Little Saigon

Before there was the Eden Center, there was Little Saigon. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, Clarendon became a big destination for South Vietnamese refugees fleeing communist rule. For about ten years, Little Saigon was a place for immigrants to enjoy foods, styles, and customs that connected them with their past. Ironically (in terms of the naming of this station), what brought about the fall of Little Saigon was the Metro. When the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor began to be redeveloped in the 1980s, landlords raised rents and most Vietnamese shopkeepers had to close or relocate.