1658Culture
=== Pre-20th century ===
Laurel was formed from land on the fall line of the Patuxent River patented by the Snowden family in 1658 as part of the 12,250-acre New Birmingham plan...
1785Economy
Charles Duvall's (1785–1863) mill plantation "Goodwood", later "Gladswood".
1796Architecture
The Washington Turnpike Road Company built Route 1 between 1796 and 1812, creating a major north–south land route.
1811Architecture
Nicholas Snowden built a grist mill on the site circa 1811 which grew to a small cotton mill by the 1820s.
1816Architecture
Milstead's Hotel halfway house was built in town to serve four stage lines a day in 1816.
1828Infrastructure
In 1828, a detailed survey was conducted to build a canal from Baltimore to Georgetown to connect to the proposed C&O canal.
1831Economy
Nicholas Snowden died in 1831, and the mill properties transferred to Louisa Snowden and her husband Horace Capon in 1834.
1835Government
Founded as a mill town in the early 19th century, Laurel expanded local industry and was later able to become an early commuter town for Washington and Baltimore workers followi...
1839Government
1839—established what are still vigorous congregations.
1844Architecture
Tiffany and the mill expanded greatly with the addition of the Avondale Mill building in 1844.
1850Architecture
A substantial dam was built in 1850.
1870Government
The town was incorporated in 1870 and reincorporated in 1890 to coincide with a new electric power plant and paved streets and boarded sidewalks.
1874Military
In 1874 a delegation was sent to Annapolis to introduce legislation to make Laurel its own county of 10,000 residents with land from Prince George's, Howard, and Anne Arundel co...
1879Education
In 1879 Laurel Academy of Music was built along Route 1.
1884Architecture
Francis Baldwin, built in 1884.
1888History
In 1888 inventor David J.
1890Government
In 1890, Citizens National Bank opened its doors on Main Street, as Prince George's County's first nationally chartered bank.
1897Military
Proposed in 1897, Laurel's seven-term mayor Edward Phelps succeeded in constructing the first high school in Prince George's County in 1899, despite several financial obstacles,...
1898Disaster
In 1898, a stable fire spread to the 100-year-old hotel and burned adjacent buildings along Main Street.
1899Disaster
The town was struck again by the great Laurel fire of December 14, 1899, when a twelve-building fire destroyed the Laurel Presbyterian Church (known then as Presbyterian Church ...
1902Government
=== 20th century ===
In 1902, the City and Suburban Railway with the City and Suburban and Washington, Berwyn, and Laurel railway started single line electric trolley service.
1905Architecture
The Laurel Sanitarium was built in 1905 on a 163-acre (0.66 km2) farm that comprised what is now Laurel Lakes.
1907Architecture
Pratt truss bridge, built in 1907 in place of a wooden bridge.
1911Architecture
Laurel Park Racecourse, a thoroughbred racetrack, opened in 1911 and remains in operation.
1912Civil Rights
In March 1912, the city agreed to take out $35,000 in loans to build its first sewer system with twelve miles of line that terminated by dumping into the Patuxent River.
1913Civil Rights
In February 1913, Laurel was a stopping point in the Suffrage hike led by Rosalie Gardiner Jones.
1915Education
The building was converted to a movie theatre in 1915, with a parking garage on the lower floor of the wood structure; it burned in 1917, and Academy Ford built on the same site...
1925Architecture
Board track racing came to Laurel in 1925 when a 1.125-mile (1.811 km) wood oval track was built by Jack Prince and featured 48-degree banked turns.
1926Architecture
Despite crowds of up to 30,000, receipts did not cover the $400,000 cost of building the track on the 364-acre Avondale property which fell into receivership in 1926.
1929History
Natural gas service was extended to the community in 1929.
1931Architecture
In 1931, "Angy Gerrin" built a 7,000-seat amphitheater next to the Duvall Farm between Laurel Park and Route One for an outdoor boxing venue.
1932Government
The arena was active through 1932 with the entire delegation of the National Boxing Association attending a fight with Governor Ritchie in attendance.
1933History
Operations ceased by the end of the 1933 season in the peak of the depression.
1934History
Prohibition in the United States was repealed in 1934.
1946History
== Media ==
Television arrived in Laurel with the establishment of the first TV broadcast stations in Washington in 1946.
1954Military
In 1954, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory built its campus west of Laurel in Howard County, using a Laurel address.
1960Military
By 1960, Laurel anticipated massive growth from Fort Meade and NSA.
1967History
The situation peaked in Laurel in July 1967 when four men and a juvenile, affiliated with the KKK, attempted to burn St.
1971Culture
The Montpelier Mansion grounds have hosted an annual festival the first weekend in May since 1971, updated in 2007 to focus on an "herb, tea and arts" theme.
1972Disaster
On June 22, 1972, Laurel was impacted severely by Hurricane Agnes, which caused the greatest flooding ever recorded in Maryland.
1975History
In 1975, the city council passed ordinances to create a historic district around Main Street.
1979History
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
1981Culture
Since 1981, the Laurel Board of Trade has sponsored a Main Street Festival (held on Saturday of Mother's Day weekend) each May, and since 1995 a RiverFest each October.
1982Economy
In 1982, developer Kingdon Gould III bought 3,539 acres of Laurel property (539 in North Laurel) in two deals for $15 million.
1988Government
The Elizabeth House, a nonprofit food pantry and soup kitchen, was founded in 1988 to serve low-income residents of the Laurel area.
1996Architecture
A former 1840s mill workers' home on the northeast corner of 9th and Main Streets was renovated and opened as the Laurel Museum on May 1, 1996.
2000History
City Planner Harry Susini anticipated the National Capitol Planning Commission would use clustered development to prevent tightly massed population in Laurel by the year 2000.
2001Disaster
=== 21st century ===
On September 24, 2001, a tornado passed through Laurel and left F3 property damage, including significant roof damage to the Laurel High School and the hist...
2005Disaster
On August 29, 2005, Laurel adopted Laurel, Mississippi, as a sister city to help with Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery.
2006History
Ambulance service began in 2006.
2007History
Stanley was the bank's first president, and it remained independently managed and with the same name until acquired by PNC Financial Services in 2007.
2023History
== External links ==
Official website: City of Laurel, Maryland
History of the City of Laurel, Maryland Archived October 3, 2023, at the Wayback Machine