Bel Air, Maryland
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The town of Bel Air is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of
Harford County Harford County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 260,924. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is al ...
,
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 t ...
. According to the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...
, the population of the town was 10,661.


History

Bel Air's identity has gone through several incarnations since 1780. Aquilla Scott, who had inherited land known as "Scott's Improvement Enlarged," planned the town on a portion that he called "Scott's Old Fields." Four years later, the town had expanded as local politicians, merchants, and innkeepers purchased lots from Scott, and the county commissioners decided to change its name to the more appealing "Belle Aire." In his deeds, Scott dropped one letter, renaming the town, "Bell Aire." Around 1798, court records dropped two more letters, and "Bel Air" was born. During this period, Bel Air began to rise in prominence. In 1782, just two years after its founding, it became Harford's county seat, and Daniel Scott (Aquilla's son) started building a courthouse on Main Street. Although the town limits in the late 18th century encompassed nothing more than the two sides of Main Street, the days following the Civil War saw a building and land-development boom that remains in full swing to this day. Bel Air was part of a land grant issued to Daniel Scott in 1731. In March 1782 "Belle Aire" was designated the county seat of Harford County. At the turn of the twentieth century the "e" was dropped and the second "l" and its companion "e" gave way a few years later. The town's incorporation was effective in 1874. The town began with just 42 lots along Main Street centering on the Court House and the county jail and sheriff's house. Over the years, the population grew slowly to about 200 residents by 1865. The introduction of the canning industry, the Ma & Pa railroad and related financial businesses jump started the growth after the Civil War. Although the town experienced periods of rapid growth followed by extremely slow growth over the next century, Bel Air's role as the center of government and commerce continued to expand. Since 1980, the town and its surrounding suburbs have grown substantially. Today, Bel Air is the center for governmental, educational, cultural, medical, and commercial institutions in the county. In the early 20th century, several fires swept through the downtown area, notably in 1900 and 1942. In 1972, another fire struck, decimating the east side of Main Street and causing $2 million in damage. In 1970, H. Rap Brown, a member of the
Black Panthers The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, Califo ...
and the fourth Chairman of the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, often pronounced ) was the principal channel of student commitment in the United States to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Emerging in 1960 from the student-led sit-ins at segreg ...
(SNCC), was charged with instigating a riot after a rally in
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
; a change in venue brought his trial to Bel Air. Two black militants drove to Bel Air in a truck laden with plastic explosives, intending to attack the courthouse. Due to heavy security at the courthouse, the two men driving the truck fled on
Route 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads number ...
. The explosives subsequently detonated and killed both men. The blast left a crater in the road and blew out the windows of a nearby toll house. Brown would go on to escape the night of his trial. Into the 1950s, the town hosted horse racing at Bel Air Racetrack, which stood where the Harford Mall is today. The Bel Air Armory,
Bel Air Courthouse Historic District Bel Air Courthouse Historic District is a national historic district at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, US. It consists of a small cohesive group of buildings, mostly two or three stories of brick or frame construction that were erected or ...
, Broom's Bloom, D. H. Springhouse, Dibb House, Graham-Crocker House,
Graystone Lodge The Graystone Lodge, also known as Hoskins-Guidice House, is a historic structure located at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-story stone building built about 1781, with a mid-19th century frame addition. The house i ...
,
Harford Furnace Historic District Harford Furnace Historic District is a national historic district at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It consists of five standing structures and several archeological sites associated with the operation of the iron furnace whi ...
,
Harford National Bank Harford National Bank is a historic bank building located at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland. It is a one-story, with day-light basement built in a modified Richardson Romanesque style of glazed red brick and rusticated brownstone. It was de ...
, Hays House,
Hays-Heighe House The Hays-Heighe House is a historic home located on the campus of Harford Community College near Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It is a five bay long, two bay deep stone house with a gable roof and massive brick chimneys on e ...
,
Heighe House Heighe House is a historic home complex and national historic district at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States. The complex consists of a Colonial Revival, -story stone main house built on and incorporating the stone foundations of ...
,
Joshua's Meadows Joshua's Meadows is a historic home located at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It is a three-part house: the two oldest sections are Flemish bond brick, T-shaped, gable roofed, built about 1750; and the third section is of nat ...
, Liriodendron, Mount Adams,
Norris-Stirling House Norris-Stirling House, also known as Mt. Pleasant, is a historic home located at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland. It is composed of an early 19th-century fieldstone section and two later frame additions. In 1936, a lean-to addition and double ...
, Odd Fellows Lodge, Priest Neal's Mass House and Mill Site, Proctor House, Thomas Run Church, Tudor Hall, The Vineyard, and Woodview are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.


Geography

According to 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 ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water.


Climate

Bel Air lies within the humid subtropical climate zone. Bel Air features hot, often humid summers, mild, wet springs, pleasant falls and cool to chilly winters. The average precipitation for Bel Air is around 40-43 inches while snowfall averages 19–24 inches.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 10,120 people, 4,491 households, and 2,568 families living in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 4,744 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 89.8%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 4.4%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 1.7% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino people of any race were 4.3% of the population. There were 4,491 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.8% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the town was 40.3 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 18.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 10,080 people, 4,235 households, and 2,511 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 4,444 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 92.82%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 4.38%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.20% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.27% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population. There were 4,235 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.94. In the town the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $44,135, and the median income for a family was $58,299. Males had a median income of $42,412 versus $29,207 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $23,737. 6.4% of the population and 4.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 7.6% are under the age of 18 and 6.5% are 65 or older.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Highways

The primary means of transportation to and from Bel Air is by road, and the most prominent highway serving the town is Maryland Route 24. MD 24 provides the most direct link between Bel Air and the nearest U.S. Highway, U.S. Route 1, and the nearest
Interstate highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
,
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...
. US 1 formerly ran through the town, but now follows a bypass around the northwest side, with U.S. Route 1 Business following US 1's former alignment through Bel Air. Maryland Route 924 also follows MD 24's old alignment through downtown Bel Air. Finally, Maryland Route 22 provides a direct connection between Bel Air and the city of
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...
. By road, Bel Air is northeast of
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
, northeast of Washington, D.C., southwest of
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
and southwest of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.


