This is My Town
 

Let's take this Hobo suggestion from another thread and give it it's own thread.

Orange, VA here. It's actually a little town about 20 miles East of Orange called Locust Grove. We're just a dot on a map for the most part, blink and you miss the "town" of Locust Grove. The town of Orange isn't very big but you can check out the James Madison Museum or people watch from the parking lot at the McDonald's in the center of town. The Barboursville Vineyards are always a big hit for tourists, dunno why then again I don't drink! If that doesn't float your boat we are overloaded with US History. Montpelier is just 8 miles away. A plethora of Civil War sites are at Locust Grove(I am actually surrounded by cannon pits and trench lines all across my property.) Travel a few miles further East and you hit Fredericksburg Va where you have even more Civil War sites. It wasn't just a Civil War path your driving on Rt. 20 in Orange, it was also used during the American Revolution. At one point the original OC was the largest county ever in the US for 4 years, our western boundary extended all the way to the Mississippi and the northern boundary was to the Great Lakes. We were actually named for Prince William the 3rd of Orange, England. Unfortunately we don't have a sister city designation, guess we're just too podunk or small. MD can attest to the real OC as he was here recently for a delivery. If your going to do a 34, try to get to Charlottesville or Fredericksburg, a ton more to do if your not into history. Also, they have more parking.

Manakau near Levin ,north island New Zealand . Southern hemisphere.on google north Manakau road intersection with state highway 1.north of there 80yards should see logging truck on side of road ,house straight oppisite.could show school bus as well.

An add-on to mitchno's, do street view on the first house North of the intersection and you will see the truck and bus. There is a dirt looking pull-off just North of the intersection.

Mitch, the cows in the field behind you, they yours?

no farm not mine ,usualy deer in paddocks.truck park now gravelled

Crazy man, beaches West of you, fairly high mountains East. Kinda like our West Coast. Was New Zealand populated like Australia was by the English? I know you kiwi's really hate being compared to the Aussie's. Local guy to me was originally a kiwi, when I first met him I mistakenly thought he was Aussie. Luckily he corrected me without brandishing a machete!

Los Angeles is not exactly a town, but here goes. It gets a bad rap as being full of plastic people, Hollywood glitz, etc. Those elements are there if you seek them out, but for the vast majority of people who live and work here, that is not reality.

LA is really a collection of towns, each with its character. The full range of ethnic communities (including, of course, the all-important food) is here, available to anyone with a car. Within two hours you can access beach, mountains, and desert. The car-dependent nature of the city leads to its biggest downside, traffic, but one can plan for that. I like living here and encourage anyone coming through to stop by for some coffee.

I appreciate the thought, Mr. Ford... but, thoughts without actions are just "dreams." What I mean is... look at the "views" and replies to the Raleigh thread compared to THIS one. If you want THIS to be the thread I "suggested," can you please MOVE all posts (or the entire thread) from the Raleigh thread to THIS one... for continuity and success... and then, perhaps CLOSE the other thread? (with a link or suggestion to this thread?) It really would be alot of stress to keep going back and forth.

I like YOUR thread title better (no offense to Sharlie who WAS the impetus to this venture.) But, many members have already "shared" on THAT thread. Please HELP me! My ADD is running amuck... and I need some "regulation." ;)

[Really... look at the numbers. 246 (or so) VIEWS of a thread titled after a CITY?? ]

Granted... we ALL like helping Sharlie out with her "problems," but.... this is an idea (that YOU get credit for) that rivals the "New drivers introduce yourself" thread. In FACT... THAT one is a "sticky!" Couldn't you combine these two threads into one, and make THIS a sticky? And I think THIS is the right forum for it. Most contributors would not be "new drivers," but us veterans who KNOW what it's like to be "stuck" in a town we know nothing about... or even just wondering as we pass through... and NOT "political!" lol!

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NO town is really JUST a "dot on a map." That's the whole idea here. WHY did it get the name Locust Grove? I suppose I can imagine... but, let's HEAR it. Maybe you don't know...(and I mean no disrespect) but... OTR drivers KNOW the names of some VERY small towns across this great country. The "big" ones are obvious but, to truckers, knowing the small ones is a "badge of honor" so to speak.

But, even us seasoned vets don't always know WHY a town (little or big) is named as it is. And we never know when we may be "laying over" in one. Maybe it's just me... but, when I go thru the scales at Dumfries, VA (for example,) I can't help but wonder HOW it got its name?

