RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Maryland >> Baltimore County >> Brightwood >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Brightwood, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Brightwood and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Brightwood:
    • 39.404273, -76.666915
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Brightwood
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Baltimore County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Baltimore County
    • Since Brightwood is near Baltimore City and also Howard County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Baltimore City
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Howard County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Brightwood

Communities Also Named Brightwood ...

We found nine communities that are also named Brightwood.

There are two communities within Maryland that are also named Brightwood.

Beyond Maryland, we know of seven communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Located In Maryland ...
    • Anne Arundel County
      • This Brightwood is located in Anne Arundel County and lies 20 miles [32.2 km]<1> to the south of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Anne Arundel County community of Brightwood.
    • Queen Anne's County
      • This Brightwood is located in Queen Anne's County and lies 40 miles [64.4 km]<1> to the south southeast of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Queen Anne's County community of Brightwood.
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Indiana
      • Marion County
      • This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Indiana community of Brightwood [Marion County].
    • Massachusetts
      • Hampden County
      • This Brightwood is located in Hampden County and lies 282 miles [453.8 km]<1> to the northeast of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hampden County community of Brightwood.
    • North Carolina
      • Guilford County
      • This Brightwood is located in Guilford County and lies 281 miles [452.2 km]<1> to the southwest of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Guilford County community of Brightwood.
    • Ohio
      • Tuscarawas County
      • This Brightwood is located in Tuscarawas County and lies 260 miles [418.4 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Tuscarawas County community of Brightwood.
    • Oregon
      • Clackamas County
      • This Brightwood is located in Clackamas County and lies 2,317 miles [3,728.9 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Clackamas County community of Brightwood.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Allegheny County
      • This Brightwood is located in Allegheny County and lies 189 miles [304.2 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allegheny County community of Brightwood.
    • Virginia
      • Madison County
      • This Brightwood is located in Madison County and lies 106 miles [170.6 km]<1> to the southwest of the Brightwood that is located in Baltimore County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Madison County community of Brightwood.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Brightwood ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Bare Hills
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Bare Hills is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bare Hills
  • Bonnie Ridge
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Bonnie Ridge is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie Ridge
  • Boxwood
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Boxwood is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boxwood
  • Chapel Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Chapel Hill is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
  • Chapel Ridge
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Chapel Ridge is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Ridge
  • Chestnut Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Chestnut Hill is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
  • Deer Run
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Deer Run is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Run
  • Falls Gable
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Falls Gable is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Gable
  • Fallswood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Fallswood is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallswood
  • Fields of Stevenson
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Fields of Stevenson is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields of Stevenson
  • Four Winds
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Four Winds is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Winds
  • Greengate
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Greengate is located in Baltimore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greengate
  • Continue List   (26 more) ...
    • Greenspring
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenspring is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenspring
    • Greenwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenwood is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
    • Halcyon Gate
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Halcyon Gate is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halcyon Gate
    • Hunt Ridge
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hunt Ridge is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunt Ridge
    • Huntspring
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Huntspring is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntspring
    • Jones Valley
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Jones Valley is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Valley
    • Lake
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Lake is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
    • Lutherville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Martins Choice
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Martins Choice is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martins Choice
    • Mays Chapel
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Mays Chapel is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mays Chapel
    • Meadowland
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Meadowland is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowland
    • Orchard Hills
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Orchard Hills is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
    • Pickwick
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Pickwick is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pickwick
    • Ridervale
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Ridervale is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridervale
    • Riderwood
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Riderwood is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riderwood
    • Riderwood Hills
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Riderwood Hills is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riderwood Hills
    • Rockland
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Rockland is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
    • Rockland Run
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Rockland Run is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland Run
    • Rogers ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Rogers is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers
    • Seminary Overlook
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Seminary Overlook is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seminary Overlook
    • Seminary Springs
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Seminary Springs is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seminary Springs
    • Summit Chase
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Summit Chase is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit Chase
    • Summit Park
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Summit Park is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit Park
    • Sunset Knoll
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Sunset Knoll is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Knoll
    • Twinridge
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Twinridge is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twinridge
    • Valley Stream
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Valley Stream is located in Baltimore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Stream

How Far From Brightwood to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers & Almanacs that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Brightwood to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Brightwood and extending to:

  • Towson, which is the Seat of Baltimore County, lies just to the East.
  • Annapolis, which is the State Capital of Maryland, lies 30 miles [48.3 km]<1> to the south southeast (SSE). If you could walk a straight line from Brightwood to Annapolis, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take most of two days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take just over a day.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 40 miles [64.4 km] to the south southwest (SSW). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than an hour, a buggy would take just about two full days and walking would take over two days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,860 miles [9,430.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,567 miles [10,568.6 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,443 miles [7,150.3 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Brightwood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Brightwood, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Brightwood to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Brightwood. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.4043, Longitude: -76.6669       In this case, the coordinates for Brightwood have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 307.637 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.23 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 304.36 degrees.