Waldorf, Census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland
Waldorf is a settlement in southern Maryland that spreads across several residential areas and commercial zones at 207 feet (63 meters) elevation. The roads connect shopping centers with housing developments, forming a wide arrangement of buildings shaped by its closeness to the capital.
The settlement was originally called Beantown and adopted its current name in 1880, inspired by a well-known family from New York. During the 1950s it changed from a tobacco trading post to an entertainment spot with slot machines until gambling was banned in 1968.
The place adopted the name of William Waldorf Astor from New York after residents chose it in the early 1880s. Commuters now use it as a base for traveling to work in the nearby capital, while families visit shopping areas and residential streets that line the main roads.
The location 23 miles south of Washington DC makes the settlement accessible for workers in government and healthcare. Visitors find parking and shops along the main roads, most of which are reachable without long walks.
Before the renaming, the place was known as Beantown, which pointed to the bean trade in the area. The era of slot machines between the 1950s and 1960s drew many visitors before gambling bans ended the entertainment scene.
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