[tanknetter]

Devil’s Den, right?

Yup.

On the bright side, battlefields like Gettysburg can at least BE restored, should the decision be made to do so. My "local" (almost within walking distance) battlefield is Chantilly/Ox Hill. Not a huge battle, but definitely one of the more interesting Civil War ones not only due to the circumstances, but also as there were downstream repercussions (imagine Phil Kearny commanding the Army of the Potomac at/after Gettysburg).

Last night for dinner I took my daughter to the Five Guys that sits in the strip mall that is now in the middle of where the Confederate lines were. Pointed out that the multiplex theater across the strip's center quadrangle was where Stonewall Jackson made his headquarters.

[sphinx]

And I wonder how many people in Fairfax County, besides yourself, ever stop to think what an asset an appropriately preserved battlefield park, available for innumerable mixed uses, would be to the surrounding area.

Rapidly urbanizing areas need to think long term in planning for transportation (another Fairfax disaster area) and open space/recreation. Communities differ in the initial assets they bring to the table, but historic sites and streams are obvious places to begin.

Chantilly was destroyed in the 1980's for nothing more than another string of cookie cutter malls like you can find along every major highway in NOVA. A shame. It could have been a major, permanent asset to the region. Now it's just part of the congestion belt.