The Randolph Street Market was located at the corner of Williamson Road (Randolph Street) and Campbell Avenue.
Greene Memorial United Methodist Church is located at 402 2nd Street SW.
Birds-eye view looking northeast toward the Norfolk & Western General Offices and Hotel Roanoke.
Located at Jefferson Street and Williamson Road, the Virginian Railway Station served passengers from 1910 to 1956. It was the only station constructed of brick along the entire length of the Virginian's 608 miles network.
Group photo of National Business College students.
A penmanship class in National Business College.
"The student body assembled at the college building on Church Avenue and with well-filled baskets marched to the Norfolk & Western where they boarded a special train chartered for the occasion by Professor Coulter. The management of the Norfolk & Western furnished the school an all-steel train, the first of its kind operated by the company composed of its own equipment - a fact that was highly appreciated by the college and its students. An exciting game of baseball was played between teams from Commercial and Shorthand departments, and those not thus engaged enjoyed themselves at other games and sports, and everybody entered heartily into the picnic spirit."
Young Business Men's Class of First Baptist Church.
For many years, Salem had also benefited from passenger service provided by the Virginian Railroad. Virginian passenger service in Salem ended in 1954, five years prior to its merger with the N&W.
The old First Baptist Church, formerly located on opposite side of 3rd Street from the current building.
Prominent on the left is a sign for W.B. Dillard Drug Co., Prescription Druggists, Soda and Mineral Waters. Watts Dillard was a prominent Salem business man involved in numerous civic projects. His drugstore, at the corner of Main and College, got a hot-water soda urn in 1901 which was big news. A local newspaper reported “both hot and cold drinks will be served in summer and winter.” This same establishment had turned heads with the installation of a “fly brush and fan,” a contraption that drove away flies from the soda fountain and kept air stirring constantly!
Roanoke Lodge #197 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The lodge stood on the corner of Jefferson Street and Franklin Road where Anthem is now located.
Roanoke Post Office was located on the northeast corner of Church Avenue and 1st Street.
The Hotel Pierce was located on the site that would be become the Hotel Dumas.
West Building on the campus of Hollins University.
A panoramic view of the Hollins University campus.
An interior view of the reception, reading, and music room in connection with Sheen's Ice Cream Parlor. Sheen's was located at 119 Campbell Avenue SW.
An interior view of Sheen's Ice Cream Parlor, formerly located at 119 Campbell Avenue SW.
Wills & Willauer was located at 111-113 Campbell Avenue SW.
Crowds watch as the Mill Mountain Incline makes its journey.
Mountain Park. Caption reads, 'The last Sunday here soldiers were in Roanoke.'
Some concession stands at Mountain Park.
Construction of The Thriller roller coaster in Mountain Park.
Entrance of The Thriller roller coaster in Mountain Park.
Men stand on the tracks of The Thriller roller coaster during construction.
Various buildings on the grounds of Mountain Park. In addition to The Thriller, Mountain park had a casino, dance pavilion, shooting gallery, and bowling alley.
Various buildings on the grounds of Mountain Park. In addition to The Thriller, Mountain Park had a casino, shooting gallery, dance pavilion, and bowling alley.
The Thriller roller coast under construction at Mountain Park.
Group photograph of the construction crew at Mountain Park.
Men work on building structures in Mountain Park.
Workers raise the infrastructure for The Thriller roller coaster in Mountain Park.
A view of Roanoke from the Mill Mountain Incline.
Passengers ride the Mill Mountain Incline down Mill Mountain.
Looking west on a flooded Campbell Avenue near the Jefferson Street intersection.
State Farm Insurance Company once had an office at 5005 Williamson Road.
The Mexican Craft Shop was located across from the entrance to Hollins University on Route 11.
Dr. J. Harry Martin performs an eye exam in his office located at 134 Campbell Avenue SW.
Thurman & Boone was located at 401 S. Jefferson Street.
Interior view of The Hobbie Company, formerly located at 14 Campbell Avenue SW.
The Corps of Cadets of VMI parades on the football field in a colorful pregame appearance at the Thanksgiving Day classic between VMI and VT at Victory Stadium.
A view of Wasena from the north entrance of Wasena Bridge.
The Virginia College for Young Women was located in the South Roanoke neighborhood at the end of Rosalind Avenue. The college closed in 1933.
Walter S. Slicer's Hospital was located at 601 S. Jefferson Street. The building was later occupied by National Business College.
Jefferson Hospital, which was founded in 1907 by Dr. Hugh Trout, was a predecessor to Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital. Formerly located at 1313 Franklin Road SW, the hospital closed in 1967 and was later razed.
Roanoke Hospital was built in 1893 with the aid of Norfolk & Western and the Roanoke Gas and Water Company. Carilion Roanoke Memorial now occupies the site of the old hospital.
The Shenandoah Hospital was located at 712 Campbell Avenue SW.
A view of the dining room inside Roanoke Sanitarium. Roanoke Sanitarium was located at 1906 Salem Avenue SW. It was opened by Dr. Walter Slicer in 1911 to treat "nervous and mild mental cases" as well as alcohol and drug addiction. The sanitarium closed in 1913.
A view of the reception hall inside Roanoke Sanitarium. Roanoke Sanitarium was located at 1906 Salem Avenue SW. It was opened by Dr. Walter Slicer in 1911 to treat "nervous and mild mental cases" as well as alcohol and drug addiction. The sanitarium closed in 1913.
A view of the parlor inside Roanoke Sanitarium. Roanoke Sanitarium was located at 1906 Salem Avenue SW. It was opened by Dr. Walter Slicer in 1911 to treat "nervous and mild mental cases" as well as alcohol and drug addiction. The sanitarium closed in 1913.
Roanoke Sanitarium was located at 1906 Salem Avenue SW. It was opened by Dr. Walter Slicer in 1911 to treat "nervous and mild mental cases" as well as alcohol and drug addiction. The sanitarium closed in 1913.
The Academy of Music was located in the 400 block of West Salem Avenue. The Academy opened 7 October 1892. After World War II, it fell into disuse and was razed in 1953.
The American Theatre once stood on the corner of Jefferson Street and Kirk Avenue. Built in 1928, the theatre remained in operation until 1971; it was razed in 1973.
The Jefferson Theatre was located at 417 S. Jefferson Street.
Strobel's Airship at the Roanoke Fair. The airship was designed by Charles J. Strobel, after the general idea of the Zeppelin, and took a championship at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The airship was filled with hydrogen and had a gas engine that ran propellers that pulled--rather than pushed--the aircraft. The was a steering rudder at the rear.
Adams, Payne, and Gleaves was located along the south end of Jefferson Street.
Encampment of the 2nd Virginia Regiment of the National Guard at Maher Field.
Fairland Lake Club was located at 2611 Ordway Drive NW.
Vinton Roller Mills, along Glade Creek, grew out of mills originally built by David Gish that pre-dated the Civil War. By the Twentieth Century, the remaining mill was owned and operated by James Bowie and produced three kinds of flour. By 1924, the operation was known as Vinton Milling Company.
The bottling department of the Virginia Brewing Company. Virginia Brewing was located in the 1200 block of Wise Avenue SE.
Interior view of Martha Washington Candies, formerly located at 310 S. Jefferson Street.
Martha Washington Candies was located at 310 S. Jefferson Street.
