oh yes. I remember this intersection.

causeican Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I love this website:
> http://fairfaxcountygis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webap
> pviewer/index.html?id=0612f9deb6bb4f0a9fa5cdce0cc7
> 5144

What layers did you use to get that effect of current maps to the historical maps?

steven warman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another shot of the 29/211 and route 28
> intersection looking toward Fairfax you can see
> our old McDonalds and Exxon. There sure were a lot
> of gas stations in Centreville!


You needed a lot of gas when Centreville was in the middle of nowhere and you needed to drive to get to a grocery store, movie theatre, etc.

Joke Insurance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> causeican Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I love this website:
> >
> http://fairfaxcountygis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webap
>
> >
> pviewer/index.html?id=0612f9deb6bb4f0a9fa5cdce0cc7
>
> > 5144
>
> What layers did you use to get that effect of
> current maps to the historical maps?
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Times Have Changed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great picture above Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The 1970 aerial shows Maplewood is gone.
>
> Maplewood was located at 7676 Old Springhouse
> Road. It was demolished in good condition by the
> owner in 1970 for the stated reason that the house
> was too drafty. A far more likely motive was
> evasion of pending classification of the house as
> an historic landmark, an event that would have
> blocked sale and development of the land.

The skallywags. I would have loved to have gone through that house.

The springfield tower has few tenants and is primarily used as a big ugly cell tower. How much longer till this place gets the wrecking ball? I have to admit I will be sad to see it go.
Remember when there was a Exxon station connected to it? That was a while back.
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Tower power Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The springfield tower has few tenants and is
> primarily used as a big ugly cell tower. How much
> longer till this place gets the wrecking ball? I
> have to admit I will be sad to see it go.
> Remember when there was a Exxon station connected
> to it? That was a while back.


Check out the view from the barber shop on the 7th floor (Bobs). It is a halfway decent barber shop. I go there every few years.

Tower power Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The springfield tower has few tenants and is
> primarily used as a big ugly cell tower. How much
> longer till this place gets the wrecking ball? I
> have to admit I will be sad to see it go.
> Remember when there was a Exxon station connected
> to it? That was a while back.


I remember back in late 1986 when it caught fire - A mini towering inferno.

1949
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Sixty cents?! Do they think we're made of money?!?!?!

(Actually, I ran a couple of cost-of-living calculators against that--it's about 10x to today, so $6, which would be cheap nowadays, where movies are > $10!)

Tower power Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The springfield tower has few tenants and is
> primarily used as a big ugly cell tower. How much
> longer till this place gets the wrecking ball? I
> have to admit I will be sad to see it go.
> Remember when there was a Exxon station connected
> to it? That was a while back.

There are certain times of the year the sun hits this building in the AM and blinds the shit out of anyone on Franconia road heading towards Springfield in the Key Center School area.

Here's the Fire
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Prior to 1975 you could get a year in jail just for screwing someone you were not married to. Damn!

The Progress-Index, 21 Sep 1975, Sun, Page 8
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ohmygod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Prior to 1975 you could get a year in jail just for screwing someone
> you were not married to. Damn!

Well, you couldn't buy non-essentials (such as toilet paper) on Sundays back then either. They had the whole aisle roped off with crime-scene tape. Things were well, different, back in those days.

Burke Brat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's the Fire
Attachments:

Times Have Changed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ohmygod Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Prior to 1975 you could get a year in jail just
> for screwing someone
> > you were not married to. Damn!
>
> Well, you couldn't buy non-essentials (such as
> toilet paper) on Sundays back then either. They
> had the whole aisle roped off with crime-scene
> tape. Things were well, different, back in those
> days.

Heaven forbid your mom got a run in her panty hose before Church as that was one of the forbidden items on Sunday! You could buy beer, but not panty hose. Good times.

Picture courtesy of Edy Hunter Remeika. Early 50s. I guess the Hunter motel enlarged over time. I remember it from the late 70s as a much larger place.
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1986. Looks friendly for a police dog. Maybe it was a nice dog that just sniffed high school lockers.
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Are these homes still there?
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Fran Connia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are these homes still there?

Yes

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8896302,-77.1380161,3a,75y,290.82h,76.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sp0_7KvG3IWM3WnygIJTKYw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Fran Connia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are these homes still there?

