Bowie, MD is a city with many beautiful historical places to visit. It is located in Prince George's County. If coming to the area for a visit, many of these historical sites along with places to stay can be found in the Bowie, MD yellow pages.Bowie's history started when William Duckett Bowie got permission from the Maryland legislature to put a rail line in Southern Maryland in 1853. The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad started to build a railroad between Baltimore and Southern Maryland in 1869. This area was mostly farms and slave plantations at this time. It was named Huntingtoin City in 1870 when Ben Plumb started selling lots around the junction here. The railroad was completed by 1872. It included a line that went to Washington, D.C. The name was changed to Bowie after the son of William Duckett Bowie, who was the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad's president.
He had also once been the Governor of Maryland. In 1902 the Pennsylvania Railroad bought out this line. By 1908 they had an electric trolley here. Bowie had three stations that were called the Highbridge, Race Track, and Hillmeade. In 1914 the Bowie Race Track for horses was built. Soon they were a well known place to breed thoroughbreds. At this time a teachers' college was built here. It was open to African Americans. Today it is called Bowie State University. In 1957, Levitt and Sons started acquiring more land in the area. They bought the Belair Estate and made it into a residential area known as Belair of Bowie. In 1963 the Levitt properties were included as part of the city of Bowie.Bowie is a very historical area today. Visitors come to tour their historical buildings and sites. Their many historical sites include Belair Mansion. It was built in 1745 by Governor Samuel Ogle. He used it as a plantation. It is now fully restored. The Bowie Welcome Center is in a 1930s restored building. Here visitors are invited to learn all about Bowie's history. These and many other businesses can be found in the Bowie, MD business directory.
Written by Lyndsey Morgan
