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76-764: South of Harrisonburg, Virginia , a former part of the Norfolk Southern System a few miles west was a parallel line originally called the Valley Railroad. It was built in the late 19th century by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , a fierce competitor of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The line was purchased in 1942 by the Chesapeake Western Railway . A portion extending northward from Staunton, Virginia in Augusta County and Rockingham County became

152-695: A chance for culinary businesses in downtown Harrisonburg to create specials, collaborations, and try out new menus. The creative class of Harrisonburg has grown alongside the revitalization of the downtown district. The designation of "first Arts & Cultural District in Virginia" was awarded to Downtown Harrisonburg in 2001. Contributing to Harrisonburg's cultural capital are a collection of education and art centers, residencies, studios, and artist-facilitated businesses, programs, and collectives. Some of these programs include: The modern city of Harrisonburg grew up around this modest stone house, which until recently

228-452: A contract to construct 224 miles (360 km) of the SVRR from Shepherdstown to Salem for $ 35,000 a mile. The work was to be completed by August 1872. The major source of capital came from the sale of 6% mortgage bonds backed by the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1871, Thomas A. Scott was elected as the second president of SVRR; he was also a Vice President of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Peter B. Borst

304-553: A day in each direction. The #1 (southbound) and the #2 (northbound), Roanoke-New York City via Hagerstown and Harrisburg, were part of a pooled long distance night train in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Railroad , complete with Pullman service and lounge car service. Passenger service ended by summer, 1963. Harrisonburg, Virginia Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of

380-810: A hospital during the Civil War. The historic Jennings House was converted to house the local government. In the Summer of 2016, local government offices & the Elkton Police Department were moved out of the Jennings building in favor of the Elkton Area Community Center. On December 11, 2020, the Jennings House was opened as the Elkton Town Hall after a nearly 8 month restoration process to restore

456-587: A legal battle for the next four years to regain control. On September 30, 1890, the SVRR was reorganized as the Shenandoah Valley "Railway", with stockholders approval to sell to N&W. On December 2, the Shenandoah Valley Railway acquired the rights to the franchise of the Washington and Western Railroad . On December 15, 1890, N&W purchased the company outright for $ 6,000,000 of stock and added

532-555: A link with its own Cumberland Valley Railroad , just north of Williamsport in Hagerstown. This new north/south line would be the key to capturing the traffic on numerous just-acquired southern lines and directing it to the port of Philadelphia. The competing B&O wanted to divert the riches of the area to the port of Baltimore and expand into the south. Each tried to cut off the other from the south. Meanwhile, Virginia really didn’t want either to succeed so that traffic would be directed to

608-493: A loan of $ 79,000 from Philadelphia financiers E.W. Clark & Co. to cover that year’s shortfall. The life of all the bridges was ending and significant funds would be needed in the coming years. In 1882, N&W made a deal with PRR to swap the SVRR share capital for N&W common stock. SVRR got a loan from N&W of $ 600,000, plus up to $ 200,000 per year for 3 years. PRR kicked in $ 150,000 as advanced payment for highly discounted future traffic contracts. Control of SVRR stock

684-537: A new short-line railroad formed late in the 20th century by several major shippers. The historic name of the once rival was adopted for the current privately owned intrastate Shenandoah Valley Railroad . The organizers of the SVRR planned to construct a railroad from the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) station in Hagerstown, Maryland (a branch out of Harrisburg, PA called the Cumberland Valley Railroad ) to

760-548: A new high school, Spotswood Senior High School (now Spotswood High School ), was built for eastern Rockingham County, Virginia , combining Montevideo and Elkton High Schools. The new school, located in Penn Laird, Virginia and literally on the Massanutten Mountain, housed grades 10-12. Ninth grade was added for the 1984-85 school year. Over the years, Elkton Elementary added programs such as Head Start for preschoolers. In

