What's the deal with "North" Potomac and "North" Bethesda? (Silver Spring: houses, maintenance)

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Luv our dogs

I was raised in Bethesda, MD. The real reason for using "North Bethesda" and North Potomac is real estate. North Potomac is considered better than Gaithersburg. Just as North Bethesda sounds more appealing than Rockville. It's all in advertising location, location, location. White Flint Mall, where I hung out in high school, is Rockville. But it has a Kensington address. I never understood that. Real estate sellers listed my condo I bought 14 years ago, as North Bethesda. My mailing address was considered Rockville. It's all in their selling tactics. As snobs who like to brag that they live in North Potomac really have a Gaithersburg address.

It's not snobbery.

The part that is outside Gaithersburg needs to be called something. Calling it North Potomac is fine. It's really an unincorporated part of Montgomery County. That makes sense to me. The part that is in Gaithersburg should not be called North Potomac, but some do it because they share the same Post Office (20878). That's the part where real estate uses the name North Potomac to try and make it feel better than it is. That's the part you're referring to.

Seems like it's the same situation in North Bethesda. Since when does the Postal Service get to decide that an unincorporated part of MoCo is Rockville or Gaithersburg? Just because someone living in North Bethesda shares a ZIP code with Rockville it doesn't mean that they live in Rockville. Same thing with North Potomac and Gaithersburg.

Cities have boundaries. Those boundaries do not match the ZIP code boundaries.

[slowlane]

"And ZIP Codes aren't really a correct indication of where a property is located, merely that they are better served by on post office as opposed to another."[/quote]

Yes -- that's very true in parts of Pr. Geo. County. The zip code "Fort Washington" serves streets way up north by the Beltway which are almost in the heart of "Oxon Hill" and are a very distant 8 miles from the actual "Fort" which gave the community "Fort Washington" its name. Makes no sense at all. And the new "National Harbor" convention-resort development tries to call itself "Fort Washington" to avoid the notorious low-class name "Oxon Hill" whose zip code it's actually located in, even though the "Fort" is 7 miles further south.

And the Nissan Pavilian outdoor concert hall in No. Virginia, is technically in the "Bristow" zip code even though it's really much closer to "Gainesville".

[selhars]

Originally Posted by Luv our dogs
I was raised in Bethesda, MD. The real reason for using "North Bethesda" and North Potomac is real estate. North Potomac is considered better than Gaithersburg. Just as North Bethesda sounds more appealing than Rockville. It's all in advertising location, location, location. White Flint Mall, where I hung out in high school, is Rockville. But it has a Kensington address. I never understood that. Real estate sellers listed my condo I bought 14 years ago, as North Bethesda. My mailing address was considered Rockville. It's all in their selling tactics. As snobs who like to brag that they live in North Potomac really have a Gaithersburg address.

You hit the nail on the head. I have a co worker who says he lives in POTOMAC -- the only thing about where he is - which is actually closer to ROCKVILLE - is his post office 'mailing address' zip code. People really buy into this stuff.

Those exits 9/10/11 off 270 would definitely be GAITHERSBURG.

I'm looking at map quest right now and North Potomac is all the way over by where Turkey Foot, Travilah, Duflief meet. That's no where near Gaithersburg - and there's no other reason BUT snobbery - and higher home values - to call those areas by exits 9/10/11 off 270....North Potomac. not even close.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by selhars

You hit the nail on the head. I have a co worker who says he lives in POTOMAC -- the only thing about where he is - which is actually closer to ROCKVILLE - is his post office 'mailing address' zip code. People really buy into this stuff.

Those exits 9/10/11 off 270 would definitely be GAITHERSBURG.

I'm looking at map quest right now and North Potomac is all the way over by where Turkey Foot, Travilah, Duflief meet. That's no where near Gaithersburg - and there's no other reason BUT snobbery - and higher home values - to call those areas by exits 9/10/11 off 270....North Potomac. not even close.

