<p>College Park, Maryland, in Prince Georges county, is 5 miles E of Silver Spring, Maryland and 8 miles NE of Washington, D.C.. There are an estimated 24,657 people in the city.</p>
<p>College Park was established in 1856. It was named agyer the Maryland Agricultural College, which was founded in the area in 1807. The original Baltimore &amp; Ohio railroad line, which connected Baltimore and Washington D. C., passed through this area. In 1943, the Washington Senators organized a Spring Training camp in College Park. A municipal charter for the city was granted in 1945, and it was incorporated the same year. College Park is the site of the oldest continuously operating airport in the country, which was established in 1909. The city is also home to the University of Maryland-College Park. In September of 2001, a violent F3 tornado hit the area causing massive property damage and killing two people.</p>
<p>The city of College Park is home to a large number of places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Baker-Holliday House, the Bowers-Sargent House, the National Archives Archeological Site, Rossborough Inn and the College Park Airport. The College Park Aviation Museum's gallery is a replica of the Wright Brothers' hangar that housed their first military airplane. Lake Artemesia is a popular destination in the College Park area. Other popular nearby attractions include the 40-acre preserve Audubon Naturalist Society Refuge, the National Arboretum, the U.S. Botanic Garden, the National Zoo and the Six Flags America amusement park. Golfers can enjoy a round at the Rock Creek Park Golf Course, the Langston Golf Course, the University of Maryland Golf Course or at the Sligo Creek Golf Course. College Park hosts the International Fall Festival and a 4th of July Celebration every year.</p>
<p>Washington Reagan National is the nearest major airport. &nbsp;The University of Maryland is located in College Park. Other nearby universities include Catholic University, George Washington University and Howard University.</p>