THERE'S MUCH MORE TO IT THAN LOOKING AT A MAP

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Are we Northern Virginia?

Date published: 5/11/2008

WHAT PART OF Virginia do we live in? Northern Virginia? North Central Virginia? Southern Northern Virginia? Upper Tidewater?

By merely looking at a map of Virginia, it is clear our area is in the northern half of the commonwealth. However, "Northern Virginia" means more than just a geographical reference. It evokes traffic, crowds, high-paying jobs, expensive housing and (relatively) easy access to a major city. Simply put, it is the suburbs.

But what about Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania; are they Northern Virginia? Both localities are about 50 miles from Washington--close enough to make commuting there reasonable, albeit usually unpleasant. Thousands of people from Spotsylvania and the city do it every day, using both Interstate 95 and VRE.

Many of our residents grew up in Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, and other communities to the north and retain family ties to those places. New and long-time residents of our region take advantage of the myriad opportunities the District and its immediate suburbs offer, including museums, shopping, theater, and events on the Mall. They watch Washington TV stations and listen to Washington radio stations. And, of course, we share with our neighbors to the north the most important bond of all: the Redskins.

It is fair to say that Fredericksburg and northern Spotsylvania are part of Northern Virginia, albeit the extreme southern end. In fact, in the state Senate, I often refer to the Fredericksburg area as "Southern Northern Virginia." However, that designation does not diminish the fact that our region has its own distinct identity. We still retain our strong Southern character, reflected in the friendliness of our people, the ability to get sweet tea just about anywhere, and the lilt in so many of our voices (as pointed out by our visitors, with their own funny accents).

We are truly fortunate in that we have the best of both worlds: the advantages of being part of a vibrant, economically robust metropolitan area, and the small-town feel and strong sense of place that Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania offer. It is almost an embarrassment of riches.

Sen. R. Edward Houck represents the 17th District in the Virginia General Assembly.

Date published: 5/11/2008