Interior view of China, Art, & Book Store, formerly located at 15 Campbell Avenue SW.
Interior view of Byrne & McCorkle Drug Store, formerly located at 207 S. Jefferson Street.
An interior view of Keyser-Warren Drug Company, formerly located at 106 Salem Avenue SW.
An interior view of E.S. Becker's Grocery, formerly located at 209 S. Jefferson Street.
An aerial view of Wildheim Game Farm, a private zoo owned by J.J. Bower on Peters Creek Road. The zoo contained thousands of birds and small animals from all over the world.
Wildheim Game Farm was a private zoo owned by J.J. Bower on Peters Creek Road. The zoo contained thousands of birds and small animals from all over the world.
Roanoke Country Club was originally located in South Roanoke.
Interior view of Burrell Pharmacy, formerly located at 510 Gainsboro Road NW. Dr. Isaac Burrell is on the left.
People's Furniture Company was located at 118-120 Salem Avenue SW.
Nelson Hardware Company warehouse. The building is located at 207 Bullitt Avenue SE.
Interior view of Roanoke Jewelry Company, formerly located at 107 Campbell Avenue SW.
Interior view of Mitchell's Clothing, formerly located at 307 1st Street SW.
Interior view of the first floor and mezzanine of Mitchell's Clothing, formerly located at 307 1st Street SW.
Lester Leap and Jacob Patterson in front of their grocery store, Hunter & Company at 143-145 Salem Avenue SW.
Interior view of Hunter & Company grocers was located at 143-145 Salem Avenue SW. Lester Leap and Jacob Patterson were proprietors.
Hunter & Company grocers was located at 143-145 Salem Avenue SW. Lester Leap and Jacob Patterson were proprietors.
Twins Billy and Hiram Fenster were newsboys for the Union News Company. The boys sold newspapers and magazines aboard trains.
Richard Poff is given a pen by President Dwight Eisenhower. The pen was used to sign the bill enabling railroad men who have paid into the Railroad Retirement Fund and Social Security to draw from both.
Main Building on the campus of Hollins University.
Burney Edward Witt was known as the Elliston Yodeler.
Lawrence Campbell, Walter Dale, and Gertrude Dale at 6 Campbell Avenue SE.
Hunter Coal Company was located at 1600 Cleveland Avenue SW.
Group photo of the Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorassan Rajah Temple No. 195 band on the steps of the Elks Club once located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Franklin Road.
Thomas Raike and William Massey stand next to their truck, Raike and Massey sold beauty supplies for Belle-Terra Products.
The Frederick J. Kimball Memorial Fountain, carved out of red granite, was erected in 1907 by Kimball’s friends in a Shenandoah Avenue Park near the N&W passenger station. It provided water for "man and bird and beast". Horses drank from the front basin, people from the rear, and dogs from the sides. The fountain was moved to the corner of Church Avenue and Williamson Road in 1993
Looking north from the 900 block on Franklin Road SW
Hock's Meats was located at 15 Salem Avenue SW.
Roanoke Notion Company was located at 210 Salem Avenue SW.
C.A. Berry Painting, Paper Hanging, and Decorating was located at 28 Church Avenue SW.
Silverman & Heyman Clothiers was located at 11 Salem Avenue SE.
An interior view of Jefferson Pharmacy, located at 315 S. Jefferson Street.
Davis & Stephenson was an insurance agency located at 112 Kirk Avenue SW.
Roanoke Hardware Company was located at 22 Campbell Avenue SW.
Fire engulfs Michael's Bakery at 501 2nd Street SW. The fire started in Crystal Spring Laundry next door to the bakery and quickly spread to other buildings.
An unidentified couple walks in the 100 block of Campbell Avenue SW.
Looking east on Campbell Avenue from 1st Street SW.
Looking east from 16 W. Campbell Avenue.
Roanoke Police Chief Moore speaks to an unidentified man in front of the Terry Building.
Crowds bustle at the corner of Jefferson Street and Campbell Avenue.
Group photo of Roanoke Railway and Electric streetcar drivers.
Aerial view of Harris Hardwood Company. Harrs Hardwood was located in Norwich.
Composite of the 1909 Roanoke College baseball team.
The Jolly Jay Tea Room was located one mile north of Roanoke on Route 11.
Auto Tire Company was located at 501 2nd (Commerce) Street SW.
Roanoke Furniture Company was located at 305 1st Street SW.
Roanoke Furniture Company in its 'new home' in the Anchor Building, located at 305 1st Street SW.
Unidentified man and boy ride in horse-drawn carriage in Downtown Roanoke.
The Birches was the home of Mr. and Mrs. M.M. Caldwell. It is located at 1525 Memorial Avenue SW.
The home of Dr. Isaac D. Burrell was located at 117 Patton Avenue NW.
Moulse home located off of Twelve O'Clock Knob Road in Roanoke County.
Home formerly located at 307 Bullitt Avenue SE.
Home formerly located at 921 2nd Street SW.
The home of Ira Meals was located at 318 Church Avenue SW.
Home located at 1164 Montrose Avenue SE.
Bradford's Seafood and Steakhouse was located at 2523 Franklin Road SW.
The Virginian was located on Williamson Road.
Davidson's Restaurant was located at the corner of Peters Creek Road and Williamson Road.
Interior view of the Virginia Cafe, formerly located at 12 1/2 Salem Avenue SE.
Ray's Restaurant and Melrose Beauty Shoppe were located in the 2300 block of Melrose Avenue NW.
Crowds line the streets of Fincastle as a parade makes it way through town.
Participants in Bowman's Kiddie Club, a radio show for children broadasted on WRBX.
A composite of the individuals involved in the Hillsville Massacre: Sidna Allen, Floyd Allen, Claud Allen, Friel Allen, Wesley Edwards, Victor Allen, Bird Marion.
"The largest crowd ever to witness a wrestling bout in Roanoke gave what many regard as the greatest boxing champion that ever lived, Jack Dempsey, a tremendous ovation as he crawled through the ropes to referee the Dan O'Connor-'Father' Lumpkin bout at the City auditorium last night."
George and Willie Muse were born with albanism resulting in the exploitation in circuses and sideshows with the stage names Eiko and Iko. George and Willie's story is detailed in 'Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother's Quest' by Beth Macy.
The Schulte-United department store afire as firemen try to contain the blaze.
S.H. Kress Five & Dime was located at 302 S. Jefferson Street.
"Commencing yesterday the delivery of ice to consumers by Roanoke Ice Corp. Recently organized to take over the plants of the Consumers Ice Company and the Griggs Packing Company."
Home located on Campbell Avenue. Address unknown.
Hill Crest Hall was the female dormitory for employees of American Viscose.
Birds-eye view of American Viscose. American Viscose, once the world's largest producer of artificial silk, opened in 1917. By the 1920s, the plant employed more than 5,000 people. American Viscose remained in business until 1948. Hill Crest Hall, a female dormitory can be seen in the upper left.
Birds-eye view of American Viscose. American Viscose, once the world's largest producer of artificial silk, opened in 1917. By the 1920s, the plant employed more than 5,000 people. American Viscose remained in business until 1948.
Trolley tracks wind in front of Hill Crest Hall, the female dormitory for American Viscose.
The parsonage of St. James Methodist Episcopal Church was located in the 300 block of 5th Street NW.
First Methodist Episcopal Church parsonage. The church and parsonage were located on the corner of Gilmer Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue NE.
