About Aberdeen Proving Ground

Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) is situated on 72,000 acres in Harford County, Maryland. 35,000 acres is for land-containment and test ranges, and the other 37,000 acres is for water-test ranges and buffer zone. The 2005 BRAC changed the composition from military to government contractors, whose primary job is to protect the war fighter. It has come a long way from the farm land it was in 1917. It took an act of Congress and two Presidential Proclamations to persuade local farmers to leave their Aberdeen property. The United States Government took formal possession on October 20, 1917 and immediately began building testing facilities. By the end of the 1980s, APG had grown to over 14,000 military and civilian employees, making it the single largest employer in the County.

APG now has about 18,000 Government contractors and only 1,500 Military Personnel. Incoming organizations were Team C4ISR which consists of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance from Fort Monmouth, Belvoir, and Redstone Arsenal. Also, Chem/Bio R&D Organizations arrived from various locations to enhance APG's Joint Chem/Bio R&D Center of Excellence.

Harford County has a population of approximately 250,000, and is conveniently located between Delaware and Washington, DC. Aberdeen has been voted an All American City and is known as "the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay." The town is located on the I-95 corridor approximately 30 miles northeast of Baltimore. Airports close by are BWI, only 42 miles to the south, and Philadelphia International, 67 miles to the north. Accessible by land, sea or air, it's a great location! The local climate is mild, with annual precipitation of 49 inches, and average temperatures of 35 in the winter and 75 in the summer. The climate is perfect for the majestic Bald Eagles which nest at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Maryland ranks first in the nation in the percentage of professional and technical workers. 200,000 professionals reside within an easy commute to APG. Maryland is also a leader in Bachelor of Art degrees. Maryland households thrive on the second highest median income in the nation. Harford County has 72 public and private High Schools. Aberdeen High School is a Magnet school for math and science. 80% of the students in Harford County plan on attaining higher education.

Defense Contractors who have relocated to the County as a result of the BRAC include MITRE, Northrop Grumman and CACI, just to name a few. Approximately 200 Defense Contractors have moved or will move to Maryland to be near CeCom. Harford County is also home to an Enterprise Zone, which, in 2009, prompted Bob's Discount Furniture, a New England furniture chain, to lease a 672,000 square foot distribution center in Perryman, minutes from Aberdeen. Nearby malls include Harford and White Marsh, Perryville Outlet Center, and several community shopping centers. Antique shops can be found in quaint Havre de Grace, minutes from APG. Havre de Grace is also great for boating or walking along the promenade next to the water. Recreation is by land or sea.

Local insight: Some old timers pronounce Havre de Grace in the French style, "haver di grah," but most everyone else pronounces it "haver di grace." Aberdeen's Ripken Stadium is the regional home of youth baseball, where the Ripken Baseball Academy and the Cal Ripken World Series draw thousands of people each year. Harford County will host the 2013-2014 U.S. Youth Soccer Region I championship, expected to generate in excess of $20 million tourism dollars over the two years of the tournament. Lacrosse tournaments are also held at Cedar Lane Regional Park, home of the soccer championships. If theater or the symphony interests you, Baltimore is only 40 minutes to the South. Baltimore is also the home of the National Aquarium and Science Center.

Housing in Harford County is great, whether you want to live on the water, on a farm or anything in-between. The average price of a single family home is $254,100, and with historically low mortgage interest rates, the American Dream of home ownership is alive and well in Harford County!

Some helpful websites:

Aberdeen Proving Ground

Harford County Government

APG's Facebook Page