836-615: A number of losses during the late twentieth century, but the recent rehabilitation of several key buildings demonstrates a growing commitment to the preservation of the district's historic character. In addition to the Thomas Harrison House, Hardesty-Higgins House, Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District, and Old Town Historic District, the Anthony Hockman House , Rockingham County Courthouse , Lucy F. Simms School , Whitesel Brothers , and Joshua Wilton House are listed on

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912-725: Is an incorporated town in Rockingham County , Virginia , United States. It is included in the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area . The population was 2,941 at the 2020 census and 2,762 at the 2010 census . Elkton was named for the Elk Run stream. It is located along the south fork of the Shenandoah River at the intersections of east-west U.S. Route 33 and north-south U.S. Route 340 . The town celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008. One of

988-455: Is home to James Madison University (JMU), a public research university with an enrollment of over 20,000 students, and Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), a private, Mennonite -affiliated liberal arts university. Although the city has no historical association with President James Madison , JMU was nonetheless named in his honor as Madison College in 1938 and renamed as James Madison University in 1977. EMU largely owes its existence to

1064-650: Is located on the northeast portion of Rockingham County, Virginia . Elkton is bordered by Page County to the north, the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, the Massanutten Mountain range to the west, and the Merck manufacturing plant and MillerCoors brewery and distribution center to the south. Norfolk Southern's Virginia Division's rail line, Route 33, and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River all cut through

1140-557: Is water. The City of Harrisonburg comprises six watersheds, with Blacks Run being the primary watershed with 8.67 miles of stream and a drainage area of over 9000 acres. The city also drains into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Harrisonburg is in the western part of the Shenandoah Valley, a portion of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province. Generally, the area is a rolling upland with local relief between 100 and 300 feet. As of

1216-634: The Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is also the county seat of the surrounding Rockingham County , although the two are separate jurisdictions. At the 2020 census , the population was 51,814. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Harrisonburg with Rockingham County for statistical purposes into the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area , which had an estimated population of 126,562 in 2011. Harrisonburg

1292-466: The Housing Act of 1949 to force Black families out of their homes and then bulldozed the neighborhood. This effort, called "Project R-4", focused on the city blocks east of Main, north of Gay, west of Broad, and south of Johnson. This area makes up 32.5 acres. "Project R-16" is a smaller tag on project which focused on the 7.5 acres south of Gay street. According to Bob Sullivan, an intern working in

1368-568: The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad (V&T) in Salem, Virginia . The route called for 243 miles (391 km) of new construction. The line follows closely the great iron ore belt along the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains . Peter Bouck Borst of Page County, Virginia introduced a charter for the railroad for a bill before the Virginia General Assembly in 1866. The ambitious plan

1444-486: The census of 2010, 48,914 people, 15,988 households, and 7,515 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,811.1/sq mi (1,085.4/km ). The 15,988 housing units averaged 918.9 units per square mile (354.8 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 78.4% White, 6.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.2% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 15.7% of

1520-503: The "#15 Best City to Raise an Outdoor Kid" by Backpacker in 2009, and the "#3 Happiest Mountain Town" by Blue Ridge Country Magazine in 2016. Harrisonburg holds the title of "Virginia's first Culinary District" (awarded in 2014). The "Taste of Downtown" (TOD) week-long event takes place annually to showcase local breweries and restaurants. Often referred to as "Restaurant Week," the TOD event offers

1596-439: The 1913 Chesapeake Western Railway Station and the 1920-21 Rockingham Milling Co. roller mill on Chesapeake Avenue. Alter World War I automobile dealerships appeared in the downtown area. An outstanding example is the 1920 Rockingham Motor Co., an inspired Tudor Revival/Art Deco design. Architectural modernism achieved popularity in the 1940s and early 1950s at the end of the period of significance. Harrisonburg's downtown experienced

