Anonymous wrote:

I grew up in a northern state that wasn't part of the Union during the Civil War with no ancestors that lived in America at the time, so there was no evidence of the Civil War around me growing up nor have I ever had strong opinions about it other than I have always supported the Union and do not support slavery and the cause of the Confederacy. Perhaps I may have a unique take, but I kind of find all the remnants (streets, schools, bases, etc.) of the Confederacy to be some quaint anachronism that is part of the charm and character of Virginia that gives it culture and flavor. I recognize that many of these names were given decades ago and maybe not for good reasons, but don't feel that in keeping them, we are honoring anything. It's part of the culture and the history of this area and every time I drive on "Jefferson Davis Hwy" or see one of these names, I chuckle, remember that I'm in Virginia, and I am reminded of this area's past and its lessons. I find it odd that in the 150 years since the Civil War ended and long after the children and even grandchildren of anyone who lived during that era have died, it's become such a controversy and source of great pain to people. I just feel something unique is lost when we go around and erase unique reminders of our history even the bad parts. We can keep them but at the same time their statues.

remember what they meant. As another example, I'm very anti-communist and fully aware of how evil Lenin and Stalin were, but feel the same way about tearing down
It's so amusing to be reminded that people deliberately engaged in a successful campaign to perpetuate a system of white supremacy, 60 years after the end of the war whose losers they were supposedly commemorating! Part of the charm and character of Virginia!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't it named after the Lee family? Robert E Lee's dad was a celebrated Revolutionary war veteran and also a governor of VA. Light horse Harry

The auto trail was named after Robert E. Lee.

From the memoirs of Katherine Johnson Balcomb (April 3, 1894 — February 2, 1980), published in The Balcomb Family Tree Book:[

Promoting a coast-to-coast highway across the southern tier of states as a memorial to General Robert E. Lee was considered by my father [Samuel Myrtle Johnson] as his crowning achievement. As the number and speed of automobiles increased, there arose a demand for good roads to run them on. Cities along logical routes for highways banded together to promote construction of roads to come through their towns. The first transcontinental highway that was thus promoted was conceived as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln and ran through the northern states. Father's concept was a companion highway that would start at Washington, run south and then west to the Pacific coast. He organized The Lee Highway Association and set about selling the idea to the cities along its logical routing. The idea, of course, had a great appeal in the South and he was able to induce prominent men to serve in the Association. The first president was Claudius Houston, Tennessee, undersecretary to Herbert Hoover. Cordell Hull, later to become Secretary of State, served on the board and later as president of the Association. Father had the title of Director General and received a good salary and liberal expense money.

This is correct. US Route 30 (the Main Line outside Philly) extends coast to coast and was long known as the Lincoln Highway, still is in many parts. Confederate sympathizers wanted US Route 50 to be the southern equivalent.

Ew.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they have nothing better to do than to rename every single street and school, most of which residents don’t care enough about? So sad that northern virginia’s rich confederate history (Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Arlington Cemetery, etc.) history has attempted to be erased, as evident in changes to Lee Hwy, Jackson Lee Hwy, Jefferson Davis Hwy, many of Fairfax City and Alexandria City’s streets, Robert E Lee HS, JEB Stuart HS, Fairfax HS Rebels, Loudoun County Raiders in LoCo, and PWC’s Stonewall Jackson HS, just to name a few.

You'll get no sympathy on these boards Op, it's as if they learned nothing about the Civil War and what President Lincoln and the soldiers who lost their lives meant to the end of slavery. They have a belief that if we just rewrite every history book, and erase all monuments then hate will go away. But it won't, because hate will always live in these peoples hearts and minds, always.

