Charles

Formed April 13, 1658 (5^th county)

Charles County (166,621), La Plata (10,164)                

The 1954 red brick Modern Colonial Revival courthouse kept the look of older facilities.  It is constructed at Charles and Washington streets.  United States Highway 301 is two blocks to the west of the location.  Frederick Tilp is the architect.  There was an 1819 courthouse in Port Tobacco and 1892 facility in La Plata.  Charles County is named for Charles Calvert, 3^rd Baron of Baltimore.  La Plata is named for a local farm.  Charles County was the birthplace of 2 Maryland Governors, William Smallwood and John H. Stone.  The county was formed on April 13, 1658 from unorganized territory as the 5^th county. 

Charles County government consists of an administrator, and a sheriff (executive).  It has 5 Council Members (legislative.)  Thirty-eight Circuit Court Judges serve Charles, Calvert, Princes George’s, and Saint Mary’s counties, Six District Court Judges serve Charles, Calvert, and Saint Mary’s counties and a court clerk and county attorney serve Charles County (judicial.) The county is in the southwest corner of Maryland on the border with Virginia.  The Potomac River forms its western and southern borders.  The county center is in La Plata .6 miles South-Southeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Prince George’s, Calvert, and Saint Mary’s counties and Virginia. 

The area of the county is 643 square miles.  It is 6 out of 24 in the state.  It ranks 10 out of 24 in population in the state.  It has a density of 259.1 persons per square mile making it 12 out of 24 in the state.  Charles County has 8.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 301 crosses the county north to south from Prince George’s to Virginia.  The county’s shape could be described as a dog facing southeast with his tail sticking up.  La Plata is in the northern third of the county.  La Plata is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 6.1% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced LA PLAE-TA.  This county is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Metropolitan Statistical Area.