The Stigma of North Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in North Bethesda on Tuckerman lane. I didn't know I should not use the name. Is it silly if I use it? When I bought my place, the address says north Bethesda. I didn't know the place is called Rockville.

Hi neighbor! We also live N. Bethesda on Tuckerman. We use the names North Bethesda, Rockville and 20852 interchangeably ever since moving here from NYC area a couple of years ago. I don't find there to be many real towns, nor is there a strong sense of place, in most of the DC suburbs. So who really cares what we call the area? It's pretty meaningless.

+1! The post office recognizes 20852 as either Rockville or North Bethesda and I get mail both ways. I also say, "near Garrett Park" and things like that. Most of Montgomery County is unincorporated and these boundaries are only really defended with vigor by assholes like OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in North Bethesda on Tuckerman lane. I didn't know I should not use the name. Is it silly if I use it? When I bought my place, the address says north Bethesda. I didn't know the place is called Rockville.

Hi neighbor! We also live N. Bethesda on Tuckerman. We use the names North Bethesda, Rockville and 20852 interchangeably ever since moving here from NYC area a couple of years ago. I don't find there to be many real towns, nor is there a strong sense of place, in most of the DC suburbs. So who really cares what we call the area? It's pretty meaningless.

+1! The post office recognizes 20852 as either Rockville or North Bethesda and I get mail both ways. I also say, "near Garrett Park" and things like that. Most of Montgomery County is unincorporated and these boundaries are only really defended with vigor by assholes like OP.

While not really well defined they are rarely rebranded to try and blatantly latch on to better areas as with north Bethesda. It isn't like there was only farm fields and one day they built something and decided to call it north Bethesda. There was some joneses in Rockville with some creative marketing who rebranded it pretentiously. The rebranding is what I suspect rubs people the wrong way similar to north Potomac.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in North Bethesda on Tuckerman lane. I didn't know I should not use the name. Is it silly if I use it? When I bought my place, the address says north Bethesda. I didn't know the place is called Rockville.

Hi neighbor! We also live N. Bethesda on Tuckerman. We use the names North Bethesda, Rockville and 20852 interchangeably ever since moving here from NYC area a couple of years ago. I don't find there to be many real towns, nor is there a strong sense of place, in most of the DC suburbs. So who really cares what we call the area? It's pretty meaningless.

+1! The post office recognizes 20852 as either Rockville or North Bethesda and I get mail both ways. I also say, "near Garrett Park" and things like that. Most of Montgomery County is unincorporated and these boundaries are only really defended with vigor by assholes like OP.

While not really well defined they are rarely rebranded to try and blatantly latch on to better areas as with north Bethesda. It isn't like there was only farm fields and one day they built something and decided to call it north Bethesda. There was some joneses in Rockville with some creative marketing who rebranded it pretentiously. The rebranding is what I suspect rubs people the wrong way similar to north Potomac.

Oh yes, oh so "creative marketing." Take the direction "North" and add it to place that the location is actually north of. Wow, what a spin. How does this exactly rub you the wrong way? Because the significance you attach to Bethesda depends entirely on how exclusive it is? Who cares. I don't know who the first people to use "North Bethesda" were -- that link a PP posted suggested it was county planners -- and maybe they were "Joneses," who knows. But the people who live there now are using what has become a fairly accurate term. So again, Bethesda people and OP, get over yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in North Bethesda on Tuckerman lane. I didn't know I should not use the name. Is it silly if I use it? When I bought my place, the address says north Bethesda. I didn't know the place is called Rockville.

Hi neighbor! We also live N. Bethesda on Tuckerman. We use the names North Bethesda, Rockville and 20852 interchangeably ever since moving here from NYC area a couple of years ago. I don't find there to be many real towns, nor is there a strong sense of place, in most of the DC suburbs. So who really cares what we call the area? It's pretty meaningless.

+1! The post office recognizes 20852 as either Rockville or North Bethesda and I get mail both ways. I also say, "near Garrett Park" and things like that. Most of Montgomery County is unincorporated and these boundaries are only really defended with vigor by assholes like OP.

While not really well defined they are rarely rebranded to try and blatantly latch on to better areas as with north Bethesda. It isn't like there was only farm fields and one day they built something and decided to call it north Bethesda. There was some joneses in Rockville with some creative marketing who rebranded it pretentiously. The rebranding is what I suspect rubs people the wrong way similar to north Potomac.

Actually I live in Rockville and think the term is a joke, my wife from Silver Spring thinks so too. It isn't us or Bethesda residents over inflating the value of the name Bethesda it is the residents of North Bethesda..... You know that area off Rockville pike

Oh yes, oh so "creative marketing." Take the direction "North" and add it to place that the location is actually north of. Wow, what a spin. How does this exactly rub you the wrong way? Because the significance you attach to Bethesda depends entirely on how exclusive it is? Who cares. I don't know who the first people to use "North Bethesda" were -- that link a PP posted suggested it was county planners -- and maybe they were "Joneses," who knows. But the people who live there now are using what has become a fairly accurate term. So again, Bethesda people and OP, get over yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Actually I live in Rockville and think the term is a joke, my wife from Silver Spring thinks so too. It isn't us or Bethesda residents over inflating the value of the name Bethesda it is the residents of North Bethesda..... You know that area off Rockville pike

[Anonymous]

We almost bought in that area over 20 years ago and it was called North Bethesda then - the areas near Walter Johnson and Tilden MS.