Progressive Brethren Church was located at 620 Salem Avenue SW.
Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 4040 Williamson Road.
Enon Baptist Church is one of the oldest Baptist churches in the Roanoke Valley. Built in 1855 across from the entrance of present-day Hollins University, the church was established by Charles Cocke, president of Hollins Institute.
Sealtest Varieties' boys, left to right: Buster Wingfield, Tommy Pendleton, Roy Hardy, and Jimmy English.
The Dun Roamin' Motel and Lodge was located at 1803 Williamson Road NE.
The Skyline Motel is located at 5458 Franklin Road.
The Gay Lee Motel was located 20 miles west of Roanoke on US 460.
Mt. Scenery Tourist Court was located at 3111 Williamson Road NW.
Rest Haven Tourist Home was located 2 miles north of Roanoke on Route 11.
Wedgewood Guesthouse was located at 737 13th Street SW.
The 220 Motel was located 2 miles south of Roanoke on US 220.
The Redwood Motel is located at 18021 Virgil H Goode Highway in Rocky Mount.
Woodhaven Tourst Home was located at 2802 Williamson Road.
Lee-Hy Auto Court was located west of Roanoke on Route 11.
Michigan Tourist Court was located two miles east of Salem on Route 11.
The Hotel Stratford was located at 102-106 N. Jefferson Street.
The Shenandoah Hotel opened on 5 November 1909. Originally consisting of two buildings, separated by an 8-foot alley, the Salem Avenue facing building seen here would later become the Hotel Lee followed by the Hotel Earle. The building was destroyed by fire in August 1991 and later razed.
The Savoy was located at 518 2nd Street SW, currently 450 2nd Street SW.
Interior of Hotel Raleigh office and lobby. Hotel Raleigh was located at 126 Campbell Avenue SW.
Air Castle Tourist Court was located at 7121 Williamson Road.
The Mountain View Inn was located in Natural Bridge.
Plaza Tourist Court was located at 3011 Williamson Road. NE
Silver Gables Tourist Court was located at 3404 Brandon Avenue SW.
Crowd surrounds a Vinton-bound trolley. Location unknown.
Daughers of Liberty members seated in a parade float.
A Guide to the Rubinette Miller Niemann Collection
The collection includes memorabilia amassed by Miller while she was working as the County Home Demonstration Agent. It includes: Home Demonstration Club Yearbooks from 1961 through 1964; photographs of Home Demonstration, 4-H, and other Extension events and staff from the 1959-63 period; and newspaper clippings, featuring Home Demonstration Club activities and Miller’s achievements; and a scrapbook created by club members for Miller, documenting her time as Home Demonstration Agent, and given to her in 1964, which also contains numerous photographs. A digital copy was created of the scrapbook.
No known restrictions. Virginia Room copy fees apply.
A Guide to the Mill Mountain Theatre Collection
The collection consists primarily of performance programs from the 1965 through 1997-1998 seasons; only in a very few instances are the playbills of all the season’s performances included. Some programs contain histories of the Mill Mountain Playhouse/Mill Mountain Theatre. For example, 1968 provides a 5-year retrospective, there is a timeline history in the 1982 program, and the 1988-89 Silver Anniversary Season playbills include photographs of prior productions. Some playbills list the entire season’s performance schedule. Season brochures are available for a number of years.
A Guide to the Grandin Court Elementary School PTA Collection
The collection consists of meeting minutes (1951 through 1963-64) and scrapbooks (1951 through 1989-90) of the Grandin Court PTA. Box 1 contains handwritten minutes of the Grandin Court PTA from its founding in February 1951 through the 1963-64 school year, as well as some financial records from the 1957-58 through 1960-61 school years. The collection also consists of the contents of eleven scrapbooks, dating from 1951 through 1990. Ten scrapbooks document the activities of the Grandin Court PTA; one scrapbook, from 1951, memorializes the first semester and first sixth-grade class at the school. For preservation purposes, digital files were created of each scrapbook, and most scrapbooks were disassembled and their contents, including photographs, placed in folders in Box 2. However, three scrapbooks could not be disassembled without damaging materials. PTA Scrapbooks include a wide variety of information, which varies by year, but generally includes the following: information about PTA leadership and budgets; PTA newsletters and informational flyers about fundraising and other activities; newspaper clippings about Grandin School and its students and teachers and Roanoke City Schools; programs from school events; information distributed by Roanoke City Schools; information from Grandin School staff; information on school field trips; thank you notes received by the PTA, including many written by students; school calendars and lunch menus; summer activity information from organizations such as the YMCA; 1975-76 and 1977-78 Grandin School Yearbooks; and photographs. While there are a few photographs that date from earlier years, the bulk of the photographs are found in scrapbooks that date from 1982 and later. Photographs document many student activities, though very few students are identified. Teachers and PTA volunteers are more often identified in photographs.
Please contact the Virginia Room at 540.853.2540 for permission to use.
Harrison School Trip to Washington D. C. May 1950.
Mr. Roscoe R. Banks. First YMCA Member, Past Chairman of the Board of Members, Elected Honorary Board Member William A. Hunton Branch YMCA, Roanoke, VA. 1927-1956. Photographer: Clark Studio. Donated by the Gainsboro Family YMCA in 2012.
Unknown man. Donated by the Gainsboro Family YMCA in 2012.
Photograph of a young Virginia Y. Lee. She is seated in this sepia toned image.
Showtimers, a nonprofit community theater organization, was founded in 1951 with Betty Ross Garretson, a speech and drama professor at Roanoke College, as its president. Its first home was at the Laboratory Theater, Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia. The organization also provided acting classes. By 1960 it was averaging paid admission of 1,000 persons at its performances. In 1963 musicals were added to its yearly slate of productions. In 1971 productions moved to a former church on McVitty Road, Roanoke, Virginia, which was renovated to suit the Showtimers’s needs. In late 1970s and early 1980s productions were stage at Olin Hall, Roanoke College; they later returned to a renovated and expanded facility on McVitty Road. The Footlighters were founded in 1952 and merged with the Showtimers after their 1953 season. The bulk of the collection is comprised of show programs, from 1951 through 1993. Not all years are complete; few programs are available for 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1984 through 1993. Programs from The Footlighters 1953 productions are included in the collection. Three anniversary publications that include written histories and photographs of Showtimers productions are available for 1960 (10th Anniversary), 1975 (25th Anniversary), and 1990 (40th Anniversary). A financial report that documents Showtimers’s receipts and expenses, 1951-1959 is part of the collection.
A Guide to the Roanoke Book Collectors Collection
Ten small books / pamphlets, dating from 1862 to 1950. They include two copies of Moore’s The Night Before Christmas, one dating to 1862, and several books with ties to Roanoke, as they were edited by, published by, or privately printed for Roanoke residents. Of note is an illustrated version of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, published by Stone Printing, Roanoke, in 1909.
A Guide to the Better Business Bureau of Roanoke Collection
The Better Business Bureau of Roanoke, Inc. was chartered December 5, 1939, as a branch of the National Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. A nonprofit organization, it is funded through memberships of individuals, businesses, and other organizations, and managed by a board of directors. It is a resource to members and the public for education in fair trade and fraud prevention and investigates complaints. Collection includes pamphlets, bulletins, newsletters, and similar items from 1940-1943. Bulletins and newsletters include articles on general scams to avoid, as well as details about particular local individuals found to have defrauded the public. They also describe the activities of the Better Business Bureau of Roanoke to address deceptive practices by local businesses.