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1672-510: The 1990s a baseball field, used for Elkton softball teams, was built next to the middle school. In the late 1990s, renovations were done to Elkton Elementary School, as well as the addition of a new playground was built specifically for the lower grades. In 2001, more construction took place as the old playground, with original wooden trucks and sharp metal edges, was replaced by softer and brighter rounded metallic structures. In 2005, more renovations were done to Elkton Middle School, such as changing

1748-623: The County Board of Education opened a new high school for the eastern Rockingham area, East Rockingham High School , located in Solsburg beside River Bend Elementary School. Its attendance district encompasses the Elkton, McGaheysville, River Bend, and South River elementary school districts. Since 1908, the town has held a carnival called Elkton Field Day. It is held in early July and features rides, good food, yard sales, live bluegrass music, fireworks, and

1824-569: The Hardesty-Higgins House and City Exchange, used for the Harrisonburg Tourist Center and high-end loft apartments, respectively. In 2008, downtown Harrisonburg spent over $ 1 million in cosmetic and sidewalk infrastructure improvements (also called streetscaping and wayfinding projects). The City Council appropriated $ 500,000 for custom street signs to be used as "wayfinding signs" directing visitors to areas of interest around

1900-525: The Harrisonburg community discussed the possibility of creating a pedestrian mall downtown. Public meetings were held to discuss the merits and drawbacks of pursuing such a plan. Ultimately, the community decided to keep its Main Street open to traffic. From these discussions, however, a strong voice emerged from the community in support of downtown revitalization. On July 1, 2003, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance

1976-553: The National Register of Historic Places. Harrisonburg is home to a local television station, several local radio stations, newspapers and independent online news organizations. Local media organizations include: According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.1 km ), of which 17.3 square miles (44.8 km ) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km ) (0.3%)

2052-451: The Norfolk port. The PRR began purchasing stock in the SVRR, and took effective control of it. B&O took control of a competing north/south line called the Valley Railroad. The plans showed the railroads were to run parallel to each other through the valley, sometimes just a few miles apart. The race was on. The Central Improvement Company (a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Railroad) was awarded

2128-534: The Shenandoah River between Elkton and Waynesboro . In 1881 the north and south sections were connected. Finally, in 1882, it stretched south to meet the Norfolk and Western Railroad in the new railroad town of Roanoke, Virginia . The track was now complete. Meanwhile, rival Valley Railroad (VRR) was trying to raise capital. With Robert E. Lee as its spokesman, it convinced Baltimore to authorize $ 1,000,000 to secure funding by other Virginia counties. Baltimore

2204-591: The Shenandoah Valley, and a contributing building in the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District. Its window architraves are cut from solid walnut timbers. This house remained in the Harrison family until 1870, which is probably why it was long-thought to have been Thomas Harrison's. Home to Harrisonburg's first mayor Isaac Hardesty, the house bears his name and the name of the physician, Henry Higgins, who began construction in 1848. Isaac Hardesty

2280-421: The age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.86. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under

2356-460: The age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 35,556, and the median income for a family was $ 41,500. Males had a median income of $ 30,032 versus $ 21,996 for females. The per capita income for

Shenandoah Valley Railroad (1867–1890) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-586: The area prior to settlement was the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition , led by Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood , who reached Elkton , and whose rangers continued and in 1716 likely passed through what is now Harrisonburg. Harrisonburg, previously known as "Rocktown," was named for Thomas Harrison , a son of English settlers. In 1737, Harrison settled in the Shenandoah Valley , eventually laying claim to over 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) situated at

2508-482: The businesses of Newtown that were bought out could not afford to reestablish themselves. Locals say many prominent Black businesses like the Colonnade, which served as a pool hall, dance hall, community center, and tearoom, were unable to reopen. Kline's, a White-owned business, was one of the few businesses in the area that was able to reopen. The city later made $ 500,000 selling the seized property to redevelopers. Before

