North Bethesda, Maryland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Bethesda, Maryland
Census-designated place
North Bethesda skyline
Location of North Bethesda, Maryland
Boundaries of the North Bethesda CDP, as of 2003
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Montgomery
Area
• Total	8.89 sq mi (23.04 km2)
• Land	8.87 sq mi (22.98 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	354 ft (108 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	50,094
• Density	5,646.30/sq mi (2,179.96/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	20814, 20817, 20851, 20852, 20906
Area code(s)	301, 240
FIPS code	24-56337
GNIS feature ID	2389566

North Bethesda Market East, once the tallest building in Montgomery County.

North Bethesda is a community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C.. About 50,094 people lived here in 2020.

North Bethesda is known as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area grouped together for statistics, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.

One important part of North Bethesda is White Flint. This area is a busy center for homes and businesses. The Pike & Rose development is also a key part of the area. It is known as "North Bethesda's Urban Core."

The community is served by two WMATA Metro stations: North Bethesda (which used to be called White Flint) and Grosvenor-Strathmore.

Many important organizations are located in North Bethesda. These include parts of the National Institutes of Health and other government groups like the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Several company headquarters and non-profit groups, such as the American Kidney Fund, are also here.

North Bethesda is also home to famous places like the Mansion at Strathmore and the Georgetown Preparatory School. The Music Center at Strathmore is a popular spot for concerts and events.

Where is North Bethesda?

Aerial view of Rockville Pike, a main road in North Bethesda.

North Bethesda is about four miles (6.4 km) northwest of Washington, D.C.. It does not have official borders like a city. However, the United States Census Bureau defines it for counting people.

North Bethesda is next to Rockville to the north. It borders Bethesda and Potomac to the south and west. The area covers about 8.9 square miles (23 square kilometers) of land.

Main roads in North Bethesda include Interstates 270 and 495. Other important roads are Old Georgetown Road, Rockville Pike, and Strathmore Avenue.

Besides the Metro, people can travel using Ride On and Metrobus bus systems. A future MARC train station is also planned.

Other notable places in North Bethesda include:

• The Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
• The Kennedy-Shriver Aquatic Center (a swimming center)
• The Jewish Community Center
• The Linden Oak tree, which the Metro line was moved to protect
• North Bethesda Market, which was once the tallest building in Montgomery County

Major shopping areas include Pike & Rose, Montrose Crossing, and Federal Plaza. The White Flint Mall used to be a big shopping center here, but it was torn down in 2016.

A Look at North Bethesda's Past

North Bethesda shares a lot of history with its neighbors in Montgomery County, Maryland. Long ago, Native Americans lived along the Potomac River. They used an old path called the Seneca Trail. Today, Old Georgetown Road roughly follows this trail.

The first records of the area are from the colonial era. Settlements grew along Rock Creek and the Seneca Trail in the 1600s. The southern part of North Bethesda was once a large country estate owned by the Grosvenor family. This family included Alexander Graham Bell.

The Riley plantation house and kitchen, located in the Tilden Woods neighborhood.

In the early 1800s, much of the area was a large tobacco farm. It was owned by the Riley family, who enslaved people. One of their enslaved workers, Josiah Henson, is believed to have inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous book, Uncle Tom's Cabin. The kitchen from the Riley farm still stands today.

In 1828, a new road called the Georgetown-Frederick Road opened. Later in the 1800s, train stops came to the area. By the early 1900s, trolley tracks connected Georgetown and Rockville. Homes and businesses grew around these stops. Wealthy families also built homes here.

When cars became popular, North Bethesda changed into a place where people lived and commuted to Washington, D.C.. By the 1950s, many new neighborhoods with homes for middle-class families were built.

Today, some older neighborhoods remain. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission helps plan how the area will grow. The White Flint Master Plan aims to guide future development in North Bethesda.

Is North Bethesda a Real Place?

Sometimes, people living nearby wonder if North Bethesda is a real place with clear boundaries. Some think it's just a part of Rockville or a new name made up by real estate agents.

One reason for this confusion is that much of North Bethesda shares a ZIP code and postal address with Rockville. Parts of it also use the Kensington address or the Bethesda ZIP code.

For example, the Whole Foods Market that people call the "Rockville location" is actually in North Bethesda. Also, the county's plan for the area was called "White Flint," which was the name of a demolished mall and a Metro station (now renamed North Bethesda).

In the mid-2010s, developers started calling the area around the Metro station the "Pike District." Also, North Bethesda Middle School is actually located in Bethesda.

Even though some say "North Bethesda" is used to make the area sound more like the fancy Bethesda, some real estate agents say it can be confusing for customers.

Learning in North Bethesda

Walter Johnson High School

Montgomery County Public Schools serves the students in North Bethesda. Public schools in the area include:

• Garrett Park Elementary School
• Luxmanor Elementary School
• Veirs Mill Elementary School
• Tilden Middle School
• Walter Johnson High School
• Charles W. Woodward High School (set to reopen around 2025)

Catholic schools in the area are:

• Academy of the Holy Cross
• Holy Cross School (started in 1961)
• Georgetown Preparatory School

Other private schools include:

• Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (with two campuses)
• Green Acres School (for grades K-8)

The Washington Japanese Language School, which is the oldest weekend Japanese school in the U.S., used to hold classes at Holy Cross School and Georgetown Prep.

Working in North Bethesda

Pike and Rose, a major new development in North Bethesda.

Many companies and organizations have their main offices in North Bethesda. These include Lockheed Martin, Host Hotels & Resorts, and Total Wine & More.

Several parts of the National Institutes of Health are also here. These include the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Other government groups like the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are based in North Bethesda. Non-profit organizations like the American Kidney Fund and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) also have offices here.

The Marriott-operated Montgomery County Conference Center is near the North Bethesda Metro station. It hosts many large national meetings each year.

The White Flint Mall used to be a very popular shopping center here. Now, Pike & Rose is a big new development. It has offices, shops, hotels, homes, and entertainment all in one place.

Neighborhoods in North Bethesda

North Bethesda includes many different neighborhoods. Some of these are:

See also

In Spanish: North Bethesda (Maryland) para niños