Some are. Tara-Leeway Heights. Near Westover. Look up 5725 N 19th Street. About $735K today according to Zillow.

Greybeard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> causeican Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Learn something new everyday. I always thought
> it
> > was east-west.
>
> 29 has to be North-South because it's an
> odd-numbered route.
>
> Interstates and US Routes: odd=N/S, even=E/W.
> Interstates: lower numbers in the west/south,
> higher in the east/north
> US Routes: lower numbers in the east/north, higher
> in the west/south
>
> The US Route system is probably less rigorous
> about this, though I can't think of exceptions
> offhand.
>
> Interstates are consistent except for I-99, which
> is an abomination.
>
> Oh, and 3-digit Interstates also follow a scheme:
> even first digit=loop (495, for example, leaves 95
> and rejoins); odd first digit=spur (395). I-270 is
> numbered wrong, too.


Remember when I-270 was called "70-S"?

Tower power Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The springfield tower has few tenants and is
> primarily used as a big ugly cell tower. How much
> longer till this place gets the wrecking ball? I
> have to admit I will be sad to see it go.
> Remember when there was a Exxon station connected
> to it? That was a while back.


I've always loved the looks of the Springfield tower. If I had the dough, I would buy it, gut it, and turn it into a magnificent private residence for one person---ME!

Tower lover Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I've always loved the looks of the Springfield
> tower. If I had the dough, I would buy it, gut
> it, and turn it into a magnificent private
> residence for one person---ME!


That is awesome! Someone needs to take all the valuable information in this thread and turn it into a Wikipedia page. The pictures alone are priceless.

pants corral guy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great to see this thread still going after all
> these years!!!!
>
> Somebody out there please find me a Pants corral
> picture. I worked at the one in Fair City mall
> back in 1978.
>
> Thanks to everyone who has made this thread so
> freaking great!


PC was a great place to shop back in 76 to 82.

lbss82bruin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Remember when I-270 was called "70-S"?

That was prior to 1975. Prior to 1960, it wasn't called anything at all because the Beltway connection didn't exist yet.

Speaking of the Springfield Tower...
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I think WMAL radio had their studios in the Springfield Tower at some point. That was when they were a local station with local personalities rather than the right-wing scream-fest the station is now.

Shady McShades Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tower power Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The springfield tower has few tenants and is
> > primarily used as a big ugly cell tower. How
> much
> > longer till this place gets the wrecking ball?
> I
> > have to admit I will be sad to see it go.
> > Remember when there was a Exxon station
> connected
> > to it? That was a while back.
>
> There are certain times of the year the sun hits
> this building in the AM and blinds the shit out of
> anyone on Franconia road heading towards
> Springfield in the Key Center School area.

My apologies to the Springfield Tower. I realized yesterday the Springfield Tower isn't even visible from that stretch of Franconia Rd. It's the Kaiser building that sits directly in front of you coming through there.

Annandalian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think WMAL radio had their studios in the
> Springfield Tower at some point. That was when
> they were a local station with local personalities
> rather than the right-wing scream-fest the station
> is now.


That was a urban myth about that building. The WMAL broadcasts came out the studio in NW DC area.

The WMAL letters were advertising for the station, and with that location just off of 395/95, all of the drivers thought Harden and Weaver were up in that building - They weren't.

Your Next On Sports Call ! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Annandalian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think WMAL radio had their studios in the
> > Springfield Tower at some point. That was when
> > they were a local station with local
> personalities
> > rather than the right-wing scream-fest the
> station
> > is now.
>
>
> That was a urban myth about that building. The
> WMAL broadcasts came out the studio in NW DC area.
>
>
> The WMAL letters were advertising for the station,
> and with that location just off of 395/95, all of
> the drivers thought Harden and Weaver were up in
> that building - They weren't.

RIP Ken Beatrice.