2584-582: The city by a margin of 16 percent—slightly larger than the 14-point margin by which George W. Bush carried it four years earlier. The city has voted Democratic in every presidential election since then, and has become one of the few Democratic mainstays in this more conservative part of Virginia. In most elections, it is one of the few areas west of Charlottesville carried by Democrats. Aug 1948 Aug 1950 Aug 1952 Aug 1954 Aug 1956 Aug 1956 Aug 1958 Aug 1958 Aug 1960 Aug 1960 Elkton, Virginia Elkton (formerly Conrad's Store )

2660-740: The city limits. In May 2017 Norfolk Southern 51T derailed in Harrisonburg spilling corn into Blacks Run. No one was injured. Shenandoah Valley Railroad interchanges with the NS on south side of Harrisonburg and with CSX and Buckingham Branch Railroad in North Staunton . Harrisonburg Transit provides public transportation in Harrisonburg. Virginia Breeze provides intercity bus service between Blacksburg , Harrisonburg, and Washington, D.C. Harrisonburg has won several awards in recent years, including "#6 Favorite Town in America" by Travel + Leisure in 2016,

2736-518: The city planner's office in 1958, the city planner at the time, David Clark convinced the city council that Harrisonburg had slums. Newtown, a low socioeconomic status housing area, was declared a slum. Federal law mandated that the city needed to have a referendum on the issue before R4 could begin. The vote was close with 1,024 votes in favor and 978 against R4. In 1955, following the vote, the Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority

2812-456: The city was $ 16,992. About 11.5% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. Like most of the Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg was among the first areas of Virginia where old-line Southern Democrats began splitting their tickets. The city went Republican at every presidential election from 1944 to 2004 . In 2008 , however, Barack Obama carried

2888-518: The city's population. Harrisonburg City Public Schools (HCPS) students speak 55 languages in addition to English , with Spanish , Arabic , and Kurdish being the most common languages spoken. Over one-third of HCPS students are English as a second language (ESL) learners. Language learning software company Rosetta Stone was founded in Harrisonburg in 1992, and the multilingual "Welcome Your Neighbors" yard sign originated in Harrisonburg in 2016. The earliest documented English exploration of

2964-632: The city. Another $ 500,000 were used to upgrade street lighting, sidewalks, and landscaping along Main Street and Court Square. In 2014, Downtown Harrisonburg was named a Great American Main Street by the National Main Street Association and downtown was designated the first culinary district in the commonwealth of Virginia. Norfolk Southern also owns a small railyard in Harrisonburg. The Chesapeake and Western corridor from Elkton to Harrisonburg has very high volumes of grain and ethanol. The railroad serves two major grain elevators inside

3040-415: The city. The principal axis of the district is Main Street, which runs approximately north–south through the district. Another principal thoroughfare is Liberty Street, which parallels Main Street. The principal cross axis is Market Street (US Highway 33), which intersects with Main Street on the east side of Court Square. The Romanesque Revival/Renaissance Revival 1896-97 Rockingham County Courthouse commands

3116-484: The construction idea on February 25, 1870. Maryland provided the final approval needed on April 4, 1870. On March 14, 1870, the company was formed and the first president, Peter Bouck Borst, was elected. After Maryland approved construction of a bridge over the Potomac river anywhere between Harpers Ferry and Williamsport, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) took notice. There could be link with rival B&O railroad, as well as

Shenandoah Valley Railroad (1867–1890) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3192-480: The date of construction, it was believed that the first courts were held in this building, which is also associated with Bishop Francis Asbury, a pioneer leader of the Methodist Episcopal church, who often visited Harrison and conducted some of the county's first Methodist services. While the original Thomas Harrison house no longer exists, this building remains an early example of stone vernacular architecture in

3268-481: The early part of the Civil War. The Strayer sisters occupied the house and, during their stay, the sisters hosted Union General Nathaniel Banks. The house served as an inn after the war and was home to the Virginia Craftsman, makers of handcrafted furniture, from the 1920s to the 1980s. The approximately 100 acre Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District embraces the historic commercial and institutional core of

