2012.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
8. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Croom CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 19, 2011.
9. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
10. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Croom CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau .
11. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Croom CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau .
12. "District 5 Station - Clinton Archived September 9, 2018, at the Wayback Machine ." Prince George's County Police Department. Retrieved on September 9, 2018. " 6707 Groveton Drive Clinton, MD 20735". Beat map Archived September 9, 2018, at the Wayback Machine . See 2010 U.S. Census index map of Clinton CDP: area with police station is on the edge of page 6 with surroundings on page 5.
13. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Croom CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
14. "NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
15. "NEIGHBORHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
16. "NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
17. Spencer, Richard Henry (1919). Genealogical and Memorial Encyclopedia of the State of Maryland. New York: American Historical Society. pp.  392. ISBN   0-8328-5943-5. general thomas f bowie.