Layhill, Maryland

Geography

Due to its unincorporated nature, the boundaries are difficult to define precisely, but the center of the community is located at the intersection of Layhill Road and Bonifant Road/Bel Pre Road.

History

Argyle Country Club was originally located on Georgia Avenue in Petworth in the District of Columbia beginning in 1921. After selling its land to a developer, the club moved to Four Corners, Maryland, on September 30, 1923. The club operated in Four Corners until selling its land to be used for housing in 1945. Argyle Country Club reopened at its present Layhill location on June 28, 1947.

On May 23, 1932, after weeks of investigation, Montgomery County police raided a house in Layhill and found a 20-horsepower steam boiler still and two barrels of mash. The police officers arrested Alfred Crum of Kensington, charging him with possession of paraphernalia for manufacturing of intoxicants. Crum was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

A drive-in move theater was planned at the corner of Layhill Road and Bel Pre Road in 1955. The planned 54-acre (0.22 km²) drive-in would have had the capacity for 1,300 cars. After opposition from some residents of the neighboring Manor Club Estates, the Montgomery County Board of Appeals denied the zoning exception for the drive-in.

The Layhill South neighborhood was developed in 1963. Layhill Village and Layhill Forest were built in 1965. The Strathmore at Bel Pre neighborhood was built in 1968. Chaddsford was developed in 1969. Parker Farm was developed in 1994.

Plaza del Mercado, a shopping center built by Ziegler Corporation, opened in October 1969. Original stores included Giant Food, Peoples Drug, McDonald's, and Hallmark Card Shop. Federal Realty Investment Trust bought Plaza del Mercado in October 2003. An Aldi grocery store opened there on December 1, 2016.

In 1988, Layhill Road was widened, destroying a 225-year-old 67-foot-tall oak tree that was a neighborhood landmark at the northwest corner of Layhill Road and Bel Pre Road.

Education

Bel Pre Elementary School, Strathmore Elementary School, and Glenallen Elementary School serve Layhill's elementary school-aged children.

Argyle Middle School is located in Layhill; some of Layhill's students are zoned to Colonel E. Brooke Lee Middle School.

High school-aged students living in Layhill are generally zoned to John F. Kennedy High School.

Alternatively, through the Downcounty Consortium, students who live in Layhill may apply to attend Montgomery Blair High School, Albert Einstein High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Northwood High School, or Wheaton High School.

Barrie School, a private school, has been located in Layhill since September 8, 1958.

Transportation

The Intercounty Connector crosses through Layhill.

The Glenmont Metro station is a few miles south of the area. This underground station, which opened on July 25, 1998, is at the east end of the Red Line, and it has two large parking garages. From Glenmont, the Red Line heads south to downtown Silver Spring and to the District of Columbia before reentering Montgomery County and ending at Shady Grove.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,169 people and 1,659 households residing in the Layhill CDP. There were 1,775 housing units. The racial makeup of the community was 38.2% White, 34.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 15.5% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race consist of 17.6% of the population.

There were 1,659 households out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 16.3% were non-families. 12.4% of all households are made up of individuals living alone, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.28, and the average family size was 3.56.

Of adults age 25 or older, 86% have a high school degree, 53% have a bachelor's degree, and 28% have a graduate degree. Civilian veterans were 8% of the population.

22% of residents were born in Maryland, 40% were born elsewhere in the United States, and 38% were born abroad. Of foreign-born residents, 58% are naturalized citizens of the United States. Of foreign-born residents, 37% were born in Latin American, 36% were born in Asia, 24% were born in Africa, and 3% were born in Europe.

Residents' ancestry includes Subsaharan African (10%), Irish (8%), English (7%), German (6%), American (4%), West Indian (3%), Polish (2%), Arab (2%), Swiss (2%), and Italian (1%).

Residents' method of commuting to work included driving alone (64%), carpooling (11%), and public transportation (20%); 4% worked from home. Residents' mean travel time to work is 38 minutes.

The median income for a household in the census area was $120,184, and the median income for a family was $123,832. 6.2% of the population and 5.0% of families were below the poverty line. 8.4% of those under the age of 18 and 1.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Points of interest

The Matthew Henson Trail starts at Layhill and continues for 4.2 miles (6.8 km) to Rock Creek in Rockville.

The National Capital Trolley Museum, which opened in 1969, is nearby.

Wat Thai Temple, a Buddhist temple, has been located in Layhill since 1995.