Bethesda, Maryland | |
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| Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc.[1] | |
 From top:Bethesda Meeting House, Bethesda'sMadonna of the Trail statue, theNational Institutes of Health, downtown Bethesda near theBethesdaMetro station, Bethesda Avenue at night,Bethesda Theatre, and theConnie Morella Library. | |
 Boundaries of Bethesda CDP fromU.S. Census Bureau | |
 Location of Bethesda in Montgomery County, Maryland | |
| Coordinates:38°59′5″N77°6′47″W / 38.98472°N 77.11306°W /38.98472; -77.11306 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Montgomery |
| Government | |
| • Type | Management organization with county sanction[1] |
| • Executive director | Jeff Burton[2] |
| • Marketing and communications director | Stephanie Coppula[2] |
| • Finance and operations director | Jeff Oyer[2] |
| • Field operations manager | Eli Banks[2] |
| • Office manager | Chiqui Laboy[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 13.33 sq mi (34.52 km2) |
| • Land | 13.26 sq mi (34.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.066 sq mi (0.17 km2) |
| Elevation | 354 ft (108 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 68,056 |
| • Density | 5,132/sq mi (1,981.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 20800–20899 |
| Area codes | 301, 240 |
| FIPS code | 24-07125 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2389206[4] |
Bethesda (/bəˈθɛzdə/) is anunincorporated,census-designated place in southernMontgomery County, Maryland, United States. Located just northwest ofWashington, D.C., it is a major business and government center of theWashington metropolitan region and a national center for medical research. According to the2020 census, the community had a population of 68,056.[5]
It takes its name from a local church, theBethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in turn took its name fromJerusalem'sPool of Bethesda.[6]
Bethesda is located in the traditional territory of the indigenous NativePiscataway andNacotchtank at the time ofEuropean colonization. Fur trader Henry Fleet became the first European to visit the area, reaching it by sailing up thePotomac River. He stayed with the Piscataway tribe from 1623 to 1627, either as a guest or prisoner (historical accounts differ). Fleet eventually secured funding for another expedition to the region and was later granted proprietary rights to 2,000 acres of land in the nascent colony and became a member of Maryland's colonial legislature.[7] Raids from theSenecas andSusquehannock resulted in the creation of the Maryland division of Rangers in 1694 to patrol thefrontier.[7]
Most settlers in colonial Maryland were tenant farmers who paid their rent in tobacco, and colonists continued to expand farther north in search of fertile land.Henry Darnall (1645–1711) surveyed a 710-acre (290-hectare) area in 1694 which became the first land grant in Bethesda.[7] Tobacco farming was the primary way of life in Bethesda throughout the 1700s. The city avoided seeing action during theRevolutionary War, although it became a supply region for the fledglingContinental Navy. The establishment ofWashington, D.C., in 1790 deprived Montgomery County of its economic center at Georgetown, although the event had little effect on the small farmers throughout Bethesda.[7]
Between 1805 and 1821, Bethesda became a rural way station after the development of theWashington and Rockville Turnpike, which carried tobacco and other products betweenGeorgetown andRockville, and north toFrederick. The Bethesda Meeting House, a Presbyterian church, was built in 1820. The church burned in 1849 and was rebuilt the same year about 100 yards (91 m) south, and its former location became the Cemetery of the Bethesda Meeting House.
