Rocktown History HRHS

10/15/2026

Are you ready for the cold weather yet? We now have Rocktown History HRHS hoodie sweatshirts for sale in the gift shop! Soft and cozy 🤗

10/10/2026

What can a quilt tell us about Harrisonburg's history? Quite a lot!
When Harrisonburg celebrated its 200th anniversary in 1980, local church members commemorated the occasion with this colorful quilt. Today, it's part of Rocktown History's collection—a piece of community history preserved in cloth.

On Friday, October 16, at 10:30 am, quilt historian Sandra Sider joins us for "Stitching Time: Commemorative American Quilts." From the nation's Centennial in 1876 to its 250th anniversary in 2026, discover how Americans have used quilts to celebrate milestones, preserve memories, and tell their stories.

You don't have to be a quilter to appreciate the history stitched into these remarkable textiles!
📍 Rocktown History, Dayton, VA
Presented in partnership with Virginia Quilt Museum

Learn more: https://www.rocktownhistory.org/upcoming-events/stitching-time-american-quilts/

10/10/2026

More than 2,000 names. Countless stories worth remembering.

Who were the people who lived in Rockingham County's almshouses? What can their records tell us about their lives, families, and community?

Come join the Coffee Mill on Tuesday, October 13, at 9:30 a.m., when Rev. William “Bill” Zirk shares his book, "The Forgotten People of Rockingham County, VA: A History of the County Almshouses."

With more than 2,000 names in its index, Zirk's book is a genealogical treasure that helps bring forgotten lives back into the historical record. He'll also discuss ongoing efforts to restore and preserve the almshouse cemetery—and honor those buried there.

Because every name has a story worth remembering.

10/03/2026

Heading out to Dayton Days? It’s warm and dry at Rocktown History!
Stop by for unique shopping, then come inside and explore the galleries. Our early visitors have been surprised by just how much there is to see!

Museum admission is FREE today.

09/19/2026

Why did some call the American Revolution a “Presbyterian Rebellion"? Come hear Gary Van Brocklin discuss the role of Colonial Presbyterians in War of Independence.

📍Rocktown History
📅Tuesday, September 24
☕9:30 am

Come for the coffee, stay for the conversation.

09/17/2026

We loved hosting the Asbury and Otterbein JOY Group—“Just Older Youth”—for lunch, fellowship, and a little local history!

Is your church, club, civic organization, or other group looking for a program and a place to gather? Bring your group to Rocktown History. We’d love to welcome you and share some stories.

📅 Let’s plan your visit.

09/14/2026

Born in Rockingham County in 1839, Susanna Heatwole Brunk Cooprider’s life would take her more than 1,400 miles from Virginia to Kansas, via Illinois.

Over the next 69 years, she married twice, was the mother of 11 children, and built a life far from the place where her story began.

Hear more about Susanna’s remarkable journey from author and storyteller Karl Rhodes at this week’s Third Thursday Talk.

📅 Thursday, Sept. 17 | 7 p.m.
📍 In person at Rocktown History or online
More info: https://www.rocktownhistory.org/third-thursday-talks/susannas-journey/

Follow Susanna's journey from Virginia to Kansas and discover how Karl Rhodes brought her remarkable 19th-century story to the page.

09/11/2026

September 11 asks us to remember. We remember those who died. We remember the first responders who ran toward danger. We remember the passengers of Flight 93 who, faced with an unimaginable choice, acted to protect people they would never know.

Their courage reminds us of something larger about American democracy: we depend on our institutions, our public servants, and one another.

Self-government has never been a spectator sport. It asks us to pay attention, ask questions, help our neighbors, participate in our communities, and sometimes put the common good ahead of ourselves.

Perhaps that is one way to think about patriotism today—not simply as pride in our country, but as responsibility for it. America is at its best when ordinary people recognize that they have a part to play.

We remember. And we carry that responsibility forward.

09/10/2026

A burning bridge. A river crossing. A Civil War escape. And that was only the beginning.
This Saturday, meet author Karl Rhodes and discover "Susanna," the remarkable true story of Susanna Heatwole Brunk Cooprider, born just west of Harrisonburg in 1840.

Her journey took her across enemy lines during the Civil War, from Virginia to Illinois, and eventually 500 miles by covered wagon to the Kansas prairie.

📚 Book Signing with Karl Rhodes
📅 Saturday, Sept. 12
⏰ 10 am–2 pm
📍 Rocktown History

Rhodes, a Harrisonburg native and author of "Peggy’s War," will be here to meet readers and sign copies of his new book.
Come discover a Valley story of war, migration, hardship, and resilience.