St. Mary's County

St. Mary’s County, the first Maryland County, was established in 1637. As the site of Maryland’s original state capital, St. Mary’s county is rich in history and culture. It is located on a peninsula in southern Maryland, surrounded by the Patuxent River, Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay.

The population in 2000 was 86,211 and is projected to reach 118,200 by 2015. As of 2000, approximately 83% of the county’s 231,280 land acres were zoned agricultural and over 10,509 acres of farmland were been preserved through easement programs. In addition, there were approximately 4,500 acres of state and county owned parkland. The county plans to use parks and recreational trails as town connectors to encourage alternative transportation.