Addresses that offend people (Reston: apartment, neighborhood, high school)

[gentlearts]

This would not offend me, since it's just a historical name.

However, as I house hunt for my next place, I admit that I come across some stupid sounding street names. I would hate to have to tell people my address if I wound up on one of them.

[normie]

Originally Posted by VRE332

You didn't hijack the thread at all. I actually had to go to Sterling yesterday and the person told me "Potomic Falls" which does not exist in my GPS. So Potomic falls is an alias???? WTF. It should be called "Potomic Sprawl"

Potomac Falls isn't an alias, it's a section of Sterling. Just like people who live in Hollywood actually live in a section of Los Angeles. The problem with Sterling is it's so big and so oddly shaped. Identifying the sections of Sterling becomes important when you have kids who get invited to things (or when you're looking for a job). It's very possible to live in Sterling and have a job in another part of Sterling and end up having to drive for more than 30 minutes.

[normie]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

This would not offend me, since it's just a historical name.

However, as I house hunt for my next place, I admit that I come across some stupid sounding street names. I would hate to have to tell people my address if I wound up on one of them.

I kind of like the stupid sounding names, they appeal to my quirky sense of humor. What I hate are the ridiculously long names with 3+ words. Hard to put an address like 1234 Old Grey Horse Droppings Avenue in most data bases. And talk about writer's cramps when it's time to do Christmas cards...

[normie]

I saw an interview with Father Hurley once. He said that while he was honored to have a street named after him, he found it disturbing to overhear the traffic reports in the morning. He said hearing someone announce "Father Hurley is a bit backed up this morning" feels just a little too personal...

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by seiketsu

Route 1 is a major thoroughfare in NoVA. Through Arlington and, I think, parts of Alexandria, it is referred to as Jefferson Davis Highway. Does this bother anyone, or am I overly sensitive? I've pretty much ruled out any of the rentals along that stretch of road that pop up in my search results. I know that Virginia is part of the old South, but why would such a progressive area right outside our nation's capital want to pay homage to a traitor of the United States?

No, I've never ruled an area out based on the address's name. I thought it was funny when I first moved to Virginia. I also had a friend in college who told me that her high school in Alabama (which was predominantly black) was Jefferson Davis High. Booker T. Washington High School had most of the white kids. I just found that funny (as did she), but for most people there it was a non-issue.

For you, he was a traitor, but for a lot of people he, and others, were heroes who stood up to an oppressive government (not my view, but one that I've often heard). If it bothers you, honestly then you'll have problems in most of Virginia since much of the state is dedicated to Lee, Davis, or other aspects of the Confederacy (there's a museum in Richmond). During college we had multiple discussions about flying the Confederate flag, which I thought wouldn't have even been an issue. For them it's a symbol of Southern pride, and one they'll defend vehemently. It takes getting used to; just embrace it as part of the area's history.

Well, I take it back...I might be a little adverse to living on Blueball Avenue or Backlick Road. And I wouldn't really like living in Intercourse or Virginville, either.

Originally Posted by michgc

No, I wouldn't not consider it. But as a Northerner (originally from Philadelphia), it did take some getting used to. As a child I grew up thinking "we" won the war (even though my ancestors didn't live in the US until the late 1800's, well after the civil war ended).

Imagine my surprise when I went to college and found out that "the War" isn't over...

[normie]

Another odd street name: Temporary Road in Reston. The street's been there for 45 years now, think they might start calling it Permanent Road one of these days?

[normie]

Originally Posted by juniperbleu

Well, I take it back...I might be a little adverse to living on Blueball Avenue or Backlick Road. And I wouldn't really like living in Intercourse or Virginville, either.

ROTFL

When the city planners assign street numbers, do you think they have a 69 Intercourse Lane?

If you have an address like that, you just hope they don't widen the road because it would be even worse to live on Intercourse Speedway!

[In the Pines]

I get thrown off my street numbers above 9999. For example: 20045. I just know that if I go to tell someone "twenty thousand forty five" I'm going to get somebody who forgets to put the extra zero in there and my package will end up at 2045.

Is it just me or do very high street numbers seem cumbersome? I like an address that rolls of the tongue.

[slim04]

Originally Posted by juniperbleu

During college we had multiple discussions about flying the Confederate flag, which I thought wouldn't have even been an issue. For them it's a symbol of Southern pride, and one they'll defend vehemently. ...

Whenever I hear stuff about southern pride or respecting our ancestors, it makes me want to puke.

The whole confederate nostalgia movement, which includes naming schools, roads, etc. after confederate figures, the prominence of the confederate flag, and other stuff like that only really started to become popular as a reaction to the civil rights movement in the 1930's to the 1960's.

For almost 70 to 80 years after the civil war, it didn't really exist. All of the sudden it looks like there is some traction to eliminating the most egregious Jim Crow laws, then the confederate flag appears everywhere in the south.

[slim04]

Originally Posted by seiketsu

I know that Virginia is part of the old South, but why would such a progressive area right outside our nation's capital want to pay homage to a traitor of the United States?

Alexandria wasn't always so progressive. If you visit the Alexandria Black History Museum, you'll find out that the city's public schools were segregated as late as 1959. And as late as 1971, the federal government made the city overhaul its high school system because of segregation issues.

Most of the roads and schools were named many years before these new so-called progressives moved to the DC area.