I miss that sports talk show - Ole Ken knew EVERYTHING

I Never Eat The Curly Fries Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I miss that sports talk show - Ole Ken knew
> EVERYTHING


Good audio of good old Ken!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9IILiRrFtY

kenn fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I Never Eat The Curly Fries Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I miss that sports talk show - Ole Ken knew
> > EVERYTHING
>
>
> Good audio of good old Ken!
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9IILiRrFtY


He was a strange dude. A guy that I worked with used to call him off the air all the time while we were sitting around the office. He'd actually take any knucklehead's call pretty much any time and would talk to them for like a half hour. lol

Pistones Italian Inn near Seven Corners has been in business since 1974, anyone remember what was there in the sixties?

Howard Johnsons. And do you know the famous group who once sang at Pistones?

Pistones prior...
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Thanks guys, What year did that Howard Johnsons close? What band played Pistones?

I just remembered that the Summit Manor was located there prior to Pistones. The group that used to perform were the Ink Spots

Thanks easy. My mother swore it was something else before Pistones.

Where the hell is this? Supposed to be Arlington or fairfax.
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wherethehellisthis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where the hell is this? Supposed to be Arlington
> or fairfax.

The photo was taken circa 1985-86. This is in Arlington, and the Chrysler Plymouth Dealer is "Al's Motors"

Al's went out of business in 1997

Ho Jo's Falls Church closed in 1968.

found this on the site. Summit Manor prior to Pistones
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The metro bus lot closed off a block of Quincy in Ballston between Wilson and Fairfax. The land became too valuable and it was sold, probably some high rise now...

Thanks easy, you too sleepy. My mother worked there in 69-70 and Mr.Ray was the guys name she was trying to remember. Mom grew up here and loves this thread, Thanks to all who contribute.

Anybody remember the ArVa hotel? It was on route 50.
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ArVa was/is on the other side of Route 50 from the gate at Fort Myers on Pershing.

I think a chain bought it (Comfort, Days Inn?) years ago. That area is getting gentrified since its so "close" to the Courthouse Metro.

blanche Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ArVa was/is on the other side of Route 50 from the
> gate at Fort Myers on Pershing.
>
> I think a chain bought it (Comfort, Days Inn?)
> years ago. That area is getting gentrified since
> its so "close" to the Courthouse Metro.


Hi Blanche. Is the building still there?

I found a ArVa key on ebay, cool!
Attachments:

kenn fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> blanche Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ArVa was/is on the other side of Route 50 from
> the
> > gate at Fort Myers on Pershing.
> >
> > I think a chain bought it (Comfort, Days Inn?)
> > years ago. That area is getting gentrified
> since
> > its so "close" to the Courthouse Metro.
>
>
> Hi Blanche. Is the building still there?

Not Blanche, but when google took this picture dated 2015, it was.
Attachments:

causeican Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kenn fan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > blanche Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > ArVa was/is on the other side of Route 50
> from
> > the
> > > gate at Fort Myers on Pershing.
> > >
> > > I think a chain bought it (Comfort, Days
> Inn?)
> > > years ago. That area is getting gentrified
> > since
> > > its so "close" to the Courthouse Metro.
> >
> >
> > Hi Blanche. Is the building still there?
>
> Not Blanche, but when google took this picture
> dated 2015, it was.


That place looks cool. I just looked it up on tripadvisor and you can stay for less than 60 bucks a night, most of the rooms are smoking rooms lol. I think I will stay a night there just for the nostalgic experience.
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Sleepy Holla Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pistones prior...


A cool old HOJO ad,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JoIgwieXUA

My favorite HO JO's visited many times right before it closed in the early 80's...FFX Circle.
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Dairy counter at the Fairfax, Virginia Howard Johnson's: Richard Power, Myrtle Walton, Martha Beitzel and Martha Dancy. 1958
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clam roll Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dairy counter at the Fairfax, Virginia Howard
> Johnson's: Richard Power, Myrtle Walton, Martha
> Beitzel and Martha Dancy. 1958

I've been looking for Dick Power my whole life....

Sleepy Holla Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My favorite HO JO's visited many times right
> before it closed in the early 80's...FFX Circle.


You can almost see where the Arthur Treacher's would be built some 30 years later.

wherethehellisthis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where the hell is this? Supposed to be Arlington
> or fairfax.


Didn't METRO send like 100 Busses to NYC at one time, late 70's?