A Guide to the 1961 Charter Study Commission Collection
The Charter Study Commission was authorized by Roanoke City Council in June 1961 to study the City Charter and report on suggested changes to it by November 1, 1961. Members of the committee were: A. A. Akers, Mrs. Emmett R. Albergotti, E. Griffith Dodson Jr., Earl A. Fitzpatrick, Robert A. Garland, John W. Hancock Jr., James P. Hart Jr., Harold N. Hoback, Edward H. Scott, English Showalter, James L. Trinkle, Earle J. Wentz Jr., Gordon C. Willis, Robert W. Woody, Chairman. The collection includes information gathered by the commission, its meeting minutes, and drafts of its report to city council. Meeting minutes cover August through November 1961. Background information includes: the existing Roanoke City charter as well as those of a few other cities; information from the National Municipal League about city charters; and on topics of particular concern—real estate assessment, “quadrant” voting, and school funding. The collection also includes correspondence received from city officials and the public regarding concerns to be addressed in the charter review.
A Guide to the Southwest Virginia Punk Zine Collection
This collection consists of 45 various punk zines alphabetically arranged by title. Most were produced in Southwest Virginia; however, there are some issues from other parts of the state. Dates range from 1982 through 2016.
“Oscar, Jr. Ronald, Patricia Jenkins Artie Lee Otey, Clarence Blake Jr. Ricardo Stovall about 1959” St Andrews Catholic Church in background (Reprint, library owns digital copy only, not original.)
Gainsboro Branch of Roanoke Public Libraries
Please contact the Virginia Room at 540.853.2073 for permission to use
“Ricardo C. Stovall & Bike on Patton Ave. N.E (Claytor House in Background) about 1959” (Reprint, library owns digital copy only, not original.)
Old First Baptist Church & St Andrews Catholic Church view from Gainsboro Rd (Reprint, library owns digital copy only, not original.)
Please contact the Virginia Room at 540.853.2073
“Old First Baptist Church & St. Andrews Catholic Church, November 3,1990-Roanoke Va.” (Reprint, library owns digital copy only, not original.)
Gainsboro Branch of the Roanoke Public Libraries
Please contact the Virginia Room at 540.853.2073 for permission to use.
Church Altar with Pulpit. Color Photograph. “Clark Studio Herman R. Clark Propriet Portrait and Commercial Photography Phone 342-3372 - Phone 342 [blurred] 20 Gilmer Ave., N.W., Roanoke, Va. 24016.”
Gainsboro Branch Library Vacation Reading Club. Not marked as such, but is near replica of GB137. “00907”
"Vacation Reading Club", "Gainsboro Branch Library" stamp, dated Dec.1959
Gainsboro Library from Gainsboro Rd., St Andrew's Church in background. Two automobiles present.
Register of Colored Persons Cohabitating as Husband and Wife Roanoke County, 1866
A Guide to the Starkey School Collection
The collection consists of one document storage case. It holds information regarding the history of the Starkey School, Starkey Village, and material related to the Starkey School Reunions held in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015. Historical information includes copies of newspaper articles and book excerpts, the National Register nomination form for Starkey School, and historic photographs, largely of students and student activities, but also including images of other Starkey Village scenes. School records in the collection include “School Term Reports,” which were completed by teachers at the end of each school year, spanning from 1894 through 1961. The reports include physical information about the school building as well as a listing of students attending the school, by grade in later years. The collection also includes information compiled about former students, teachers, and staff, including newspaper obituaries, mostly from the early 2000s. Information used to organize the reunions, including mailing lists and advertising flyers, is included in the collection, as well as several newspaper articles announcing the reunions and reporting on them. One folder includes correspondence to the compilers about the reunions and about the history of the school and village. One folder includes information about late twentieth century issues in Starkey: the sale of Crescent Heights Water Works (1987-1992); the opening of South County Library (2011-12), and the expansion of the Friendship Health facility (2016).
Roanoke County Register of Free Negroes, 1838-1865
This register includes those individuals who registered as free persons of color in Roanoke County, Virginia from 1838-1865. Two versions are included; one captured from microfilm of the records from the Library of Virginia; the other a transcription of the handwritten records. As with any transcription, there are undoubtedly errors from the attempt to decipher handwritten records and with any genealogical records, there are likely misspellings on the original record.
Roanoke County Register of Free Negroes, 1838-1865 Library of Virginia Microfilm Collection, Reel 312
Rev. Lylburn L. Downing of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Group of children participating in a pageant or play.
Geneva Ford, library staff member, at the Gainsboro Library.
Children posing in front of a Book Week display at the Gainsboro Library.
Mother and infant at the Gainsboro Library.
Children working on a project at the Gainsboro Library.
Children reading books at the Gainsboro Library.
Young man reaching for a book at the Gainsboro Library
Gainsboro Library display with Virginia Y. Lee.
Library display at the Gainsboro Library.
Virginia Y. Lee at the Gainsboro Library.
Gainsboro Library, interior, child sitting at a table.
Gainsboro Library, interior, with children.
Gainsboro Library, interior. Virginia Y. Lee, center.
Gainsboro Library, interior, with a group of library patrons. YMCA location.
Children dressed in costume in front of the Gainsboro Library.
Gainsboro Library, exterior, with a children’s class.
Economy Shoe Repair on Henry Street. Shop owner Earnest O. Greene.
Unidentified group photograph of men at a table.
Gainsboro School First Grade Class 1946. Teacher Mattie Bell Morris (back row).
Teachers on an Appalachian Electric Power Company Tour. First from left, Hollis Williams (Carver High); fourth from left, unnamed but identified as a Home Economics teacher at Addison; first from right, Coach Cannanday (Carver High); third from right, Mr. Fulton (Addison High).
Ella F. Bowden, First Librarian of the Gainsboro Library, 1921-1923.
Rev. Arthur L. James, First Baptist Church.
Burrell Memorial Hospital. Construction of the 1955 building.
Order of the Eastern Star group photograph.
Order of the Eastern Star group photograph in front of the Allegany-Dunbar Freemason’s Prince Hall.
Gainsboro Library when it was located in the old Odd Fellows/YMCA Building. “First persons to register at GB.” Right to Left: Mrs. Sally Lawson, C. C. Williams, J. L. Reid, Mrs. E. R. Dudley, Rev. A. L. James, Dr. E. R. Dudley and Mrs. Ida Closs
Gainsboro Library when it was located in the old Odd Fellows/YMCA Building. Gainsboro Reading Club
Virginia Y. Lee and unidentified woman in front of the Gainsboro Library.
Unidentified group photograph in front of a transformer station.
Unidentified man playing piano and unidentified woman singing. Far right: Mr. Dowe and third from right: Rev. Edwards.
Bishop L. E. Willis and Shadrack Brown Jr.
Bishop L. E. Willis, Wilbert McNair, Shadrack Brown Jr., Samuel Wade, and Norton B. Wilder.
First Baptist Church of Gainsboro. Dr. Noel C. Taylor.
First Baptist Church Gainsboro. Rev. Charles Green.
First Baptist Church of Gainsboro. Roy Williams.
Dinner at the Hunton Branch YMCA, Gainsboro Road. Circa late 1930’s or Early 1940’s.
