Herndon, Virginia: Difference between revisions

Herndon is the third-largest town in Virginia, located in Fairfax County. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 21,655.

History

Herndon was named for Commander William Lewis Herndon, American naval explorer and author of Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon. Commander Herndon captained the ill-fated steamer SS Central America, going down with his ship while helping to save over 150 of its passengers and crew. The settlement was named Herndon in 1858. In the 1870s, many Northern soldiers and their families came to settle in the area, taking advantage of moderate climate and low land prices.

Originally part of the rural surroundings of the Washington, D.C. area, the town of Herndon developed into a hub of dairy farming and vacationing for area residents, aided by its presence along the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. When the railroad was converted into a hike-and-bike trail, Herndon capitalized on history and small-town feel (in a major metropolitan region) by converting its train station into a museum and visitors center.

On January 14, 2004, the Town of Herndon commemorated its 125th anniversary.

Day labor controversy

In the summer of 2005, controversy arose when a center for day laborers was proposed in Herndon. The center — which would provide education and employment resources for laborers — would be run by private charitable organizations but would be partially supported by tax dollars. Opponents alleged that, since some day laborers are likely illegal immigrants, the operation of the center would imply governmental endorsement of illegal activities. Proponents felt that it was hypocritical for residents to benefit from cheap labor but oppose providing better conditions for the laborers. (The laborers had been lining up at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Herndon.) On August 17, the town council approved the plan for the center.

In response to the growing controversy, a group called the Herndon Minutemen was formed to monitor employers and companies hiring workers at the 7-Eleven. The groups claims that it will turn over photographs and license plate numbers for investigation by the IRS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On September 1, 2005, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit on behalf of some Herndon residents against the Town of Herndon, citing federal and state laws that prohibit the town from using public facilities and taxpayer funds for the benefit of illegal aliens, citing a Fairfax County report that 87% of day laborers are illegal aliens. As of February 10, 2006, the presiding judge has established both the town's general right to issue the permits in question and the plaintiffs' standing to file suit, and that the town's arguments about a land-use issue was irrelevant to this suit. She has yet to rule on the specific charge of town support of illegal activity.

Reston Interfaith opened the Herndon Official Workers Center on December 14, 2005. In December, the average count of day laborers was 97 (self-reported), a tiny increase over the level at the former unofficial day labor site. Day laborers have left the unofficial site in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven at Alabama and Elden Streets. The HOW Center is one of six day labor centers in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington. Project Hope and Harmony is financed by volunteer contributions and by a grant from Fairfax County. Official reports on day laborer hiring show only a 20% hiring success rate with Herndon's at 8-12%.

Geography

Location of Herndon, Virginia

Herndon is located at 38°58'17" North, 77°23'19" West (38.971478, -77.388675)Template:GR.

Boundaries of Herndon as of 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.9 km² (4.2 mi²). 10.9 km² (4.2 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 21,655 people, 6,962 households, and 4,970 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,981.3/km² (5,129.9/mi²). There were 7,190 housing units at an average density of 657.8/km² (1,703.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 57.89% White, 9.51% African American, 0.42% Native American, 13.86% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 12.95% from other races, and 5.32% from two or more races. 26.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,962 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.54.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 38.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 3.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 111.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $72,912, and the median income for a family was $79,140. Males had a median income of $44,197 versus $35,548 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,941. 8.1% of the population and 4.7% of families were below the poverty line. 9.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

Herndon is part of the Dulles Technology Corridor, which Fortune magazine named the "Netplex" because of the presence of the headquarters of such companies as AOL, UUNET (which was purchased by Worldcom and in turn by Verizon Business), and Network Solutions, which began as the INTERNIC — the registry where every domain name was once administered.

Government

The town is governed by Mayor Michael L. O'Reilly, Vice Mayor Darryl C. Smith and an active town council. The Police Department is staffed by Colonel Toussaint E. Summers, Jr. and 70 sworn officers along with the assistance of the Herndon Police Citizen Support Team. The Herndon Police Department achieved national recognition on November 8, 1986 by becoming the 7th police agency in Virginia and the 42nd police agency in the United States to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Attractions

Herndon boasts a wide variety of diversions and celebrations year round. Among the community events are:

April	Taste of the Town (Herndon Council for the Arts)
May	Towne Square Singers, Big Truck Days, Public Works Forest and Meadow Wildflower Walk
June	Farmers' market, Friday Night Live! (free concerts), Herndon Festival
July	Fourth of July celebrations and fireworks
September	Labor Day Jazz Festival, Annual Motorcycle Poker Run (Fraternal Order of Police)

Herndon contains the Herndon Depot Museum, the site of "Mosby's Raid on Herndon Station". The raid was a Civil War skirmish that took place on St. Patrick's Day in 1863. Also within the town is a golf course, community center with basketball and racquetball courts, and an aquatic center. Adjacent to the community center is Bready Park, with indoor tennis courts. Additionally, every residence within the town borders is within a mile or less of a public park.

Nearby attractions include the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum (which houses the Enola Gay B-29 Superfortress, a Concorde supersonic passenger airplane, an SR-71A Blackbird plane and the Space Shuttle Enterprise), Frying Pan Park, Sully Plantation, Mount Vernon, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Colvin Run Mill, Aldie Mill, Oatlands Plantation, Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (which runs through the town).

References and external links

• Official website
• U.S. Census Bureau: American Fact-Finder: Herndon, VA
• Visit Herndon
• Herndon Council for the Arts
• Elden Street Players
• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
• Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian Annex)

Day labor controversy

• "Judge Issues Partial Opinion", Erin E. Fogg, Observer Online, February 17, 2006.
• HelpSaveHerndon
• Judicial Watch
• Project Hope and Harmony
• immigration-usa.com: The Illegal Alien Problem
• Loudoun County inetdocs: Loudoun Says "No"