3344-443: The first European-Americans to settle permanently in the area was Adam Miller (Mueller), a native of Germany. In 1741, Miller purchased 820 acres (3.3 km ), including a large lithia spring, near Elkton and lived on this property for the remainder of his life. He sold 280 acres (1.1 km ) of this property to his son-in-law, Jacob Baer, and the spring on Miller’s land is still known as Bear Lithia Spring. Conrads Store

3420-566: The home and add modern amenities like updated electric, plumbing, HVAC, ADA compliant restrooms, and a wheelchair lift. The town Christmas tree can be found across the street from the house. Located on Rockingham Street, the Miller-Kite House was the headquarters of General Stonewall Jackson at the start of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign during the Civil War. Now the house is a town landmark and museum, housing many items from

3496-439: The home of the majority of Harrisonburg's predominantly Black churches, such as First Baptist and Bethel AME. The modern Boys and Girls Club of Harrisonburg is located in the old Lucy Simms schoolhouse that was used for Black students in the days of segregation . A large portion of this Black neighborhood was dismantled in the 1960s when – in the name of urban renewal – the city government used federal redevelopment funds from

3572-487: The inability to obtain a traffic contract with the Cumberland Valley Railroad. SVRR sent a team of surveyors during the summer of 1880 into Pennsylvania indicating a desire to build a line to Harrisburg to connect with the competing Philadelphia and Reading Railroad line. The bluff worked and a contract was worked out. But the split with PRR was now inevitable. Also in 1880, service began on the section south of

3648-550: The intersection of the Spotswood Trail and the main Native American road through the valley. In 1779, Harrison deeded 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) of his land to the "public good" for the construction of a courthouse. In 1780, Harrison deeded an additional 50 acres (20 ha). This is the area now known as "Historic Downtown Harrisonburg." In 1849, trustees chartered a mayor–council form of government, although Harrisonburg

3724-415: The late 1880s Octagon House. Several fine Gothic Revival churches date to the early years of the twentieth century. Industrial buildings and warehouses date largely to the first half of the twentieth century and include the 1908 City Produce Exchange, a poultry shipping plant, and the late 1920s Maphis Chapman Co. gas storage tank factory. A complex of mid-twentieth century cinder block warehouses clusters near

3800-481: The next decade until 1881 when the name, Elkton, was adopted as the name of new passenger station of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad . In January 1881, Elkton, Virginia was established as a post office. The Town of Elkton was officially incorporated on March 14, 1908. An important building in the town's history is the Jennings House. Built in 1840 by Dr. Samuel B. Jennings , the house was transformed into

3876-502: The old band room into an addition to the cafeteria, building a new computer lab, and adding another gym separate from the main for public use, such as the Elkton Recreation League Basketball teams. In 2006 the fifth grade was moved from Elkton Elementary School to the middle school because of the extra space made by the renovations made in 2005. In 2010 the fifth grade was moved back to the elementary school. In 2010,

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3952-433: The population, up from 8.85% according to the census of 2000. Of the 15,988 households, 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.0% were not families. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

4028-503: The population. Major ancestry groups reported by Elkton residents include: United States or American - 23.9%, German - 15.3%, English - 8.4%, Irish - 6.9%, Scotch-Irish - 4.6%, Dutch - 2.3%, Scottish - 2.2%, Norwegian - 1.2%, French - 1.6%, Welsh - 1.1%, Italian - 0.8%, Polish - 0.9%, French Canadian - 0.3%, Hungarian - 0.2%, Russian - 0.2%, Slovak - 0.2%, West Indian (excluding Hispanic groups) - 0.2%, Other ancestries - 12.1%. There were 862 households, out of which 28.3% had children under

4104-528: The project, the area brought in $ 7000 in taxes annually. By 1976, the areas redeveloped in R4 and R16 were bringing in $ 45,000 in annual taxes. These profit gains led Lauren McKinney to regard the project as “one of only two ‘profitable’ redevelopment schemes in the state of Virginia.” Cultural landmarks were also influenced by the projects. Although later rebuilt, the Old First Baptist Church of Harrisonburg

