Rocktown History HRHS

06/22/2026

Have you heard? Something fresh is coming to Dayton on Thursday! Are you?

Come check out all the Heirloom Market offerings at Rocktown History, Fort Harrison, and the Virginia Quilt Museum at Silver Lake Mill. More details at rocktownhistory.org.

Check out all the vendors at Rocktown History HRHS. We can't wait to see all of you...opening night is almost here Thursday, June 25 5:00-8:00

Rocktown History HRHS
Fort Harrison Inc/ The Daniel Harrison House
Virginia Quilt Museum
Silver Lake Mill

06/14/2026

Flag Day Facts:
The American flag is designed using precise mathematical proportions. Each stripe honoring the original thirteen states is 1/13 of the flag's hoist (height).

The blue field is officially called the union, representing the states joined together as one nation. The measurements of the union's fly (width)—0.76—happens to echo the year 1776.

The proportions were standardized when President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10834 on August 21, 1959, following Hawaii's admission as the 50th state.

History, civics, vocabulary, and math in this national symbol.

06/10/2026

Sometimes, what's hidden between the pages can be more interesting than the book. This recently-donated 1884 edition of Maury's Manual of Geography contains an ephemera treasure hunt!

06/07/2026

Before streaming, before television, . . . for many Shenandoah Valley families, the movie theater was the place to escape a hot summer evening, catch up on the news, and spend time with neighbors.

By 1941, Harrisonburg—then a town of fewer than 10,000 people—supported three major theaters. Together, the Virginia, State, and Strand could seat more than 2,100 moviegoers. For just a few cents, audiences could laugh with the Marx Brothers, ride alongside Gene Autry, enjoy the latest musical, or watch newsreels from around the world.

The theaters themselves were attractions. The grand Virginia Theatre featured box seats, elegant curtains, and room for more than 1,000 patrons. A couple of blocks south on Main Street, the Strand advertised the modern luxury of air conditioning (likely, a fan blowing across a block of ice). Smaller towns throughout the Valley had their own theaters, creating gathering places for entertainment, concerts, lectures, and community events.

Join E.K. Knappenberger for Rocktown History's June 9th Coffee Mill as he explores the impact of Harrisonburg's theaters and local newspapers on community life in the months before the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

Tuesday, June 9th • 9:30 a.m.
Rocktown History, Dayton

06/05/2026

Brocks Gap historian Pat Turner Ritchie comes by her passion honestly—her father even labeled his own school lunch box!

This morning's Ask An Author audience enjoyed a delightful journey through the history of education in the Brocks Gap community, from the earliest schools of the 1700s through the consolidation era of the 20th century. Along the way, Pat shared photographs of students, teachers, parents, and schoolhouses that shaped generations.

As she closed her presentation, Pat reflected on the local leaders who helped establish public education in the community after the Civil War. Thinking about how those early efforts grew into a lasting educational legacy was a touching moment—and a reminder of the value Brocks Gap families have long placed on learning.

To learn more, we recommend Pat's latest book, *Brocks Gap Schools*, available in the Rocktown History bookstore and online at rocktownhistory.org.

06/04/2026

At the start of 1941, Harrisonburg moviegoers watched Tyrone Power battle tyranny in The Mark of Zorro. By year's end, they watched him again—this time as A Yank in the RAF.

But audiences didn't come just for the feature film. Every ticket also included a dose of comedy, along with the news. Newsreels brought the rapidly changing world into local theaters with the impact of the big screen.

As 1941 unfolded, the Daily News-Record headlines shifted from distant conflicts overseas to defense preparations here in the Shenandoah Valley.

Join the Rocktown History Coffee Mill on June 9 at 9:30 a.m. for a fascinating look at Harrisonburg's movie theaters, local newspapers, and the year America moved from watching the war to preparing for it. Presentation by E.K. Knappenberger.

#1941

05/31/2026

What can a photograph teach us about a community?
Take a close look at Whitmer School at Fulks Run. The corn shocks, rail fence, and woodpile tell us this school stood in the middle of a farming landscape. If the photographer had backed up a few more feet, he or she would have stepped into the North Fork. This wasn't a school surrounded by parking lots and athletic fields. It was part of the daily rhythm of rural life.

Now notice what is missing. There are no electric lines, school buses, playgrounds, cafeterias, or water fountains. Students walked to school, and some crossed the river on a swinging bridge to get there. Water for the school was carried by bucket from a nearby house.

Inside, one teacher—usually a woman—taught 30 to 40 students of different ages in a single room. She kept the wood stove burning through the winter, taught every subject, ordered library books, organized holiday programs, and even led nature hikes to identify local birds. The demands were many, but so were the expectations.

Pat Turner Ritchie's new book, "Brocks Gap Schools: Bergton, Criders, and Fulks Run," preserves the stories of more than 40 one- and two-room schools that served generations of Shenandoah Valley families.

Join us for Ask an Author at Rocktown History on Friday, June 5, at 10:30 a.m., and discover how education shaped life in one of the Valley's most distinctive communities.

05/25/2026

Were you in Mr. Wilson’s class? Your ears may be burning tomorrow morning.
Join us for Coffee Mill on Tuesday, May 26, at 9:30 am as George Wilson shares tales from the classroom gathered during his years teaching at John Wayland and Wilbur Pence Schools.

Expect laughter, memories, and maybe a few familiar names.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives in service to the American experiment. As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, we honor the service members whose sacrifice helped shape our ongoing story.

day

05/20/2026

Not a general store, but a "catch" store. The Ottobine Store was built in 1917 to serve its western Rockingham County community. In 1975, reflecting on his 70-hour workweek, store owner Joe Foster said he enjoyed hearing tales of hunting and life wafting in from conversations on the porch. He also recognized the challenges of competing with the "big boys"—the department stores and supermarkets drawing shoppers to Harrisonburg. His strategy? Stocking the items that people forgot on their trips to town, so he could "catch" them closer to home.

Learn about the history of Shenandoah Valley general stores, with Linda Petske & Nancy Sorrells.
Thursday, May 21, 7 pm | in-person & online.
Visit rocktownhistory.org for more information.