The Place Where I Live - Columbia Heights/Penrose
Place is a nebulous term. Place can be defined from the perspective of the individual. Where does my home reside? Where do I spend most of my time? Where do my friends reside? Where are the institutions and people I feel connected to? Where is the land I feel connected to?
Place is also a community statement. What joins a group of people in referring to the area where they live as a place? Is there a common history? Is there physical proximity and a natural set of borders that define that place? Is there a natural set of common interests?
I live in the neighborhood of Penrose in Arlington County, Virginia. I have lived here since 1992. Penrose shares a main street, Columbia Pike, with the neighborhood of Columbia Heights. Together these two neighborhoods share a common downtown area. Columbia Heights and Penrose collectively are the place where I live. This is the place I can walk to from my home - it is immediate and intimate. Once I enter my car, then my travel distance is unbounded as is any definition or scope of a place.
This blog is dedicated to Columbia Heights/Penrose. From this blog I hope to share my joys, frustrations and hopes for this place I have devoted so much time and energy to. My intent for 2006, is to post to this blog at least once a week, so hold me to it. Please send my any annecdotes, particularly any little history items you might have of the community. As always I welcome comments and thoughts from any of my fellow 10,000 residents in this wonderful place.
Place is also a community statement. What joins a group of people in referring to the area where they live as a place? Is there a common history? Is there physical proximity and a natural set of borders that define that place? Is there a natural set of common interests?
I live in the neighborhood of Penrose in Arlington County, Virginia. I have lived here since 1992. Penrose shares a main street, Columbia Pike, with the neighborhood of Columbia Heights. Together these two neighborhoods share a common downtown area. Columbia Heights and Penrose collectively are the place where I live. This is the place I can walk to from my home - it is immediate and intimate. Once I enter my car, then my travel distance is unbounded as is any definition or scope of a place.
This blog is dedicated to Columbia Heights/Penrose. From this blog I hope to share my joys, frustrations and hopes for this place I have devoted so much time and energy to. My intent for 2006, is to post to this blog at least once a week, so hold me to it. Please send my any annecdotes, particularly any little history items you might have of the community. As always I welcome comments and thoughts from any of my fellow 10,000 residents in this wonderful place.
posted by Tom Greenfield at 12:26 PM
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