4180-575: The railroad was extended to January 1875 and 94 miles (151 km) of work south of the C&;O railroad in Staunton eliminated. Service began between Shepherdstown, WV and the Shenandoah River on December 15, 1879. In September 1872, the Cumberland Valley Railroad (a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Railroad) was asked to construct the tracks from their station in Hagerstown, MD to Shepherdstown, WV. Service began on that stretch in 1880. Problems with PRR escalated over

4256-423: The rails to its system. The competing Valley Railroad ran out of capital to build in 1884 and struggled until it went into receivership in 1896. The final length of that line was 36 miles (58 km) from Staunton to Lexington, the southern 51 miles (82 km) to Salem never finished. The line was never profitable. Into the mid-20th century the new owners, the Norfolk & Western, operated two passenger trains

4332-405: The sizable Mennonite population in the Shenandoah Valley , to which many Pennsylvania Dutch settlers arrived beginning in the mid-18th century in search of rich, unsettled farmland. The city has become a bastion of ethnic and linguistic diversity in recent years. Over 1,900 refugees have been settled in Harrisonburg since 2002. As of 2014, Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 19% of

4408-440: The square, and surrounding blocks arc densely developed with early twentieth century high-rise bank buildings and other commercial buildings from the 1870s through the 1950s. Most residential buildings dates to after the Civil War, when South Main Street developed as Harrisonburg's elite residential avenue. Notable houses from the period include Victorian/Queen Anne masterpieces such as Ute 1890 Joshua Wilton House and rarities such as

4484-510: The town was $ 17,192. About 4.7% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. Although incorporated towns may operate their own schools under Virginia law, Elkton area schools are operated by Rockingham County Public Schools , a Virginia public school division . Elkton houses three public schools: Elkton Elementary School, Elkton Middle School, and East Rockingham High School . Elkton Elementary School

4560-421: The town. The general area is agricultural, filled with farm lands and rural scenes. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km ), of which, 1.4 square miles (3.5 km ) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km ) of it (1.43%) is water. The main roads providing access to Elkton are U.S. Route 33 and U.S. Route 340 . US 33

4636-748: The war and some of Jackson's personal belongings. In one of the second-story windows a cardboard cutout of the General watches the street. Many visitors report stories of ghosts or unusual behavior while in the house. In addition to the Miller-Kite House, Bon Air and the Kite Mansion are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Elkton is located at 38°24′30″N 78°37′13″W  /  38.40833°N 78.62028°W  / 38.40833; -78.62028 (38.408298, −78.620321). It

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4712-452: The years. When enslaved peoples in the Shenandoah Valley were freed in 1865, they established a town called Newtown near modern-day Harrisonburg. This town was eventually annexed by the independent city of Harrisonburg some years later, probably around 1892. Today, the old city of Newtown is in the Northeast section of Harrisonburg in the area referred to as Downtown Harrisonburg. It remains

4788-428: Was 2.59, and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was distributed as 15.0% under the age of 18, 48.9% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 37,850, and for a family was $ 53,642. The per capita income for

4864-659: Was a general store built by George Conrad about 1812. George Conrad was a son of Captain Stephen Conrad who served during the American Revolution . In 1816, Conrads Store became a United States post office with George Conrad as its first postmaster. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Conrads Store operated as a Confederate post office. In September 1866, postal service was briefly discontinued at Conrads Store, and intermittently resumed and discontinued over

4940-552: Was born in 1795 and became the city's first Mayor by charter on March 16, 1849, incorporating the town of Harrisonburg. Hardesty completed construction of the home by 1853 and lived in the house with his wife, Ann, and two children. He was a successful business man, apothecary, and merchant, and he served on the board of directors of the Valley Turnpike Company. Isaac Hardesty supported the Union and moved from Harrisonburg during

