Frederick County, Maryland

Frederick County

Downtown Frederick in June 2014

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Seal

Nickname(s): "Frederick", "FredCo"

Location in the U.S. state of Maryland

United States of America

Founded

June 10, 1748

Seat

Government

• Executive

Area

• Total

1,730 km² (667 sq mi)

• Land

1,700 km² (660 sq mi)

• Water

19 km² (7.2 sq mi)

Population (2015)

• Total

245,322

• Density

142/km² (368/sq mi)

• Summer (DST)

ZIP

21705, 21709, 21714, 21717, 21759, 21762, 21775, 21792

Congressional districts

Website

Frederick County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 240,336. The county seat is Frederick.

Frederick County is included in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. Like other outlying sections of the Washington metropolitan area, Frederick County has experienced a rapid population increase in recent years. The county is sometimes associated with Western Maryland, depending on the definition used. It borders the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia.

The county is home to (encompassing the presidential retreat Camp David) and to the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick. It has also been the home to several celebrated historical figures like Francis Scott Key, Chris Rose, Zach Taylor, Matt Bennett, Thomas Johnson, Roger B. Taney, and Barbara Fritchie.

The namesake of Frederick County and its county seat is unknown, but it probably was either Frederick, Prince of Wales or Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore.

Frederick County was created in 1748 from parts of Prince George's County and Baltimore County.