This is a story of the shift from the farm to the city - the most dynamic and revolutionary change in America's lifestyle as it occurred in Northern Virginia. This tale is seen and told through the lives and eyes of one family, the Polands.Through more than 130 years, A Forgotten Way of Life tells the life of a farmer, Preston Poland, and his family. Readers will share the successes and heartbreaks of the Polands while traveling along through the life of the land, from the time of the draft horse on to tractor and commuter van. The Polands' A Forgotten Way of Life makes history personal.



C. Preston Poland was a farmer, builder and civic leader in Northern Virginia. For three decades he was the head of the rural electrical cooperative serving his area. He served for several decades on the Loudoun County Planning Commission and much of his life as a leader in his church. His life spanned most of the twentieth century and is a testimony of the shift of America's way of life from the farm to the city.

Charles Preston Poland Jr.is professor of history at Northern Virginia Community College, author of seven books and founder and director of the Northern Virginia Community College Civil War Museum. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on the history of Virginia and the American Civil War.