5016-404: Was built in 1938 on West B Street to house Elkton High School, but its role changed when a new school was built. Elkton Middle School was originally Elkton High School, built in 1957 primarily for grades eight through twelve. Additions were built to the high school in 1967, building a ten-room annex for more classes; and the elementary school in 1972, replacing part of the original building. In 1980,

5092-547: Was demolished. Newtown Cemetery, a Historic African American Cemetery, was also impacted. Although it appears that no burials were destroyed, the western boundary was paved over and several headstones now touch the street. Major highways in Harrisonburg include Interstate 81 , the main north–south highway in western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Other significant roads serving the city include U.S. Route 11 , U.S. Route 33 , Virginia State Route 42 , Virginia State Route 253 and Virginia State Route 280 . In early 2002,

5168-538: Was established to carry out the project. All of the group's members were White men. Invoking the power of eminent domain, the government forced people in Newtown to sell their homes. Residents were offered payments for their homes far below their true real estate value. Many people couldn't afford a new home and had to move into public housing projects. Other families left Harrisonburg. It is estimated between 93 and 200 families were displaced. In addition to families, many of

5244-562: Was forced out because of his involvement with a competing plan for a similar rail line called the Luray Valley Railroad Company that was pushed through the Virginia General Assembly in 1870. In August 1871, the Central Improvement Company submitted a proposal to cancel the construction contract, asking for payment only for work completed. The proposal was rejected by SVRR. In 1872, the deadline for completion of

5320-631: Was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of rejuvenating the downtown district. In 2004, downtown was designated as the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and a designated Virginia Main Street Community, with the neighboring Old Town Historic District residential community gaining historic district status in 2007. Several vacant buildings have been renovated and repurposed for new uses, such as

5396-522: Was not officially incorporated as an independent city until 1916. Today, a council–manager government administers Harrisonburg. On June 6, 1862, an American Civil War skirmish took place at Good's Farm, Chestnut Ridge near Harrisonburg between the forces of the Union and the forces of the Confederacy at which the C.S. Army Colonel, Turner Ashby (1828–1862), was killed. The city has expanded in size over

5472-467: Was now with N&W. In 1883, SVRR floated $ 1.8 million of income bonds. Revenues continued to be far below forecast due to the bad economy. In early 1885, SVRR defaulted on its loan interest, taxes, payrolls, and bills. A Roanoke judge put the line in a receivership, but in December, the mortgage company holding its notes filed suit for liquidation of the road’s assets. The Norfolk and Western Railroad fought

5548-583: Was realigned, and the old alignment through downtown Elkton is now US 33 Business . As of the census of 2010, there were 2,762 people, 862 households, and 555 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,485.4 people per square mile (575.5/km ). There were 919 housing units at an average density of 668.5 per square mile (259.0/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 95.49% White , 2.74% African American , 0.15% Native American , 0.24% Asian , 0.05% from other races , and 1.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of

5624-489: Was thought to have been erected for Thomas Harrison ca. 1750. But new research and a dendrochronology study completed by James Madison University in 2018 has determined that it was built ca. 1790; Harrison died in 1785. Harrison laid out the town that was to bear his name on fifty acres of his holdings and was also instrumental in having Harrisonburg established as the Rockingham County seat in 1780. Prior to confirmation of

5700-676: Was to build a railroad from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia , to the Virginia Central Railroad somewhere near Staunton, to a connection with the V&;T around Salem, and finally to somewhere near the southwest corner of Virginia to meet the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad at Bristol, Virginia . Since the route traversed three states (Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia) three legislative authorizations were required. Virginia provided approval on February 23, 1867. West Virginia approved

5776-400: Was to gain considerably by having the traffic from the richest parts of the south directed its way. Many delays occurred, particularly after the recession on the 1870s, but traffic finally began between Harrisonburg and Staunton in 1883. The southern section was never constructed. The financial panic of 1873 brought a deep recession that suppressed business into the 1880s. In 1882 SVRR received

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