In 1852, the postmaster general established a post office in the area and appointed Rev. A. R. Smith its first postmaster.[8] By 1862, a small settlement had grown around a store and tollhouse along the turnpike known as "Darcy's Store" for the store's owner, William E. Darcy. It consisted of a blacksmith shop, a church and school, and a few houses and stores. In 1871, postmaster Robert Franck renamed the settlement for the church.[9]
A streetcar line was established in 1890 and suburbanization increased in the early 1900s, and Bethesda grew in population. Communities near railroad lines had grown the fastest during the 19th century.[7] In 1910, theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad completed itsGeorgetown Branch line fromSilver Spring toGeorgetown, including a storage yard there and multiple sidings serving industries in Bethesda. B&O successorCSX ceased train service on the line in 1985, so the county transformed it intoa trail in the rails-to-trails movement. The tracks were removed in 1994, and the first part of the trail was opened in 1998; it has become the most used rail-trail in the United States, averaging over one million users per year.[10]
Subdivisions began to appear on old farmland in the late 19th century, becoming the neighborhoods of Drummond, Woodmont, Edgemoor, and Battery Park. Farther north, several wealthy men made Rockville Pike famous for its mansions. These includedBrainard W. Parker ("Cedarcroft", 1892),James Oyster ("Strathmore", 1899),George E. Hamilton ("Hamilton House", 1904; now theStone Ridge School),Luke I. Wilson ("Tree Tops", 1926),Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor ("Wild Acres", 1928–29), andGeorge Freeland Peter ("Stone House", 1930). In 1930,Armistead Peter's pioneering manor house "Winona" (1873) became the clubhouse of the Woodmont Country Club on land that is now part of theNational Institutes of Health (NIH) campus.Merle Thorpe's mansion "Pook's Hill" (1927, razed 1948) became the home-in-exile of theNorwegian royal family duringWorld War II.[9][11]
Before the passage of theFair Housing Act of 1968, restrictive covenants were used in Bethesda to exclude racial and ethnic minorities—primarily African-Americans, but also Asian-Americans and ethnic groups regarded as "Semitic", including Armenians, Jews, Iranians, Greeks, Turks, and Syrians.[12] One 1938 restrictive covenant in the Bradley Woods subdivision of Bethesda said, "No part of the land hereby conveyed, shall ever be used, or occupied by or sold, demised, transferred, conveyed, unto, or in trust for, leased, or rented, or given to negroes, or any person or persons of negro blood or extraction or to any person of the Semitic Race, blood, or origin, which racial description shall be deemed to include Armenians, Jews, Hebrews, Persians, Syrians, Greeks and Turks, or to any person of the Mongolian Race, blood, or origin, which racial description shall be deemed to include Chinese, Japanese, and Mongolians, except that this paragraph shall not be held to exclude partial occupancy of the premises by domestic servants of the purchaser or purchasers."[13] In practice, covenants excluding "Semitic races" were generally used to exclude Jews as Montgomery County did not have notable Armenian, Greek, Syrian, or Turkish populations at the time.[14]
World War II and the subsequent expansion of government fed the rapid growth of Bethesda. Both theNational Naval Medical Center (1940–42) and the NIH complex (1948) were built just to the north of the developing downtown, and this drew government contractors, medical professionals, and other businesses to the area.
Bethesda became the major urban core and employment center of southwestern Montgomery County.[9] This recent vigorous growth followed the 1984 expansion ofMetrorail witha station in Bethesda. The Bethesda Metro Center was built over theRed Line metro rail, which opened up further commercial and residential development in the immediate vicinity.[15] In the 2000s, the strict height limits on construction in the District of Columbia led to the development of mid-and high-rise office and residential towers around the Bethesda Metro station.[citation needed]
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According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.2 square miles (34 km2), of which 13.1 square miles (34 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.38%) is water. The main commercial corridor that passes through Bethesda isMaryland Route 355 (known as Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda and as Rockville Pike and Hungerford Drive in more northern communities), which, to the north, connects Bethesda with the communities ofNorth Bethesda andRockville, ending, after several name changes, inFrederick. Toward the South, Rockville Pike becomes Wisconsin Avenue near theNIH Campus and continues beyond Bethesda throughChevy Chase,Friendship Heights and intoWashington, D.C., ending inGeorgetown.
