The Valley Frontier
European Migration and Settlement in the Valley of Virginia during the 1700s
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 7 pm (in-person & online)
The Valley of Virginia today is a dynamic place shaped by its rich history. Both rural and urban, Valley communities embrace old traditions and welcome new cultures. Today, the Valley is home to people from all over the world.
To understand how this migration into the Valley started, we need to go back to the Virginia frontier in the early eighteenth century. What brought European settlers to the Valley in the first place? Who were these settlers, how did they move to the frontier, and what challenges did they face?
This talk presents the complexity of life on Virginia’s frontier through primary documents, and shows some of the origins of our dynamic and complex communities.
Dorette Sobolewski is the Director of Research at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia. She serves on the boards of Rocktown History, the Virginia Association of Museums, and the Blue Ridge Children’s Museum. She recently started a PhD program in Strategic Leadership Studies at James Madison University to research leadership in museums. Dorette and her family live in Harrisonburg where they enjoy the rich history and diverse cultures of the area.
Join the conversation as part of the Rocktown History “in-studio” audience or online.