The Unincredible Mr. Limp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> clam roll Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Dairy counter at the Fairfax, Virginia Howard
> > Johnson's: Richard Power, Myrtle Walton, Martha
> > Beitzel and Martha Dancy. 1958
>
> I've been looking for Dick Power my whole life....


He lives next door to Jack Doff.

Washington Star newspaper.
Attachments:

unknown, “Aerial photograph of Kamp Washington,” John M. Sherwood Collection Exhibit Spring 2012, accessed January 15, 2016, http://sherwoodexhibit.omeka.net/items/show/5.
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Filet-O-Fish Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can almost see where the Arthur Treacher's
> would be built some 30 years later.

...turned into the ABC Canteen some 30 years after that.

I saw this thread and thought I'd comment. I worked at the Springfield Mall Pants Corral as an asst manager, I managed the original Springfield strip mall store and the one near Tysons Corner, attached to the Giant Dept store, and eventually worked in their buying office as a buyer in Landover. I've got a picture somewhere of an old Pants Corral newspaper ad, if i can find it I'll scan and post.

Holiday inn Manassas late 70s?
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Georgetown B&O Branch proposed extension circa 1893
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Snow Plows in the District of Columbia - Ford Equipment - 1925

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199423696893155/permalink/539365349565653/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2016 02:14PM by Joke Insurance.
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A Snowy Day in Kings Park, Springfield, VA 1-29-66 (The Washington Post)

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199423696893155/permalink/539131999588988/
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Anybody old enough to remember Herby's used car lot before it became Herby's Ford?
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This pic courtesy of Kenny Adams
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Thanks to Andrew Ratlife for this yearbook ad.
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Joke Insurance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Snow Plows in the District of Columbia - Ford
> Equipment - 1925
>
> Source:
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/199423696893155/pe
> rmalink/539365349565653/

That’s an awesome picture. Is that the Commerce Building?

Certainly has the same look and style, but probably not. The picture is dated 1925 and the sign above the doorway says MCMIV, but what is now called the Herbert C Hoover Building was not built until 1932. Additionally, HCHB takes up its entire block. Hard to explain the other building visible at the far right.

Joke Insurance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Georgetown B&O Branch proposed extension circa
> 1893

Thanks Joke Insurance. I take back everything I never said about you.

This is a new one for me and sparks all kinds of questions. Would this have been a brand new line or an extension of an existing railroad? Did anything come out of this proposed Metropolitan Western Railroad? I wish I could see how the proposed track would have run in comparison to our roads today. I wonder if the proposed track runs along 66?

From its formation, the Town of Fairfax always seemed to be set apart from the community and its neighboring towns. Not frequented by the public as much as other townships in the area. This railroad, had it been created, might have changed the City from what we know today.

The Office of Valuation Expenses(?) in Baltimore Maryland. The image (or my eyes) is not too clear, did I get the name of the office correct? I’m assuming it’s federal. Were there other federal offices located in Baltimore at that time?


The use of the word “metropolitan” in 1893 seems innovative.

From the looks of it, the Metropolitan Western RR would have run approximately along the route of Old Lee Highway from Fairfax to Dunn Loring, then across the area of present-day Shreve Road, Williamsburg Boulevard, and North Glebe Road to reach the Potomac. The means of crossing are not clear, but some form of the Dalecarlia Tunnel obviously existed at the time, even though the current version was not built until 1910. The tunnel passes beneath MacArthur Boulevard and the Washington Aqueduct and is now part of the Capital Crescent Bike Trail. It looks like this...
.
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Joke Insurance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Snow Plows in the District of Columbia - Ford
> Equipment - 1925
>
> Source:
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/199423696893155/pe
> rmalink/539365349565653/


The picture in Joke Insurance’s post fascinates me. The quality is so good, you can zoom-in and really see the machines. What is the manufacturer name on the first one; and that last machine, what is it? It looks like a crane?

Here is another picture / article:
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While googling “DC snow plows” I found this website. Good website with some good pictures.
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Times Have Changed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From the looks of it, the Metropolitan Western RR
> would have run approximately along the route of
> Old Lee Highway from Fairfax to Dunn Loring, then
> across the area of present-day Shreve Road,
> Williamsburg Boulevard, and North Glebe Road to
> reach the Potomac. The means of crossing are not
> clear, but some form of the Dalecarlia Tunnel
> obviously existed at the time, even though the
> current version was not built until 1910. The
> tunnel passes beneath MacArthur Boulevard and the
> Washington Aqueduct and is now part of the Capital
> Crescent Bike Trail. It looks like this...
> .
Very cool. I’ll have to bike over there. Thanks!

