Memories of the Merrifield that Once Was

Written by Adam Gallegos
Published on August 18th, 2010
Categorized under: Northern VA Real Estate and Community

We welcome our special guest writer Maryann Keller Folliard with what she has titled:

“Those were the days”

You remember the song that Edith and Archy Bunker sang “Those were the days”? I had heard my parents use the phrase along with ” The good old days”. I never understood as a child what that meant. I guess every generation has there ” Good old days”

I grew up in the Falls Church, Fairfax , Merrifield area. I had a wonderful childhood. My brothers and I would walk up to Peter Pan 5 & 10 cent store in Falls Church , where we could find all kinds of treasures for believe it or not a nickel or a dime. Penny Candy was the greatest.

We went to St. James school in Falls Church and when we had money to burn ( which we earned and was not just given to us), we would stop at the Tastee Freeze. Yummy, Those ice cream cones with the hard chocolate shell were a favorite. Then we would race each other home to get the best seat to watch the Mickey Mouse Club.

When the weekends came we would watch our favorite shows, Sky King, Rin Tin Tin, My friend Flicka, Roy Rogers, Fury (thus my love of Horses). Once the shows were over it was outside to play. You could take off and go anywhere back then , never had to worry about your kids being safe. The one place we were told not to go was the railroad tracks. We of course would head there to try to get a train to flatten a penny. We would walk down to King David Memorial Cemetery to feed the ducks at the pond. ( Later on this would be where I learned to drive, which was probably good since most potential victims were already planted). The only rule was you had to be back in time for dinner. It was so much fun to take off and explore the woods, or go crawfish and salamander hunting in the local creeks. A game of Cowboys and Indians with your best friends, dodge ball, back yard wiffel ball, and swing the statue. Sometimes we would lay in the yard and watch the chicken hawks circle above us in hopes that one might get close. When evening came we would throw pebbles at the street lights and watch the bats chase them. We were very careful not to get one near our hair, we were told if they got in your hair you could never get them out.

Summers never seemed that hot or winters that cold, we could stay outside for hours. If we had saved enough we would go to The State Theater or the Jefferson Theater for a movie. I always enjoyed shopping with my mom. Seven Corners was the place to go. Tyson’s Corner consisted of a meat market. We would go to Lerner’s for clothes and stop in Woolworths for lunch, You would hop on the swivel stool at the counter( where you would go in circles, till your mom said enough and would give you “ The look“). I still remember their banana splits, hot dogs and fries were the best. Just for a change we might go to Jellef’s and S & W Cafeteria. Then off to Kinney’s shoes. When the holidays came it was most fun going to Clarendon to see all the mechanical window Christmas displays. Hecht’s always had the best and the theme was different every year. Getting our perfect Christmas tree from the Boy Scouts who had an area roped off with trees in the school parking lot.

Moved from Falls Church when I was about 10 or 11. My parents bought a house in Fairfax County. Time moved on as it always does. When I started High School at George Marshall, there were new places to explore and new things to do. Boys soon entered the picture. There was movie nights at the Lee Highway Drive In. We were always trying to sneak someone in , in the trunk of the car. Dances at school and I remember attending dances somewhere in Vienna but can’t recall the name. Going to Tops Drive in Falls Church or Hot Shops became a regular thing.

I discovered the Bar J Ranch in Merrifield about this time. Went for my first horse back ride there and that was it. My love of horses began. They had a beautiful Palomino horse there named Irish. We became best friends. When I had spare time that is where you would find me. I remember the lay out of the fields as if it were yesterday. Irish and I would slowly leave the barn, trot down the first field to the creek. Once across the creek we would take off and race through the second field. I loved the wind blowing through my hair and the feeling of being one with the horse. When we where finished with our run we would casually ride through the remaining two fields. Sometimes we would stop by the woods and I would dismount and we would just rest and think. Can you imagine time to just relax and rest, with no pressures. Yes, the Good Old days for sure.

I live in Dallas, Texas now but I am so thankful for the wonderful memories I have of growing up there. A simpler time, a simpler way of life.

Those were the days.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Northern VA Real Estate and Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Arbour Water Bottles + County Fair = Good Times | Northern Virginia Real Estate | Arbour Realty said at August 19th, 2010 at 11:32 am
[...] more are available to one and all at this years event featuring a Rainforest Rescue exhibit! It is just like the good old days, with care free hand holding in the Farris Wheel, and cotton candy! You may have seen the gorgeous [...]

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