Bethesda

Bethesda is a census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda. The National Institutes of Health main campus and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are in Bethesda, as are a number of corporate and government headquarters.

History

Bethesda is one of the most affluent and highly educated communities in the United States. It is situated along a major thoroughfare that was originally the route of an ancient Native American trail. Henry Fleet (1602–1661), an English fur trader, was the first European to travel to the area, which he reached by sailing up the Potomac River. Most early settlers in Maryland were tenant farmers who paid their rent in tobacco.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.2 square miles (34 km2). It has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and is part of the Blue Ridge province of the Appalachian Mountains.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 55,277 people, 23,659 households, and 15,941 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,205.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,624.2/km²).

Education

Bethesda is home to many schools and educational institutions, including the National Institutes of Health and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. It also has a number of private schools, including the French International School and the Washington Waldorf School.

Transportation

Bethesda is served by a county-wide bus system, Ride On, and by the Washington Metro's Red Line. It is also traversed by the Capital Crescent Trail, a rail trail converted from the former B&O Railroad's Georgetown Branch.

Notable people

Many notable people have lived in Bethesda, including journalist Carl Bernstein, author Judith Viorst, and television host Maury Povich.

See also

• List of census-designated places in Maryland
• National Institutes of Health
• Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

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