Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[cpzilliacus]

This came from fairfaxunderground.com and I've seen it published in a Nat'l Geographic in the last 20 years.

Based on the destination signs, this is 1940s or earlier.  I *think* that is a VA 7 shield but could be a VA 9 (VA 123's predecessor)...

I downloaded it and resized and sharpened it with Photoshop, and it sure looks to me like a Va. 7 shield (just left of the utility pole in front of the store with the Coke sign), though I am not 100% certain (the location of the buildings would be consistent with the images in the 1964 image above). 

Hoo, at the very right edge is a STOP sign (mounted on a white-and-black pole, once ubiquitous across Virginia).

I have seen this image well before it ran in the Geographic - I saw a copy on the wall of the offices of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority back in the 1980's, but I don't recall if that was a Va. 7 shield.

Was not aware that Va. 123 was once Va. 9 (and I never understood why a low number like 9 was assigned to a corner of Loudoun County).

[agentsteel53]

First homicide in the City of Fairfax in about five years, and it's apparently the result of a road rage incident.

Washington Post: First homicide in City of Fairfax since 2008 is linked to road rage

Cena, 57, director of religious education at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax, was arrested two days after the April 16 incident

gosh, wasn't there something in those commandments on the topic of killing?  looks like someone Peter Principled his way to the directorship.

[Takumi]

Was not aware that Va. 123 was once Va. 9 (and I never understood why a low number like 9 was assigned to a corner of Loudoun County).

The current VA 9 was changed to match the older WV 9 in 1940, as were lots of other routes at Virginia's borders. Before 1940 it was VA 238.

[mtantillo]

Ah, know that location well...my office is right at that intersection of Routes 7 and 123.  Looks quite different now!

I find it interesting that the neighborhood was actually uniquely identified as Tysons Corner in the 1960's, before any of the development that gives Tysons Corner its current identity existed...indeed, the neighborhood looks like nothing more than a gas station and a few houses.  Tysons Corner still suffers from a little bit of an identity crisis, seeing as parts of it are served by 3 different post offices (Falls Church, McLean, Vienna). 

[cpzilliacus]

Ah, know that location well...my office is right at that intersection of Routes 7 and 123.  Looks quite different now!

Yep.  The really big changes started in the late 1970's, after Tysons Corner was well-established as a retail center.  Then came the jobs.

I find it interesting that the neighborhood was actually uniquely identified as Tysons Corner in the 1960's, before any of the development that gives Tysons Corner its current identity existed...indeed, the neighborhood looks like nothing more than a gas station and a few houses.  Tysons Corner still suffers from a little bit of an identity crisis, seeing as parts of it are served by 3 different post offices (Falls Church, McLean, Vienna).

The case could probably be made that Tysons Corner would be better-served if the entire area were to be incorporated into a town (it would instantly be one of the most employment-rich municipalities in the United States).   I don't think Fairfax County would ever agree to allow Tysons to become a city (given the property tax base that's present there)., but its elected officials might go along with a town (obviously that's all pure speculation on my part).

It will be interesting to see how it evolves with the four new Metrorail stations in operation.

[cpzilliacus]

First homicide in the City of Fairfax in about five years, and it's apparently the result of a road rage incident.

Washington Post: First homicide in City of Fairfax since 2008 is linked to road rage

Cena, 57, director of religious education at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax, was arrested two days after the April 16 incident

gosh, wasn't there something in those commandments on the topic of killing?  looks like someone Peter Principled his way to the directorship.

Sage observation.  Not the first time that someone associated with a large religious institution has been charged with breaking one of the Ten Commandments.

[Mapmikey]

This came from fairfaxunderground.com and I've seen it published in a Nat'l Geographic in the last 20 years.

Based on the destination signs, this is 1940s or earlier.  I *think* that is a VA 7 shield but could be a VA 9 (VA 123's predecessor)...

I downloaded it and resized and sharpened it with Photoshop, and it sure looks to me like a Va. 7 shield (just left of the utility pole in front of the store with the Coke sign), though I am not 100% certain (the location of the buildings would be consistent with the images in the 1964 image above). 

Hoo, at the very right edge is a STOP sign (mounted on a white-and-black pole, once ubiquitous across Virginia).

I have seen this image well before it ran in the Geographic - I saw a copy on the wall of the offices of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority back in the 1980's, but I don't recall if that was a Va. 7 shield.

Was not aware that Va. 123 was once Va. 9 (and I never understood why a low number like 9 was assigned to a corner of Loudoun County).

To see a larger version, go to google images and search "tysons corner old photos".  The picture is on the first row and when clicked shows up larger than it did on here.

Both VA 120 and VA 123 were VA 9 from 1933-40, forming a large loop from Woodbridge to what is now Crystal City.

For homework I'm assigning everybody to read and memorize the route history section of www.vahighways.com

Incidentally, the earliest CTB mention of "Tyson s Corner" is 1923 and the first State Official to identify Tysons Cor. was 1932.

Mapmikey

[cpzilliacus]

This came from fairfaxunderground.com and I've seen it published in a Nat'l Geographic in the last 20 years.

Based on the destination signs, this is 1940s or earlier.  I *think* that is a VA 7 shield but could be a VA 9 (VA 123's predecessor)...

I downloaded it and resized and sharpened it with Photoshop, and it sure looks to me like a Va. 7 shield (just left of the utility pole in front of the store with the Coke sign), though I am not 100% certain (the location of the buildings would be consistent with the images in the 1964 image above). 

Hoo, at the very right edge is a STOP sign (mounted on a white-and-black pole, once ubiquitous across Virginia).

