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Harrisonburg, Virginia

Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is also the county seat of the surrounding Rockingham County,[9] although the two are separate jurisdictions. At the 2020 census, the population was 51,814.[10] The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Harrisonburg with Rockingham County for statistical purposes into the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 126,562 in 2011.[11]

Harrisonburg, Virginia
City of Harrisonburg
Nickname(s): 
The Friendly City, Rocktown, H'burg, The Burg, Friendly by Nature
Harrisonburg enclaved within the Rockingham County
Location of Harrisonburg in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg
Coordinates: 38°26′58″N 78°52′08″W / 38.44944°N 78.86889°W / 38.44944; -78.86889
Country United States
State Virginia
CountyNone (Independent city)
Founded1779
Incorporated1916
Founded byThomas Harrison
Named forThomas Harrison
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager government
 • City ManagerAnde Banks[1]
 • MayorDeanna R. Reed (D)[2]
 • City Council[5]
Council Members
  • Deanna R. Reed (D)
  • Laura Dent (D)
  • Christopher B. Jones (D)
  • Monica Robinson (D)[3]
  • Dany Fleming (D)[4]
 • House DelegateTony Wilt (R)
 • State SenatorMark Obenshain (R)
Area
 • Total17.39 sq mi (45.04 km2)
 • Land17.34 sq mi (44.91 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)
Elevation
1,325 ft (404 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total51,814
 • Density3,000/sq mi (1,200/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
22801–22803, 22807
Area code540
FIPS code51-35624[7]
GNIS feature ID1498489[8]
Websitewww.harrisonburgva.gov

Harrisonburg is home to James Madison University (JMU), a public research university with an enrollment of over 20,000 students,[12] and Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), a private, Mennonite-affiliated liberal arts university. Although the city has no historical association with President James Madison, JMU was nonetheless named in his honor as Madison College in 1938 and renamed as James Madison University in 1977.[13] EMU largely owes its existence to the sizable Mennonite population in the Shenandoah Valley, to which many Pennsylvania Dutch settlers arrived beginning in the mid-18th century in search of rich, unsettled farmland.[14]

The city has become a bastion of ethnic and linguistic diversity in recent years. Over 1,900 refugees have been settled in Harrisonburg since 2002.[15] As of 2014, Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 19% of the city's population.[16] Harrisonburg City Public Schools (HCPS) students speak 55 languages in addition to English, with Spanish, Arabic, and Kurdish being the most common languages spoken.[17] Over one-third of HCPS students are English as a second language (ESL) learners.[18] Language learning software company Rosetta Stone was founded in Harrisonburg in 1992,[19] and the multilingual "Welcome Your Neighbors" yard sign originated in Harrisonburg in 2016.[15]

History edit

 
Harrisonburg was named for Thomas Harrison (1704–1785), an early settler.[20]

The earliest documented English exploration of the area prior to settlement was the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition, led by Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood, who reached Elkton, and whose rangers continued and in 1716 likely passed through what is now Harrisonburg.

Harrisonburg, previously known as "Rocktown," was named for Thomas Harrison, a son of English settlers.[21] In 1737, Harrison settled in the Shenandoah Valley, eventually laying claim to over 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) situated at the intersection of the Spotswood Trail and the main Native American road through the valley.[22]

In 1779, Harrison deeded 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) of his land to the "public good" for the construction of a courthouse. In 1780, Harrison deeded an additional 50 acres (20 ha).[23] This is the area now known as "Historic Downtown Harrisonburg."

In 1849, trustees chartered a mayor–council form of government, although Harrisonburg was not officially incorporated as an independent city until 1916. Today, a council–manager government administers Harrisonburg.[24]

On June 6, 1862, an American Civil War skirmish took place at Good's Farm, Chestnut Ridge near Harrisonburg between the forces of the Union and the forces of the Confederacy at which the C.S. Army Brigadier General, Turner Ashby (1828–1862), was killed.

The city has expanded in size over the years.[25]

On October 17, 2020, the city was the scene of a massive explosion and fire at a small shopping center at Miller Circle in the South Main St. area.