The area commonly known as Downtown Bethesda is centered at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue, Old Georgetown Road and East-West Highway. This intersection is about two and one-half miles from Washington, D.C.'s western boundary, making Bethesda a close-in suburb of the nation's capital. Other focal points of downtown Bethesda include the Woodmont Triangle, bordered by Old Georgetown Road (Maryland Route 187), Woodmont and Rugby Avenues, and the Bethesda Row, centered at the intersection of Woodmont Avenue and Bethesda Avenue. Much of the dense construction in that area followed the opening of theBethesda station on theRed Line of theWashington Metro rapid transit system, also located at this intersection and the centerpiece of the Bethesda Metro Center development. The Medical Center Metro stop lies about 0.7 miles north of the Bethesda stop,Medical Center, which serves the NIH Campus, theWalter Reed National Military Medical Center, and theUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 56,527 | — | |
| 1970 | 71,621 | 26.7% | |
| 1980 | 62,736 | −12.4% | |
| 1990 | 62,936 | 0.3% | |
| 2000 | 55,277 | −12.2% | |
| 2010 | 60,858 | 10.1% | |
| 2020 | 68,056 | 11.8% | |
| source:[16] 2010–2020[5] | |||
As of thecensus[17] of 2000, there were 55,277 people, 23,659 households, and 14,455 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,205.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,623.9/km2). There were 24,368 housing units at an average density of 1,854.1 per square mile (715.9/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.86%White, 2.67%Black orAfrican American, 0.17%Native American, 7.92%Asian, 0.05%Pacific Islander, 1.23% fromother races, and 2.11% from two or more races. 5.43% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 23,659 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% weremarried couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.2% 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 2.30, and the average family size was 2.92.
In the CDP, 21.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
Bethesda is a very wealthy and well-educated area. According to the 2000 census, Bethesda was the best-educated city in the United States of America, with a population of 50,000 or more. 79% of residents 25 or older have bachelor's degrees, and 49% have graduate or professional degrees. According to a 2007 estimate,[18] the median income for a household in the CDP was $117,723, and the median income for a family was $168,385. Males had a median income of $84,797 versus $57,569 for females. Theper capita income for the CDP was $58,479. About 1.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over. Many commute toWashington, D.C., for work. The average price of a four-bedroom, two-bath home in Bethesda in 2010 was $806,817 (which ranks it as the twentieth most expensive community in America).[19]
Bethesda is often associated with its neighboring communities,Potomac,Chevy Chase,Great Falls, Virginia, andMcLean, Virginia, for their similar demographics.
The ethnic makeup in 2020 was 69.5% non-Hispanic white, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 4.9% Black, 11.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, and 8.2% of two or more races. 24.4% of the population was foreign-born.[20]
Important medical institutions located in Bethesda include theNational Institutes of Health campus,Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the adjoiningUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, as well as a number of other military medical and research institutions. Other federal institutions include theConsumer Product Safety Commission and theNaval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division.
The headquarters of defense conglomerateLockheed Martin, managed health care companyCoventry Health Care and hotel and resort chainsMarriott International andHost Hotels & Resorts, Inc. are located in Bethesda. Software companyBethesda Softworks was originally located in and named after Bethesda but moved toRockville in 1990. TheDiscovery Channel also had its headquarters in Bethesda before it moved toSilver Spring in 2004. On the professional services side, numerous banks (PNC, Capital One Bank) brokerage firms (MorganStanley, Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab, Fidelity) and law firms (Ballard Spahr, JDKatz, Paley Rothman, Lerch Early & Brewer) maintain offices in Bethesda. Bethesda has twofarmers markets: the Montgomery Farm Woman's Cooperative Market and the Bethesda Central Farmer's Market. In summer 2021,Fox Television Stations moved the broadcast facilities of its Washington-area television stations,WTTG andWDCA, to Bethesda.
Bethesda is the home ofCongressional Country Club, which is recognized as one of the world's most prestigious private country clubs. Congressional has hosted four major golf championships, including the2011 U.S. Open, won byRory McIlroy.The National, a golf tournament hosted byTiger Woods, was played at Congressional seven times between 2007 and 2016. Bethesda is also home of the exclusiveBurning Tree Club, Bethesda Country Club, and theBethesda Big Train, a summer collegiate baseball team.