Times Have Changed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Certainly has the same look and style, but
> probably not. The picture is dated 1925 and the
> sign above the doorway says MCMIV, but what is now
> called the Herbert C Hoover Building was not built
> until 1932. Additionally, HCHB takes up its
> entire block. Hard to explain the other building
> visible at the far right.


Somewhere in my searching this morning for more information, I read the building referred to as "the District Bldg." Here’s another image of the same tractor. This image is for sale on eBay for $4.95 or something. There are more buildings in background. Is that the National Theater?
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How about this?! If I could whistle... More good pictures and information on website http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/the-oral-history-of-an-amazing-1930-ford-model-a-off-ro-1588212852/1588260091

Here’s a clip:
This very special Model A Ford convertible cabriolet was originally manufactured around June of 1930. Leonard Quammen of Lindsay in north eastern Montana had it modified by a local blacksmith named Walt Freeman in 1940 or 1941 for use in delivering rural mail around Lindsay. Leonard farmed near Lindsay and had mail routes both north and south of Lindsay. He would deliver mail on one route on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and deliver mail on the other route on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Goodyear 11.25 x 24 pneumatic tractor tires were used on 24" tractor tire rims. These tires were introduced in the mid 1930's and were Goodyear's first pneumatic farm tractor tires. They had a diamond with a hole in the center for the tread pattern. This distinctive tread design was not self-cleaning when running in mud so these tires were not as popular with some farmers as they might otherwise have been. Goodyear had thousands of various sizes of this type of tire in their warehouses in the late 1930's and found it hard to find homes for them. They eventually sold them for snow applications such as on this car or for use on agricultural equipment such as grain combines that were normally only used in dry weather conditions. Leonard did try skis on the the front once. They would work fine on snow but when there were bare spots in the road, they did not work well.
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causeican Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Somewhere in my searching this morning for more
> information, I read the building referred to as
> "the District Bldg."

E Street in front of the District building (construction of which did indeed begin in 1904) would make perfect sense. The building at the right would then be whatever was on the SW corner of 14th & E before the Commerce Department building came along.

> Here’s another image of the same tractor. This image is
> for sale on eBay for $4.95 or something. There are more
> buildings in background. Is that the National Theater?

The photo below is of the New National Theater in 1922. I don't see where it or its neighbors match up very well with what's in the background of the second 1925 plow photo.
.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_A._Wilson_Building
The "John A. Wilson District Building", popularly known simply as the "Wilson Building" or the "JAWB", formerly the "District Building", houses the municipal offices and chambers of the Mayor and District Council of the District of Columbia. Originally called the District Building, it was renamed in 1994 to commemorate former Council Chair John A. Wilson.[2] Completed in 1908, during the administration of 26th President Theodore Roosevelt, the building is a contributing structure to the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site.
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.
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That's a relatively recent picture. The area behind the District Building was once a large parking lot bounded by the District Building and PA Avenue to the north, 14th Street and a fountain feature directly across from the Commerce Department to the west, then the Labor Department and ICC buildings along Constitution Avenue to the south, and to the east, the Post Office building that still stands directly above the street escalator for the Federal Triangle Metro station. Many hundreds of cars were parked in that lot on the day of the 1977 Hanafi Muslim takeover of the District Building. Marion Barry and others had already been shot and Warnings and reports of gunfire being sprayed into the parking lot had evening commuters darting in and out of cars hoping to reach their own safely. If you did, you could escape to the south through the arch in the Labor Department Building. Different sort of rush-hour commute that day.

