Towson, MD

Covering slightly more than 14 square miles, Towson is the county seat of Maryland's Baltimore County. The city was named for two brothers, William and Thomas Towson, farmers who came to the area from Pennsylvania in 1750. Following a post-World War II population boom, Towson became a regional cultural, educational and retail center. The Towson Town Center, the largest mall in Baltimore County, was expanded in 2007.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

About 74 percent of workers from the city are employed by companies, 17 percent by the government and 5 percent are self-employed. The unemployment rate is 3.9 percent.

The leading industries in Towson are education, health, social services, administrative, waste management services, finance, insurance, real estate and leasing.

Businesses headquartered in Towson include AmericasBank Corp. and Black & Decker Corp. The city is also home to different medical facilities, such as the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Sheppard Pratt Hospital, and St. Joseph Medical Center.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

With a total area of 14.2 square miles, Towson has about 22,000 houses of which more than 21,050 are occupied and the renter-occupancy rate is about 40 percent.

If you want to roam around the city, you will need to rent a car or opt for some other mode of transport. However, you can find some grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops within short distances from the center of the city.

Nearly all of the city's major establishments are located just south of Towsontown Blvd., between North Charles St. and York Rd. This area comprises Towson University, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, St. Joseph Medical Center, and Johnny Unitas Stadium.

FAMILY FUN

Teaching people about sustainable agriculture is the goal of Cromwell Valley Park. There are three working farms on the property, along with meadows, streams, woodlands and pastures.

The Towson Courthouse Garden sprung up around the Courthouse in 1988, introducing many new species of plants to North America.

Other parks in the Towson area include:

• Lake Roland Park
• Riderwood Hills Park
• Essex Farms Park
• Glendale Park
• Putty Hill Park
• Robert E. Lee Park

EVENTS

• The Annual Towsontown Spring Festival features an abundance of food, music, vendors, and children's activities. An antique classic car show and a NASCAR area, including authentic racecars, are also prominent aspects of the festival. There are four entertainment stages with a wide variety of musical performances.
• The Towson Farmers Market takes place every Thursday from June until November. It features locally grown fruit, vegetables, breads, and flowers. The Towson Chamber sponsors a second Farmers Market on Saturdays, also starting in June.
• Towson's Feet on the Street block parties take place every Friday during the summer. With free parking, the festivals feature music, food, children's activities, and alcohol for the adults. Area restaurants and shops participate by keeping their doors open later than usual.
• Recher Theatre is located in downtown Towson. Concerts at the theater feature local and national performers.
• Sporting events are held at the Towson Center and Johnny Unitas Stadium.

GETTING AROUND

What do you do when four highly traveled roads converge at one point in your town? Faced with this problem in the mid-1990s, residents of Towson created Towson Roundabout at the intersection of York Road, Dulaney Valley Road, Allegheny Avenue and Joppa Road. It was Maryland's first urban roundabout. Since its construction, the Towson Roundabout has been a model for many other roundabouts in the United States. The Towson Roundabout consists of a large oval with a center 190 feet in length. Each year, the Towson Business Association uses the center-raised platform for a holiday light display.

SHOPPING

If you love to shop, Towson is your kind of town. Some of Baltimore County's largest shopping areas are located in the city:

• Towson Town Center is the county's largest indoor mall. There are four floors of shops and a parking garage that links to other shops across the street from the main structure.
• The Towson Marketplace features smaller shops and big-box operations such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Superfresh.
• Other malls in Towson include Towson Commons and The Shops at Kenilworth.

EDUCATION

Towson's public school system spends much more per student each year above the national average.

Institutions of higher learning in Towson include:

• Towson University, the second-largest university in the state, features undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 100 areas of study. Average enrollment tops 21,000 students.
• Medix School: One of four campuses across Maryland and Georgia, offering training in field related to the medical and dental industries.
• Tesst Technology Institute: Offering certificates and associate's degrees in technology-related fields.
• John Casablancas Modeling and Career Center: Offers training in television and film acting, as well as modeling and make up artistry courses.
• Goucher College, an independent coeducational institution located on a 287-acre campus, was founded in Towson in 1885. It was originally designated as the Woman's College of Baltimore.

LOCAL MEDIA

Towson is served primarily by Baltimore-based radio and television stations, although there are several stations licensed in Towson:

• WNST 1570 AM - Talk
• WTMD 89.7 FM - Towson University Radio

• WMJF-LP Channel 16 - Towson University Television

The area is served by several newspapers:

• North County News
• Towson News
• Towson State Towerlight

• WNST 1570 AM - Talk
• WTMD 89.7 FM - Towson University Radio