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Berkeley County (Martinsburg) Oh Lordy! Martinsburg until about 1995 or maybe a little earlier (when did the train come in?) was Morgan County. Today, not so. Berkeley County has grown from 21,000 to 100,000 people in a short period of time. A county that still has no zoning and a historical society that maintains it's hard headed mantra. In short, developments all over some almost sitting on top of I-81 (8-11 Mile marker) without Jersey walls and a downtown in solid decay. Martinsburg is a solid "Diamond" it's history is abundant, it's history used to be honored. Since the influx of transplants and downtown going from the center of capital, Martinsburg city is just a shell of what it once was. Well, unless you count the drugs, and just about anything else you want to not see. Rather a shame.
Now, with this said the north part of the county, Falling Waters etc., is very nice.
On the subject of drugs in Martinsburg, the other night on the G4 network my husband and I were watching an old episode of the TV show "Cops". Even though Martinsburg wasn't credited it didn't take very long to figure out the filming was done in Martinsburg. Anyway I believe this epsiode dates back to 1994.
In "Cops" Two of Martinsburg finest had raided a home on Winchester Ave. not far from Ramons Pizza ( the restaurant was seen in the clip ). They walked into the house and arrested two women for drugs. One of the women was walking around topless in front of her children and there was cocaine on the coffee table, "...I don't know how that stuff got there !!", typical stuff one would see on COPS. Hard to understand the cops here as one of them was talking despite having a mouth full of Skoal or whatever, heck he was even spitting tobacco juice on the floor !!
After the women were taking away and a family member came to get the kids, the two Martinsburg cops got into their car and drove away..with camera guy in tow making comments about depsite being a small town, Martinburg had a serious drug problem, often ignored by the local paper ( I assume he had meant the Journal ) and how City Hospitial at the time couldn't handle the ODs, how a number of local bars were being used as fronts to sell drugs, etc...
The clips ends as the cops point to a billboard for local WEPM radio that said "...Berkeley County..a great place for families.." The Martinsburg cop then turns to the camera and says "....Ah..ain't true my friend..no stinkin way...".
After watching that I wonder what was Martinsburg's take on this? I don't remember...Hmmmmmmmmm But then again I wasn't a big "Cops" watcher back in those days either.
On the subject of drugs in Martinsburg, the other night on the G4 network my husband and I were watching an old episode of the TV show "Cops". Even though Martinsburg wasn't credited it didn't take very long to figure out the filming was done in Martinsburg. Anyway I believe this epsiode dates back to 1994.
In "Cops" Two of Martinsburg finest had raided a home on Winchester Ave. not far from Ramons Pizza ( the restaurant was seen in the clip ). They walked into the house and arrested two women for drugs. One of the women was walking around topless in front of her children and there was cocaine on the coffee table, "...I don't know how that stuff got there !!", typical stuff one would see on COPS. Hard to understand the cops here as one of them was talking despite having a mouth full of Skoal or whatever, heck he was even spitting tobacco juice on the floor !!
After the women were taking away and a family member came to get the kids, the two Martinsburg cops got into their car and drove away..with camera guy in tow making comments about depsite being a small town, Martinburg had a serious drug problem, often ignored by the local paper ( I assume he had meant the Journal ) and how City Hospitial at the time couldn't handle the ODs, how a number of local bars were being used as fronts to sell drugs, etc...
The clips ends as the cops point to a billboard for local WEPM radio that said "...Berkeley County..a great place for families.." The Martinsburg cop then turns to the camera and says "....Ah..ain't true my friend..no stinkin way...".
After watching that I wonder what was Martinsburg's take on this? I don't remember...Hmmmmmmmmm But then again I wasn't a big "Cops" watcher back in those days either.
Such a shame
Know the area well. To tell how much it has changed, when a child I used to ride my bike from King Street down to Buck's Barbershop to the left of Ramone's FKA Shakey's Pizza house.
Then I would ride down and stop at the Grand Union for a bottle of Pop out of the machine and ride back through the fields that is now the Martinsburg Mall.
I remember in the 90's when Martinsburg made 20/20 with one of the largest drug busts ever by the FBI and DEA. They ended up tearing down the rowhouses on King Street beside the Mission. Still remember the "fake" homeless guy that would walk the streets wearing garbage bags. I am not small and this was one big Dude!. Turned out he was a DEA undercover agent.
As I say Martinsburg is a historic Diamond. To bad the "network" that runs the town don't realize it. Oh Well, that is all over anymore.
Know the area well. To tell how much it has changed, when a child I used to ride my bike from King Street down to Buck's Barbershop to the left of Ramone's FKA Shakey's Pizza house.
