Anne Arundel County was created in 1650.  The County was named for Lady Anne Arundel (1615-1649), daughter of Thomas Arundel of Wardour, and wife of Cecilius Calvert, Second Lord Baltimore and founder of the Maryland colony.  Annapolis is the county seat and state capital, and for a brief period during the revolutionary war served as the national capital.

The county borders the scenic Chesapeake Bay, which, along with the Severn River, provides numerous breathtaking waterfront real estate opportunities.  Annapolis is approximately 75 minutes to downtown Washington, DC and 45 minutes to downtown Baltimore.  Ft. Meade, a large military base, is also located in the county.

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Baltimore City was incorporated in 1796.  As a governmental unit, the City separated from Baltimore County in 1851.  The City name was derived from the Proprietary's Irish Barony and comprises 81 square miles.

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Carroll County was formed in 1837 from Baltimore and Frederick Counties.  The County was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737-1832), Revolutionary War statesman and a Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Francis Scott Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner, made his home in Carroll County.

Until recently a rural county, the county has experienced a growth spurt as families from surrounding areas (especially Baltimore City) seek more room.  Home prices are slightly lower than neighboring Howard County, and lot sizes are typically a bit larger than in surrounding counties.

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Frederick County was created in 1748 from Baltimore and Prince George's Counties.  The County probably was named after Frederick Calvert (1731-1771), sixth and last Lord Baltimore, who was the Proprietor of Maryland from 1751 until his death in 1771 in Naples, Italy.

Until recently a rural county, the southern part of the county has experienced a growth spurt from commuters to both Baltimore (55 minutes on I-70) and Washington, DC (75 minutes on I-270).  Frederick still maintains a family/rural flavor, with Catoctin Mountain Park (home of the presidential retreat "Camp David") just 20 minutes to the north of the City of Frederick.

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Howard County was created from Anne Arundel County in 1838. The County was named for John Eager Howard (1752-1827), Revolutionary War officer, Maryland governor, and statesman.

Howard County has the state’s highest median income and the best public school system (ranked #1 statewide eight years in a row). Columbia (50 minutes to downtown Washington, DC, 30 minutes to downtown Baltimore) is the county's largest city and is one of the nation's leading examples of a planned community.

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Created from Frederick County by resolve of the Constitutional Convention of 1776, Montgomery County was named for Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery (1738-1775).  Born in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland, General Montgomery died leading Continental forces against Quebec.

Montgomery County has the state's highest home prices and boasts some of the most upscale communities in the nation (Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac).  Bordering Washington, DC, the county is home to nationally respected medical centers (Walter Reed Hospital, Bethesda Navy Hospital, National Institute of Health) and to many federal agencies and/or related private contractors (FDA in Rockville; Bureau of Standards in Gaithersburg).

Prince George's County was created from Calvert and Charles counties in 1695.  The county was named for Prince George of Denmark (1653- 1708), who was the brother of Christian V (1646-1699), king of Denmark and Norway.  Prince George was the husband of Queen Anne (1665-1714), who ruled Great Britain and Ireland from 1702-1714.

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