Airports

The three small plane airports in the metropolitan area are: * Forest Hill Industrial Airpark * Fallston Airport * Harford County Airpark


Railroads

In the mid 20th century the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad ("Ma and Pa") ran through town, but the tracks were dismantled in 1958. The station was located (at milepost 26.5) on Rockspring Ave. between Broadway and Ellendale St. Much of the railroad's former route in and around Bel Air is now the Ma and Pa walking trail, which cuts through various wooded sections of town in and around Heavenly Waters Park.


Law enforcement

Bel Air's primary law enforcement agency is the Bel Air Police Department which was established in 1874. Its headquarters is located at 39 N. Hickory Avenue. Overseeing the department is Charles Moore, lifelong Harford County resident and former Maryland State Police captain.


Culture

Bel Air includes one of Maryland's 24 designated Arts and Entertainment districts. The district consists of 99 acres, which includes most of the city's downtown. It is used for concerts, art galleries, and other venues and events.


Publications

The Aegis is the main daily print news publication for Bel Air and surrounding Harford County. Bel Air News and Views is a popular online community news publication started in 2006.


Notable people

* John Archer,
United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
and physician, recipient of first medical diploma issued in United States, from what is now University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; 1741–1810 *
Lisa Aukland Lisa Aukland (born September 16, 1958) is an American professional female bodybuilder and amateur powerlifter. Early life and education Lisa Aukland was born in 1958 in Bay Shore, New York. She has two sisters, one older and one younger. Her c ...
, professional bodybuilder and powerlifter * Andrew Berry, professional football manager *
Edwin Booth Edwin Thomas Booth (November 13, 1833 – June 7, 1893) was an American actor who toured throughout the United States and the major capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he founded Booth's Theatre in New York. Some theatric ...
, brother of John Wilkes Booth and son of Junius Brutus Booth; considered one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of the 1800s * John Wilkes Booth, American stage actor and assassin of President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
*
Augustus Bradford Augustus Williamson Bradford (January 9, 1806 – March 1, 1881), a Democrat, was the 32nd Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1862 to 1866. He served as governor during the Civil War and paid a heavy price for his devotion to the ...
, 32nd Governor of Maryland, 1862–1866 *
Pat Healey Pat Healey (born December 20, 1985) is an American soccer coach and former soccer player who is currently the head coach and general manager of the Harrisburg Heat in the Major Arena Soccer League. College Healey, who was born in Baltimore, M ...
, midfielder for Crystal Palace Baltimore and
Baltimore Blast The Baltimore Blast is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The team is a part of the Major Arena Soccer League. The team has won 10 championships since it was founded in 1980. Beginning with ...
*
Julienne Irwin Julienne Irwin (born March 14, 1993) is an American singer from Bel Air, Maryland. Irwin was a finalist on the second season of ''America's Got Talent''. Biography Prior to her ''America's Got Talent'' debut, Irwin has stated she has never pe ...
, ''America's Got Talent'' finalist, singer * Chase Kalisz, swimmer, silver medalist at
2016 Summer Olympics ) , nations = 207 (including IOA and EOR teams) , athletes = 11,238 , events = 306 in 28 sports (41 disciplines) , opening = 5 August 2016 , closing = 21 August 2016 , opened_by = Vice President Michel Temer , cauldron = Vanderlei Cordeiro de ...
* Howard Atwood Kelly, pioneering
gynecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined ...
, one of "big four" founding staff members of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine *
Kimmie Meissner Kimberly Claire "Kimmie" Meissner (born October 4, 1989) is an American former competitive figure skater. She is the 2006 World champion, the 2007 Four Continents champion, and the 2007 U.S. national champion. She is the first American and the ...
, figure skating Olympian, 2006 World Champion and 2007 U.S. Champion *
Melvin Mora Melvin Mora Diaz (born February 2, 1972) is a Venezuelan-American former professional baseball infielder. He played for the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). From h ...
, former
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
player, lived in Bel Air * Herman Stump, Congressman; U.S. Commissioner-General of Immigration under President
Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
*
Drew Westervelt Drew Westervelt (born April 25, 1985 in Bel Air, Maryland) is a former lacrosse player in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse. College career Westervelt attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where, as a senior, ...
, professional lacrosse player for
Chesapeake Bayhawks The Chesapeake Bayhawks were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) professional men's field lacrosse team based in Annapolis, Maryland since 2010. They played in the greater Baltimore metro area beginning with the MLL's inaugural 2001 season, as the Balti ...
and
Colorado Mammoth The Colorado Mammoth are a box lacrosse team playing in the National Lacrosse League. The Mammoth have played at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, since the 2003 season. They are owned by Stan Kroenke, who is also the owner of the Colorado Avala ...
*
Jay Witasick Gerald Alphonse "Jay" Witasick Jr. (; born August 28, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched all or parts of 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1996 to 2007, primarily as a relief pitcher. High school an ...
, MLB pitcher


References


External links

* {{authority control Towns in Maryland Towns in Harford County, Maryland County seats in Maryland 1780 establishments in Maryland Populated places established in 1780