causeican Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Joke Insurance Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Georgetown B&O Branch proposed extension circa
> > 1893
>
> Thanks Joke Insurance. I take back everything I
> never said about you.
>
> This is a new one for me and sparks all kinds of
> questions. Would this have been a brand new line
> or an extension of an existing railroad? Did
> anything come out of this proposed Metropolitan
> Western Railroad? I wish I could see how the
> proposed track would have run in comparison to our
> roads today. I wonder if the proposed track runs
> along 66?
>
> From its formation, the Town of Fairfax always
> seemed to be set apart from the community and its
> neighboring towns. Not frequented by the public
> as much as other townships in the area. This
> railroad, had it been created, might have changed
> the City from what we know today.
>
> The Office of Valuation Expenses(?) in Baltimore
> Maryland. The image (or my eyes) is not too
> clear, did I get the name of the office correct?
> I’m assuming it’s federal. Were there other
> federal offices located in Baltimore at that time?
>
>
>
> The use of the word “metropolitan” in 1893
> seems innovative.


Would you like to see the email source where the picture came from?

causeican Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The use of the word “metropolitan” in 1893 seems innovative.

The line was first incorporated by the VA General Assembly with the name Metropolitan Western Railroad on February 4, 1890. It was one of three separate companies proposed by the B&O which was at the time in search of access routes to the developing markets of the post-Civil War south. The rival Pennsylvania RR owned the Long Bridge crossing from DC into Virginia and wouldn't let the B&O use it.

The B&O then proposed that the Metropolitan Southern Railroad would build a line from the existing B&O main line at Silver Spring over to the Potomac Palisades. The Metropolitan Western Railroad would then build the Virginia section of the line from a Potomac River crossing west of Chain Bridge down to Quantico. Meanwhile, the Washington & Western Maryland Railroad would complete a spur from the Potomac Palisades down into Georgetown. The B&O had already acquired the Georgetown Barge, Dock, Elevator & Railway Company and its mile-long track that shuttled cargo back and forth along Water Street (now K Street) from Rock Creek to the Aqueduct Bridge. That track would become part of the Georgetown Branch when that line was finally completed in 1910.

But the Depression of 1893 had put a hold on the entire project. The Metropolitan Southern had by then made it over to Connecticut Avenue, but that's where things came to a halt. It was fifteen years before the B&O was financially able to consider returning to the work, but by that time, the Pennsylvania had lost its Long Bridge monopoly, so the crossing into Virginia was no longer needed. I have not found any legislative mention of the Metropolitan Western Railroad after 1902. The District's expanding use of electricity from coal-fired power plants made the Georgetown Branch economically viable however, so that portion of the plan was completed and continued to operate through 1985.

Joke Insurance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A Snowy Day in Kings Park, Springfield, VA 1-29-66
> (The Washington Post)
>
> Source:
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/199423696893155/pe
> rmalink/539131999588988/


Notice that Mom is in a skirt. I don't see gloves, or she is wearing thin dress gloves. With a serious amount of snow.

Dressed for action, for sure.

causeican Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The use of the word “metropolitan” in 1893
> seems innovative.

The term Metropolitan comes from a prior railroad effort.

Originally the B&O's main line ran west from Baltimore, with a branch running from just outside Baltimore to Washington. In the mid 19th century an effort was made to provide Washington with a direct line to the west, and the Metropolitan RR was chartered to build the line from DC to I believe Hagerstown. After the Civil War the B&O took over the charter, constructed the line from Washington to Point of Rocks and turned it into their main line west.

An 1894 map of Washington shows the line was supposed to cross the Potomac just west of the DC line and the follow Pimmit Run towards Dunn Loring. Unfortunately the map stops just west of there. I believe some land was acquired in Virginia for the rail line, but I have never read of any construction. Part of the current Capital Crescent trail in Maryland is on the Maryland portion of the line. One other bit to add. The purpose of the line was so that the B&O could bypass the Pennsylvania controlled bridge over the Potomac. In the late 1890s the Pennsylvania got control of the B&O, which was probably another reason the line was put on hold. Then the Pennsylvania and B&O got involved in joint projects for Union Station in DC and Potomac Yard in ALexandria which made a separate line for the B&O seem unnecessary.

No idea why the line from DC west was called the Metropolitan. London's underground railroad constructed around the same time, used the same name, so perhaps it was just popular. Since the line to Quantic was being constructed from the former Metropolitan RR line, the hew roads were called the Metropolitan Western and Metropolitan Southern.

