What did Northern Virginia look like back in the day (60s, 70s, 80s)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember when Alexandria & Arlington were so bad that you could get shot or mugged

Now. That's now.

[Anonymous]

Leesburg is definitely nova lol

[Anonymous]

Crystal City and "Potomac Yards" were giant railroad yards, with lots of freight trains shuttling back and forth.

[Anonymous]

My friends and coworkers who were born and raised here to parents who were also raised here generally have slight southern accents if they are white or black - not so much Hispanics or Asians. This goes for all ages except the youngest Millennials and Gen Zers, so maybe everyone age late 20s+? It’s not super noticeable like someone from South Carolina but it’s there.

[Anonymous]

Fairfax County native, 54.

Some recollections; I had classmates in the West Springfield area who lived on farms. In second grade, (1976)
we had an end of year party at a classmate’s farm that included a tour of the chicken coop and petting her horses. This was the first time I had ever seen an outhouse, although the family had indoor plumbing.

In junior high, the true “farms” kids lived off of Hooes and Pohick roads and their families had been in the county since pre colonial days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grew up here in the 70s and 80s. It was not southern. It was not as diverse as it is now but my schools had a lot of Asian kids and there were lots of military and state dept families that had lived overseas. It was not at all southern.

That’s my memory too, but a couple of years ago I saw an FCPS video from the 80s that included interviews with teachers at my ES. My mind was blown because so many of them had accents that I did not remember.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg is definitely nova lol

It’s exurban nova. As is most of Loudoun; no one from Leesburg commutes to downtown DC unless they want to spend two hours each way in traffic. Nonetheless they had southern accents when I went to high school there a decade ago. I have a farm in Lovettesville and they still fly confederate flags and have country accents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County native, 54.

Some recollections; I had classmates in the West Springfield area who lived on farms. In second grade, (1976)
we had an end of year party at a classmate’s farm that included a tour of the chicken coop and petting her horses. This was the first time I had ever seen an outhouse, although the family had indoor plumbing.

In junior high, the true “farms” kids lived off of Hooes and Pohick roads and their families had been in the county since pre colonial days.

Our neighbors in Hamilton and Purcellville are multigenerational Loudouners. They’ve been in the county for centuries as farmers.

[Anonymous]

I remember when Ashburn was all farms.

And when Lorton was still where the prison was.

[Anonymous]

There was a point where Springfield went downhill fast. Does anyone remember when there were abductions and crimes just rising so fast at the mall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a point where Springfield went downhill fast. Does anyone remember when there were abductions and crimes just rising so fast at the mall?

I hate to say this, but its directly correlated to when the URM% began to rise, and thus attracted blue collar workers to the area. It’s still largely reflected in the schools, and unfortunately the area is still highly crime ridden.

[Anonymous]

I remember there was a lot of land with a jail out near Springfield, right? Eventually closed and they built up that area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember there was a lot of land with a jail out near Springfield, right? Eventually closed and they built up that area

I think you’re referring to Lorton; They have since built up a housing community and a new middle and high school (South County MS & HS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg is definitely nova lol

It’s exurban nova. As is most of Loudoun; no one from Leesburg commutes to downtown DC unless they want to spend two hours each way in traffic. Nonetheless they had southern accents when I went to high school there a decade ago. I have a farm in Lovettesville and they still fly confederate flags and have country accents.

I know plenty of people who commuted to D.C. jobs from Loudoun. Growth has been explosive all over NoVa and you can't do that so easily anymore.

I don't think I've seen any confederate flags in Lovettsville. People are lovely, by and large. The most offensively obnoxious people in Loudoun are in the area between Middleburg and Purcellville. They smile in your face while they're sticking a knife in your back. So much toxic social climbing and virtue signaling. Lovettsville is a lot more real, and a lot nicer, with some high voltage people quietly living their lives. Madeleine Albright, who recently passed away, had a house off Harpers Ferry Rd. Technically Purcellville, but in the northernmost section of Loudoun, by Lovettsville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg is definitely nova lol

It’s exurban nova. As is most of Loudoun; no one from Leesburg commutes to downtown DC unless they want to spend two hours each way in traffic. Nonetheless they had southern accents when I went to high school there a decade ago. I have a farm in Lovettesville and they still fly confederate flags and have country accents.

I know plenty of people who commuted to D.C. jobs from Loudoun. Growth has been explosive all over NoVa and you can't do that so easily anymore.

I don't think I've seen any confederate flags in Lovettsville. People are lovely, by and large. The most offensively obnoxious people in Loudoun are in the area between Middleburg and Purcellville. They smile in your face while they're sticking a knife in your back. So much toxic social climbing and virtue signaling. Lovettsville is a lot more real, and a lot nicer, with some high voltage people quietly living their lives. Madeleine Albright, who recently passed away, had a house off Harpers Ferry Rd. Technically Purcellville, but in the northernmost section of Loudoun, by Lovettsville.

Sure they commute, but most of the people I know and have heard of commute from Potomac Falls/Sterling, Ashburn at most. I haven’t heard of many people who commute from around Leesburg or Western Loudoun to DC, as has none of my neighbors in Lovettesville.

Maybe the confederate flags I saw were indeed not in Lovettesville proper, but maybe with a different address. They still have country accents though, by ‘offensively obnoxious’ do you mean the people between Purcellville and Middleburg fly confederate flags? I don’t venture out there much.