| RETURN TO ESSAY National Security Sprawl by Deborah Natsios

The 19th century dairy-farming village of Herndon, Virginia, began its transformation into one of the capital's outer boom suburbs with the arrival, in 1859, of the railroad link to Alexandria. The self-described 'information technology hub with small town charm' became the focus of government attention when homes and workplaces clustered near Dulles Airport were targeted by Operation Green Quest raids on 20 March 2002.