Then I would ride down and stop at the Grand Union for a bottle of Pop out of the machine and ride back through the fields that is now the Martinsburg Mall.
Thats the Martinsburg I can remember too. The Grand Union, Nichols Discount, Diana Shop, looking into the window on Queen Street watching the announcers of WESM-FM talking on the air, the Shakey's Pizza....
Looking back now I think the "changes" in Martinsburg started to occur in the late 80's with the construction of the Martinsburg Mall, the FCC allowing WYVN-TV 60, Serigen (?) Aircraft and the promise of thousands of high paying jobs, United Airlines and the Martinsburg Airport...
Funny how all of this so-called ( at the time anyway ) "future positive growth" that was planned had turned out.
*Martinsburg Mall is still for all intents and purposes..A DEAD MALL !!
*WYVN went from being a local FOX affiliate to a low budget channel for ION..oh only their tower is in Martinsburg now...no employees !!
*Those aircraft jobs for the most part never became reality and as for United Airlines...that hanger went to Indianapolis and then there was this..
... "by 2000 look for passenger flights going to Europe from the Eastern Panhandle Regional Airport" as mentioned on WRNR-AM in 1992...that never happened either. And I am not going to start about that planned Lord & Taylor department store for Berkeley Plaza that I can recall reading in the Journal 20 years ago...did they really expect THAT to happen?
Nothing wrong with thinking about the future but........ya gotta be realistic.
This has been an interesting thread to read (along with a couple others) about the Panhandle area. I am considering relocating out there - yeah, I'd be one of the "irresponsible" commuters who work in Loudoun and can't afford living there exxcept for a tiny condo. I have seen housing there that's affordable and would work well for me, and having grown up mostly in central VA I love the mountains. That being said I also don't want to be somewhere I'd regret - which is why I'm also somewhat considering Frederick MD. Have been reading here that Martinsburg seems to have some problems (drugs, etc); is that true? If I move out there am thinking possibly M'burg; also Charles Town b/c of being a bit closer to work. Suggestions/ideas on where are good, safe, decent neighborhoods to seriously consider for someone single - open to either a townhouse or SFH depending on price.
Trust me you want to limit your commute to one hour max. I live in Ranson, WV and I am glad the area is turning into a mini Brambleton- but they need to put the retail in places that have already been built to accommodate it (PTC, Jefferson Crossing, Food Lion Plaza and the Walmart plaza) and not knock down additional woodlands etc to build more.
Having said that, I work in Loudoun and do the commute thing everyday. The townhouses in Jefferson County cost more than those in Berkerely but the commute is not as long. Trust me there will be days when you are tired and want to get home ASAP and will be envious of those that live close to your place of employment. Those will be the days that you are glad you don't have to drive the extra 20 minutes to Martinsburg.
I don't know about the commuting, since I live and work in the area, but I think the Charles Town / Shepherdstown / Harpers Ferry area is great. I'm no expert, but I don't know of any neighborhood around here that wouldn't be considered good, safe, and decent.
And if you end up settling down and having kids, it's a nice area for that too. :-)
I guess I just think it's a good balance of "nice quiet unhurried life" with "nearby amenities". No, there are no great restaurants out here, but there's a decent number of good ones. Medical care isn't as good as in Winchester or Frederick, but it's adequate. There's not a whole lot of action out here, but there are a few things to keep folks entertained. (I don't know about the single life, I'm a family guy, lol.)
Anyway, I really love the area. Been here for about 8 years after living the rest of my life in the DC suburbs, and I don't regret moving out here for a second.
I still can't fathom people moving to the EP and commuting.
It is a long 2 hour drive...or longer.
Who are these people?
Are they your yuppie professionals or are they mostly blue collar folks, teachers, service workers in Loudon county who can't afford?
Also...how are the schools?
I can't imagine snobby yuppies in WV schools.
Do you think the EP will be the next Loudon County or will it be able to maintain it's rural hertiage?
Boy it would depressing to see WV and the mountains become Ashburn.
Is it that dire...or will the area retain it's ruralness?
How about Capon Bridge...please don't tell me that area...way rural....is going to be developed?
While I have not read this entire thread, this comment got me to jump in here, in particularly the part in BOLD.
