Annandale Retrospective
The Year was 1980

By:  M. Callahan

GOVERNMENT

• Us President:  Jimmy Carter (D)
• Vice President:  Walter Mondale (D)
• VA Governor:  John N. Dalton
• US Senators from VA: Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (I) & John W. Warner (R)
• Chief Justice US Supreme Court:  Warren Burger
• Speaker of the House:  Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. (D)

MAJOR EVENTS

• US attempts to rescue the 53 hostages held in Teheran.
• Queen Juliana of the Netherlands abdicates on her 71^st B-day.
• Polish labor Union Solidarity is formed.
• Zimbabwe gains independence with Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister.
• Ronald Regan wins the November Presidential Election.
• Double digit inflation strikes US.
• John Lennon is assassinated Dec. 8^th.
• First donations and plans for Vietnam Wall are made.
• Mt. St. Helens erupts May 18^th killing 57.
• Thirty percent of US auto sales are imports.
• The “Gang of Four” are put on trial in China.
• World Health Organization says smallpox is eradicated worldwide.
• Scarsdale Diet Dr. Herman Tarnower is shot to death by Madeira School Headmistress Jean Harris.

AWARDS & PRIZES

• Pulitzer Prize:  Norman Mailer for The Executioner’s Song
• Nobel Prize for Literature: Czeslaw Milosz
• Miss America:  Cheryl Prewitt (Ackerman, MS)
• Best Picture of the Year: Ordinary People
• Best Actor:   Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull
• Best Actress: Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner’s Daughter
• US Hockey Team beats Russian at Lake Placid Olympics

SPORTS

• NCAA Basketball Champion:  Louisville
• Stanley Cup Winner:  NY Islanders
• College Football Champion:  Georgia
• Heisman Trophy Winner:  George Rogers from SC
• US Open Winner:  Jack Nicklaus
• Super Bowl XIV:  Pittsburg beats Los Angeles 31-19 at Pasadena
• World Series Champion:  Philadelphia Phillies (4) v Kansas City Royals (2)
• Heavy Weight Boxing Title:  Larry Holmes
• Reggie Jackson hits his 400^th home run
• Indianapolis 500 Winner:  Johnny Rutherford
• America’s Cup:  US Freedom defeats Australia 4-1.
• Wimbledon Singles Champions:  Bjorn Borg defeats John McEnroe

EVERYDAY LIFE

• Pac-Man makes black & white games obsolete in US arcades.
• McDonald’s introduces Chicken McNuggets
• US Gov’t bans paint containing lead.
• Mothers Against Drunk Drivers is founded.
• Federal Minimum Wage: $3.10 per hour.
• Dow Jones Ave. closes Dec. 31^st at 963.99 up from 838.74 at end of 1979.
• Gold prices range from $600 to a peak of $875 per ounce
• World Population: 4.43 billion
• US Population:  227,224,681
• Virginia Population:  5,346,000
• Sugar:  $.85/5 pounds
• Cost of a new house:  $68,714
• Average Income:  $19,173
• New Car:  $7,201
• Average Rent:  $300.00 per month
• Tuition to Harvard U.:  $5,300 per year
• Movie ticket:  $2.25 each
• Gasoline:   $1.20 per gallon
• US Postage Stamp:  $.15
• Gallon of milk:  $2.02
• Eggs:  $.50 per dozen
• Ground Hamburger:  $.95 per pound
• Bread:  $.51 per loaf
• Bacon:  $1.40 per pound
• Coffee:  $2.50 per pound
• Life Expectancy:  73.7 years

 MOST POPULAR MOVIES:
Star Wars:  The Empire Strikes Back, The Shining, The Blues Brothers, Raging Bull, Ordinary People

BIRTHS:
Christina Ricci, Michael Vick, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson

DEATHS
Jessie Owens, Joseph Tito, Steve McQueen, Alfred Hitchcock, Oscar Romero, Alice Longworth

 
Annandale in 1980

Fairfax Co. Population:  596,901

Annandale Retail Establishments -  Special offers...

Giant and Safeway offer the following:

• Fresh Turkey                 .59 per pound
• Frozen Turkey               .49 per pound
• Chuck Roast              $1.19 per pound
• Florida Oranges             .59 for 12
• White Bread              $1.00 for 4 loaves
• Bananas                   $1.00 for 5 pounds

 

Real Estate Sales in Annandale:  Banks raise interest rates for home mortgages.  Over the course of the year they see-saw from a high of 16.78% to a low of 13%.

• 7716 Bristow Drive                        $  92,000
• 4301 Greenberry Lane                  $  89,500
• 5120 Red Fox Drive                      $  71,000
• 4454 Airlie Way                           $  94,000
• 7205 Auburn Street                       $  71,000
• 4156 Elizabeth Lane                      $130,000

LOCAL NEWS:  1980-1985:

1980:  Safeway opens remodeled store at 7414 Little River Turnpike.  They expanded by 7,000 sq. feet to 30,190 sq. feet.

1980:  Mr. C. Douglas Adams, Esq. becomes president of the Annandale Chamber.

1980:  Fairfax County Real Estate Tax Rate was $1.54 per $100.00 of assessed value.

July 31, 1980:  Fair Oaks Mall opens

August 4, 1980:  J. Hamilton Lambert appointed County Executive

Oct. 30, 1982:  the present Post Office opened at 4270 John Marr Dr.  This is at least the 4^th Post Office in Annandale’s History.  The first recorded location was on Little River Turnpike inside a general store, now Steinhorst Plumbing.  The second dates to the early 50’s in the brick building at the corner of Annandale Road and Maple Place.  The third was on Little River /McWhorter Place where the Annandale Vet Clinic is now located.   This location had terrible access, and little parking.  People avoided using it.  Finally the John Marr location was built. 

Dec 22, 1982:  Interstate Route 66 opens between 495 and Washington, DC

January 29, 1983:  Ground broken for construction of Dulles Toll Rd.

May 8, 1983: Green Spring Gardens Horticulture Center opened.

1985-1989:  Thomas Jefferson High School was merged with AHS because both school’s populations were under capacity.  Eventually Thomas Jefferson High School would be re-designated as a magnet school for the sciences and technology.

    MORE ANNANDALE RETROSPECTIVE & HISTORY

   

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Photographs are from the ACC Photo Archives. Others, unless otherwise noted, photographs are from Wikipedia,