WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND

'Westminster' is a city in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 16,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County. Westminster is within the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Westminister is a partner city with Paide, Estonia. Westminster is the home of McDaniel College, the Carroll County Fair, Common Ground on the Hill, and the Maryland Wine Festival.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Education

Trivia

References

External links

Geography

Westminster is located at (39.576551, -77.000120).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.8 km² (5.7 mi²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,731 people, 6,420 households, and 3,762 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,131.3/km² (2,929.4/mi²). There were 6,755 housing units at an average density of 456.8/km² (1,182.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.28% White, 5.49% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.
There were 6,420 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 14.5% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,477, and the median income for a family was $50,879. Males had a median income of $37,186 versus $28,419 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,320. About 7.9% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) enrolls over 28,000 students, which makes it the 9th largest school system in the state of Maryland. In Westminster, there are 5 high schools; (Westminster High School and Winters Mill High School),Century High School, South Carroll High School and North Carroll High School. 2 middle schools; East Middle and West Middle, and 9 elementary schools.
McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College) is home to the summer training camp of the Baltimore Ravens NFL team.

Trivia

Westminster's ZIP codes are 21157 and 21158.
In April, 1865, Joseph Shaw, newspaper editor, had his presses wrecked and his business destroyed, and was subsequently beaten and stabbed to death by four men in Westminster, allegedly because of an anti-Lincoln editorial that was published the week before the actual assassination. In a later trial at the Westminster Court House the four men were let off. The reason for the acquittal was "self-defense."
Just outside of Westminster is the farm at which Whittaker Chambers hid the so-called "pumpkin papers."
Westminster is the birthplace of Sargent Shriver.
In 2001, ABC News produced a story calling Westminster the heroin capital of the country because of drug problems at Westminster High School, once called "Heroin High," with overdoses peaking at more than 3 per week.^{[1] [2]}

References

1. http://www.abcnewsstore.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=customer.product&product_code=T010822%2001&category_code=15
2. http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=3724

External links

★ City of Westminster Official local government information.

★ Carroll County Public Schools

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★ Westminster High School

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★ Winters Mill High School