I have seen this image well before it ran in the Geographic - I saw a copy on the wall of the offices of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority back in the 1980's, but I don't recall if that was a Va. 7 shield.

Was not aware that Va. 123 was once Va. 9 (and I never understood why a low number like 9 was assigned to a corner of Loudoun County).

To see a larger version, go to google images and search "tysons corner old photos".  The picture is on the first row and when clicked shows up larger than it did on here.

Thanks.  The Va. 7 shield is very clear in the image in the thread on Fairfax Underground site.

Both VA 120 and VA 123 were VA 9 from 1933-40, forming a large loop from Woodbridge to what is now Crystal City.

For homework I'm assigning everybody to read and memorize the route history section of www.vahighways.com

Actually, as a Marylander who has spent a lot of time in the Commonwealth for varied reasons, I very much appreciate the work that you and Adam (Froggie) have on those pages.

You even have an entry for my absolute favorite place name in the entire Commonwealth of Virginia - Disputanta.

Incidentally, the earliest CTB mention of "Tyson s Corner" is 1923 and the first State Official to identify Tysons Cor. was 1932.

Mapmikey

Cool.

[agentsteel53]

Based on the destination signs, this is 1940s or earlier.  I *think* that is a VA 7 shield but could be a VA 9 (VA 123's predecessor)...

I found the larger photo, and I still cannot make out the destination signs.

[Mapmikey]

Here is another pic I'd never seen before from that same fairfax underground site:



This is US 29-211 heading west at VA 7.  Check out the 29-211 sign with no shield at all.  I have seen a different photo on the state library of virginia site that has a JUNCTION with 29 211 horizontally underneath, also with no shields.

To see larger version, google images search "old falls church bank" and it is the first photo.

In the Tyson's Corner pic, I'd assume the destinations on the four signs you'd be facing are Falls Church (left), Alexandria (left), Vienna (straight), and Leesburg (right).  Not sure when they stopped using this style of destination signs but I believe it was the 1940s.

Mapmikey

[1995hoo]

Be careful if you view Fairfax Underground on a computer belonging to your employer. There's more than a little bit of stuff some people might find highly offensive (mostly racial comments).

[agentsteel53]

never seen anything like that "29/211" sign.  I've always wondered what Virginia used between the embossed cutouts with the state name, and the cutouts with just the border embossed, and only a number inside.

[Mapmikey]

I think that style may have been a Falls Church-only thing.  The only other time I saw a sign like that was in the City of Covington which is presumably still there:



I have seen a 1960 Richmond pic that shows cutout progressions plus white border signs in one assembly with no shieldless shapes in between:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_virginia/3595196081/sizes/o/in/set-72157607704129043/

Mapmikey

[agentsteel53]

I have seen a 1960 Richmond pic that shows cutout progressions plus white border signs in one assembly with no shieldless shapes in between:

those white border signs look like they may be 24".  tough to tell.

[Doctor Whom]

I find it interesting that the neighborhood was actually uniquely identified as Tysons Corner in the 1960's, before any of the development that gives Tysons Corner its current identity existed...indeed, the neighborhood looks like nothing more than a gas station and a few houses.  Tysons Corner still suffers from a little bit of an identity crisis, seeing as parts of it are served by 3 different post offices (Falls Church, McLean, Vienna).

The right people complained, and now the USPS recognizes "Tysons Corner VA" as a valid city name in ZIP codes 22102 (McLean) and 22182 (Vienna).

[Mapmikey]

Another good pic:

search "bye bye navy annex" in google images...it's the first picture

Mapmikey

[1995hoo]

You may want to do a hard refresh (Ctrl-F5) because that picture isn't loading. I made the same mistake with a photo from that site a while back. Importing the URL into Photobucket won't work either. If I want to re-post something from there, I download it and then upload it to my Photobucket account.

[agentsteel53]

that is the largest YIELD sign I've ever seen - yellow or otherwise

[1995hoo]

Great picture. Thanks for the update on which one it was. The I-95 NORTH LGS in the distance looks like it might have been button copy, though it could just be graininess in the scan.

[agentsteel53]

Great picture. Thanks for the update on which one it was. The I-95 NORTH LGS in the distance looks like it might have been button copy, though it could just be graininess in the scan.

I would be quite surprised.  from what I know, Virginia has never used button copy.

[1995hoo]

Great picture. Thanks for the update on which one it was. The I-95 NORTH LGS in the distance looks like it might have been button copy, though it could just be graininess in the scan.

I would be quite surprised.  from what I know, Virginia has never used button copy.

I didn't think so either.

[agentsteel53]

I didn't think so either.

I've also never seen any mention of button copy in Mississippi and Delaware - and Louisiana only seems to have used it on projects under the control of the city of New Orleans.

[Mapmikey]

I would be quite surprised.  from what I know, Virginia has never used button copy.

VA 76 between James River Bridge and VA 146 had some button copy BGSs until relatively recently but being inside the City of Richmond may not have been VDOT-related.

I agree that graininess is what is shown on the I-95 sign, but it might be Virginia's own version of individually mounted letters like they used to do on BGSs.

The white shield sign with no 'TO' is VA 27 and I assume one of the other ones is VA 244.  Is the third US 50?

Mapmikey

[agentsteel53]

VA 76 between James River Bridge and VA 146 had some button copy BGSs until relatively recently but being inside the City of Richmond may not have been VDOT-related.

got any photos?

[WillWeaverRVA]

VA 76 between James River Bridge and VA 146 had some button copy BGSs until relatively recently but being inside the City of Richmond may not have been VDOT-related.

got any photos?

The signs have been gone since 2005 or 2006. They were there the first time I ever passed through the area in 2004, but as I wasn't yet taking road photos I got no pictures of them.