In 1870, Laurel Factory, as the town was known then, was a thriving community of more than 1,000 residents. The 2000 Census is expected to confirm that there are now more than 21,000 residents in the City of Laurel.
A vibrant municipality at the center of the Baltimore-Washington Corridor, Laurel offers its residents a metropolitan community with a “home town” atmosphere. The area is comprised of portions of Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties, although the city proper lies wholly within Prince George’s County.
Some of the images in Laurel’s official seal represent notable historic associations that Laurel has enjoyed over the years. A horse represents the “Laurel Four County Fair,” which opened for the first time in 1911 and has been in continuous operation since then as a thoroughbred racetrack known today as Laurel Park. A lion and fleur-de-lis element is taken from the Prince George’s County seal. A knight in armor represents the longtime military presence of Fort George G. Meade and the National Security Agency nearby.
