History of the City of Laurel

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The year 1870 marked the beginning of Laurel's incorporation as a town. That is the year the General Assembly of Maryland passed an act to "put Laurel on its own," so to speak. The Act was signed by Governor Oden Bowie on April 4, 1870.

Laurel, however, had its beginnings long before the General Assembly of Maryland bestowed its charter. Located in the apex of Prince George's County, 28 miles distant from its county seat, Laurel has progressed without very much assistance from county sources ever since it has been "on its own," so capable has it been of solving its own problems. In spite of its rise near the turn of the century as the most important city in Prince George's County, a status it is once again approaching, it has often been referred to as "an orphan" of the county. Its existence and operation and complete independence as a corporate entity, one time led the late Capt. Vinton D. Cockey, a former county commissioner and well-known land surveyor and engineer, to promote the idea that "Laurel should be carved out of Prince George's County and become a county of its own."

Many former and present residents have contributed to the content of this document. There May be areas which lack depth of coverage. There May be names and dates and places omitted. Fading memories, inadequate chronicling of events as they occurred, lack of time for extended research, and limited staff and space we offer as reasons. We have deliberately dealt more with its early history than its recent, for the latter is easily accessible to the inquisitive.

And people make the history of any town. In the case of Laurel, we hope we have peeled away enough patina to bestow pride in her past and faith in her future.

—Gertrude L. Poe

(Reprinted from the 1870 - 1970 Centennial Historical Souvenir Booklet. Much of the information contained in this Web Site is derived from this publication)