OK, you may ask renters who are looking for apartments for rent in Beltsville, MD, “What does Beltsville have to offer that scores of other similar cities in the metro area lack?”
Well, while it’s true the Washington, D.C., area has dozens of communities conveniently located on the cusp of the nation’s capital, and therefore close to a plethora of sights, sounds, amenities and even colleges, Beltsville boasts the distinction of hosting the national headquarters for, get this, Ritz Camera! I have an anecdote about the fine folks at Ritz, so here goes…
Back in 2005, I fancied myself an artist of sorts. Being as untrained and unlearned in the ways of the arts as any scribbler you’d care to meet, I started doing my, let’s call them elaborately drawn designs that I colored in with pencils, on heavy, thick placard-like paper, the kind people often use to make picket signs. Naturally, I didn’t realize that 20” x 30” wasn’t exactly a popular size for art frames, or any frame for that matter.
But guess who had the very frames I needed – and tasteful ones at that? That’s right, Ritz Camera! And I’m not talking about pedestrian, plastic jobs either (well, they probably had them as well). I’m talking about elegantly designed, heavy glass and black wooden frames, the kind that would make any picture or objet d’art sing to the heavens. Oh, how they gave my pathetic attempts at immortality the veneer of class and artistic triumph!
But Beltsville has more going for it beyond the convenience of a well-stocked camera shop. The community is home to a number of historic sites, including houses dating back to the 18th century and the well-preserved Abraham Hall. The 15,000-strong community (as of the 2000 census) even has its own newspaper, The Beltsville News.
Finally, be sure to check out the National Agricultural Library, a looming, 17-story structure that houses information on everything from sheep to soybeans.
If you want to know more about this area, such as places to shop or eat, check out our Beltsville, MD profile in our Neighborhoods section.
