Landover, Maryland
The town of Llandovery in Wales gave its name to an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland. This naming choice appeared on early maps before the area became a census-designated place. The U.S. Census Bureau defined four separate areas as Landover, Dodge Park, Kentland, and Palmer Park for the 1990 count. These distinct zones merged into a single Greater Landover CDP by the year 2000. Officials renamed the combined area simply Landover during the 2010 census cycle. Residents now share a single postal code of 20785 despite living across multiple subdivisions like Ardwick Park and Brightseat.
African American residents made up 91.56 percent of the population in the year 2000 according to federal data. That figure dropped to 64.03 percent by the time the 2020 census counted 25,998 people. Hispanic or Latino individuals rose from just 2.90 percent in 2000 to 27.43 percent two decades later. White alone populations shrank dramatically from 606 individuals to only 450 over that same period. Mixed race households increased their share from 1.38 percent to 2.79 percent between the two counts. These shifts reflect broader socioeconomic trends affecting Prince George's County communities throughout the early twenty-first century.
Northwest Stadium opened its doors in 1997 as the new home for the Washington Commanders football team. The facility sits within the neighboring Summerfield CDP but carries a Landover postal address at 1600 FedEx Way. Before this stadium existed, the Capital Centre hosted games for both the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals basketball teams. That arena operated under various names including US Airways Arena before its demolition in 2002. The Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex now occupies adjacent land covering approximately 100 acres near the stadium grounds.
Landover Mall opened its doors in 1972 with four high-end anchor stores including Garfinkel's and Hecht's. Crime rates rose sharply during the late 1980s causing frightened shoppers to abandon the shopping center rapidly. The movie theater closed first followed by three major anchors throughout the 1990s decade. Garfinkel's shut down in 1990 while Woodward and Lothrop became J.C. Penney until 2001. Hecht's closed permanently in 2002 when Bowie Town Center opened nearby. The entire mall officially ceased operations in 2003 and was demolished by 2006 except for Sears which lasted until 2014. County officials began planning luxury townhouses and cultural hubs on the former site in 2007.
Desegregation busing policies began implementation across Prince George's County schools in 1972. Officials transported many Black children from Landover to schools containing large numbers of white students elsewhere in the county. David Nakamura reported that residents believed these bus routes contributed significantly to socioeconomic decline within their community. The federal court settlement abolished the busing program entirely by 1998. Several educational institutions subsequently closed including Matthew Henson Elementary School scheduled to shutter in 2009. EXCEL Academy later moved into the former Henson space from its Riverdale campus in 2012.
Landover stands as one of few Washington D.C. area regions served directly by multiple separate Metro rail lines. The Orange Line serves the northern portion through a station built decades ago while Blue and Silver lines connect via Morgan Boulevard Station constructed in 2004. This dual-line access provides unique transit options compared to other suburban communities lacking direct Metrorail service. I-495/95 crosses U.S. Route 50 at a major intersection point within the CDP boundaries. Maryland Route 202 and Brightseat Road create additional highway junctions leading directly to FedExField parking areas.
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Common questions
What is the origin of the name Landover Maryland?
The town of Llandovery in Wales gave its name to an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland. This naming choice appeared on early maps before the area became a census-designated place.
How did the population demographics change in Landover between 2000 and 2020?
African American residents made up 91.56 percent of the population in the year 2000 according to federal data. That figure dropped to 64.03 percent by the time the 2020 census counted 25,998 people while Hispanic or Latino individuals rose from just 2.90 percent in 2000 to 27.43 percent two decades later.
When did Northwest Stadium open and what team plays there now?
Northwest Stadium opened its doors in 1997 as the new home for the Washington Commanders football team. The facility sits within the neighboring Summerfield CDP but carries a Landover postal address at 1600 FedEx Way.
Why did Landover Mall close and when was it demolished?
Crime rates rose sharply during the late 1980s causing frightened shoppers to abandon the shopping center rapidly. The entire mall officially ceased operations in 2003 and was demolished by 2006 except for Sears which lasted until 2014.
What happened to desegregation busing policies in Landover schools?
Desegregation busing policies began implementation across Prince George's County schools in 1972. The federal court settlement abolished the busing program entirely by 1998.