Nice area and quite frankly Montgomery would be a lot nicer if there were more areas like that as opposed to the mix of super posh areas and generally crappy areas there now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Actually I live in Rockville and think the term is a joke, my wife from Silver Spring thinks so too. It isn't us or Bethesda residents over inflating the value of the name Bethesda it is the residents of North Bethesda..... You know that area off Rockville pike

Maybe you live in the actual city of Rockville and feel that "Rockville" accurately and effectively communicates where you live. If so, good for you. Yes, parts of 20852 are off Rockville Pike, you know that road that turns into Wisconsin and runs through Bethesda? I fail to see how my using the term "North Bethesda" is "over inflating the name Bethesda" so whatever, dude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Actually I live in Rockville and think the term is a joke, my wife from Silver Spring thinks so too. It isn't us or Bethesda residents over inflating the value of the name Bethesda it is the residents of North Bethesda..... You know that area off Rockville pike

Maybe you live in the actual city of Rockville and feel that "Rockville" accurately and effectively communicates where you live. If so, good for you. Yes, parts of 20852 are off Rockville Pike, you know that road that turns into Wisconsin and runs through Bethesda? I fail to see how my using the term "North Bethesda" is "over inflating the name Bethesda" so whatever, dude.

He meant to say North North Bethesda

[Anonymous]

I don't think there is really any stigma about that area of Bethesda. Everyone just understands that it is a little further out and not as convenient as living closer in. Generally speaking the houses are somewhat more modest. Those neighborhoods haven't had as many tear downs until the last couple of years.

I think that part of Bethesda will go up in value over the next 10 years. It will never compete with the closer in neighborhoods, but that wouldn't bother me. I actually think that area is much handier if you have to drive the Beltway to work.

[Anonymous]

I live deep in the heart of Potomac in 20854 -- but my postal address still comes up as Rockville about half the time. So I use Rockville when I am buying something or arranging for services. They don't charge as much if I have Rockville address.

So rock the N. Bethesda for all it is worth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not talking about Rockville pretending to be North Bethesda, but about 20814, north of NIH, still Bethesda. The houses are a good $250,000 less than south of NIH and renovated and nice. Is it worth it to buy in North Bethesda even if people seem to look down on it?

There is confusion here regarding what "North Bethesda" is.
The neighborhood immediately north of the NIH in 20814 is called Maplewood/Alta Vista. It is not called North Bethesda (which, as PPs noted, is in a different zip code).
It is inside the beltway between Wisconsin Ave/Rockville Pike, Old Georgetown Road and W. Cedar Lane.

It is further from downtown Bethesda, so that affects real estate prices.
However, it is not far from the Medical Center Metro and also very convenient if you have to drive anywhere via the Beltway (although it's not on the beltway, so no beltway noise). The neighborhood is very close to Walter Reed/Naval Medical Center and borders the NIH so it is convenient for many doctors and scientists.
For a while it was an aging neighborhood, but now has a lot of younger families with kids.
The high school is Walter Johnson, which used to be less highly regarded than some other Bethesda high schools. However, over the last 20 years this also changed. WJ is now a great high school but old perceptions take decades to change.

20814 continues to the north, beyond the beltway, and that area (still in Bethesda) has the usual further price drop for no other reason than it's outside the beltway.

[Anonymous]

If you are in Rockville, you pay city of Rockville taxes. Not so in 20814. That seems the main difference (in "names") to me.

[Anonymous]

Didn't read all the responses, OP. But I am unaware of the stigma of North Bethesda. I would love to move there but can't afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in North Bethesda on Tuckerman lane. I didn't know I should not use the name. Is it silly if I use it? When I bought my place, the address says north Bethesda. I didn't know the place is called Rockville.

Hi neighbor! We also live N. Bethesda on Tuckerman. We use the names North Bethesda, Rockville and 20852 interchangeably ever since moving here from NYC area a couple of years ago. I don't find there to be many real towns, nor is there a strong sense of place, in most of the DC suburbs. So who really cares what we call the area? It's pretty meaningless.

Same here! We didn't really know the difference and it does get confusing. Things on our area are listed as North Bethesda or Rockville depending on the age of the business and location. The same street can have different city listings. We also get the city mailings from the City of Rockville but we don't get Rockville services like leaf pickup. It would be nice to be closer to Bethesda for walk ability but the yards in our area are much larger and more private.

[Anonymous]

I live in upper NW DC but until recently worked in the area of Democracy Blvd. I would typically say I work in N. Bethesda to people who asked, just to indicate exactly where I worked.

Personally I think OP's question is a bit ridiculous--to those of us who are new to the area, no one really cares what it used to be called if the new name is more precise. It has nothing to do with putting on airs or anything.