The Story
Let's go into how Bethesda, Maryland got its name and came to be!
After the Civil War, Robert Franck became the postmaster. He named the local Presbyterian meeting house after the biblical Pool of Bethesda. Seven years later, Montgomery County Commissioners established the Bethesda Election District.
After the B&O Railroad was built, it connected commuters to Washington DC. Unfortunately, it didn't stop in Bethesda and diminished the town's importance.
Bethesda grew rapidly after it took advantage of the car and Maryland's road network.
After WWI, Luke and Helen Wilson donated 90 acres to the federal government. It became the National Institute of Health. Its first lab monitored immigrant diseases, but its responsibilities expanded. Bethesda soon became home to many highly trained doctors and scientists.
After WWII, the creation of the Capital Beltway and 270 fueled the growth of the high tech corridor.
The introduction of the Metro Red line in the 1980s helped establish downtown Bethesda.
