Аккокик, Мэриленд: История и современность

Accokeek (/'//æ//k//ə//k//iː//k/), "at the edge of the hill" in Algonquin, is a census designated place (CDP) located in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The CDP is located on the Potomac River, borders Charles County and is approximately 17 miles from Washington. It is a part of the Washington metropolitan area. The population of the CDP, as of the 2020 United States Census was 13,927. While the area around Accokeek was inhabited by Native Americans since approximately 2,000 BCE, John Smith was the first European to visit the area in 1608. In 1990, the United States Census Bureau officially made Accokeek a CDP.

The area around Accokeek had been occupied since around 2000 BC; however, the first permanent village was established in 1200 AD by the Piscataway tribe. Captain John Smith was the first European to see the Accokeek area. In 1608, he sailed the Potomac River and found the Moyaone village. At the time of the discovery, Moyaone was the seat of government for the Piscataway Tribe. The village of Moyaone disbanded and the population migrated to other tribes before other Europeans settled the area. In the mid 17th century, settlers were purchasing large plots of land for farming. The Native Americans were upset that the settlers were wearing out the land due to farming various crops, which led to multiple battles between the two. Between 1675 and 1682, the Native Americans were forced from the area as a result of losing. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Accokeek sympathized with the Confederacy. According to the 1860 Census, the area around Accokeek had a slave population of 1,600 (52.6%). There were multiple Confederate spies in the area, including Thomas Harbin who open a hotel in the area and had plans to kidnap then President Abraham Lincoln. Henry and Alice Ferguson settled in Accokeek when they purchased Hard Bargain Farm overlooking the Potomac River in 1922 as a vacation retreat. Between 1935 and 1939 Alice Ferguson initiated archaeological excavations. A fort from the Susquehannock people, which was demolished in 1675, was found. In 1957, US Senator Frances P. Bolton founded the Accokeek Foundation. The Foundation was used to purchase of land in Piscataway Park to help preserve the area. Much of the community west of Route 210 is designated the Moyaone Reserve and contains mid century, individually designed homes on minimum 5 acre wooded lots. Community educational attractions include Hard Bargain Farm (Ferguson Foundation) and the National Colonial Farm (National Park Service), which are listed below under "Parks and Recreation." Both these sites have numerous special events, including an annual Oktoberfest, and a "theater in the woods". In 1960, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) wanted to build a water treatment plant in Mockley Point, which was Accokeek shoreline. Since it would disrupt the view of Mount Vernon and Fort Washington Park, various people and organizations protested against it. As a result, WSSC was not allowed to build the plant there;

In 1990, Accokeek officially became a CDP when the US Census Bureau defined the place's boundaries. In 2008, eight people were killed and 9 more were injured in Accokeek on Indian Head Highway in an illegal street race.

Accokeek is located in the Southern United States, in Southern Maryland, and approximately from Washington, D. C. To the north, Accokeek borders the CDPs of Fort Washington and Clinton; to the east, it borders the CDP of Brandywine; to the south, it borders the CDPs of Bryans Road, Bensville, and Waldorf, all of which are located in Charles County; and to the west, it borders the Potomac River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. According to the United States Census Bureau, the place has a total area of 28.803 square miles (75 km2), of which 27.436 square miles (71 km2) is land and 1.367 square miles (4 km2) is water. Accokeek has an average elevation of 194 feet (59 m).

As of the 2010 census, there were 10,573 people, 3,601 households, and 2,835 families residing in the city. The population density was 385.5 inhabitants per square mile. There were 3,816 housing units at an average density of 139.1 per square mile. Accokeek is a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area, in which Accokeek contains approximately 0.19% of the MSA's population. As of 2007, the company employed approximately 220 people, making it the largest employer in Accokeek. In 2013, as a response to Maryland's Firearm Safety Act, Beretta closed the factory and moved operations to Gallatin, Tennessee, in 2016.

Prince George's County Police Department District 5 Station in Clinton CDP and District 7 Station in Fort Washington CDP serve the community. The U. S. Postal Service operates the Accokeek Post Office.

According to the US Census' American Community Survey, 2.59% of the population from 25 to 64 years has less than a high school diploma, 26.17% have a high school diploma, 30.32% have some college of associate degree, and 40.90% have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Accokeek is under the Prince George's County Public Schools district. It has one public school, Accokeek Academy, which serves all of the CDP for elementary and middle school. It was formed in 2009 by the merger of Henry G. Ferguson Elementary School, built in 1963, and Eugene Burroughs Middle School, built in 1966. The newly merged school retained separate elementary and middle school campuses. All of the CDP is zoned to Gwynn Park High School, located in Brandywine CDP. There is also a private school, Accokeek College Preparatory School, the secondary school campus of The Beddow Schools. From 1950 to 1964, during the era of legally required racial segregation of schools, black students from Accokeek attended Fairmont Heights High School, then near Fairmount Heights.

Prince George's County Memorial Library System operates the Accokeek Library Branch.