Harrisonburg’s commemoration of our nation’s 250th birthday begins March 2nd  with a special event on the James Madison University Campus followed by a number of events throughout the year. Highlights include: 

VA250 Events

• March 2^nd event – JMU to host Freedom and Revolution: America 250-Then and Now.  This is the kickoff event to our area’s 250 commemorative activities.
• March 4^th event – Religious Communities during the Revolutionary War event at JMU Memorial Hall 6 – 7:30. Confirmed speakers are Dr. Carl Bowman, a distinguished historian of the Church of the Brethren and Elwood Yoder, Interim Executive Director at the Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, and co-author of a recent history book about Mennonites in Virginia.
• Visit the VA250 Mobile Museum March 4-6 at Harrisonburg High School!
• March 16 – April 25 (closed Mondays) We the People exhibit at Rocktown History, Dayton. More Info: https://virginiahistory.org/we-people-traveling-exhibition
  • Get your VA250 Passport Stamped at Rocktown History, Dayton
    Rocktown History is one of five Shenandoah Valley sites included in the statewide VA250 Passport. The program encourages visitors throughout the Commonwealth to embark on a tourism journey in celebration of America’s 250th.  The Virginia 250 Passport offers prizes and discounts to historic sites and museums to encourage individuals and families to explore and experience history together.
• Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance holds a VA250 community celebration on July 2 from 5-9:30 pm with a free Levitt AMP concert with a local opening band, Harrisonburg’s biggest fireworks show yet, a local student singer of the national anthem before the fireworks go off, and free red, white and blue swag giveaways and more.
• A reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Old Courthouse steps by the Sons of the American Revolution.
• The Virginia Quilt Museum exhibit Stitching Together History:250 Quilts Commemorating the Commonwealth of Virginia runs July 4 – Dec. 2026.
• Massanutten Library will host the VMHC UN/BOUND: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865 traveling exhibit from July 13 – August 24, 2026.

Harrisonburg’s Origins

Long before European settlement, First Peoples traveled the Valley. Their north-south route became the Great Wagon Road (modern day Route 11) bringing settlers, trade, and ideas from the east through the Shenandoah Valley and into westward expansion. In the 1700s, Virginia encouraged settlement to secure the frontier. Religious toleration drew Protestant family farmers from Pennsylvania, while fertile land attracted English, Scots-Irish, and German-speaking settlers.  These early settlers and eastern planters who moved here also brought slavery into the valley which became a corridor for the domestic slave trade into the deep south. Pacifist faiths—today’s Mennonite, Church of the Brethren, and German Baptist traditions—established lasting communities still seen in the region.

The county surrounding Harriosnburg, Rockingham County, was formed in 1778, named for the Marquis of Rockingham, a British supporter of American rights during the revolution. During the revolutionary war the area provided soldiers and provisions for the army. Soldiers initially served in the 8th Virginia known as the “German” regiment. In 1779, early settlers, Thomas and Sarah Harrison deeded land around the “Big Spring” (today’s Court Square) for public use, and Harrisonburg was named in 1780. The town quickly became a hub for trade, travel, and governance with a growing population of enslaved people. By the 1800s, Jewish merchants, Irish Catholic laborers, also settled in the area. During the Civil War, armies repeatedly marched through the area along the Great Wagon Road, then known as the Valley Turnpike, to various battles. The arrival of the railroad in 1868–69 connected Harrisonburg and Rockingham County to national markets, helping the region rebuild. After World War II, civil rights progress, interstate highways, and immigration brought continued growth. Apple orchards and the poultry industry relied on workers from the Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond. Refugees from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia found opportunity and community, supported by local churches and organizations. Harrisonburg and Rockingham County tell a complex American story of settlement, labor, faith, displacement, and resilience. Discover this layered, living, and still unfolding story.

Useful Links:

VA250 – https://va250.org/
AASLH 250 – https://aaslh.org/programs/250th/
American 250 – https://america250.org/
JMU VA250: https://www.jmu.edu/civic/programs/virginia-250.shtml

Five key themes identified by the American Association for State and Local History:

1. Unfinished Revolutions– Highlighting the continuous journey towards achieving the ideals of liberty and justice for all.
2. Power of Place – Emphasizing the significance of specific locations in the revolutionary narrative and their ongoing impact.
3. We the People – Celebrating the diverse individuals and groups who have contributed to the nation’s history.
4. American Experiment – Reflecting on the United States as an evolving project in democracy and governance.
5. Doing History – Encouraging active participation in preserving and interpreting historical events and narratives.