Group photograph.. Dr. Harry Penn, back row, first from left.
Large group at a long table. Dr. Harry Penn, second from right, back row, plaid suit.
Left to right: John Claytor III, Sandra Elizabeth Claytor Peery, John B. Claytor Jr., and Ruth Williams Claytor. “Easter 1969.”
Group photograph with Ruth Claytor (in light colored coat) in front of Canada’s Ice Cream on Henry Street.
Dr. Elwood D. Downing, front far left, and an unidentified group of men.
Group photograph with Atwood’s Capitol View Tours bus.
The Transportation Museum in Wasena Park submerged in flood waters from the flood of 1985.
Some of the exhibits at the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Wasena Park.
N&W Class J 611 and N&W #6 on exhibit at the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Wasena Park.
Visitors at the Roanoke Transportation Museum formerly located in Wasena Park. The museum opened in 1963.
Garland's Drugstore, formerly located at 1327 Grandin Road.
An interior view of Garland's Drugstore at its original Grandin Road location.
Unidentified children stand outside of Brice's Drugstore on Grandin Road.
Children in front of Virginia Heights Lutheran Church. The church was the predecessor of Christ Lutheran Church. This chapel was located at what is now 1320 Grandin Road.. Built in 1917, the chapel was in use by the congregation until 1948.
Raleigh Court Branch Library, located at 2112 Grandin Road.
Harris Hardwood Company office, formerly located just off of Ashlawn Street.
The old campus-style Patrick Henry High School was dedicated on 17 December 1960. It was replaced with a conventional school building in 2008.
Wasena Elementary School, located at 1125 Sherwood Avenue.
Grandin Court Elementary School, located at 2815 Spessard Avenue.
A newly constructed Virginia Heights Elementary School (right) stands next to the old Virginia Heights Elementary.
The gymnasium addition at Woodrow Wilson Middle School.
Raleigh Court Elementary School, located at 2202 Grandin Road, opened in 1960 and served students through the end of the 2009 school year.
Fishburn Park Elementary School, located at 3057 Colonial Avenue.
A newly completed Woodrow Wilson Middle School, located at 1813 Carter Road.
Streetcar #47 on Grandin Road. This was the last streetcar to run in Roanoke.
A crowd gathers for the dedication of Memorial Bridge on 30 August 1926, despite having been open to traffic since 6 May 1926.
The Virginia Avenue Bridge or Woodrum Bridge was the predecessor to Memorial Bridge.
Grandin Road Pharmacy. Located at 1314 Grandin Road, the building is now how to Gracie's Place Pizzeria and Local Roots Restaurant.
Looking north on Greenwood Road from the intersection with Shirley Avenue.
Aerial view of the intersection of Grandin Road and Memorial Avenue.
Garland's Drugstore under construction. Garland's opened in 1953.
Construction of Mick-or-Mack Grocery, located at 1312 Winborne Avenue.
Aerial view of Virginia Heights. Evergreen Cemetery is visible in the foreground; Memorial Bridge is visible in the lower right.
Looking south toward Norwich at Bridge Street.
Looking north on Bridge Street at the old truss bridge crossing the Roanoke River.
Row houses were constructed in Norwich to house the laborers who worked in the various industries in the area.
Buildings along Bridge Street in Norwich.
Parishioners in front of chapel of Virginia Heights Baptist Church.
Chapel of Virginia Heights Baptist Church.
Virginia Heights Elementary School is seen in the background. In the foreground is the foundation being laid for Virginia Heights Baptist Church.
Sanctuary of Virginia Heights Baptist Church.
Chapel and first sanctuary of Virginia Heights Baptist Church.
Memorial Bridge under construction. Virginia Avenue bridge visible on left.
"View on Franklin Road, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Jefferson Street, looking north from Church Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Campbell Avenue, looking west, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Main Street, Wasena, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Patterson Avenue Parkway, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Norfolk & Western Station from Auditorium, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Depot, Norfolk & Western Offices and Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Municipal Building, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Mountain Park and Casino, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Mill Mountain incline and Roanoke City Hospital, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Incline Railroad on Mill Mountain, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Mill Mountain and Incline Railway, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Ponce de Leon Hotel, Roanoke, Virginia. Located at the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Commerce Street, within easy walking distance of business and shopping district and of theatres. Every streetcar and every highway route passing through the city run within two square miles of the Ponce de Leon. 200 beautiful outside rooms, each with individual bath, circulating ice water and electric fan."
"Hotel Ponce de Leon, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Residence of J.B. Fishburn, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Entrance, Evergreen Burial Park, Roanoke, Virginia. A beautiful and carefully tended place devoted to the memory of the dead."
"The lake at Elmwood Park, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Entrances and play grounds, Elmwood Park, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Entrance to Elmwood Park, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Crystal Springs Reservoir, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Trinity M.E. Church, South, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Belmont M.E. Church, South, corner of Jamison Avenue and Eighth Street, SE, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Interior St. Andrew's Cathedral, Roanoke, Virginia."
"St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, Roanoke, Virginia."
"Lindsey-Robinson & Co., Roanoke, Virginia"
Fan Tail Falls northeast of Lexington, Virginia.
Harrison School Faculty 1948/1950. Harrison School was built in 1916 for the cost of $31,818 and opened in the winter of 1917. Lucy Addison served as the school’s first principal. Addison was responsible for gradually expanding the curriculum to include high school classes at Harrison and she repeatedly lobbied the Virginia Board of Education for full accreditation. Addison’s efforts were finally recognized in 1924 when the Virginia Board of Education accredited Harrison School as a secondary school. That same year, Harrison School graduated its first class high school class, becoming the first public high school for African Americans in Southwest Virginia. After the opening of a Lucy Addison High School in 1928, Harrison School continued as an elementary school until the 1960s. From 1985 to 2009 the Harrison School building housed the Harrison Museum of African American Culture.
Mr. Thomas Payne's first class. Harrison School was built in 1916 for the cost of $31,818 and opened in the winter of 1917. Lucy Addison served as the school’s first principal. Addison was responsible for gradually expanding the curriculum to include high school classes at Harrison and she repeatedly lobbied the Virginia Board of Education for full accreditation. Addison’s efforts were finally recognized in 1924 when the Virginia Board of Education accredited Harrison School as a secondary school. That same year, Harrison School graduated its first class high school class, becoming the first public high school for African Americans in Southwest Virginia. After the opening of a Lucy Addison High School in 1928, Harrison School continued as an elementary school until the 1960s. From 1985 to 2009 the Harrison School building housed the Harrison Museum of African American Culture.
Students playing on the basketball court at Harrison School. Harrison School was built in 1916 for the cost of $31,818 and opened in the winter of 1917. Lucy Addison served as the school’s first principal. Addison was responsible for gradually expanding the curriculum to include high school classes at Harrison and she repeatedly lobbied the Virginia Board of Education for full accreditation. Addison’s efforts were finally recognized in 1924 when the Virginia Board of Education accredited Harrison School as a secondary school. That same year, Harrison School graduated its first class high school class, becoming the first public high school for African Americans in Southwest Virginia. After the opening of a Lucy Addison High School in 1928, Harrison School continued as an elementary school until the 1960s. From 1985 to 2009 the Harrison School building housed the Harrison Museum of African American Culture.
Rev. E. E. Ricks was served as pastor of First Baptist Church Gainsboro from 1915 to 1918.