I live in Western Loudoun County. I have family in the EP who have been there for ever. Martinsburg, C'town, Hedgesville, Shep'town. When you say something like "the next Loudoun County, please BE SPECIFIC. What you REALLY mean is the next EASTERN LOUDOUN COUNTY! Western Loudoun is still largely rural, and agriculturally oriented. Most of us in Western Loudoun (IE future Catoctin County, and yes that is still actually alive, just on hold for the time being) take offence when we are lumped in with the ugly, grotesque suburban cluster/sprawl that has decimated the once beautiful eastern third of our county, mainly EAST of route 15 and E/South of Lessburg (old town). Almost EVERYONE you talk to in old town Leesburg, and / or north/ west / southest of there (west of 15) does NOT want the rest of our amazingly beautiful county being ruined by the toll brothers and or turned into Ashburn / Brambleton. The monikers many out this way have given to Ashburn and surrounds is "Cashburn" and "Assburn". Most in Western Loudoun do not want this out here and will fight tooth and nail to keep it from crossing Rout 15 in any real quantity. Yes, there are some small sections of development in Western Loudoun, but nothing like Ashburn/ Brambleton / Sterling ...etc. The whole Catoctin County movment was started in an attempt to either stop this kind of rampant development out here, or to secede from Loudoun County and form our own county to be called Catoctin County, Virginia with the county seat in Purcellville. While formally, this may be on hold for the time being (the economic collapse had a lot to do with that) it is definitely NOT dead. It is still very much talked about and wanted in Western Loudoun. Eastern Loudoun county is now, at least in many ways and historically, completely "out of touch" with what Loudoun County as a whole used to be and 95% of "Western Loudoun" county still is.
Yes, many of the people that live in the EP commute into the Dulles Corridor, Tysons Corner, McLean, Arlington, Fairfax, and D.C.. The proof is on the roads every weekday morning where anywhere from 40 to 50+% of the plates on vehicles you see on the main roads (bypass 7, and route 9) are WVA plates. Really, Jefferson Co and the EP are probably more developed than Western Loudoun. Between Leesburg, there is no real large cities / towns until you get either into Jefferson County / Charlestown, or Winchester, VA in Frederick co. All of those people that are moving there however need to move through Western Loudoun to get to their jobs, etc however, and this is also causing a point of contention here in Western Loudoun. Dare talk of making 9 into another road like the 7 bypass and you will be met with much disdain. I don't think that will ever happen because of the amount of resistance / backlash it would meet in Western Loudoun county. The traffic on 9 through Western Loudoun is horrible enough as it is, and widening it will only invite more. There is also NO WAY to widen it through historic Hillsboro, so the only alternative there is a bypass around it ,and that will never happen either. Sooner or later somethings going to give on 9, and there has been talk of making it a toll road for non Loudoun County residents, to force traffic onto the larger roads already in place. That too however has to this point only been talk.
As far as sports goes, most of the EP, and Eastern WV for that matter roots for Washington, and a few Baltimore. THere are smatterings of pittsburg fans here and there, but not a whole lot. It is definitely Redskins / Caps / Nationals country. Even getting town into Hardy, Tucker, Pendleton co's.
Capon Bridge, etc, is over west of Winchester, and west of High View, and is probably fairly safe from much development for quite some time.
While I have not read this entire thread, this comment got me to jump in here, in particularly the part in BOLD.
I live in Western Loudoun County. I have family in the EP who have been there for ever. Martinsburg, C'town, Hedgesville, Shep'town. When you say something like "the next Loudoun County, please BE SPECIFIC. What you REALLY mean is the next EASTERN LOUDOUN COUNTY! Western Loudoun is still largely rural, and agriculturally oriented. Most of us in Western Loudoun (IE future Catoctin County, and yes that is still actually alive, just on hold for the time being) take offence when we are lumped in with the ugly, grotesque suburban cluster/sprawl that has decimated the once beautiful eastern third of our county, mainly EAST of route 15 and E/South of Lessburg (old town). Almost EVERYONE you talk to in old town Leesburg, and / or north/ west / southest of there (west of 15) does NOT want the rest of our amazingly beautiful county being ruined by the toll brothers and or turned into Ashburn / Brambleton. The monikers many out this way have given to Ashburn and surrounds is "Cashburn" and "Assburn". Most in Western Loudoun do not want this out here and will fight tooth and nail to keep it from crossing Rout 15 in any real quantity. Yes, there are some small sections of development in Western Loudoun, but nothing like Ashburn/ Brambleton / Sterling ...etc. The whole Catoctin County movment was started in an attempt to either stop this kind of rampant development out here, or to secede from Loudoun County and form our own county to be called Catoctin County, Virginia with the county seat in Purcellville. While formally, this may be on hold for the time being (the economic collapse had a lot to do with that) it is definitely NOT dead. It is still very much talked about and wanted in Western Loudoun. Eastern Loudoun county is now, at least in many ways and historically, completely "out of touch" with what Loudoun County as a whole used to be and 95% of "Western Loudoun" county still is.