Leave it to Beaver Wrote:
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> Notice that Mom is in a skirt. I don't see gloves, or she
> is wearing thin dress gloves. With a serious amount of snow.
> Dressed for action, for sure.

Hippie chick. Boots and a mini-skirt. No gloves. This was the 60s, not the 50s.

Times Have Changed Wrote:
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> causeican Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The use of the word “metropolitan” in 1893
> seems innovative.
>
> The line was first incorporated by the VA General
> Assembly with the name Metropolitan Western
> Railroad on February 4, 1890. It was one of three
> separate companies proposed by the B&O which was
> at the time in search of access routes to the
> developing markets of the post-Civil War south.
> The rival Pennsylvania RR owned the Long Bridge
> crossing from DC into Virginia and wouldn't let
> the B&O use it.
>
> The B&O then proposed that the Metropolitan
> Southern Railroad would build a line from the
> existing B&O main line at Silver Spring over to
> the Potomac Palisades. The Metropolitan Western
> Railroad would then build the Virginia section of
> the line from a Potomac River crossing west of
> Chain Bridge down to Quantico. Meanwhile, the
> Washington & Western Maryland Railroad would
> complete a spur from the Potomac Palisades down
> into Georgetown. The B&O had already acquired the
> Georgetown Barge, Dock, Elevator & Railway Company
> and its mile-long track that shuttled cargo back
> and forth along Water Street (now K Street) from
> Rock Creek to the Aqueduct Bridge. That track
> would become part of the Georgetown Branch when
> that line was finally completed in 1910.
>
> But the Depression of 1893 had put a hold on the
> entire project. The Metropolitan Southern had by
> then made it over to Connecticut Avenue, but
> that's where things came to a halt. It was
> fifteen years before the B&O was financially able
> to consider returning to the work, but by that
> time, the Pennsylvania had lost its Long Bridge
> monopoly, so the crossing into Virginia was no
> longer needed. I have not found any legislative
> mention of the Metropolitan Western Railroad after
> 1902. The District's expanding use of electricity
> from coal-fired power plants made the Georgetown
> Branch economically viable however, so that
> portion of the plan was completed and continued to
> operate through 1985.

That's great history to know. Thanks. C

The Annandale variety store 1954
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Who remembers pay toilets? That’s one idea that didn’t make it.
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Fran Connia Wrote:
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> The Annandale variety store 1954


Is that what later became Annandale Surplus?

That looks like the metro bus yard on Wilson blvd in Ballston. That's Al's Garage in the background which is now a Gold's Gym. The bus yard is now gone and has been replaced with a new condo building and offices under construction now.

This intersection has changed a little since the 1960s. Thanks to Bob Robb for the image.
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Another one from Bob Robb
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I see 'GARDEN' on the building in the picture 2 posts up... Is that Merrifield Garden Center or a previous incarnation?

Moe Zayich Wrote:
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> I see 'GARDEN' on the building in the picture 2
> posts up... Is that Merrifield Garden Center or a
> previous incarnation?


Thanks for the photo of Super 29 Drive in. Looks to be from the summer of 1984, one year before they closed down.

Super 29 was razed in the spring of 1986, and Fairfax County was never the same.

Moe Zayich Wrote:
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> I see 'GARDEN' on the building in the picture 2 posts up...
> Is that Merrifield Garden Center or a previous incarnation?

MGC is on the northeast corner of the intersection. For the building in the photo to be in that location, the shadows would indicate that the picture was taken early in the morning. I would suspect that the picture was actually taken
in the late afternoon and that the building sat on the southwest corner -- where the Mosaic District is now. Additionally the land behind MGC until well into the 1970s was Dunn's dairy farm. Acres and acres of grass and more grass dotted with cows. I don't see signs of that in the photo.

Fran Connia Wrote:
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> This intersection has changed a little since the
> 1960s. Thanks to Bob Robb for the image.


This photo was taken in 1966. The plate on the 1964 Chevy is a 1966 issue, and the Plymouth Fury in the background is a 1965.

The Mobil Station would expand, and take over the whole corner. If the photo was taken from a different angle, the "Spooky House" on the other corner could be seen.

SW corner?
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