GB60 First Baptist Church Gainsboro, Bible School
First Baptist Church Gainsboro can trace its origins back to September 30, 1867, when a small congregation held service, led by Rev. Edmond Johnson, in a dwelling on Hart Avenue, establishing the Big Lick Colored Baptist Church. As membership increased, the congregation moved several times until, in 1876, they purchased the old brick St. John’s Episcopal Church at Big Lick. In the mid-1890s, trustees of the Big Lick Colored Baptist Church, then known as the First Baptist Church, Colored, purchased land on the corner of Gilmer Avenue and Jefferson Street. Under the leadership of Rev. Richard R. Jones, the church began efforts to build a new place of worship, finally laying a cornerstone and breaking ground in 1898. The Gothic brick sanctuary with an imposing gable façade tower was designed by architect Henry Harwell Huggins and was dedicated on May 6, 1900. By the time Rev. Richard Jones’ retirement in 1904, most of the church’s construction debt was repaid. Over the following years the congregation, led by Rev. E. E. Ricks, raised funds to place pews in the gallery and match a financial gift from Andrew Carnegie to install a pipe organ. From 1918 to 1957, Rev. Arthur L. James was pastor. Notably, he began the first daily vacation bible school in the city; presided over the Helping Hands Club and the Men’s Club, who were responsible for publication of The Church News, which was reported to be the only black newspaper in Southwest Virginia at the time; and began a weekly radio broadcast, the Black Home Devotional Hour, with the help of the church’s senior choir. From 1959 to 1966, the church was under the leadership of Rev. E. L. Green, who in addition to serving the congregation was a member of two biracial committees that were credited with aiding the integration of public facilities in Roanoke. Rev. David Lee Collins was the pastor from 1968 to 1970, followed by Rev. Kenneth B. Wright from 1973 to 2015. Wright led the congregation to build a new sanctuary a block to the west and south of the original church on Wells Avenue and Jefferson Street. The new building was completed in 1982. In 1995 the original sanctuary on Gilmer Avenue and Jefferson Street was destroyed by fire.
GB58 First Baptist Church Gainsboro, interior
Deacons and Trustees of First Baptist Church Gainsboro
Dr. Ellwood Davis Downing was prominent dentist and civic leader. Downing was born September 9, 1891. He was the son of Rev. Lylburn L. Downing, pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. Downing served as an officer in WWI and WWII and was an avid tennis player, having twice won the ATA National Doubles Tennis Championship and served as General Field Secretary for the American Tennis Association. Downing also served as President of the Board of Trustees for Burrell Memorial Hospital and President of the Magic City Medical Society; was a 32 degree Freemason and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Dr. Elwood Downing died October 29, 1963.
GB43 Dr. Ellwood Downing and Mrs. Della Downing
Dr. Ellwood Davis Downing was prominent dentist and civic leader. Downing was born September 9, 1891. He was the son of Rev. Lylburn L. Downing, pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. Downing served as an officer in WWI and WWII and was an avid tennis player, having twice won the ATA National Doubles Tennis Championship and served as General Field Secretary for the American Tennis Association. Downing also served as President of the Board of Trustees for Burrell Memorial Hospital and President of the Magic City Medical Society; was a 32 degree Freemason and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Downing died October 29, 1963.
Dr. Frank William Claytor was born April 8, 1913 in Roanoke, Virginia. He was the oldest son of Dr. John B. Claytor Sr. and Roberta M. Woodfin Claytor. After graduating from Knoxville College in 1933, Claytor earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee in 1937. Claytor was Chief of the Department of Medicine and Medical Director at Burrell Memorial Hospital. Dr. Frank W. Claytor died October 6, 1972.
Dr. John B. Claytor Sr. was born April 2, 1878 in Floyd County, Virginia. In 1907 Claytor began a medical practice in Roanoke, Virginia. Claytor was a founder of Burrell Memorial Hospital and was Emeritus Chief of the hospital’s department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Claytor was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for First Baptist Church in Gainsboro and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Dr. John B. Claytor Sr. died October 23, 1951.
Daisy Schley was a nurse at Burrell Memorial Hospital.
Virginia Y. Lee was the Gainsboro Library's fourth librarian (1928 – 1971). She was born on November 22, 1906 in McComas, West Virginia and raised in Roanoke, Virginia. She graduated Valedictorian from Lucy Addison High School in 1924 and earned her degree from Hampton Institute's School of Library Science. Lee is credited with acquiring funds from the City of Roanoke for a new library to be built in Roanoke's Gainsboro Neighborhood after the existing library outgrew its location in the basement of the William A. Hunton YMCA. The new library was dedicated on May 10, 1942 at 15 Patton Avenue NW. Lee is also recognized for compiling a literary and historical African American collection that drew opposition from Roanoke City Council. When asked to remove the collection from the library, Lee hid the collection in the basement and continued collecting materials. Today the Gainsboro Library’s Virginia Y. Lee Collection is named in her honor. Virginia Y. Lee died January 11, 1992.
Gainsboro Branch of Roanoke Public Libraires
GB21 First Baptist Church Gainsboro, interior
Interior of the original sancuary of the First Baptist Church in Gainsboro. The building was designed by architect Henry Harwell Huggins and was located at 407 North Jefferson Street. A cornerstone for the church was laid and ground was broken in 1898 while the building was dedicated on May 6, 1900. The building continued to be the home of the First Baptist Church until 1982 when the congregation moved to its current location at 310 North Jefferson Street. The old sanctuary at 407 North Jefferson Street was destroyed by fire in April 1995.
Civil rights attorney Oliver W. Hill in front of his childhood home at 401 Gilmer Avenue, now the Oliver Hill House.
Christopher Chamberlin Williams of Williams Funeral Home, now Serenity Funeral Home. Mr. Williams served on the Board of Trustees for both the Gainsboro Library and the William A. Hunton YMCA.
Dr. James H. Roberts was a co-founder of Burrell Memorial Hospital, Magic City Medical Society, and the William A. Hunton YMCA.
Dr. Lawrence E. Paxton operated a dental practice on Wells Avenue.
Partial obituary index for the Roanoke Times from 1923-1950. Also includes limited listings from the Roanoke Daily News beginning in 1890.
The Addisonian was the annual for Lucy Addison High School.
The aftermath of the wreck of the "Ole 97". Due to excessive speed in an attempt to maintain schedule, the train derailed at the Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia where the train careened off the side of the bridge, killing eleven personnel on board and injuring seven others.
Roanoke Police Department in front of the Municipal Building.
Roanoke Police inspection at Maher Field.
Looking north on Jefferson Street from the Church Avenue intersection. Construction of the Liberty Trust Building can be seen in background. Sign advertises J.H. Marsteller's (a car enthusiast and businessman) "Model Garage", formerly located at 16 E. Church Avenue.
Looking west on Campbell Avenue. Sheen's Cafe was located at 119 Campbell Avenue SW. The building in the right background with balconies was the original Ponce de Leon Hotel.
Looking west at saloons along Salem Avenue. The Silver Moon Quick Lunch, Raleigh Cafe and Brady's were located at approximately 20 Salem Avenue SW.
Looking west from the 100 block of Salem Avenue SE. A horse takes a drink from the Dog's Mouth Fountain, visible at right.
Boyd-Sweeney Company Hardware and National Business College, formerly located at 9-11 Church Avenue SW.
