Bethesda, Maryland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

this is a pretty cool/ghetto place

Bethesda is an urbanized, but unincorporated, area in Montgomery County, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a church located there, the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, built in 1820 and rebuilt in 1850, which in turn took its name from the the Bible (Aramaic, beth hesda, meaning "house of mercy".

As an unincorporated area, Bethesda has no official boundaries. The United States Census Bureau defines a Census-Designated Place named Bethesda whose center is located at 38°59' North, 77°7' West. The United States Geological Survey has defined Bethesda as an area whose center is at 38°58′50″N, 77°6′2″W, slightly different from the Census Bureau's definition. Other definitions are used by the Bethesda Urban Planning District, the United States Postal Service, and other organizations. As of 2000, the Census-defined community had a total population of 55,277.

1 Bethesda's Population History from the U.S. Census Bureau
2 Panorama
3 Landmarks
4 Geography
5 Demographics
6 Notable residents and natives
7 External links

[edit] Bethesda's Population History from the U.S. Census Bureau

1960....56,527
1970....71,621
1980....62,736
1990....62,936
2000....55,277

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

[edit] Panorama

Panorama of downtown Bethesda.

[edit] Landmarks

Building 50 at NIH

Important institutions located in Bethesda include the National Institutes of Health, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division. Bethesda is also home to the National Naval Medical Center, commonly referred to as Bethesda Naval Hospital, where many famous Americans such as Senator Joseph McCarthy died, and the John F. Kennedy autopsy was performed. Adjoining the hospital to the east is the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).

The headquarters of defense conglomerate Lockheed Martin and hotel and resort chain Marriott International are located in Bethesda. Software company Bethesda Softworks was previously located in Bethesda, but recently moved to Rockville, Maryland. The Discovery Channel also had its headquarters in Bethesda before relocating to Silver Spring in 2004. Bethesda is renowned for its extensive collection of restaurants—180 were listed at the end of 2004—offering cuisine ranging from Afghan to Vietnamese. Bethesda is also home to two vibrant farmers markets, the Montgomery Farm Woman's Cooperative Market and the Bethesda Farmer's Market, as well as numerous cinemas and art galleries.

Also located in downtown Bethesda is one of just 12 Madonna of the Trail monuments, erected by the National Old Trails Association working in concert with the Daughters of the American Revolution. Judge Harry S. Truman, later 33rd President of the United States, presided over the dedication of the Bethesda monument, on April 19, 1929. Eleven others were erected as well, and they stretch from Upland, California to Bethesda, the easternmost of these monuments, which commemorate the spirit of pioneer women during the westward expansion of the U.S.A. Nearby is the Bethesda Post Office, probably the oldest standing building in the downtown area. Also starting in the heart of downtown Bethesda, is the Capital Crescent Trail Capital Crescent Trail which follows the old tracks of the B&O Railroad stretching from Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Silver Spring, MD.

Bethesda is also home to the Burning Tree Club and the Bethesda Country Club. Many prestigious private college preparatory schools find their homes in Bethesda including; the Landon School, the Holton-Arms School, Georgetown Preparatory School, and Stone Ridge School.

In addition, one of Bethesda's primary high schools, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School,was ranked 29th nationally by Newsweek Magazine.

[edit] Geography

Boundaries of Bethesda CDP as of 2003

Bethesda is located at 38°59′5″N, 77°6′47″W (38.984660, -77.113135)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 34.2 km² (13.2 mi²). 34.0 km² (13.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.38%) is water.

The main commercial corridor is Maryland Route 355, which in its northern reaches connects Bethesda with the communities of North Bethesda and Rockville and is known as Rockville Pike. Rockville Pike becomes Wisconsin Avenue near the NIH and continues beyond Bethesda through Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights, Maryland and into Washington, DC.

The area commonly known as "downtown Bethesda" is centered at the intersection of Wisconsin with Maryland Route 187, Old Georgetown Road, and Maryland Route 410, East-West Highway. Much of the dense construction in that area followed the opening of the Bethesda station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro, also located at this intersection and the centerpiece of the Bethesda Metro Center development. The "downtown," which includes the restaurant districts of Bethesda Row and Woodmont Triangle, lies about 0.7 miles south of Bethesda's other Red Line stop, Medical Center, which serves the NIH and Bethesda Naval Hospital. Bethesda Row and Woodmont Triangle are under heavy development, including several luxury condominiums, restaurants, and businesses.

The outer rim of Bethesda is known for older houses that still hold a strong value in today’s residential market. Even with the great “bubble burst” this in 2006, Bethesda real estate seems to be holding strong. As of November 2, 2006 399 homes are for sale in Bethesda alone for an average price of $994,900, a price change up from October +7.6%.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 55,277 people, 23,659 households, and 14,455 families residing in the defined area. The population density was 1,624.2/km² (4,205.8/mi²). There were 24,368 housing units at an average density of 716.0/km² (1,854.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the community was 85.86% White, 2.67% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 7.92% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. 5.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino 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% were married 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 community the population was spread out with 21.9% 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% who were 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 wealthy and well-educated area. According to the 2000 Census, Bethesda is the best-educated city in the nation 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. The median income for a household is $99,102, and the median income for a family was $130,160. Males had a median income of $84,797 versus $57,569 for females. The per capita income for the area was $58,479. About 1.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over. Many commute to Washington D.C. for work.

Bethesda is often associated with its neighboring communities, Potomac, MD, and Chevy Chase, MD, for their similar demographics. These three towns together make up the wealthy picturesque Maryland suburban communities for Washington, DC.

[edit] Notable residents and natives

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, heiress and critically acclaimed actress. Raised in Bethesda and graduated from the Holton-Arms School.
Robert Hays, actor, known for role in Airplane!, born in Bethesda on July 24, 1947.
Maury Povich, talk-show host. Resides in Bethesda with his wife, Connie Chung.
John R. Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and former Under Secretary of State.
Thomas Friedman, a New York Times editorial writer, and author of several books.
David Brooks (journalist), a New York Times editorial writer, and author of several books.
William Peter Blatty, critically acclaimed writer of The Exorcist among other works.
E.J. Dionne, author and journalist, known for Why Americans Hate Politics: The Death of the Democratic Process.
Jim Moody, Former Wisconsin congressman.
Tim Kurkjian, ESPN reporter and Baseball Tonight analyst.
John Feinstein, author, columnist and reporter.
John G Roberts, Chief justice of the supreme court.
Red Auerbach, Former Boston Celtics GM and coach (deceased October 28, 2006).
Bruce Morrison, Former US Congressman and Connecticut Gubernatorial candidate
Gary Clark, Former Washington Redskin and Two-Time Super Bowl Champion, owns and operates South Beach Restaurant and Martini Lounge in downtown Bethesda.
John Windsor, Former Georgetown Hoya Two-Sport Super Star in Football & LAX, LOYOLA COLLEGE graduate owns several records including most pummels against Visitation.
Jeff Halpern, Dallas Stars forward.
Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile.