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North Bethesda, Maryland

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North Bethesda, Maryland
CDP
Location of North Bethesda, Maryland
Location of North Bethesda, Maryland
Boundaries of the North Bethesda CDP, as of 2003
Boundaries of the North Bethesda CDP, as of 2003
CountryUnited States
StateMaryland
CountyMontgomery
Area
 • Total9.0 sq mi (23.4 km2)
 • Land9.0 sq mi (23.4 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
394 ft (120 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total38,610
 • Density4,281.5/sq mi (1,653.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
20852, 20895
Area code301
FIPS code24-56337
GNIS feature ID1867297

North Bethesda is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It borders the city of Rockville, and is closely associated with the city. Some portions of North Bethesda are within the Rockville City limits. The area is also referred to as Rockville, Kensington, and Bethesda North. Its Zip Code is 20850, while those of Bethesda Maryland are 20814, 20815, 20816, and 20817. North Bethesda shares the 20850 zip code with Rockville, MD and the North Bethesda before the past ten years was referred to as Rockville.

Geography

As an unincorporated area, North Bethesda's boundaries are not officially defined. North Bethesda is, however, recognized by the United States Census Bureau as a Census-designated Place, and by the United States Geological Survey as a populated place located at 39°2′14″N 77°7′9″W / 39.03722°N 77.11917°W / 39.03722; -77.11917Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (39.037111, -77.119095)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the place has a total area of 9.0 square miles (23.4 km²), all of it land.

Significant through-roads in North Bethesda include Interstates 270 and 495 and Maryland State Highways 187 (Old Georgetown Road), 355 (Rockville Pike), and 547 (Strathmore Avenue). In the southern sector of North Bethesda is a burgeoning business area, located in the triangle between the two limbs of I-270 and I-495, whose occupants include the corporate headquarters of Lockheed Martin, Coventry Healthcare, Host Marriott and Marriott International. Other prominent entities in the area are Walter Johnson High School, the Georgetown Preparatory School, the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, the Music Center at Strathmore, the White Flint shopping mall, the national office of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Montgomery Aquatic Center, and North Bethesda Market the tallest apartment tower in Montgomery County, Maryland.[1]

The far southern edge of the North Bethesda CDP was originally the country estate of the Grosvenor family, whose lineage includes Alexander Graham Bell and a former President of the National Geographic Society. That region continues to bear the family's name, and is the location of the headquarters of the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has its national headquarters located here.

The Twinbrook, White Flint, and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations all serve the area.

History

North Bethesda shares a common history with most of its Montgomery County neighbors. Archaeological evidence suggests that Paleo, Archaic, and Woodland Native Americans lived nearby, along the banks of the Potomac River. These peoples traveled along an ancient route known as the Seneca Trail (which is today approximately followed in North Bethesda by Old Georgetown Road). Like many ancient roads, the Seneca Trail followed a ridge line – in this case, the high ground between the Potomac River and Rock Creek. Much later, development would spring up along this route.

The recorded history of the area commences with the colonial era. Settlements formed along Rock Creek and the Seneca Trail in the 17th Century, with recorded land grants in this area known originally as “Dan” and “Leeke Forest.”

The Riley plantation house and kitchen, located in the Tilden Woods neighborhood on Old Georgetown Road

In the early 19th century, much of the area was part of a 3,700-acre (15 km2) tobacco plantation owned by a slaveowning family with the surname of Riley. One of the Rileys' slaves, Josiah Henson, is thought by historians to be the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. During this period, the Washington Turnpike Company was founded to improve the old Seneca route, by then known as the Georgetown-Frederick Road. The road was opened in 1828, but had nearly washed away by 1848. The Riley plantation house was located on this road, and the plantation house's kitchen (in which Henson is known to have slept) still stands near the course of this road.

By the late 19th century, the area was privileged with stops along a train route, and by the early 20th century with its own trolley tracks on the line connecting Georgetown and Rockville (along current-day Fleming Avenue). During this time, development bloomed around train and trolley stops, and a number of wealthy families, including those of Captain James Frederick Oyster and Charles I. Corby (who developed methods that revolutionized the baking industry), lived or summered in the area. Nonetheless, the area remained sparsely populated through the 1920s.

The arrival of the automobile eventually transformed the area into a commuter suburb of Washington, D.C. By the 1950’s, the area had sprouted a number of developer-conceived neighborhoods with tract houses for the middle-class.

Today, the area remains largely a commuter suburb, with most residents traveling an average of 30 minutes to their workplace. While some traditional neighborhoods remain, other areas have struggled with issues related to suburban sprawl. Over the last few decades, the area has become increasingly affluent and, like most areas in southern Montgomery County, has attracted a highly educated and older population.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
198022,671—
199029,65630.8%
200038,61030.2%
source: [2]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 38,610 people, 17,286 households, and 9,662 families residing in the area. The population density was 4,281.5 people per square mile (1,652.7/km²). There were 18,071 housing units at an average density of 2,003.9/sq mi (773.5/km²). The racial makeup of the area was 77.24% White, 4.96% African American, 0.29% Native American, 11.97% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.61% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.53% of the population.

There were 17,286 households out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the area, the population was spread out with 17.9% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.

According to a 2007 estimate[3], the median income for a household in the area was $85,136, and the median income for a family was $105,157. Males had a median income of $61,893 versus $47,621 for females. The per capita income for the area was $44,316. About 3.5% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

ZIP codes

The North Bethesda CDP shares the ZIP code 20852 with parts of the city of Rockville, Maryland, and the ZIP code 20895 with Kensington, Maryland. The United States Postal Service recognizes either "North Bethesda" or "N Bethesda" as an acceptable alternate town name for ZIP code 20852. However, for ZIP code 20895, the USPS ZIP-code database specifically lists "North Bethesda" as "Not Acceptable — Use Kensington."

The southern region of the North Bethesda CDP (enclosed by the Washington Beltway and the two southern spurs of the I-270) is split between the ZIP codes 20817 and 20814. Both of these ZIP codes use the postal address "Bethesda," rather than "North Bethesda." Despite the census designation, the residents of this region – as well as the U.S. Postal Service – consider the region to be Bethesda, rather than North Bethesda.

Neighborhoods in North Bethesda

There are many neighborhoods that makeup the census area of North Bethesda. The list below is some of the well-known neighborhoods.

  • Garrett Park Estates
  • Halpine
  • Old Georgetown Village
  • Luxmanor
  • Randolph Hills
  • The Crest of Wickford
  • Wildwood
  • Tilden Woods
  • Timberlawn
  • Old Farm
  • Chase Crossing
  • Grosvenor Park
  • North Bethesda Market

See also

References

  1. ^ "Montgomery Co. To Open Tallest Tower". www.myFoxDC.com. 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  2. ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (1790-2000)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  3. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US2407125&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US24%7C16000US2407125&_street=&_county=north+bethesda&_cityTown=north+bethesda&_state=04000US24&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=
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