Contents are placed into the time capsule in front of the Main Library during the Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule Ceremony. The time capsule is not to be opened until 2032 for Roanoke's 150th Anniversary.
Contents are placed into the time capsule in front of the Main Library during the Diamond Jubilee Time Capsule Ceremony. The time capsule is not to be opened until 2032 for Roanoke's 150th Anniversary. Claude Settlemire, City Librarian, on left.
The Williamson Road Branch found its beginnings as the Williamson Road Book Station, formerly located at 2919 Williamson Road NE.
Souvenir: A Brief Reflection of Points of Interest About Roanoke, Vicinity and Valley of Virginia
Issued as a promotional souvenir for the German Baptist Association Annual Conference.
Boyle-Swecker Tire Company, formerly located at 715 Patterson Avenue SW.
Home located at 3607 Bond Street in Cave Spring
Home located at 3718 London Circle in Cave Spring.
Home located at 1843 Dorset Drive in Cave Spring.
Homes in the 1400 block of Gratton Street in Salem.
Home located at 3459 Meadowlark Road SW.
Students in front of Narrows School in the Catawba Valley. 1st row, L to R: Students in front of Narrows School in the Catawba Valley. 1st row, L to R: Hubert Brillhart, Kyle Shelor, Clovis Garman, ? Bennett, ? Bennett, Edna Brillhart, Hazel Shelor, unknown, Eva Garman, Edith Brillhart. 2nd row, L to R: Lloyd Shelor, Roy Brillhart, Marvin Garman, unknown (teacher), Pernia Brillhart, ? Finch, ? Moore. Narrows School was located at the corner of "Old Blacksburg Road" and Route 311.. Narrows School was located at the corner of "Old Blacksburg Road" and Route 311.
Students in front of Shiloh School in Catawba Valley. 1st row, L to R: Hortense Deeds, Eva Reed, Gladys Grisso, Edna Wright, Mary Garman, Paris Wright, Roy Hall, Claude Garman, Nelson Alls, John Garman, Kermit Garman, Roy Brillhart, Clyde Brillhart, Kenneth Deeds, Grattin Hall and Matthew Wright. 2nd row, L to R: Pearl Bain (teacher), Vera Deeds, Mary Reed, Violet Custer, McKenley Damewood, Leo Garman and Oscar Garman.
Stories describe a plane passing the Star on approach and the passengers applauding, also children visiting the Star on the City's 6th All-America City Award celebration.
Mayor Bowers describes hikes on Mill Mountain with his family, visiting with travel writers and bloggers at the Star, and his dog Catcher's "one trick." Multiple recordings - the transcript is from the first recording.
Story describes grandchildren from out of town visiting the Star.
This document is an index to the Roanoker Magazine arranged alphabetically by subject. from 1974-present.
An advertisement for the Rice Bottling Company depicting the Virginia Air National Guard Fighter Squadron.Organized in 1946, the Virginia Air National Guard flew the P-47 Thuderbolt.
A south-facing aerial view of Woodrum Field. In the upper left of this photo, Crossroads Mall can be seen under construction.
Courtesy of Marshall Harris; Stephen E. Fox
This west-facing photograph shows the configuration of runways. There is construction work at right, indicating the extension of runway 5/23. Still noticeable are the rural surroundings of Woodrum Field. Visible at the bottom is the internal road system for what is to become Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. At top, center, Northside High School can be seen.
This aerial photograph shows the separation of private aviation (left) and commercial aviation at the front of the terminal. Note the layout of the new parking lot behind the terminal. More passengers began leaving their cars at the airport for extended periods.
The first freestanding control tower at Woodrum Field, completed in 1943, is seen here. The tower was critical to the airport's operations. In 1943, due to the training of Army and Navy pilots at Woodrum Field, the total number of official operations (273,624) at the airport exceeds the totals for LaGuardia, Philadelphia and Washington National airports combined. The control tower would operate for about a decade. It was razed along with the Cannaday home in 1953 for a parking lot after the new terminal was built and dedicated.
Roanoke Municipal Airport became Woodrum Field at a dedication ceremony on 13 October 1941. The new airport received a class 3-A rating and American Airlines reestablished passenger service, which had been abandoned in 1937.
Aircraft from the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point , North Carolina are lined up at Woodrum Field during the hurricane evacuation in September 1945.
This unusual photograph illustrates the increased traffic of Piedmont Airlines in and out of Roanoke and the transition from propeller aircraft to jets. The prop aircraft landing is a Martin 4-0-4; the aircraft at lower left is a Nihon YS-11; and the jet (upper right) is a Boeing 737. Almost lost in the shuffle is a twin-tail Cessna Skymaster, visible beyond the nose of the Martin 4-0-4.
Postcard depicting the current terminal at Roanoke-Blackburg Regional Airport. The terminal opened on 13 September 1989.
The current Trussmark field in Salem. The field is located along the Roanoke River adjacent to an industrial complex. This was the early location for the Salem auxiliary field used by naval aviation cadets enrolled at Roanoke College. The shorter runway sown here is used by radio-control model plane enthusiasts. Cropped image of RAC66
The current Trussmark field in Salem. The field is located along the Roanoke River adjacent to an industrial complex. This was the early location for the Salem auxiliary field used by naval aviation cadets enrolled at Roanoke College. The shorter runway sown here is used by radio-control model plane enthusiasts.
This photograph shows the control tower at Roanoke Regional Airport that wsa commissioned in 2004. The large hangar at left was built bby Piedmont Airlines in the 1960s, and the emergency services facility (foreground) was placed into service in April 2013. The tower is 197 feet tall and provides air traffic controllers an unobstructed view of the entire airport.
This blueprint of the Roanoke Municipal Airport shows its phases of development in 1944.
This blueprint of the Roanoke Municipal Airport shows its phases of development from 1942 through 1943.
By 1941, the Roanoke Municipal Airport had seen tremendous development, as evidenced by this 1940-1941 map.
This blueprint of the Roanoke Municipal Airport shows its phases of development from 1938 through 1939.
Development of the Roanoke Municipal Airport by 1937 is seen in this blueprint.
This blueprint of the Roanoke Municipal Airport shows its phases of development from 1934 through 1935.
This blueprint of the Roanoke Municipal Airport illustrates its development between 1930 and 1933. According to data on the blueprint, the Cannaday farm was recommended as the site for a municipal airport by the Department of Commerce in February 1929. On July 1, 1929, the City of Roanoke leased 136 acres from Dr. A.A. Cannaday.
This 1928 city map shows the area where the airport would be located, noting the location of the airfields. With the development of a municipal airport, particularly under the management of Frank Reynolds and Clayton Lemon, interest in aviation began to boom.
George Mason, like many early aviators, conducted air shows as a means to both entertain and earn income. This undated poster promotes an air show at Moomaw Field in Elliston, Virginia, with Mason billed as the "Nationally Known Flying Salesman and Goodwill Ambassador". Rides were $1 on that October Sunday afternoon. The show was sponsered by Repass & Company, an auto body shop on Franklin Road in Roanoke.
