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Local History Legends
With contributions from Brooklyn Sandridge and Dale MacAllister This November 1944 membership certificate for what was then called the Rockingham County Historical Society* includes the names of progressive leaders who…
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Palm Trees in Harrisonburg: Space Conditioning, Inc.
For each issue of the Quarterly Newsletter, we strive to find exceptional cover images that will delight, astonish, or simply be appreciated by Rocktown History members. In many cases, the…
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How Can We Right History?
Guest post by Beau Dickenson, Rockingham County Public Schools Social Studies Coordinator On On May 17, 2025—the 71st anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision—Rockingham County students…
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In Times of Uncertainty, History is Our Constant
In recent weeks, I’ve been reflecting on what keeps us grounded when the world feels uncertain. As Executive Director at Rocktown History, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how…
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Snow History: Telephone Special Train
The frozen landscape and frigid temperatures this week have us reflecting on snowstorms of yesteryear. From the archives, we share an article excerpt that takes us back to a snow…
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Meet Mira!
This young woman is Mira Yoder and, for the last few months, she’s been working on a transcription project here at Rocktown History. Her work involves typing out the entries…
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A Bright Future for History Starts Here
Throughout the past year, we have had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of student volunteers at Rocktown History. While students lend their talents to us every year,…
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Circus Days Part 3
Part 3: The Aftermath HRHS Photo0748 This photo takes us back to Harrisonburg’s court square as a circus parade traveled north on Main Street. Many signs clearly state AUG 24…
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Circus Days Part 2
Part 2: The Opposition Days HRHS Photo0748 This photo takes us back to Harrisonburg’s court square as a circus parade traveled north on Main Street. Many signs clearly state AUG…
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Circus Days Part 1
This photo takes us back to Harrisonburg’s court square as a circus parade traveled north on Main Street. Many signs clearly state AUG 24 as an important date. Zooming in,…
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The Difference a Day Makes
Why should anyone care about the Great Community Give? Each year, for the last seven years, Harrisonburg and Rockingham County nonprofit organizations have come together to promote one common day…
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An Historical Collaboration!
February 9, 2024 The Hotel Madison mezzanine was abuzz with conversation and anticipation this past Thursday as colleagues and friends of Rocktown History and Hotel Madison gathered around a delicious…
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Names May Change, but Our Commitment Stays the Same
Remarkably, 2023 marks 125 years since the inception of the historical society. Like the local history we pledge to preserve, ours is an interesting journey from 1898 to today. As…
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The way I see it.
It’s a fine thing to grow up in a beautiful area. It’s finer still to have traveled and lived away—in places that are beautiful in their own right—and returned to…
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Help Conserve a Local Historical & Cultural Treasure by Voting for Our Endangered Artifact!
Vote Daily Feb 20- March 3, 2023 Your votes will help Rocktown History receive from $250 to $1000 for conservation care. The 191-year-old finial is an 8-foot-high piece of architectural…
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Inspired By Rocktown
Francis Asbury came to America in 1771 to spread the gospel through Methodism. As he criss-crossed the countryside, he made many trips through the Shenandoah Valley and to Harrisonburg-Rockingham. He…
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Unsung Hero – Rocktown History Research Library
The research library is the unsung hero of Rocktown History. The volume of data that has been captured by volunteers over the decades is extraordinary. Databases of birth, marriage, and…
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Launching Hybrid Events at Rocktown History
This week has been crazy. There are always ebbs and flows driven by deadlines (programming, holidays, tax schedules) and social patterns (tourist season). Add in the unexpected, and you feel…