Forest Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and is part of the larger postal designation of Oxon Hill. The town straddles both sides of dual-lane Maryland Route 210 and includes two elementary schools. Per the 2020 census, the population was 2,658.
History
A few homes (such as on Huron Drive) were built in the 1930s, but most of the town developed in the 1940s and early 1950s, consisting of single-family homes with some streets of duplex homes; the Talbert Drive homes were added in the 1960s. In those days many town residents were scientists at the adjacent U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, while others were military band musicians or other Federal employees. The town's population figure declined substantially over several decades, but since 2000 is now rising again.
Two especially long-serving mayors were Clifford Armhold and Warren F. Adams.
After decades of former governmental stability, in the 2000s the town made headlines repeatedly as two of its recent mayors were embroiled in clashes with the town council. One mayor, Joyce Beck, was ousted from office after changes to the Town Charter. In 2019, the town annexed 446.88 acres of additional land, more than doubling its size.
Geography
Forest Heights is located at (38.811863, -76.996809). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.
Adjacent areas
- National Harbor (southwest)
- Oxon Hill (southeast)
- Glassmanor (northeast)
- Bellevue, Congress Heights and Anacostia neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. (north)