I grew up in a northern state that wasn't part of the Union during the Civil War with no ancestors that lived in America at the time, so there was no evidence of the Civil War around me growing up nor have I ever had strong opinions about it other than I have always supported the Union and do not support slavery and the cause of the Confederacy. Perhaps I may have a unique take, but I kind of find all the remnants (streets, schools, bases, etc.) of the Confederacy to be some quaint anachronism that is part of the charm and character of Virginia that gives it culture and flavor. I recognize that many of these names were given decades ago and maybe not for good reasons, but don't feel that in keeping them, we are honoring anything. It's part of the culture and the history of this area and every time I drive on "Jefferson Davis Hwy" or see one of these names, I chuckle, remember that I'm in Virginia, and I am reminded of this area's past and its lessons. I find it odd that in the 150 years since the Civil War ended and long after the children and even grandchildren of anyone who lived during that era have died, it's become such a controversy and source of great pain to people. I just feel something unique is lost when we go around and erase unique reminders of our history even the bad parts. We can keep them but at the same time remember what they meant. As another example, I'm very anti-communist and fully aware of how evil Lenin and Stalin were, but feel the same way about tearing down their statues.

If you were one of those people, or knew any of those people, you would know that it’s been “a source of great pain” to them this entire time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't it named after the Lee family? Robert E Lee's dad was a celebrated Revolutionary war veteran and also a governor of VA. Light horse Harry

The auto trail was named after Robert E. Lee.

From the memoirs of Katherine Johnson Balcomb (April 3, 1894 — February 2, 1980), published in The Balcomb Family Tree Book:[

Promoting a coast-to-coast highway across the southern tier of states as a memorial to General Robert E. Lee was considered by my father [Samuel Myrtle Johnson] as his crowning achievement. As the number and speed of automobiles increased, there arose a demand for good roads to run them on. Cities along logical routes for highways banded together to promote construction of roads to come through their towns. The first transcontinental highway that was thus promoted was conceived as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln and ran through the northern states. Father's concept was a companion highway that would start at Washington, run south and then west to the Pacific coast. He organized The Lee Highway Association and set about selling the idea to the cities along its logical routing. The idea, of course, had a great appeal in the South and he was able to induce prominent men to serve in the Association. The first president was Claudius Houston, Tennessee, undersecretary to Herbert Hoover. Cordell Hull, later to become Secretary of State, served on the board and later as president of the Association. Father had the title of Director General and received a good salary and liberal expense money.

This is correct. US Route 30 (the Main Line outside Philly) extends coast to coast and was long known as the Lincoln Highway, still is in many parts. Confederate sympathizers wanted US Route 50 to be the southern equivalent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they have nothing better to do than to rename every single street and school, most of which residents don’t care enough about? So sad that northern virginia’s rich confederate history (Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Arlington Cemetery, etc.) history has attempted to be erased, as evident in changes to Lee Hwy, Jackson Lee Hwy, Jefferson Davis Hwy, many of Fairfax City and Alexandria City’s streets, Robert E Lee HS, JEB Stuart HS, Fairfax HS Rebels, Loudoun County Raiders in LoCo, and PWC’s Stonewall Jackson HS, just to name a few.

You'll get no sympathy on these boards Op, it's as if they learned nothing about the Civil War and what President Lincoln and the soldiers who lost their lives meant to the end of slavery. They have a belief that if we just rewrite every history book, and erase all monuments then hate will go away. But it won't, because hate will always live in these peoples hearts and minds, always.

I grew up in a northern state that wasn't part of the Union during the Civil War with no ancestors that lived in America at the time, so there was no evidence of the Civil War around me growing up nor have I ever had strong opinions about it other than I have always supported the Union and do not support slavery and the cause of the Confederacy. Perhaps I may have a unique take, but I kind of find all the remnants (streets, schools, bases, etc.) of the Confederacy to be some quaint anachronism that is part of the charm and character of Virginia that gives it culture and flavor. I recognize that many of these names were given decades ago and maybe not for good reasons, but don't feel that in keeping them, we are honoring anything. It's part of the culture and the history of this area and every time I drive on "Jefferson Davis Hwy" or see one of these names, I chuckle, remember that I'm in Virginia, and I am reminded of this area's past and its lessons. I find it odd that in the 150 years since the Civil War ended and long after the children and even grandchildren of anyone who lived during that era have died, it's become such a controversy and source of great pain to people. I just feel something unique is lost when we go around and erase unique reminders of our history even the bad parts. We can keep them but at the same time remember what they meant. As another example, I'm very anti-communist and fully aware of how evil Lenin and Stalin were, but feel the same way about tearing down their statues.

This thread should be renamed: "Confederate sympathizers whine that local roads should remain named after traitorous losers."

