Calvert County, MD is located 30 miles southeast of Washington D.C. It holds the lovely Chesapeake Bay for an eastern border and on the west, the scenic Patuxent River.
In close proximity to Annapolis, Baltimore and the PAX River Naval Air Station in Lexington Park, Calvert County is easily accessible by I-95, modern Maryland routes 2, 4, 5, and 235 and the Port of Baltimore.
In the entire Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area, Calvert County has one of the lowest costs of living, as well as a low crime rate. Its strategic location allows unlimited access to a huge array of cultural and recreational activities in the Capitol area, offers great potential for economic growth, and maintains the county's exquisite rural charm. These factors combine to make Calvert County a promising environment where families and employers alike can work, live and prosper.
Calvert County has received mention in "Places Rated Almanac", voted the #2 place to live in North America in 1999 and the #1 place to start a career in 1997. Money Magazine rated it the #1 place to live in the Northeast in 1998 and Fortune Magazine cited it as one of the top ten cities for Balancing Work and Family.
Calvert County is a peninsula with approximately 220 square miles of land, standing nine miles wide at its widest point. Woodlands cover the Bay side, and end in high cliffs overlooking the water, some rising to 135 feet in height. These cliffs are well known for the amount of prehistoric fossils and sharks' teeth that have been found here. An upland plain running mostly northwest to southwest forms the middle of Calvert County, and on the western edge, the upland areas slope towards the Patuxent River, creating a level terrace known as 'bottom land' and holding some of the best farmland in the region.
Calvert County is known for its excellent fishing and crabbing opportunities. Boating comes in many forms, with wonderful canoeing and kayaking streams and rivers, and charter boat fishing available on the Bay. Miles of shoreline offer excellent camping and fossil hunting trips. Golf courses and bike trails are plentiful throughout the region.
The Calvert County Cultural Arts Council keeps the area lively with outdoor concerts, art shows, craft and antique festivals as well as theatrical productions. Historical landmarks and buildings are well preserved and a wide range of special events and festivals reflect the care and commitment that Calvert County residents show towards honoring the nation's past.
During the Revolutionary War, British Troops invaded the County and then again in the War of 1812. The Battle of Barney's Flotilla at the mouth of St. Leonard's creek is well remembered by present-day residents. Divers recently discovered the remains of the barges that were scuttled there by Barney's men, to keep them from the British. During World War II, the Solomons' Cliffs of Calvert were used to simulate the invasion of Normandy, after an Amphibious Training Base was established at Dowell.
Seven "town centers" are found in Calvert County, with Prince Frederick being the county seat. The others are known as Solomons, Lusby, St. Leonard, Huntington, Owings and Dunkirk. There are two incorporated towns in Calvert County, Chesapeake Beach and North Beach. Chesapeake Beach, MD has been known since the early 1900's as a quiet, waterside resort town, and is a wonderful place to escape the bustle and noise of the surrounding Capitol Area. Solomons is a picturesque island and a quaint fishing village that was established in 1871. While being able to offer a five star Holiday Inn conference center and over twenty excellent restaurants serving the fresh catch of the day, Solomons also extends the possibility of quietly panning for sharks' teeth at the nearby Calvert Cliffs State Park, or taking peaceful sunset strolls along the shoreline.
Additional prominent cities and towns in Calvert County include Prince Frederick, North Beach, Chesapeake Beach and Lusby.
Calvert County, MD has a top-notch public school system to offer its residents, with twelve elementary schools, six middle schools and four high schools. Because the County exists in the midst of the booming technological corridor of the nation, they have taken steps to build into their curriculum a strong understanding of how technology interfaces in both personal and professional lives, which grooms their students for future success in the region. The Calvert Career Center provides course work to all County students, offering classes in data processing, drafting, electronics, mechanics and many other subjects.
Beyond the excellent public schooling available, there are five private schools in Calvert County. The Calverton School, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Chesapeake Montessori Center, Our Lady Star of the Sea, and the Tidewater School are available to residents.
The Community College in Prince Frederick is operated by the College of Southern Maryland and many universities offer programs through the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. A fine host of top colleges and universities in the region are found to be within easy commute of Calvert County.
The choice of housing in the County is quite wide and diversified, ranging from new construction to elegant, quaint historic homes. Prices range widely also and more can be discovered through the Southern Maryland Board of Realtors.
Calvert County, though the smallest county in Southern Maryland, is by far one of the most unique and promising places to raise a family, advance a career, visit for a day, or to build a company for the future.