The area right across Rt. 28 from Gaithersburg, which includes Quince Orchard High School, IS part of North Potomac, and is right next to Gaithersburg. That's just one example. Re-read that map.

[Otis_Nevins]

I grew up in Chevy Chase in the 1970s and "we" were trained to think of Bethesda as an inner city slum. ...just like the folks who lived in the Town of Chevy Chase vs. Chevy Chase Village. Man, when the area code changed from 20015 to 20815 their went the neighborhood.

[selhars]

MapQuest has a circle for North Potomac, a circle for Quince Orchard, and of course a bigger one for Gaithersburg. The 270 exits mentioned are closer to Gaithersburg, than the area near the North Potomac marker.

So why couldn't it be called South Gaithersburg, because that wouldn't be as cache, would it?

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by selhars

MapQuest has a circle for North Potomac, a circle for Quince Orchard, and of course a bigger one for Gaithersburg. The 270 exits mentioned are closer to Gaithersburg, than the area near the North Potomac marker.

So why couldn't it be called South Gaithersburg, because that wouldn't be as cache, would it?

Mapquest doesn't show city boundaries? Oh well. That doesn't change them though.

It's an unincorporated area. Call it whatever you want. See if it catches on.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by selhars

You hit the nail on the head. I have a co worker who says he lives in POTOMAC -- the only thing about where he is - which is actually closer to ROCKVILLE - is his post office 'mailing address' zip code. People really buy into this stuff.

I lived in Potomac (20854, Churchill HS etc.) but my house (Piney Meeting House and Cavanaugh) was definitely closer to Gaithersburg/Rockville than it was to Potomac Village. Hell, it was right on the border. I don't see how my proximity to another town/city would lessen my being in the orignal town....

But these RE tactics can go both ways too - when we did live there, we would typically say we lived in Rockville because when we did say Potomac, and the conversation got into exactly where, folks would usually reply "oh you mean NORTH Potomac" with an eye roll.

Funny thing though - no one ever questioned the fact that I grew up in West Bethesda with "you mean Cabin John?"

And to say its only snobbery is a bit harsh. Yea, some will "flaunt" where they live, what they drive etc... but many also do it simply for the ROI - be it emotional or financial. There are plenty of snobs in every town...

[TechlawyerinPG]

Originally Posted by slowlane

"And ZIP Codes aren't really a correct indication of where a property is located, merely that they are better served by on post office as opposed to another."

Yes -- that's very true in parts of Pr. Geo. County. The zip code "Fort Washington" serves streets way up north by the Beltway which are almost in the heart of "Oxon Hill" and are a very distant 8 miles from the actual "Fort" which gave the community "Fort Washington" its name. Makes no sense at all. And the new "National Harbor" convention-resort development tries to call itself "Fort Washington" to avoid the notorious low-class name "Oxon Hill" whose zip code it's actually located in, even though the "Fort" is 7 miles further south.
.[/quote]

I know people who play the North Potomac game also. But as one of those who lives on one of the streets that borders Ft. Washington and Oxon Hill due to the post office designations (if I cross the street I am in one or the other)...I have to say I am often guilty of referring to my residence as Ft. Wash and not Oxon Hill. It is confusing. There are people with a Ft. Wash address that feed into Oxon Hill Elementary and High School. Oxon Hill Middle is physically located in Ft. Washington. In my opinion Oxon Hill should be everything located inside the beltway where the majority of Oxon Hill is located. There is a small section of Oxon Hill located outside the beltway that has a totally different vibe than it does inside the beltway. But I digress from the MoCo topic...

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by dkf747

It's not snobbery.... Cities have boundaries. Those boundaries do not match the ZIP code boundaries.

Your argument has a major flaw: major sections of MoCo are not incorporated cities or towns. How would you define the borders of Bethesda or Silver Spring for example?

Face facts: the only purpose for the name changes - the only purpose - was cache.

North Bethesda is a joke. Almost as much of a joke as Darnestown - excuse me, "North" Potomac.