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Do You Blog About The History Of Your Area? You Should

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Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Executives
I write many posts about the history around us in Northern Virginia. The most common comment we receive is "There is so much history in your area". Of course, the eastern part of the US did play a significant role in our country's development, but every one of the 50 states and its' communities have items of historical significance that would suggest posts that are both educational and entertaining.

For example, a four lane cross county highway replaced an old two lane road several years ago. I traveled two lane Davis Ford Rd for years when it was the main cross county route and never took notice of two historical markers along the road near a little old cemetery.

As you can see a lot of history transpired along the road planned by George Washington in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. It is not a major tourist attraction, but it is an interesting fact I can point out to clients as we tour the area.


Do you take a few minutes to stop and read historical markers along the road? If you try it you may be amazed at how much history you discover.

Two Active Rain members that do an outstanding job of blogging about their local history are Myrl Jeffcoat blogging about an historic downtown renovation and Jennifer Fivelsdal blogging about historic barns in her area.. I point them out because they are at opposite sides of the continent. Also, the two posts I chose as examples are strikingly different in their focus. The important point is they are interesting local history - it is everywhere.

 Davis Ford Road Historical Marker

Davis Ford Road Historical Marker A

Comments(18)

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Russell Lewis
Realty Austin, Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX
Broker,CLHMS,GRI

Great idea. I always enjoy the hisorical posts on your blog. Another Active Rainer who posts a lot of historical content is Dale Baker in New Hampshire. Check him out: http://activerain.com/blogs/bakerhome

 

Sep 01, 2010 07:36 AM
Lisa Orme
The Master's Key Realty LLC -Windsor, CT - HARTFORD COUNTY - Windsor, CT
Broker/Realtor, ABR, CRS,GRI, PSCS, SFR, Notary Pu

Great idea on expanding the localism portion of my blog with the historical info that the longtimers in an area tend to take for granted. Thanks!

Sep 01, 2010 07:38 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Those of us in VA have so much history to recount and explore in our blogs....

Sep 01, 2010 07:41 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Karen - I feel honored that you featured me in this blog.  As a person, who has embraced the history of my area, I encourage others to do the same.  There is so much richness around us, that many of us don't realize.  It's only a matter of studying where our feet have left prints.  Thanks once again for your kind words.

Sep 01, 2010 08:01 AM
Donald Tepper
Long and Foster - Fairfax, VA
DC area investor helping heirs of inherited homes

I'm from the same area--grew up in Clifton, live in Fairfax--and there is a lot of history. And not all the history is from the same era--sometimes, like archeology--there are multiple layers.

It also helps to shift your perspective from time to time, both figuratively and literally. My son takes jiu jitsu lessons in Woodbridge, and I used to drive him there--Clifton road through Clifton, up Henderson, Yates Ford, then Davis Ford, and onto Prince William Parkway. More recently, he's gotten a learner's permit, so--rather than driving--I'm sitting in the passenger seat. At first (don't tell him) it was sheer terror. You know those roads. But he's gotten better, so now I can actually sit back and (more often than not) enjoy the ride--gazing out at those small cemetaries, those historical markers, and so on.

Sep 01, 2010 08:10 AM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Red Hook, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Karen thanks so much for the mention.   I truly enjoy your postings and photos of historical stuff; for example the very old farm equipment as they are a reminder of how important agriculture was and still is to the nation.

Sep 01, 2010 09:02 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Russell  It is fun to do as well as being informative

Sep 01, 2010 09:15 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Lisa  It definitely does expand the horizons of your posts

Sep 01, 2010 09:17 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Wallace  Everybody in the country has a lot of history around them

Sep 01, 2010 09:19 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Myrl  You certainly are the master of historical blogging about your area

Sep 01, 2010 09:21 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Donald  Your perspective certainly is different when you are the passenger

Sep 01, 2010 09:22 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Jennifer It was a p;leasure - I enjoy your Hudson River photography as well

Sep 01, 2010 09:23 AM
Lora "Leah" Stern 914-772-4528
Coldwell Banker, 170 N Main Street, New City NY 10956 - New City, NY
Real Estate Salesperson

Karen - Now I've got another whole host of things to research for local blog posts.  A history lesson in the making.

Sep 01, 2010 10:09 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Leah  You certainly have lots of it in Rockland County

Sep 01, 2010 11:42 AM
Steve, Joel & Steve A. Chain
Chain Real Estate Investments & Mortgage, Steve & Joel Chain - Cottonwood, CA

Karen, A very encouraging post.  I do find alot of community interest regarding local history.

Steve

Sep 01, 2010 05:49 PM
Art Kruschka
Administrative Manager - Manassas, VA
Manassas Woodbridge Dumfries Real Estate Sevices

Karen  I think you have done an outstanding job on this post - your posts really underline your community knowledge

Sep 02, 2010 02:03 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Steve  Preserving our heritage strengthens it

Sep 02, 2010 02:20 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Well, you certainly have helped

Sep 02, 2010 02:22 AM