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Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm

Rocktown History HRHS

Name: Rocktown History HRHS
Address: 382 High Street, Dayton, VA, 22821, US
Telephone: +15408792681
Price range: $

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Rocktown History HRHS

As Rocktown History the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society continues 125+ yrs of local history Research Roots: Extensive Genealogy & Research Library.

Explore Local Stories: Museum Galleries, Folk Art, Lectures. Shop Unique Books & Gifts: Member Book Discounts Every Day. Discover Dayton & Beyond: Historic Dayton Welcome Center location. Wander a National Register of Historic Places: Take the Dayton Downtown Walking Tour to explore the rest of the charming village.

09/01/2026

Did your school have a cheer? Katie Heatwole remembered hers.
Years after attending West Central Academy in Mt. Clinton, she wrote this school cheer in a memory notebook—and we’re very glad she did. The words may be a little silly to us now, but they preserve something that course catalogs and school records rarely capture: what it felt like to be a student.

Mostly faded from memory, West Central Academy was quite a school to cheer for. Read more about this local history on the Rocktown History blog: https://www.rocktownhistory.org/blog/west-central-academy-school-cheer/

08/26/2026

It's National Dog Day, so naturally we're celebrating . . . a vintage Autograph Hound!
Joshua Gooden brought this wonderful bit of Show & Tell to yesterday's Coffee Mill, where he shared the story of restoring his historic Elkton home and some of the treasure found during the process.

Autograph Hounds were stuffed cloth dogs designed to be signed by friends and classmates—a three-dimensional cousin to the autograph book or yearbook. These keepsakes could be purchased or sewn at home. This fellow is covered with names we expect some Elkton folks will recognize. Who do you know?

That's one of our favorite things about Rocktown History—you never know what someone will bring through the door, but it's always related to local history and families.

Thank you, Josh, for a great program—and for introducing us to this very appropriate National Dog Day mascot!

Recognize a name? Let us know in the comments.

08/22/2026

Now THAT’S a before and after! 🏠
What does it take to bring an 1890s Elkton farmhouse back to life?
Join us Tuesday morning as owner Josh Gooden shares the discoveries, challenges, and rewards of restoring his historic home.

☕ Coffee Mill
Tuesday, August 25 | 9:30 a.m.
Rocktown History, 382 High Street, Dayton

08/18/2026

Before the Founding Fathers were founders . . . Thomas Lewis was already at work.
In 1745, 27-year-old Thomas Lewis was surveying the vast territory of newly formed Augusta County—66 feet at a time. Surveyors measured land using a Gunter's chain, like this example from the Rocktown History collection.

Meanwhile, George Washington and Richard Henry Lee were 13. Patrick Henry was 9. Thomas Jefferson was 2. James Madison wouldn't be born for another six years.

Decades later, Lewis would serve alongside some of these men as Virginia wrestled with revolution, independence, and a new form of government.

This Thursday, Lewis descendant John Batzel takes us beyond the familiar surveyor and Valley pioneer to explore Thomas Lewis during the Revolutionary years.

Thursday, August 20 • 7 p.m.
In person at Rocktown History + YouTube Live
Free. Donations encouraged.

08/17/2026

The poll is open! Come cast your ballot at Rocktown History!
Our Virginia Nut pretend election is underway in the "Voices of Democracy" exhibition—early returns suggest a tight race between Black Walnut and Virginia Peanut.

But don’t count out American Chestnut or Shagbark Hickory just yet. There’s still time to study the candidates, make your choice, and cast your ballot. Stop by, vote, and pick up your "I Voted!" sticker while you’re here.

And yes, we know. People can be nuts, too. 😆

08/15/2026

You may know the name. But do you know the man?
Thomas Lewis appears throughout the frontier history of the Shenandoah Valley—as surveyor, pioneer, and one of the founders of Rockingham County.

But what was he doing while Virginia moved toward revolution?

On Thursday, descendant John Batzel takes us into the years 1773–1784 to uncover a lesser-known Thomas Lewis: the man involved in Virginia's struggle for independence.

Thomas Lewis & The Revolution Years
Third Thursday Talk, August 20 • 7 p.m.
In person at Rocktown History + YouTube Live
Free. Donations encouraged.

08/12/2026

Odysseus wasn’t the only one on an odyssey.
Sarah Barnes Beggs’ journey took her from the Virginia frontier to a new American frontier.

During the Revolution, Sarah was a soldier’s wife—and then a widow with five children. Records show she provided food, pasturage, and other support for the Revolutionary cause. Two years later, she married Stephen Ruddell, another frontier settler.

Sarah’s story didn’t end in Virginia. She lived through revolution, widowhood, remarriage, and westward migration, eventually making her way to Clark County, Indiana.

No Cyclops. No sirens. Just war, loss, children, wilderness, and hundreds of miles between one home and the next.

Some odysseys are hiding in the archives.

08/10/2026

What was the Revolution like here at home? The Revolutionary War wasn’t only fought on distant battlefields. While a new nation was taking shape, Rockingham County itself was being created—and local residents were living through the uncertainty, demands, and changes of wartime.

Join local history researcher Dale MacAllister tomorrow, Tuesday, August 11, at 9:30 a.m. for the Rocktown History Coffee Mill and a closer look at the Revolutionary War in Rockingham County.

Come for the coffee. Stay for the history. Bring your questions.
Tuesday, August 11 | 9:30 a.m. at Rocktown History

08/04/2026

What happens when the legends don't tell the whole story?
For generations, Appalachian mountain men have been remembered as hardworking, self-reliant, and fiercely independent. But what happened beneath that familiar image?

Long before the term "diseases of despair" entered today's conversations, mountain communities wrestled with poverty, economic uncertainty, violence, and the emotional toll of limited opportunity.

In "Mountain Men of Hopkins Gap," authors Peggy Ann Shifflett and Lori Bennett combine genealogy, family stories, and historical research to explore how these forces shaped generations of Appalachian men—and the communities they called home.

Join us for a thoughtful conversation at Rocktown History's free Ask An Author program.
—Friday, August 7, 2026 | 10:30 am | Rocktown History
—Donations encouraged.

08/02/2026

Celebrate National Coloring Book Day with a sneak peek from our new "Voices of Democracy" exhibition!

These two young friends are part of a classroom of characters you'll discover throughout the exhibit. They help bring big ideas to life on exhibit panels, games, and hands-on activities designed for visitors of all ages.

Stop by Rocktown History and see what these curious kids are learning—and add a little color to your day!

Tues-Sat, 10-4, Pay As You Can Admission

Address

382 High Street
Dayton, VA
22821

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+15408792681

Website

https://www.rocktownhistory.org/

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