Palmer Park is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

Prince George's County ) , demonym = Prince Georgian , ZIP codes = 20607–20774 , area codes = 240, 301 , founded date = April 23 , founded year = 1696 , named for = Prince George of Denmark , leader_title = Executive , leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrook ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, United States, within the

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

of Landover. It was previously a CDP of its own until 2000.

History

Palmer Park was adjacent to Wilson Dairy Farm. FedEx Field is now located on what used to be the farm from the 1750s to the 1990s. Palmer Park was an enclave of post-World War II triplex housing units designed as starter homes for young low-income families (less than $13K). It is surrounded by three parks. It was predominantly white (99%) until

segregation Segregation may refer to: Separation of people * Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space * School segregation * Housing segregation * Racial segregation, separation of humans ...

ended and

blockbusting Blockbusting was a business practice in the United States in which real estate agents and building developers convinced white residents in a particular area to sell their property at below-market prices. This was achieved by fearmongering the h ...

began in the 1960s. Within approximately two years, the community went from predominantly white to predominantly black. A lawsuit was filed for blockbusting and was won by the former residents in the late 1960s. Despite its colorful history, it has been home to successful politicians, athletes, and artists. The former CDPs of Landover,

Dodge Park N.P. Dodge Memorial Park, or simply Dodge Park, is a recreational area located at 11001 John J. Pershing Drive in North Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Located on the Missouri River, the park provides fishing, water skiing, and boating, as well ...

, Kentland, and Palmer Park, defined as such by the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

in the 1990 U.S. Census,"1990 COUNTY BLOCK MAP"
index map
Prince George's County.

. Retrieved on September 9, 2018. The CDPs of Landover, Dodge Park, Kentland, and Palmer Park are shown on page
131417
an
18
were consolidated into the Greater Landover CDP as of the

2000 U.S. Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

. This amalgamated area was renamed the Landover CDP as of the 2010 U.S. Census.2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Landover CDP, MD
"

. Retrieved on September 1, 2018.

Government and infrastructure

Palmer Park is home to the Palmer Park Senior Housing. It is also home to Prince George's County Police Headquarters, which also serves as the District III station. It is located right across from Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex and

FedExField FedExField (originally Jack Kent Cooke Stadium) is an American football stadium located in Summerfield, Maryland, east of Washington, D.C. The stadium is the home of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). From 2004 u ...

, home of the three-time Super Bowl champion

Washington Commanders The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...

. Right at the heart of Palmer Park are small stores that include a mini mart, gas station, hair salon, Boys and Girls Club offices, and a doctor's office. In addition to the stores, Palmer Park Community Center is located right across the street.

Education

Prince George's County Public Schools Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) is a large public school district administered by the government of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and is overseen by the Maryland State Department of Education. The school system is ...

operates area public schools. William Paca and Highland Park elementary schools serve sections of the former 1990 CDP. Kenmoor and G. James Gholson middle schools serve sections of the former 1990 CDP. The neighborhood high schools serving sections of the CDP are

DuVal Duval is a surname, literally translating from French language, French to English language, English as "of the valley". It derives from the Normans, Norman "Devall", which has both English and French ties. Variant spellings include: Davolls, Deav ...

Flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

, and Fairmont Heights.

Transportation

Palmer Park is served by the

Washington Metro The Washington Metro (or simply Metro), formally the Metrorail,Google Books search/preview

Landover station (orange line), which is northwest of Palmer Park across Landover Road.

Notable people

Comedian

Martin Lawrence Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American comedian and actor. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. He got his start playin ...

once lived in Palmer Park while attending Eleanor Roosevelt High School in nearby

Greenbelt A green belt is a policy and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges, which h ...

. Palmer Park was the hometown of 1976 Olympics gold medal winning boxer

Sugar Ray Leonard Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professiona ...

. Rapper Rico Nasty lived in Palmer Park as a child. Kev Brown (producer) is also amongst the notable people from Palmer Park.

Parks and recreation

The Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation operates the Palmer Park Community Center.Palmer Park Community Center
" Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved on September 20, 2018. "Palmer Park Community Center 7720 Barlowe Road Landover, MD 20785" The community is home to the Palmer Park Tigers, and holds an annual Palmer Park day in order to promote community spirit.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Prince George's County, Maryland Former census-designated places in Maryland Unincorporated communities in Maryland Washington metropolitan area