Beltsville’s history dates back to 1649, when it was part of a land given by Lord Baltimore of England. Soon thereafter, large plantations emerged and settlers soon came to the area for tobacco crops. Iron ore was discovered in the early 1700s and the U.S. Route 1 was established to supply the U.S. Army with iron products for the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Later, the B&O Railroad was built through Prince George’s County, running from Baltimore into Washington, D.C. A rail stop and depot was established on land purchased from a local farmer, Trueman Belt, therefore naming the city after him. The trading center thrived with the Baltimore-Washington Turnpike also crossing the rail line. As the Federal Government grew, the U.S. Department of Agriculture purchased land in Beltsville for agricultural research. The area now houses the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), the largest and most prominent center of agricultural science research in the world.

The hustle and bustle from the neighboring cities of Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, D.C. offer residents many options in terms of culture and entertainment. Baltimore boasts over one hundred annual community festivals, concerts, and events, while famous museums such as the Baltimore Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center top the list of places to visit. Rich in historical relevance, Washington, D.C., is only a short drive from Beltsville. Presenting monument tours, museum trips, libraries and countless educational expeditions, the nation’s capital city sits on the picturesque Potomac River. An active populace, residents take advantage of the many parks and thoroughfares for exercise and recreation.