Welcome to Ashburn Patch

Welcome to Ashburn Patch. My name's Dusty Smith. I'm the editor for the site that I hope will provide you with the most comprehensive coverage available of your community.

I've been covering local issues for more than a decade, six of them focused on Loudoun County, home to Ashburn and among the fastest-growing counties in the nation for more than a decade. As the recipient of much of the county's growth, Ashburn is a community in transition.

No longer a sleepy outer community, Ashburn is now a vibrant, diverse suburb on the edge of the Washington metropolitan region. By the middle of the coming decade, Metro plans to complete its Silver Line, which terminates in Ashburn just west of Washington Dulles International Airport.

Ashburn is also home to a campus of the George Washington University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Redskins Park, where the Washington Redskins practice.

Initially called Farmwell, the name was changed to Ashburn late in the 19th century. As the story goes, lightning struck an ash tree, causing it to smolder for days and drawing people from miles around to see.

Whether it's local sports, school issues, crime, history, business or any array of other topics, Ashburn Patch hopes to bring it to you in a timely, accountable manner. In addition, our site provides a very accurate listing of every shop, restaurant, park, school, church or just about anything else you can think of. If it's in Ashburn, it's in the directory.

If you're a business, set up a free account with us and manage your directory page on your own. List events right on your directory page. If you're a member of a community organization, post your group's events and announcements to this site for the benefit of everyone.

Patch also asks all of its employees to give back to the community through its Give 5 program. In addition to corporate giving, five days each year, everyone at Patch volunteers for an activity in their community.

You can expect to see me around Ashburn, and when you do, feel free to offer your latest story tip or just say hello.