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Old 02-02-2015, 11:58 AM
 
795 posts, read 1,000,725 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenGene View Post
A few months ago, I would have agreed with many of the suggestions already made re: places in NoVA with a small town feel (esp. Clifton).

But my wife and I now live in a small town, in Maine, and if this is the "feel" that you're talking about, I don't know of any place in NoVA like this. Everyone who lives on this road - all 6 families - knew about us before we moved in; we met everyone within the first couple of weeks; one of our neighbors took us in for the night when we all lost power, but she had a back-up generator; the pharmacy clerk at the local grocery store knew my wife's name the second time she saw my wife; everyone knows everyone else at the local diner (reasonable prices with big portions and excellent food); and on and on.
Very similar experience for us. Just a few years behind your time in NoVa. We did the grueling, good paying jobs in NoVa. Nice house, best schools for our kids etc. Now we live in a small coastal community in VA. Not exactly a small town - but kind of. Does get busier in the Summer with out of town folks. Friendly and welcoming locals. The workers at the small seaside market. The guy that sells fresh seafood down the road that waves every time you drive by... Thankful we planed well and had the ability to leave when we did.
Nothing like this in and around NoVa.
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Old 02-02-2015, 12:26 PM
 
9,863 posts, read 14,008,080 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovnova View Post
Very similar experience for us. Just a few years behind your time in NoVa. We did the grueling, good paying jobs in NoVa. Nice house, best schools for our kids etc. Now we live in a small coastal community in VA. Not exactly a small town - but kind of. Does get busier in the Summer with out of town folks. Friendly and welcoming locals. The workers at the small seaside market. The guy that sells fresh seafood down the road that waves every time you drive by... Thankful we planed well and had the ability to leave when we did.
Nothing like this in and around NoVa.
Not true. Middleburg is very much like this. People know each other, wave, greet you with your name.
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Old 02-02-2015, 12:33 PM
 
1,833 posts, read 2,337,388 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovnova View Post
Very similar experience for us. Just a few years behind your time in NoVa. We did the grueling, good paying jobs in NoVa. Nice house, best schools for our kids etc. Now we live in a small coastal community in VA. Not exactly a small town - but kind of. Does get busier in the Summer with out of town folks. Friendly and welcoming locals. The workers at the small seaside market. The guy that sells fresh seafood down the road that waves every time you drive by... Thankful we planed well and had the ability to leave when we did.
Nothing like this in and around NoVa.
You have no idea what you're talking about. Go to Middleburg, you're clearly uninformed.
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Old 02-02-2015, 12:58 PM
 
Location: Spartanburg, SC
4,892 posts, read 7,393,679 times
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I don't think anyone has mentioned Purcellville in Loudoun. Purcellville might be surrounded by the dreaded McMansions but the kids' sports leagues, scouts, churches, and (of course) schools help it keep it's small town "feel". Every trip to the grocery, post office, cleaners etc you see familiar faces and yes, know their names.

They have the Fourth of July parades, Santa on the Firetruck at Christmas, wine festivals, town-wide tag sales and host a Little League baseball tournaments each year. (Middleburg also has a cool Christmas parade with the hunt horses and hounds).

When a young soldier from Purcellville died overseas, the from Route 7 off-ramp, through main street to the funeral home was lined with hundreds of people to show their respects.

But any large suburb can be made to feel small. You just have to get involved with your community. Volunteer with an organization/charity, join a sports league, go to events, join a house of worship, take a class through the recreation department. etc etc.
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Old 02-02-2015, 01:25 PM
 
Location: Virginia-Shenandoah Valley
7,670 posts, read 14,170,644 times
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Believe it or not Haymarket still has a small town charm to it as well and so does Nokesville. Especially Nokesville (PWC). Haymarket has grown significantly but many of my old/long time friends still love it there and love the way the town residents look after each other, at least in certain parts. Nokesville is not really a town but it's a old farming community with 2 schools situated inside it and I loved working out there in my PD days.
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Old 02-02-2015, 01:48 PM
 