A number of ambassador residences are in Bethesda, including those ofBangladesh,Haiti,Cape Verde,Guyana,Honduras,Lesotho,Morocco,Nicaragua,Uruguay, andZimbabwe.[21][22]
Also located in downtown Bethesda is one of theMadonna of the Trail monuments, erected by the National Old Trails Association with theDaughters of the American Revolution. U.S. PresidentHarry S. Truman presided over the dedication of the Bethesda monument on April 19, 1929. Nearby is the Bethesda Post Office. Also beginning in the heart of downtown Bethesda is theCapital Crescent Trail. Walter Reed Medical Center and the Bethesda Theater are two importantArt Deco architectural structures in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
Federal Realty Investment Trust has developed much of the west side of downtown Bethesda into an area calledBethesda Row, incorporating principles ofnew urbanism and a mixed-use district including residential apartments and condos (100,000 ft2), retail (300,000 ft2), dining, office space (100,000 ft2), hotels, entertainment, public art and fountains, forming the new core of revitalized downtown Bethesda.[23] Retail stores include anApple Store,Anthropologie, and Bethesda Bagels.
Local Fox affiliate Fox 5,WTTG, is located in Bethesda in the Wilson building at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue.[24] The studio often films with a live shot facing north on Wisconsin Avenue capturing the skyline of downtown Bethesda.
Bethesda is located in theMontgomery County Public School District.
Public primary schools in Bethesda include:
| Public middle schools in Bethesda include:
Public high schools in Bethesda include:
|
Private schools in Bethesda include:
Bethesda is home to a federally funded and operated health science university, theUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). The primary mission of USU is to prepare graduates for service in theMedical Corps of theU.S. Army,Navy, andAir Force, and thePublic Health Service. The university consists of the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, a medical school, and the Graduate School of Nursing, a nursing school.National Intelligence University is also in Bethesda.
The Washington Japanese Language School, asupplementary weekend Japanese school, holds its classes at the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda.[27][28] The WJLS maintains its school office inNorth Bethesda, adjacent toGarrett Park.[29][30][28] The institution, giving supplemental education to Japanese-speaking children in theWashington, D.C., area, was founded in 1958,[31] making it the oldest Japanese government-sponsored supplementary school in the U.S.[32]
TheWriter's Center in Bethesda publishesPoet Lore, the longest continuously running poetry journal in the United States.[33]
Notable companies based in Bethesda include:
Downtown Bethesda is managed by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, a non-profit organization established in 1994 by Montgomery County.[1]
Washington Metro'sRed Line services two primary locations in Bethesda: the downtown area at theBethesda station, and the area near theNational Institutes of Health and theWalter Reed Medical Center at theMedical Center station. TheMaryland Transit Administration'sPurple Line, a light rail line currently under construction, will provide a direct connection from Bethesda toSilver Spring, theUniversity of Maryland,College Park, andNew Carrollton.[34] The Purple Line will allow riders from Bethesda to move between theRed,Green, andOrange lines of the Washington Metro transportation system, as well as toMARC andAmtrak trains, without needing to ride into centralWashington, D.C.[35]
Local buses include:
Long-distance buses include:
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Established by Montgomery County in 1994, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. (BUP) is a downtown management organization that maintains and markets downtown Bethesda.
Administrative Offices 9600 Forest Rd Bethesda, MD 20814[...]BRADLEY CAMPUS – AGE 2 THROUGH KINDERGARTEN[...]7108 Bradley Blvd., in Bethesda, MD 20817[...]FOREST ROAD CAMPUS – 5TH GRADE THROUGH 12TH GRADE[...]9600 Forest Road, Bethesda MD 20814[...]NEW PRIMARY CAMPUS – AGE 2 THROUGH 5TH GRADE[...]Address: 9650 Rockville Pike, in Bethesda, MD 20817
documents, which list Rooney as living in the capital suburb of Bethesda, Maryland...
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