The Season of Growth
This morning, I noticed the green. On my usual walk, I leave the busy road behind—onto gravel, past the cows, up the hill, and into the woods. But today felt…
Blog
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Membership Update, January 2026
Catching Up—So History Can Keep Moving Forward For two decades, Rocktown History has held membership rates steady. That wasn’t accidental. It was a deliberate choice—one rooted in our belief that…
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More Than a Museum—One Story at a Time
How volunteers like Tony are preserving the voices of our community Volunteer Tony’s careful work preserving local obituaries is just one example of why Rocktown History is more than a…
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History is fragile.
Not long ago, an email arrived asking if we would be interested in hand-painted signs. The owner was clearing out storage and didn’t want to carry the signs to the…
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Chief’s Letters Book Review
Volunteer submission. World War II involved the most rapid and most massive ballooning of the United States Army in U.S. history. From 140,000 men (and no women) in 1930, the…
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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…
