Founded in 1870, and incorporated as a town in 1916, Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fourth largest city in the State of Maryland. The town was first called Huntington City, though its train station was named in honor of local resident, Governor Oden Bowie, president of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad.

The town was subsequently rechartered as Bowie. In the early days the land was subdivided by developers into more than 500 residential building lots, to create a large town site at a junction of the Baltimore and Potomac's main line to southern Maryland, and the branch line to Washington, DC.

In 1957, the firm of Levitt and Sons acquired the nearby Belair Estate, the original colonial plantation of Governor Samuel Ogle, where it developed the residential community of "Belair at Bowie". Two years later the Town of Bowie annexed the Levitt properties, and then it re-incorporated as a city in 1963.

Bowie enjoys a rich and diverse historic and cultural heritage. The original Belair Estate contains the Belair Mansion (circa 1745), the beautiful five-part Georgian plantation house of Governor Samuel Ogle, and his son Governor Benjamin Ogle. The Mansion was also the home of William Woodward, a famous horseman in the first half of the 20th Century. Restored to reflect its 250-year-old legacy, the Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Belair Stable, on the Estate, was part of the famous "Belair Stud", one of the premier racing stables in the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, and owned and operated by William Woodward. Until its closing in 1957, Belair was the oldest continually operated thoroughbred horse farm in the country. It is said that the blood of Belair horses flows through the veins of every American race horse of distinction.

In addition to its thoroughbred horse breeding heritage, Bowie is also historically associated with railroading. The town grew up around the Bowie Station, and emerged as an important rail town. Honoring that tradition, the City has preserved this piece of its history in the Huntington Railroad Museum which includes historic materials displayed in the Station's restored railroad buildings.

While the City is proud of its heritage, it is also focused on the future. It has grown from a small agricultural and railroad town to one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Maryland. Bowie is a city of 16 square miles and approximately 50,000 residents. It has nearly 2,000 acres set aside as parks or open space. It has 72 ball fields, three community centers, an ice arena, a theatrical playhouse, a golf course, and three museums. The City has recently added a state-of-the-art senior citizens center and a gymnasium for community programs. The City of Bowie is a dynamic, family-oriented community whose residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life. The City's motto of "Growth, Unity and Progress" provides a fitting description of this municipality at the start of a new century.