All neighborhood names come from somewhere. Here’s a look at the origins of the names for some of the area’s most prominent communities and some that no longer exist.
Photo by Aaron Kraut
Alta Vista
Alta Vista (one of Bethesda’s first subdivisions) was named by the developer to draw people who were interested in summer places with cool breezes. The first houses there were built in the 1880s and the neighborhood once was at the end of a streetcar line.
