Because History Matters

What’s Waiting For You At Rocktown History?

Buy a book, or make a day of it!

Whether you’re just passing through or you’re a regular visitor to our museum and library, a fascinating experience always awaits at Rocktown History. Take some time to enjoy a self-guided tour of the many exhibits, and you will encounter precious objects of days gone by and discover stories of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County that can’t be found elsewhere.

You’ll also want to join us for special events and educational programming like Third Thursday Talks, exhibit openings, and workshops. You’ll learn from insightful and engaging experts on topics related to our rich local history and their relevance to life today.

If your own roots are what you seek, Rocktown History is your research headquarters. We’re home to an extensive genealogy library with access to national ancestry databases. Our knowledgeable staff and volunteers are ready to help you, no matter where your roots were planted.

Plus, you won’t want to pass up the opportunity to dive deeper into the topics that interest you. The bookstore offers unique history titles and research resources to take home.

The treasures of the past are waiting for you at Rocktown History.

Plan your visit today.

Upcoming Events

Great Community Give 2025

Wednesday, April 16th, 6:00 am – 8:00 pm Preserving the Past, Inspiring the Future For over 125 years, our mission has always been clear: to preserve, share, and bring to life the diverse histories of the people and places that shape our Harrisonburg-Rockingham community….

The Stories Behind Rattlesnake Granny

People, Places, Pots, and Pans Thursday, April 3, 7 pm With Stephanie Gardner In 2024, Stephanie Gardner introduced us to the world of Rattlesnake Granny: the mountainside of the Virginia Blue Ridge in the mid-1860s. Change was coming to this rattler-catching and snake-oil-selling young…

America’s Deadly Legacy

Landmines in the Civil War April 17, 2025, 7pm With Ken Rutherford Landmines in the Civil War. Despite all that has been published on the American Civil War, one aspect that has never received the in-depth attention it deserves is the widespread use of…

Spy Pilot

Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy RESCHEDULED: May 15, 2025 With Francis Gary Powers, Jr. Francis Gary Powers, Jr., debunks the fake news that surrounded the U-2 Incident and tarnished his father’s reputation. He reveals what it was like…

History Book Club

Let’s gather to explore America’s history together. In 2024, Rocktown History and the Massanutton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution invited the community to join a new history book club. Early attendees adopted the general rule to read titles related to American…

Rocktown History Coffee Mill

The Rocktown History Coffee Mills are brewing up stories from the past! This series of informal gatherings offers you a unique museum experience with Rocktown History’s own curator, researcher, historians, and other local history and genealogy friends. Come get a peek at a featured…

Featured Exhibit

The Art of Community

On view Feb 15 – Apr 12, 2025 Art — like beauty, is often said to be in the eye of the beholder and thus, indefinable. We invite you to think of art as an expression of creative skill and imagination.This exhibition gathers visual…

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Featured Book

Lucy Frances Simms: From Slavery to Revered Public Service, by Dale MacAllister

Learn more

Short preview of Lucy Simms’ life created for the 2020 book launch.

Research family and local history at Rocktown History

Genealogy

Family and Local History Research

Whether or not you are Harrisonburg-Rockingham rooted, experienced staff and volunteers are waiting to help you with your family tree or your topic of historical interest.

ORDER RESEARCH

Collection Highlights

The collection of objects and ephemera are the primary source for connecting to the stories of the past.

VIEW COLLECTIONS

Klingstein Collection

During WWI, a French family nursed soldier Emmanuel Klingstein (1894-1971) during the 1918 influenza outbreak. The family donated letters and photos in 2020.

Fraktur Document

Pennsylvania Germans brought the tradition of recording significant life events on decorated documents to Rockingham Co. Fraktur are valued for artistic and genealogical details.

Toy Automobile

During the Great Depression, the Sharon Corporation produced toy cars at Eastern Mennonite University as a work study program to help students stay enrolled.

“What A Gem!”

Bumped into this place from a conversation at a hotel in Harrisonburg. This is a great Historical Society. The displays were wonderful and the archive room was filled with valuable genealogy information.

Would never have known about this place! What a gem. And the lady that volunteers was incredibly informative and nice! Worth the time!

Pamela Perdue

Out of the way

We visited on a week day an they where very nice, lots of history and very welcoming staff, easily spent two hours with my kids being entertained and learning. Awesome kids specific activities too!

Tysseer Harak

“Many Informative Displays”

Worth a stop. Museum looks small on the outside but is a bit bigger once you get in. Many informative displays on the Civil War and also some of the other local history.

They also offer lots of brochures about activities in the area. I ended up doing a walking tour of Dayton based on a brochure I found and really enjoyed it. Plan on 45 minutes.

Michael Miller