Tired of smug supercilious people posting things like this thinking they are so smart but just showing they are ignorant.

North Chevy Chase has been a defined neighborhood for almost a hundred years. The North Chevy Chase elementary school opened in the 1950s.

There is also North Old Town in Alexandria. Definitely the less fancy end of Old and Town, but quickly gentrifying. I guess that is why it needed a special name.

Don’t forget North Georgetown and North Cleveland Park. They’re all names contrived by realtors who seek to “expand” more pricey, sought-after neighborhoods and communities by renaming nearby (or sometimes not so nearby) areas.

Some of the North areas are unincorporated designated areas. I'm sure that the developers who built them back in the 70s wanted some type of distinction but at this point the location name has been around for 40-50 years. Its not just made up on the fly and its not like you can move there and call it Rockville, or Gaithersburg

Anonymous wrote:My (much) older sister went to North Bethesda Junior High.

In 1962.

And that school (which is still there) is in the northern part of Bethesda, 20817. Not in Rockville, 20852.

The North designation was thought up by some realtor who wanted to increase the market for their listings. In general, the more south, the better something sells in Montgomery County. Potomac and Bethesda sell property the best. So those in Rockville would use North Potomac or North Bethesda in order to get people searching for Potomac/Bethesda to look at the listings, especially if they didn't care as much about the actual location/schools. Likewise Rockville tends to sell slightly better and higher than Gaithersburg, so some listings in Gaithersburg started to use North Rockville to attract more views and possible buyers. And Kensington sells better than Wheaton, so...

South Bethesda would be Arlington. Doesn't work in that direction. Although I kind of live in South Bethesda - close to the river so can't get much more South.

Anyway, I grew up here and people were outraged about this in the 1970s. So I think it's time to get over it, these names have been around for a long enough time now.

In other states (MA, NJ for example) the directional additions are totally common.

Anonymous wrote:Isn't North Potomac part of Rockville?

Yes, it's for people that want to say they live in Potomac but can't actually afford to. Same with the other areas.

Isn't North Potomac part of Rockville?

It makes people who just moved here and didn't grow up here feel like their house is in a fancier neighborhood and area then it really is.

Anonymous wrote:I still remember White Flint, now it is North Bethesda. I think it all started with North Potomac. Makes people feel good that they live in the area they otherwise could not.

And before White Flint it was Rockville or Kensington.

My (much) older sister went to North Bethesda Junior High.

In 1962.

I still remember White Flint, now it is North Bethesda. I think it all started with North Potomac. Makes people feel good that they live in the area they otherwise could not.

Who invented NORTH? There was no NORTH before! There was Gaithersbur, Rockville, Kensington..
Is it some contageous geographical bug? Is it spreading? What are the causes because symptoms are clearly eating up part of one area and calling it something it was never before called.

Who ivnetned it, why he invented it, what is the gain? Is it going to continue? And most imporantly, are we going to start seeing South anytime soon? SOUTH POTOMAC.. SOUTH Bethesda.. and any other South that come to your mind?