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't it named after the Lee family? Robert E Lee's dad was a celebrated Revolutionary war veteran and also a governor of VA. Light horse Harry

The auto trail was named after Robert E. Lee.

From the memoirs of Katherine Johnson Balcomb (April 3, 1894 — February 2, 1980), published in The Balcomb Family Tree Book:[

Promoting a coast-to-coast highway across the southern tier of states as a memorial to General Robert E. Lee was considered by my father [Samuel Myrtle Johnson] as his crowning achievement. As the number and speed of automobiles increased, there arose a demand for good roads to run them on. Cities along logical routes for highways banded together to promote construction of roads to come through their towns. The first transcontinental highway that was thus promoted was conceived as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln and ran through the northern states. Father's concept was a companion highway that would start at Washington, run south and then west to the Pacific coast. He organized The Lee Highway Association and set about selling the idea to the cities along its logical routing. The idea, of course, had a great appeal in the South and he was able to induce prominent men to serve in the Association. The first president was Claudius Houston, Tennessee, undersecretary to Herbert Hoover. Cordell Hull, later to become Secretary of State, served on the board and later as president of the Association. Father had the title of Director General and received a good salary and liberal expense money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't it named after the Lee family? Robert E Lee's dad was a celebrated Revolutionary war veteran and also a governor of VA. Light horse Harry

Unfortunately, Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Highway were named after the Confederate Lee & Jackson, in the early 1900s. If it had been named after Lighthorse Harry Lee for his Revolutionary War service instead, we'd still have it.

And it would have been named earlier. Plenty of other places were named after Revolutionary War heroes well before the Civil War. Look at all the places named after Washington, General Nathanael Greene, General Knox, etc.

Nope, this one was named after the Confederate Lee. To say otherwise would be rewriting history to justify your discomfort with ... something. Not sure what. Removing the name isn't rewriting history, it's just removing an honor given to someone who fought against his country. You can still learn all about it. The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond sure isn't going anywhere and it has all the veneration of Lee, Jackson, etc you could possibly want. Go for it.

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want statues of LOSERS?

Loser traitors[b].

“Fairfax County announced Lee Highway will be renamed to its route number, Route 29. Lee Jackson Memorial Highway will be renamed to its route number, Route 50. The changes will start on July 5.”

Woke would be if they renamed it after some progressive cause to send a message of who is in charge, just like the Democrats who gave us all these Confederate names.

You should be fighting that battle because that’s what the woke mob was advocating for.

Anonymous wrote:Do they have nothing better to do than to rename every single street and school, most of which residents don’t care enough about? So sad that northern virginia’s rich confederate history (Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Arlington Cemetery, etc.) history has attempted to be erased, as evident in changes to Lee Hwy, Jackson Lee Hwy, Jefferson Davis Hwy, many of Fairfax City and Alexandria City’s streets, Robert E Lee HS, JEB Stuart HS, Fairfax HS Rebels, Loudoun County Raiders in LoCo, and PWC’s Stonewall Jackson HS, just to name a few.

It really isn't erasing anything. They continue to be in the history books and museums and in documentaries and movies and so on.

But putting their names on things is about honoring them. And there is no reason to honor them.

Loving this thread! Why would anyone want to venerate people who betrayed the United States and led an armed rebellion that killed thousands of American soldiers?

Robert E. Lee was lucky that his traitorous ass wasn’t hanged to death on the property we rightly took from him and made into a monument to the American soldiers he slaughtered.

Most people have already called those two roads Rte. 29 and Rte. 50 forever mostly because they both change names as they proceed through all the different jurisdictions and it's pretty ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:Do they have nothing better to do than to rename every single street and school, most of which residents don’t care enough about? So sad that northern virginia’s rich confederate history (Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Arlington Cemetery, etc.) history has attempted to be erased, as evident in changes to Lee Hwy, Jackson Lee Hwy, Jefferson Davis Hwy, many of Fairfax City and Alexandria City’s streets, Robert E Lee HS, JEB Stuart HS, Fairfax HS Rebels, Loudoun County Raiders in LoCo, and PWC’s Stonewall Jackson HS, just to name a few.

Why do you want to honor traitors?

Why would we want statues of LOSERS?