Location: Spartanburg, SC
4,892 posts, read 7,393,679 times
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I really should have included the other western Loudoun towns -- Waterford, Lovettesville, Hillsboro, Round Hill, Hamilton, and previously mentioned Middleburg. All have that sense of community that seems to embody the "feel"

And, go over the mountain, you'll find Berryville as well.
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Old 02-02-2015, 02:36 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LynchburgLover View Post
I don't think anyone has mentioned Purcellville in Loudoun. Purcellville might be surrounded by the dreaded McMansions but the kids' sports leagues, scouts, churches, and (of course) schools help it keep it's small town "feel". Every trip to the grocery, post office, cleaners etc you see familiar faces and yes, know their names.

They have the Fourth of July parades, Santa on the Firetruck at Christmas, wine festivals, town-wide tag sales and host a Little League baseball tournaments each year. (Middleburg also has a cool Christmas parade with the hunt horses and hounds).

When a young soldier from Purcellville died overseas, the from Route 7 off-ramp, through main street to the funeral home was lined with hundreds of people to show their respects.

But any large suburb can be made to feel small. You just have to get involved with your community. Volunteer with an organization/charity, join a sports league, go to events, join a house of worship, take a class through the recreation department. etc etc.
Thank you for sharing about Purcellville. Very informative post. Nice to hear how the community came out in support of that soldier.

...

Last edited by FindingZen; 02-02-2015 at 06:45 PM.. Reason: off-topic
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Old 02-20-2015, 06:48 PM
 
1,264 posts, read 2,425,180 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deluusions View Post
Have you people never heard of Middleburg?
Oh I have, but I consider that to be "faux" small town.
It's not organic and natural.
It's an artifically undeveloped area ONLY because the rich have been able to keep it that way.

A true small town is something like Remington/Catlett/Aldie pre 2000....REAL people not just RICH people.
Sadly, that's NOVA.
If you're a rich baller, you can keep your area preppy rural, if you a working class rural, you're getting new yuppie neighbors shortly.
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Old 02-20-2015, 07:29 PM
 
9,863 posts, read 14,008,080 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hudlander View Post
Oh I have, but I consider that to be "faux" small town.
It's not organic and natural.
It's an artifically undeveloped area ONLY because the rich have been able to keep it that way.

A true small town is something like Remington/Catlett/Aldie pre 2000....REAL people not just RICH people.
Sadly, that's NOVA.
If you're a rich baller, you can keep your area preppy rural, if you a working class rural, you're getting new yuppie neighbors shortly.
You don't know Middleburg at all. The entire town (not the surrounding farms) is filled with houses of "real" people and shop owners who are "real" people. I am FAR from "rich", and the same with my neighbors. I won't disagree that there are many extremely wealthy landowners around, but I love the fact that they are usually indistinguishable from everyone else (appearance, manner, and attitude) as we all stand in the line at the post office or at Safeway.

Everyone always complains that people in NoVA aren't friendly or always so busy they appear rude. But, in the five years I have lived in Middleburg, I have found that everyone is pleasant and extremely welcoming. People know each other's names, people go out of their way to help neighbors, and everyone smiles and says "thank you".

This is not an "artificial" small town. This is real.
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Old 02-20-2015, 08:34 PM
 
1,833 posts, read 2,337,388 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hudlander View Post
Oh I have, but I consider that to be "faux" small town.
It's not organic and natural.
It's an artifically undeveloped area ONLY because the rich have been able to keep it that way.

A true small town is something like Remington/Catlett/Aldie pre 2000....REAL people not just RICH people.
Sadly, that's NOVA.
If you're a rich baller, you can keep your area preppy rural, if you a working class rural, you're getting new yuppie neighbors shortly.
How is this town not organic and artifical when it predates back into the 1800s. The buildings are legitimate, they weren't made to look like they were old. The people who live in the town also have been living there forever and so have there ancestors. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.
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