NOW we're talking! Is that the same Prince William that the county in Maryland (just north/west of D.C.) is named after? Isn't there also a "prince William sound?) I lived in P.W. County (Laurel, MD) for awhile. I didn't KNOW he was from some place called ORANGE in England! Now I'll have to do some googling! ;)

Talking about "cannon pits" and the Civil War... I had a good friend from Tennessee who used to wander around his grandfather's "property" and down in a creek one day... he found a Silver Dollar that must have fallen from the pocket (or knapsack) of a Civil War soldier! IIRC, there was a battle there, so it was probably lost during the battle. Don't know about whether the SOLDIER was lost or not. But... WHAT a story, and what a keepsake!

And then, why did I highlight RT. 20? Because... unlike the Eisenhower Interstate system... these OLD routes were "built" over Post Roads or commercial "paths" from outlying areas to transportation "hubs" during the "pre-constitution" era of our nation. There is MORE American history to be found along State or County highways than along ANY Interstate in America! If you live along one of these "routes," you MUST have a certain history to your town.

On a side note... IF you are ever "lost" or need to get around an accident on a freeway... I'm sure you ALL know that U.S. highways WILL take you TO (and through) the nearest large city in your area, and then BACK to the interstate you were on, right? A COUNTY highway will take you to the NEAREST town (in most cases.)

ALWAYS choose a U.S. Highway over a State or County road IF you have a choice. County roads are not always required to cut their trees back to accomodate big trucks.

Now... BACK to the thread... or is it TWO threads?

Where to start........

Seriously Hobo, we are nothing but a dot on the map. We are more of an area than an actual town, we're even listed as unincorporated. In fact the Post Office for Locust Grove, bearing the LG name isn't even in Locust Grove, it's 6 miles away in Wilderness, Va. There is actually no known reason for the name chosen.

Dumfries, Va......somebody there back in the 1700's decided to name the start of the town after his birthplace in Dumfries, Scotland. Just don't get caught stopping halfway between Dumfries and Manassas, Va, your what we local's call, in Dum-assas, Va. :cool:

I think your thinking of Prince George County, MD. Laurel is in Prince George. There is a Prince William County, VA which is where Dumfries is located.

Rt. 20 is listed as The Constitution Route as it takes you right past the home of The Father of The Constitution, James Madison and Montpelier. I wish I could find the pic the local paper ran about 8 years or so ago, they had a "today" pic with a pic from either just before the Civil War or just after right where the actual battlefield and small visitor center sits. They took the "today" pic from nearly the same exact spot as the old pic. It was just a dirt path back then that was barely wide enough for a horse and cart. Today it's a 2 lane highway that is HEAVILY travelled. Very little of the surrounding trees and fields has changed since the 1860's except you see more houses and some mom-n-pop storefronts.

Clee, your right about LA. Only time I hit traffic was the 110 headed East/South towards Dodger Stadium when they had an early afternoon game. Hopped off at the 101 and hammered down right thru the heart of downtown LA without slowing up. You hit traffic, there's a way around it there with the sheer volume of roadways.

Mr. Ford said:

LMFAO! The town wasn't small enough... they had to move the P.O. to the "Wilderness?" LOL! Sorry man... that's just hilarious!

Scotland, eh? Well... now I know! Thanks.

Oops! You're right (of course.) Been along time since the 70's! But, there IS a Prince William Sound somewhere... hmm.... guess I'll have to google.

Wow... that's cool. LOTS of great American history around your area. See... my point was how most of these older highways take us closer to HISTORY than the interstates do.

I LOVE those kind of pics. All the old cars (or buggies) and stuff! Was your "trailer" in the old pic? LOL! Sorry... just messin' with ya! Seriously... did the pic show the area where your HOME is? If not.... have you ever seen a pic of the area before your home was built? Back in the late 70's, by dad bought an unfinished "house" built around an old "cabin" that used to be a SUMMER HOME for a doctor here in Salisbury. It's about 8-10 miles out of the center of town. Once finished, it was a beautiful ranch style with "dutch barn" type extensions on both ends. Stone fireplace, slate patio, and cedar siding. We have the old pics of when it was just a "summer cabin" outside of town. Priceless!

Keyword there is "afternoon." There ARE a few times of the day when one can zip thru/around the L.A. area... but... rush hour(s) are about 3 hours long on both ends!