Mounted inside the Roanoke Regional Airport terminal is a plaque placed in the airport as a tribute to those aviation pioneers and advocates who had the vision and fortitude to make air service a reality in the Roanoke area. The names upon the plaque are: W. Clayton Lemon, Frank C. Reynolds, Robert T. Garst, Roy Richardson, Charles L. Hale, Dr. J. Hugh Bailey, George "Buddy" Childress, Leonard I. Hylton, Harry Economy, Marvin Turner, Wesley V. Hillman, Martha A. Woodrum Zillhardt, Clifton A. Woodrum, Robert J. Dunahoe, Jr., Marshall L. Harris, George H. Mason, Paul W. Kesler, Jr., J.E. "Jumbo" Owens, T.E. "Boots" Frantz, N.C. "Cris" Carper, William H. Cook, Trout Grissom, William E. Brightwell and Eugene S. Sweeney.
This building houses the fixed-base operation (FBO) of Landmark Aviation at the Roanoke Regional Airport. FBOs have evolved from very simple operations to full-service onces that provide fuel, maintenance, pilot support services and more. The Roanoke airport has a long history of FBOs, beginning with Clayton Lemon's operation in 1930.
This is an advertisement for Virginia Airmotive Service and Supply, a business owned and operated by W. Clayton Lemon at Woodrum Field. The aircraft are identified as a Beechcraft (left) and a Stinson (right).
The airport engages in regular winter activity for Southwestern Virginia, snow removal. In the early days of the airport, snow would cause major delays in operations, measured in days, not hours. In later years, airports, including Woodrum Field, acquired specialized snow removal equipment to deal with the potential probelm.
An advertisement for Woodrum Flying Service, which offered flying lessons, charters, and rentals.
This photograph shows a US Air Force Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter parked on the ramp at Woodrum Field. Only sixty of these planes were built. The Roanoke airport has been and remains important to the military subce World War II, either for training, refueling, or as a hurricane evacuation site for coastal bases, not to mention its proximity to Washington, DC.
American Airlines restored air service, notably passenger and airmail, to Woodrum Field in the 1940s. This photograph appears to have been taken at Woodrum during World War II. The statement painted on the rudder of this DC-3 reads, "Buy War Bonds".
This is a close-up view of the tetrahedron wind-direction indicator installed at Woodrum Field. The device allowed pilots to visually determine the wind direction prior to landing in order to choose the best runway. The device became obsolete as aircraft avionics provided more information to pilots in the cockpit.
Seen here is a Jeep Forward Control crash truck that was added to the emergency fleet at Woodrum Field.
This photograph shows a privately owned, fully restored DC-3 being refueled by Landmark Aviation at Roanoke Regional Airport. The appearance of such a vintage aircraft in restored, flying condition has become increasingly rare with limited air shows now available to the public.
This DC-9 was purchased by Hugh Heffner in 1970 as the Playboy airplane, known as Hare Force One.
An Eastern Airlines DC-3, part of the "Great Silver Fleet" takes off from Woodrum Field.
These huge vehicles represent the evolution of fire-fighting and emergency service equipment needed by airports as the number of flights increased and the size of the aircraft became larger. Both trucks are shown at Roanoke Regional Airport. They are capable of dispensing foam and have other specialized capabilities to deal with accidents. This is certainly a vast improvement over the modified Cadillac used by the airport some decades ago.
The main entrance sign for the Roanoke Regional Airport off of Aviation Drive. The innovative sign, designed by URS of Baltimore, Maryland, incorporates the mountains, the Mill Mountain Star and a very unique 'R' to the left, the center of which is created by an airplane flying flying left to right, making the 'R' on the right.
A recent promotional photograph depicting Carillion Roanoke Memorial Lifeguard 10, 11 and 12 in front of Carillion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
This photograph shows the location of the Appalachian Power substation adjacent to the rail line where Cook Field was formerly located. Cook Field was leased by Frank Reynolds and Clayton Lemon to provide an airstrip for local fliers in the late 1920s. The road bisecting the photo is Apperson Drive.
A Cessna 172, one of 500 Cessna aircraft owned by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is seen here. These aircraft are rotated periodically among active stations, including Roanoke Regional Airport. The CAP was established in 1941 to serve as a civilian resource during World War II, including anti-submarine surveillance along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Wes Hillman was a charter member of CAP; Roanoke's chapter dates back to 1942. In 1947, the CAP became an auxiliary of the US Air Force and remains so today. Its purpose is civil air defense, aviation education and flight training. Since 2001, it has taken on duties associated with the Department of Homeland Security.
An aerial view of Roanoke Regional Airport.
An aerial view of Woodrum Field. I-581 opened in 1965 and can been seen at left of the airport.
In this aerial photograph, Williamson Road runs along the left side. The small structure in the open space at center is the present-day location of Breckenridge Middle School, formerly William Fleming High School. In 1921, the federal government used the field in front of the school as an airstrip and holding area for 17 bombers. The planes were sent from Langley Airfield to be on standby for possible suppression of a miners' march in Charleston, West Virginia.
Trout Field is directly in the center of this aerial photograph. Fairview Cemetery is the rectangular area at top with the teardrop-shaped driveway in its center. This view illustrates why a cemetery served as a good navigational point for early aviators.
This aerial photograph shows the area where Patrick Henry High School is located today. During the 1920s, the pasturelands served as an early airfield known as Shrine Field. The land was owned by the Shriners in hopes of erecting a large Masonic complex on the site. The main intersection would be that of Grandin Road and Brandon Avenue.
This 1937 aerial photograph shows the location of Horton Field, which was on the Horton Farm near the present-day intersection of 24th Street and Melrose Avenue. It is believed that the first plane to land at Horton Field in 1919 was a barnstormer who offered short rides for $15.. Horton Field became the location of many early air shows.
Aerial view of Roanoke Municipal Airfield.
This photo is of Charles "Chuck" Cannaday, grandson of Dr. A.A. Cannaday who once owned the land where the Roanoke Regional Airport is located today. He is pictured in his Pitts special "Cloud Dancer". This airplane was the star of the movie by the same name. Cannaday lived at Waverly, the Cannaday homeplace as a boy.
Warren and Hassie Gilbert are pictured beside their Rotorway Executive helicopter that was assembled by Warren Gilbert at their home. The aircraft was registered with the Federal Aviation Administration around the time this photo was taken.
The first three managers of the airport are shown in this image from the 1970s. From right to left is Bob Dunahoe, manager from 1937-1945; Marshall L. Harris, manager from 1945-1974; and Bob Poole, manager from 1974-1991. In 1991, Jacqueline L. Shuck, already Director of the Regional Airport Commission, assumed managerial duties.
A 1942 Stearman bi-plane is parked on the south ramp at Roanoke Regional Airport. The tower stands in the background. Restoration of these vintage planes has allowed new generations to relive aviation history. Such planes used to be seen regularly at airport appreciation days, but security concerns have eliminated such events locally and around the nation.
Roanoke Regional Airport was host to this Boeing 757, and on that date the aircraft was designated as "Air Force One" because President Barack Obama was on board. Air Force One pilots have often used Roanoke Regional Airport as a site for "touch and go" exercises due to the airport's proximity to the nation's capital.
With Tinker Mountain as a backdrop, a C-17 Globemaster sits on the north ramp at Roanoke Regional Airport. This aircraft, one of the US Air Force's largest transport planes, has significant operational flexibility.
The main facilities at Woodrum Field are seen here as they existed during much of the 1940s. From left to right are Clayton Lemon's hangar, the hangar leased to Martin O'Brien Flying Service (which trained naval cadets until 1944), the terminal building (with the windsock), the control tower and the former Cannaday house.