Perryville, Maryland
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Perryville is a town in
Cecil County, Maryland Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The ...
, United States. The population was 4,361 at the 2010 census. The town is located near an exit for
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
, on the north side of the outlet of the
Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...
.


History

Perryville was first settled by Europeans in 1622, when Edward Palmer was granted a patent for a settlement on what is now Garrett Island. During the 17th century, Lord Baltimore granted George Talbot of land, which included the Perryville area. Before incorporation (1882), the settlement was known as Lower Ferry (circa 1695), Susquehanna (circa 18th century), and was finally named Perryville after Mary Perry, the wife of John Bateman. During the Revolutionary War, Perryville served as a staging area for the Continental Army. Colonel John Rodgers (1728–1791), who operated the ferry and tavern in Perryville, raised the 5th Company of the Maryland Militia. This company became part of the famous Flying Camp and was instrumental during the early stages of the Revolutionary War. George Washington stopped frequently at Rodgers Tavern on his travels from Virginia to New York. Rodgers Tavern was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
during 1972. Colonel Rodgers' son, John Rodgers, was instrumental in suppressing the Tripolitan pirates in the Mediterranean Sea and was subsequently promoted to Commodore of the Mediterranean Squadron. Commodore Rodgers served with distinction during the War of 1812 and is known as the "Father of the American Navy." During the 19th century, Perryville was the midway station for the Wilmington to Baltimore Rail Line. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, the railway line between Perryville and Baltimore was destroyed. To transport troops and munitions to
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
, the Union Army again began the operation of the ferry across the Susquehanna. The
Principio Furnace Principio Furnace and village is in Cecil County, Maryland, 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Havre de Grace. The Principio Iron Works were started here in 1719 by Joseph Farmer with British capital and an ironmaster, John England. By the 1740s ...
is located nearby and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. During the 20th century, it was an important destination for those going to the
United States Naval Training Center Bainbridge United States Naval Training Center Bainbridge (USNTC Bainbridge) was the U.S. Navy Training Center at Port Deposit, Maryland, on the bluffs of the northeast bank of the Susquehanna River. It was active from 1942 to 1976 under the Commander of ...
, Maryland, about three miles up the road, now no longer functioning and sold by the Navy. Perryville continued to serve as a railroad town. The interstate highway system, with access near Perryville, brought business from highway travelers. Perryville is currently home to the Perry Point Veteran's Medical Center, located on a picturesque campus at the outlet of the
Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...
into
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...
. This same location is also the Northeast Campus of
AmeriCorps AmeriCorps ( ; officially the Corporation for National and Community Service or CNCS) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in ...
National Civilian Community Corps The National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), or AmeriCorps NCCC, was an AmeriCorps program founded in 1993 that engages young adults, aged 18 to 26, in team-based, residential community service projects across the United States. Each year, appro ...
, a residential national service program which recruits young Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 to perform community service in various locations in the country. Perryville is the northern terminus of the MARC Penn Line
commuter rail Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
service, which runs south to
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
via
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
. The 1905-built station also serves as a railroad museum and an Amtrak maintenance facility. Perryville is home to the largest linwood tree in Maryland, located at 50 Millcreek Road on an estate known formerly as the Anchorage. Perryville is also home to numerous historical sites including the
Principio Furnace Principio Furnace and village is in Cecil County, Maryland, 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Havre de Grace. The Principio Iron Works were started here in 1719 by Joseph Farmer with British capital and an ironmaster, John England. By the 1740s ...
.


Geography

Perryville is located at (39.569662, −76.068725). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 4,361 people, 1,762 households, and 1,130 families living in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...
was . There were 1,959 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 84.6%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 9.6%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.0% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population. There were 1,762 households, of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age in the town was 40.7 years. A total of 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 30.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 3,672 people, 1,443 households, and 988 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,507 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 90.93% Caucasian, 5.86%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.27% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population. There were 1,443 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.05. In the town, the population was spread out agewise with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $43,984, and the median income for a family was $52,981. Males had a median income of $39,112 versus $28,526 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $20,040. About 6.0% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 21.8% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

The town is home to one of
IKEA IKEA ( , ) is a Multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in Sweden that designs and sells , household goods, and various related services. IKEA is owned and operated by a series of not-for-profit an ...
's distribution centers, which houses one of the largest rooftop solar arrays in the U.S., and the largest in the state of
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
. The distribution center’s total 4.9-MW solar installation of 25,913 panels generates 6,092,533 kWh of clean electricity yearly. In 2010 Perryville opened the first legal casino in Maryland ( Hollywood Casino Perryville). The casino is near the southbound exit of
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
. It offers slot machines, video gaming, table games, and a poker room area. The revenues from the casino are divided with the Town of Perryville and Cecil County government as well as the state. In 2018, it was announced that Great Wolf Resorts would open a new Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville. Great Wolf Lodge Maryland opened June 14, 2023, to become Great Wolf Lodge's twentieth and largest resort. The resort contains an indoor waterpark and other attractions, a Dunkin' store, and a Build-a-Bear Worksop.


Infrastructure


Transportation

The main mode of transportation to Perryville is by road.
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
crosses the north edge of town, with an interchange at Maryland Route 222 providing direct access. U.S. Route 40 also traverses the town. The northern terminus of MARC's
Penn Line The Penn Line is a MARC passenger rail service operating between Union Station in Washington, D.C., and Perryville, Maryland, along the far southern leg of the Northeast Corridor; most trains terminate at Baltimore's Penn Station. It is MA ...
commuter rail service to
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
and
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
is at the Perryville station in Perryville. Cecil Transit provides bus service to Perryville along the Route 2 Cross-County Connection to North East and Elkton.


Library

A new Perryville Branch of the Cecil County Public Library was opened in 2008.


Schools

There are four schools within Perryville's limits. Perryville Elementary, Middle and High Schools are public. The school sports mascot of Perryville High School is the panther. There is also one private school, a Catholic K-8 school named Good Shepherd. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church of the same name.


Churches

The following are the six churches in Perryville: Blythedale Seventh-day Adventist Church, First Baptist Church of Perryville, Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Perryville Presbyterian Church, Perryville United Methodist Church, and St. Mark's Episcopal Church.


Notable people

* Jim Keesey (1902–1951), professional baseball player born in Perryville * John Rodgers (1772–1838), naval officer born in Perryville * John Chew Thomas (1764–1836), politician born in Perryville


References


External links


Town HallChamber of Commerce
{{authority control Towns in Maryland Towns in Cecil County, Maryland Maryland populated places on the Chesapeake Bay