Strangest feeling ever was driving thru downtown L.A. at like 3 in the morning! One of the largest populations in the country... but had the road nearly all to myself!

Yep, rush hour is pretty much unavoidable. Both the highways and surface roads get clogged. That's just what happens when everything is spread out and there's not much public transportation.

Driving through Los Angeles at night with the roads clear is indeed a great feeling.

yep we populated by the english and dont like the aussies especialy at sport.yep good sandy beachs bout 6 miles from home and the mountain range closer ,plenty deer up there ,can shoot them all year round here they classed as a noxious animal

Edinburgh, about 60 miles from Dumfries :-)
Edinburgh and the Lothians Tourist Information | Visit Scotland
Edinburgh Royal Mile and Grassmarket | Visit Scotland I work here, in St Giles' Cathedral.

Ah heck... now I gotta go buy a map of England!

Mr. Ford also neglected to mention that, if anyone wants to go into business in Orange, VA, the Master Bait Shop (right close to the low underpass where US-15 bears to the right) is for sale, as of my last visit.

My 'town' isn't a town at all. It's also not in a county. Roanoke (originally known as Big Lick) is more of a railway town, as evidenced by Norfolk Southern's immense presence, as well as the Virginia Museum of Transportation on Salem Avenue. Norfolk Southern was created in 1982 by the merger of America's last Class 1 steam railway (Norfolk & Western) and America's first railway to go all diesel-electric (Southern). The last steamers that N&W used were built in the railway's Roanoke Shops, visible from I-581 just south of US-460. The museum is on the west side of the interstate spur. We're also home to the tallest man-made star (88') on Mill Mountain, on the southeast side of the city. For those that have stopped at either the T/A or Pilot just north of Roanoke at Exit 150 in Troutville, the Appalachian Trail is VERY close by. Cross under the interstate on US-220 and go to the top of the hill. There's a little sign on each side of the road proclaiming its crossing there.

That place caused one heck of an uproar when it opened and people actually saw the name of it. They were demanding the Town make the owners change the name. It's right across from the Fire Dept. as your passing under the railroad on Rt. 15/20. If your coming from Gordonsville it's after the first stop light you come to. If it's for sale it's news to me, wonder what happened........after not even a year of being open. Bad location maybe, P.B. Sports was just a few hundred yards away and went out of business years ago, they really need to be closer to Lake Orange. Speaking of, GREAT fishing there from the shore/pier. No motor boats are allowed, only electric powered or paddles if your in a boat.

Missed this thread somehow...
Anyway,

I was born in Ft. Worth, but grew up in Wichita Falls (Tx). Wichita Falls is about 2 hours north of Ft. Worth. Or about more or less the same, south of OK City. We're about 15 miles south of the Red River. Wichita Falls population is a little shy of 110,000. Of course, we have Sheppard Air Force base and Midwestern State University. Wichita Falls is a nice place, it's big enough to have a good time, but at the same time, it can feel like you are living in a small one stop light town with nothing to do. A complaint would be the crime rate. The sky is the limit on the drug traffic. We also have the gangs. I don't know too much about the gangs. Not sure if they could beat Matt Dillon's draw, but they are gangs, no of the less.
Sounds like a nice place to live, eh?

We do have 3 Walmart supercenters, and quite a few nice shopping centers. We have Academy Sports. It aint Bass Pro, but I always find new lures, rods-reels that I like that I don't need. :p
We also have Mens Warehouse and Jos A Bank. Now if some of you are like me, you talk to cows, those are high-end mens dress stores. Not sure how those 2 stores fit in our little town. Guess the doctors and lawyers keep them open..
We have some nice places to eat. We also have small places. Ya know, the mah and pah places. Some of the small places are better than the big chains. We do have this one place that's called, Pasquals. Guess it's locally owned. I've never eaten there. It's only been here for a few years, but it used to be in country club, and they moved to another location. Valentine's last year, my wife and I decided we'd try it. Of course, we looked like Festus and Miss Kitty. Walked in, and the host told us it was by invitation. (White napkin or something.) He did say that they had some seating in the bar, which is a nice high falootin bar. He showed us a menu. 2 choices.. Beef (ribeye) or chicken. 3 course meal. $40 for the beef, and $20 for the chicken. I was like dag gum!, that must be the 72oz I've always heard about! We went to Texas Roadhouse... yeehaw

And play the best sport in the WORLD!

that be rugby aye rugger