Yes, many of the people that live in the EP commute into the Dulles Corridor, Tysons Corner, McLean, Arlington, Fairfax, and D.C.. The proof is on the roads every weekday morning where anywhere from 40 to 50+% of the plates on vehicles you see on the main roads (bypass 7, and route 9) are WVA plates. Really, Jefferson Co and the EP are probably more developed than Western Loudoun. Between Leesburg, there is no real large cities / towns until you get either into Jefferson County / Charlestown, or Winchester, VA in Frederick co. All of those people that are moving there however need to move through Western Loudoun to get to their jobs, etc however, and this is also causing a point of contention here in Western Loudoun. Dare talk of making 9 into another road like the 7 bypass and you will be met with much disdain. I don't think that will ever happen because of the amount of resistance / backlash it would meet in Western Loudoun county. The traffic on 9 through Western Loudoun is horrible enough as it is, and widening it will only invite more. There is also NO WAY to widen it through historic Hillsboro, so the only alternative there is a bypass around it ,and that will never happen either. Sooner or later somethings going to give on 9, and there has been talk of making it a toll road for non Loudoun County residents, to force traffic onto the larger roads already in place. That too however has to this point only been talk.
As far as sports goes, most of the EP, and Eastern WV for that matter roots for Washington, and a few Baltimore. THere are smatterings of pittsburg fans here and there, but not a whole lot. It is definitely Redskins / Caps / Nationals country. Even getting town into Hardy, Tucker, Pendleton co's.
Capon Bridge, etc, is over west of Winchester, and west of High View, and is probably fairly safe from much development for quite some time.
I understand where you are coming from, but in the end the developers will probably win. There is too much money to be made. It will slowly develop and you wont notice it at first, and even after a year it wont seem that much different. In a decade though you will notice, and in another decade it will be that much worse.
This has been an interesting thread to read (along with a couple others) about the Panhandle area. I am considering relocating out there - yeah, I'd be one of the "irresponsible" commuters who work in Loudoun and can't afford living there exxcept for a tiny condo. I have seen housing there that's affordable and would work well for me, and having grown up mostly in central VA I love the mountains. That being said I also don't want to be somewhere I'd regret - which is why I'm also somewhat considering Frederick MD. Have been reading here that Martinsburg seems to have some problems (drugs, etc); is that true? If I move out there am thinking possibly M'burg; also Charles Town b/c of being a bit closer to work. Suggestions/ideas on where are good, safe, decent neighborhoods to seriously consider for someone single - open to either a townhouse or SFH depending on price.
I'm glad this very old thread has been revived and caught my attention. My full time "job" for the past 6 mos or so has been to see and learn all I can about the area that my husband and I will soon call home because of a job transfer. Unlike an extremely large portion of the EP population, we will be living and working right there. I work at home (artist) and my husband's new job is in Martinsburg, and he works long stressful days so prefers a short commute.
In an effort to find the silver lining in this unwanted move, we've been trying to embrace what we see as best about the area, a little piece of "Almost Heaven", if you will. A small home on a few acres where we can have farm animals, and after months of searching we finally found the perfect place this week, or thought we had. Turns out we had a few conversations with locals about Rte. 9 traffic (west of I-81) and experienced first hand the back up at the light going through the town of Hedgesville. And its not even school season yet. This must be the result of increased development without supporting infrastructure. Gotta really think about the price we'd have to pay for that little piece of "Almost Heaven". I guess I want to have my cake and eat it to.
I can tell my husband really wants to be closer to his new job, so I'm probably gonna cave in about the unrestricted farmette. I think a good compromise would be Jefferson County, but I still want privacy and TREES for goodness sake! No subdivision in the middle of a field for me. I won't be able to afford as nice a home in JC maybe, but I get the sense from reading this forum that Martinsburg isn't well thought of as a place to live. Falling Waters seems to be desired, however, and we nearly ended up in a subdivision there until I came to my senses.
So I'm asking for personal opinions here - in terms of resale value and overall quality of life, is the increased cost of living in JC really worth it? So much of Berkeley County is not really to my liking, or am I being too persnickety. (Or a stuck-up snob as another poster called me previously. Sorry, I really can't help it - I've had 32 years living in a much nicer/cleaner area!)
As for the previous post about Western Loudon County, let me just say that despite 32 years myself living in Virginia I had only been to the area a couple of times to participate in craft events in Lucketts and Leesburg back in the '90s. I had NO IDEA just how jaw droppingly gorgeous that area is. We went on the farm tour a couple of months ago. Hold tight to your conviction to keep it that way! Oh, if I was only rich enough to have a little piece of that. I can only dream, and maybe paint pictures of it!
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Sorry, I really can't help it - I've had 32 years living in a much nicer/cleaner area!)