Newtown edit

When the slaves of the Shenandoah Valley were freed in 1865, they set up near modern-day Harrisonburg a town called Newtown.[26] This settlement was eventually annexed by the independent city of Harrisonburg some years later, probably around 1892. Today, the old city of Newtown is in the Northeast section of Harrisonburg and which is referred to as Downtown Harrisonburg.[27] It remains the home of the majority of Harrisonburg's predominantly black churches, such as the First Baptist and Bethel AME. The modern Boys and Girls Club of Harrisonburg is located in the old Lucy Simms schoolhouse used for the black students in the days of segregation.[28]

Project R4 and R16 edit

A large portion of this black neighborhood was dismantled in the 1960s when – in the name of urban renewal – the city government used federal redevelopment funds from the Housing Act of 1949 to force black families out of their homes and then bulldozed the neighborhood. This effort, called "Project R-4", focused on the city blocks east of Main, north of Gay, west of Broad, and south of Johnson. This area makes up 32.5 acres. "Project R-16" is a smaller tag on project which focused on the 7.5 acres south of Gay street.[29][27][30][31][32]

According to Bob Sullivan, an intern working in the city planner's office in 1958, the city planner at the time, David Clark had to convince the city council that Harrisonburg even had slums. Newtown, a low socioeconomic status housing area, was declared a slum. Federal law mandated that the city needed to have a referendum on the issue before R4 could begin. The vote was close with 1,024 votes in favor and 978 against R4. Following the vote, the Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority was established in 1955 to carry out the project. All of the members were white men. The project began and, due to eminent domain, the government could force the people of Newtown to sell their homes.[33] They were offered rock bottom prices for their homes. Many people couldn't afford a new home and had to move into public housing projects and become dependent on the government. Other families left Harrisonburg. It is estimated between 93 and 200 families were displaced.[30][29]

In addition to families, many of the businesses of Newtown that were bought out could not afford to reestablish themselves. Locals say many prominent black businesses like the Colonnade which served as a pool hall, dance hall, community center, and tearoom were unable to reopen.[34] Kline's, a white-owned business, was actually one of the few businesses in the area that was able to reopen. The city later made $500,000 selling the seized property to redevelopers. Before the project, the area brought in $7000 in taxes annually. By 1976, The areas redeveloped in R4 and R16 were bringing in $45,000 in annual taxes. These profit gains led Lauren McKinney to regard the project as “one of only two ‘profitable’ redevelopment schemes in the state of Virginia.”[29]

Cultural landmarks were also influenced by the projects. Although later rebuilt, The Old First Baptist Church of Harrisonburg was demolished.[34][35] Newtown Cemetery, a Historic African American Cemetery, was also impacted. It appears no Burials were destroyed, however, the western boundary was paved over and several headstones now touch the street.[36][34]

Infrastructure edit

 
Interstate 81, a main roadway in Harrisonburg

Major highways in Harrisonburg include Interstate 81, the main north–south highway in western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Other significant roads serving the city include U.S. Route 11, U.S. Route 33, Virginia State Route 42, Virginia State Route 253 and Virginia State Route 280.

In early 2002, the Harrisonburg community discussed the possibility of creating a pedestrian mall downtown. Public meetings were held to discuss the merits and drawbacks of pursuing such a plan. Ultimately, the community decided to keep its Main Street open to traffic. From these discussions, however, a strong voice emerged from the community in support of downtown revitalization.

On July 1, 2003, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance[37] was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of rejuvenating the downtown district.[38]

In 2004, downtown was designated as the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and a designated Virginia Main Street Community,[39] with the neighboring Old Town Historic District residential community gaining historic district status in 2007. Several vacant buildings have been renovated and repurposed for new uses, such as the Hardesty-Higgins House and City Exchange, used for the Harrisonburg Tourist Center and high-end loft apartments, respectively.

In 2008, downtown Harrisonburg spent over $1 million in cosmetic and sidewalk infrastructure improvements (also called streetscaping and wayfinding projects). The City Council appropriated $500,000 for custom street signs to be used as "wayfinding signs" directing visitors to areas of interest around the city. Another $500,000 were used to upgrade street lighting, sidewalks, and landscaping along Main Street and Court Square.[40]

In 2014, Downtown Harrisonburg was named a Great American Main Street by the National Main Street Association and downtown was designated the first culinary district in the commonwealth of Virginia.

Norfolk Southern also owns a small railyard in Harrisonburg. The Chesapeake and Western corridor from Elkton to Harrisonburg has very high volumes of grain and ethanol. The railroad serves two major grain elevators inside the city limits. In May 2017 Norfolk Southern 51T derailed in Harrisonburg spilling corn into Blacks Run. No one was injured.

Shenandoah Valley Railroad interchanges with the NS on south side of Harrisonburg and with CSX and Buckingham Branch Railroad in North Staunton.

