Northern Virginia has gone downhill in the last 20 years (Arlington: house, neighborhoods)

[Dorothy1960]

I moved here in 1994 and loved it... now we can't wait to get out of this awful place. Too expensive, too much traffic and I like to hear English spoken occasionally when I am at the mall, after all, the USA is still an English speaking country, isn't it?

This has become Little Beverly Hills... everyone must have what their neighbor has, and THEN SOME. This place has become so materialistic.

Sigh. A few more years then we're outta here. I can't find one good thing about Northern Va. anymore. Not one.

[Stonecoldharbours]

I used to think at one time that I wanted to live in NOVA, not anymore, after what I read on here and found out from some people I just met, nope, no amount of money would get me up there or any place similiar to it.

[ssdei38]

The US may not be an English speaking country...I had a transaction at the ATM yesterday and the menu came up Spanish....not knowing how to read Spanish I waited the ATM out until it cancelled my transaction. I put my card through again, this time making dang sure I pressed 1 for English.

I've said before...I love NoVa. Because I grew up there. I grew up on 5 acres on PV Road. I roller skated on PV Road when it was gravel!!! (Yeah, not a good idea....) I know Cash & Carry used to be owned by Chantilly Billy, I know that Elden Street used to be a no-traffic road....Hell, we used to drive from Chantilly via 50 to 66 to visit my grandmother in Arlington and never hit any traffic....no traffic....really....we used to take 50 to 29 home from Arlington for leisure...just to hit the 31 flavors shop....I know the Texaco station on 50 by South Riding is actually called Deli-O and he accepts checks....if he likes your look ...and I know you can buy sod for cheap at Chantilly Turf...I know nobody wanted to ever admit to living in Manassas....and that's even changed. I don't even think Manassas even carries the "oh ****, you live there???" factor anymore....

I love where I live now, but I really miss NoVA....I really hate it got so out of whack that it drove people away....I know a 30 yr resident paying almost 600 a month on property tax alone.....on a property they originally paid 60,000 for...so much for not screwing with people trying to retire.....it's sad.

[ashbrn4]

You will find you "can't go home again" just about everywhere in this country and the world for that matter. I was born in a relatively small town in Texas and it too has changed a lot and I grew up in MD in PG County where I also do not feel at home anymore. It has changed dramatically, but I also think that anyone who thinks the grass is greener will be sorely dissapointed by all the weeds they find elsewhere. Life is full of constant change and just as our parents said the world was going to h*ll in a handbasket, every generation feels that way. I think it's all how you approach it. It's all about attitude. I love VA and realize change is constant.

[5stones]

ssdei...
we moved from McLean to Arcola (to our farm) when i was in 4th grade. No-one ever came "OUT" to visit us because it was SO far out!! (we moved back..Leesburg and my hubby drives everyday to Tysons!)

You would NOT reconize the intersection of 50 and 659 (now called Gum springs road!) it's all TH!! we used to ride our horses across 50 to Pangles store for soda and slim jims!! I lived off of 659 and we rode horses and minibikes all over that road! I just took my kids out ot our old farm to show them where I used to live...(toll brothers now owns the farm next to ours) It was nice to see that JOE hasn't sold out and our farm is still a farm, but now it's christmas trees instead of cattle and buffalo!!

Remember when Broad Run HS wasthe only thing out there? In the middle of a corn field? South riding and ashburn didn't exist.

But... it's still pretty here and just west it's still rural, pockets of houses going up but still horse farms etc....

[ssdei38]

5 stones...Gum Springs Rd. has townhouses now..that's awful...what can I say...I moved away from there, kicking and screaming!!!. I'm sure I 4-wheeled on their property a few moons ago...I just want to grab every person moving in and let them know the history of where their home is!!

That convenience store...on 50 called crosons...I was a 16 yr old driver with a carload of 16 yr old boys that tried to buy beer at this store one night. They didn't sell it. The Loudon County police were there and pulled me over. I got out and talked...they said they were going to have to give me a citation. I said..." I got a citation for catching a prize fish once...is this the same thing" I really was that ignorant at 16, but that policeman let us go...and I think he may still be laughing...

My DH wants me to chime in here and say that Pangles has the COLDEST beer ever....

The 28/29 intersection was a true red light intersection....2 lanes each way...and a traffic light...

PV Road is major today for connecting traffic from 29 to 50....but a whole lot of years ago 2 cars went down it per day...and one was a patrol car.

I showed my husband your post and he told me when he was 18 he worked on a trash truck, and the Ashburn run meant 60 homes...that was it...he's 36 now....what is there now, like 6000 homes in Ashburn!!!! Probably more....

Okay, I have to know, did you ever visit the reservoir off Evergreen Mills as a teen...good grief that was a blast. And how old are you. I'm 30...I'll admit it.

C'mon, feed me the VA news I gotta have!! Like I said, I like my home now, but there is no place like where you grew up!!!

[5stones]

I left Va when I was 13. (so no I never went out to the reservoir)

The Croson's!!! My sis went to school with with Paul and Gary....I knew Gary (I am 40 btw...)

Did you know of Thistlewood farm...(where they had buffalo) on 659? That was my farm!!!

I went to Sugarland Run Middleschool...the first year they opened it!!

[roanoker 4]

Cheer up all NOVA's!! At least there is a bright spot. You guys make the big money and keep the state of Virginia out of the red. The people in the rest of Virginia(the poor folks) marvel at your super duper highways, the METRO and
lack of potholes and your top rated public schools. From the looks of things, I think you guys have it pretty darn good up there. You can hop on the METRO and land in DC and enjoy all of the free museums, monuments and attractions of a world-class city has to offer. Of course, living in such a nice place as NOVA requires lots and lots of money. Also, since NOVA is quite cosmopolitan and not "southern" anymore, there may be some culture shock among many of the folks who grew up there. We can see the world and the U.S. is changing, whether we like it or not.

[bargainmom]

I totally agree--the area is going to the dogs, and fast. It's gotten incredibly crowded--especially due to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens.

The people from New York and New Jersey all came down here and turned it into a cold, unfriendly and nasty area to drive.

[ssdei38]

I remember seeing Buffalo driving around the area with my dad...maybe...I don't know!!!! God, I remember ostrich, chickens, sheep...all kinds of stuff everywhere...the sheep used to be on dead mans curve on Braddock Rd...looking at us as we made that s curve....but specifically on 659 I only know of Chuck Mundy...He owned (or may still own) a truck repair shop on 659....

Dad's sleeping right now, but I am asking him tomorrow morning, because he typically knows everything!!!. He more than likely knows your place at Thistlewood....does Shultzaberger mean anything to you??