Springvale

Springvale is a small, bombed out town, featured in Fallout 3 and located 3-4 miles northwest of Arlington, VA.

It is the first town the player (should) discover, just down the road from Vault 101, and is hard to miss.

Judging by its appearance, one can assume before the war it was a significant suburban area, cozy but big enough, and just far away enough from the hustle and bustle of D.C. It's a fairly deserted area, infested with giant ants (but not Springvale, itself). Several Enclave propaganda bots also fly around.

The deserted nature of Springvale makes it ideal for your first foray away from Megaton, as you can pick up lots of loot without any trouble (until you get to the school).

Most of the buildings are destroyed and in bad shape, and there are only a few structures still standing strong enough to inhabit, though almost every wrecked house has at least one cabinet or refrigerator in it with some worthwhile loot, as do most of the mail boxes.

One house is occupied by a woman named Silver, an ex-prostitute for Colin Moriarty, who wants to get away from him and her debts. If you go to Megaton before Springvale and talk to Moriarty, he may send you to Springvale to collect from Silver. If you do not mind the bad Karma and you kill Silver, her house has quite a bit of good loot in it.

Springvale Elementary is another standing building, slightly to the northeast. A group of Raiders have made this place their own.

The settlement of Megaton is just south of Springvale.

Significant Loot

 * When approaching Springvale from Vault 101, the second mailbox on the left side of the road contains a copy of Pugilism Illustrated.
 * There is a safe with a Very Easy lock (it could be the first thing the player lockpicks) which has a chance of holding a Scoped .44 Magnum or a Laser Pistol with half condition and usually has liquor and a Bobby Pin or two, as well. In the northern part of the city there is also a house with locked cabinet.
 * The first mail dropbox you come by in the town can contain 3 frag grenades and some chems. So good loot for the beginning of the game.