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Woodmoor is a neighborhood in the northern section of Silver Spring, Maryland in southeastern Montgomery County, in the U.S. state of Maryland. Its borders extend from U.S. 29 to the west, Northwest Branch Park to the north, the Capital Beltway (I-95) to the east, and University Boulevard to the south. It lies on one of the "Four Corners" at the northeastern corner of the intersection of Colesville Road (U.S. 29), and University Boulevard (Maryland 193).

History

The first houses in the neighborhood were built in the late 1930s.

In the 1950s, a kosher deli/restaurant and bakery opened in Four Corners called "Sid Mandell's Restaurant & Deli", owned by Sidney "Sid" Mandell, the son of Jewish immigrants from Austria and Russia. The deli was a popular cultural icon and was open seven days a week. After Jewish residents began leaving Four Corners, the owner retired and the deli was closed in 1980. The building where the deli used to be is now occupied by Righttime Medical Care, an urgent care center.

Until the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, racially restrictive covenants were used in Woodmoor to prevent African-Americans and other people of color from living in the neighborhood. In 2020, residents of Woodmoor and activists were working to remove racist language from property records "deed by deed".

Culture

Winding streets and lots of old trees distinguish this neighborhood. Pinecrest Elementary School lies in the neighborhood, and Montgomery Blair High School is just steps across University Street. Highlights of the year are the community Christmas tree lighting and the Menorah, a local Oktoberfest, the annual Pride Parade, and the music festival WOODMOORstock.

Transportation

Washington Metro service is available on the Red Line at the nearby Wheaton and Silver Spring stations. Woodmoor is served by Metrobus numbers Z6, Z8, C2, and C4, as well as Ride On number 9. The Piney Branch Road station of the Purple Line will be built in nearby Long Branch at the intersection of University Boulevard and Piney Branch Road and is expected to be open to the public by 2022.

The neighborhood also has the dubious distinction of being serviced by the "Sorriest Bus Stop in America", according to a survey performed by Streetsblog. The bus stop is located at the intersection of Route 29 and Crestmoor Drive.

References

1. Reinink, Amy (February 9, 2012). A cohesive community near D.C., Washington Post
2. Leff, Lisa (November 7, 1992). Woodmoor: Faith in the Future, Washington Post
3. "Sidney Mandell, owner of a Woodmoor deli, dies at 93". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
4. "Racist housing covenants haunt property records across the country. New laws make them easier to remove". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
5. Weber, Carolyn (January 29, 2024). "Welcome to Woodmoor in Silver Spring: An annual music festival adds to suburb's charm". MoCo360. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
6. "Silver Spring has the 'sorriest bus stop in America'". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 23, 2017.

39°1′22.98″N 77°0′15.75″W / 39.0230500°N 77.0043750°W / 39.0230500; -77.0043750

• Historic Jewish communities in the United States
• Four Corners, Maryland
• Jews and Judaism in Silver Spring, Maryland
• Neighborhoods of Silver Spring, Maryland