Harrisonburg Transit provides public transportation in Harrisonburg. Virginia Breeze provides intercity bus service between Blacksburg, Harrisonburg, and Washington, D.C.[41]

Culture edit

 
Larkin Arts

Harrisonburg has won several awards[42] in recent years, including "#6 Favorite Town in America" by Travel + Leisure in 2016,[43] the "#15 Best City to Raise an Outdoor Kid" by Backpacker in 2009,[44] and the "#3 Happiest Mountain Town" by Blue Ridge Country Magazine in 2016.[45]

Harrisonburg holds the title of "Virginia's first Culinary District" (awarded in 2014).[46] The "Taste of Downtown" (TOD) week-long event takes place annually to showcase local breweries and restaurants.[47] Often referred to as "Restaurant Week," the TOD event offers a chance for culinary businesses in downtown Harrisonburg to create specials, collaborations, and try out new menus.[48]

The creative class of Harrisonburg has grown alongside the revitalization of the downtown district. The designation of "first Arts & Cultural District in Virginia" was awarded to Downtown Harrisonburg in 2001.[49] Contributing to Harrisonburg's cultural capital are a collection of education and art centers, residencies, studios, and artist-facilitated businesses, programs, and collectives.

Some of these programs include:

  • Larkin Arts, a community art center that opened in 2012 and has four symbiotic components: an art supply store, a fine arts gallery, a school with three classrooms, and five private studio spaces.[50][51]
  • Old Furnace Artist Residency (OFAR)[52] and SLAG Mag: Artist residency and arts&culture quarterly zine focused on community engagement and social practice projects started in 2013.[53]
 
A Little Free Library in Harrisonburg
  • The Super Gr8 Film Festival, founded in 2009. The 2013 festival featured more than 50 locally produced films, and all of the films in the festival were shot using vintage cameras and Super 8 film.[54]
  • Arts Council of the Valley, including the Darrin-McHone Gallery and Court Square Theater, provides facilities and funding for various arts programs and projects.[55]
  • OASIS Fine Art and Craft, opened in 2000, is a cooperative gallery of over 35 local artists and artisans exhibiting and selling their work. It offers fine hand-crafted pottery, jewelry, fiber art, wood, metal, glass, wearable art, paintings, and photography.[56]
  • The Virginia Quilt Museum, established in 1995, is dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and nurturing Virginia's quilting heritage. It features a permanent collection of nearly 300 quilts, a Civil War Gallery, antique and toy sewing machines, and rotating exhibits from across the United States.[57]

Historic sites edit

The Harrison House (formerly the Thomas Harrison House) edit

The modern city of Harrisonburg grew up around this modest stone house, which until recently was thought to have been erected for Thomas Harrison ca. 1750. But new research and a dendrochronology study completed by James Madison University in 2018 has determined that it was built ca. 1790; Harrison died in 1785. Harrison laid out the town that was to bear his name on fifty acres of his holdings and was also instrumental in having Harrisonburg established as the Rockingham County seat in 1780. Prior to confirmation of the date of construction, it was believed that the first courts were held in this building, which is also associated with Bishop Francis Asbury, a pioneer leader of the Methodist Episcopal church, who often visited Harrison and conducted some of the county's first Methodist services. While the original Thomas Harrison house no longer exists, this building remains an early example of stone vernacular architecture in the Shenandoah Valley, and a contributing building in the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District. Its window architraves are cut from solid walnut timbers. This house remained in the Harrison family until 1870, which is probably why it was long-thought to have been Thomas Harrison's.[58][59]

Hardesty-Higgins House edit

Home to Harrisonburg's first mayor Isaac Hardesty, the house bears his name and the name of the physician, Henry Higgins, who began construction in 1848. Isaac Hardesty was born in 1795 and became the city's first Mayor by charter on March 16, 1849, incorporating the town of Harrisonburg. Hardesty completed construction of the home by 1853 and lived in the house with his wife, Ann, and two children. He was a successful business man, apothecary, and merchant, and he served on the board of directors of the Valley Turnpike Company.[60]

Isaac Hardesty supported the Union and moved from Harrisonburg during the early part of the Civil War. The Strayer sisters occupied the house and, during their stay, the sisters hosted Union General Nathaniel Banks. The house served as an inn after the war and was home to the Virginia Craftsman, makers of handcrafted furniture, from the 1920s to the 1980s.[60]

Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District edit

The approximately 100 acre Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District[61] embraces the historic commercial and institutional core of the city. The principal axis of the district is Main Street, which runs approximately north–south through the district. Another principal thoroughfare is Liberty Street, which parallels Main Street. The principal cross axis is Market Street (US Highway 33), which intersects with Main Street on the east side of Court Square.[62] The Romanesque Revival/Renaissance Revival 1896-97 Rockingham County Courthouse commands the square, and surrounding blocks arc densely developed with early twentieth century high-rise bank buildings and other commercial buildings from the 1870s through the 1950s. Most residential buildings dates to after the Civil War, when South Main Street developed as Harrisonburg's elite residential avenue. Notable houses from the period include Victorian/Queen Anne masterpieces such as Ute 1890 Joshua Wilton House and rarities such as the late 1880s Octagon House. Several fine Gothic Revival churches date to the early years of the twentieth century. Industrial buildings and warehouses date largely to the first half of the twentieth century and include the 1908 City Produce Exchange, a poultry shipping plant, and the late 1920s Maphis Chapman Co. gas storage tank factory. A complex of mid-twentieth century cinder block warehouses clusters near the 1913 Chesapeake Western Railway Station and the 1920-21 Rockingham Milling Co. roller mill on Chesapeake Avenue. Alter World War I automobile dealerships appeared in the downtown area. An outstanding example is the 1920 Rockingham Motor Co., an inspired Tudor Revival/Art Deco design. Architectural modernism achieved popularity in the 1940s and early 1950s at the end of the period of significance. Harrisonburg's downtown experienced a number of losses during the late twentieth century, but the recent rehabilitation of several key buildings demonstrates a growing commitment to the preservation of the district's historic character.[62]

Other sites edit

In addition to the Thomas Harrison House, Hardesty-Higgins House, Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District, and Old Town Historic District, the Anthony Hockman House, Rockingham County Courthouse, Lucy F. Simms School, Whitesel Brothers, and Joshua Wilton House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[63]

Geography edit

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.1 km2), of which 17.3 square miles (44.8 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) (0.3%) is water.[64] The City of Harrisonburg comprises six watersheds, with Blacks Run being the primary watershed with 8.67 miles of stream and a drainage area of over 9000 acres. The city also drains into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Harrisonburg is in the western part of the Shenandoah Valley, a portion of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province.[65] Generally, the area is a rolling upland with local relief between 100 and 300 feet.[65]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18601,023
18702,03699.0%
18802,83139.0%
18902,792−1.4%
19003,52126.1%
19104,87938.6%
19205,87520.4%
19307,23223.1%
19408,76821.2%
195010,81023.3%
196011,91610.2%
197014,60522.6%
198019,67134.7%
199030,70756.1%
200040,46831.8%
201048,91420.9%
202051,8145.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[66]
1790-1960[67] 1900-1990[68]
1990-2000[69] 2010[70] 2020[71]

2020 census edit

Harrisonburg city, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[70] Pop 2020[71] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 35,391 31,454 72.35% 60.71%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,911 3,906 5.95% 7.54%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 67 71 0.14% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 1,705 2,089 3.49% 4.03%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 54 20 0.11% 0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 112 196 0.23% 0.38%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,009 2,033 2.06% 3.92%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7,665 12,045 15.67% 23.25%
Total 48,914 51,814 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010 census edit

 
This graph, using information from the 2000 federal census, illustrates the uneven distribution of age due to the two universities in Harrisonburg

As of the census[72] of 2010, 48,914 people, 15,988 households, and 7,515 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,811.1/mi2 (1087.0/km2). The 15,988 housing units averaged 918.9/mi2 (355.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.4% White, 6.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.2% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 15.7% of the population, up from 8.85% according to the census of 2000.

Of the 15,988 households, 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.0% were not families. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59, and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was distributed as 15.0% under the age of 18, 48.9% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,850, and for a family was $53,642. The per capita income for the city was $16,992. About 11.5% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

Politics edit

United States presidential election results for Harrisonburg, Virginia[73]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,591 32.72% 11,022 64.51% 473 2.77%
2016 6,262 34.81% 10,212 56.77% 1,513 8.41%
2012 6,565 42.10% 8,654 55.50% 374 2.40%
2008 6,048 41.21% 8,444 57.54% 183 1.25%
2004 6,165 55.89% 4,726 42.85% 139 1.26%
2000 5,741 57.65% 3,482 34.97% 735 7.38%
1996 4,945 55.33% 3,346 37.44% 646 7.23%
1992 4,935 51.24% 3,414 35.44% 1,283 13.32%
1988 5,376 64.86% 2,799 33.77% 113 1.36%
1984 5,221 68.15% 2,384 31.12% 56 0.73%
1980 3,388 58.45% 1,896 32.71% 512 8.83%
1976 3,376 63.01% 1,803 33.65% 179 3.34%
1972 3,626 77.26% 992 21.14% 75 1.60%
1968 2,859 65.69% 1,036 23.81% 457 10.50%
1964 1,820 50.70% 1,765 49.16% 5 0.14%
1960 2,172 72.04% 836 27.73% 7 0.23%
1956 2,265 78.29% 571 19.74% 57 1.97%
1952 2,238 77.82% 635 22.08% 3 0.10%
1948 1,377 58.55% 751 31.93% 224 9.52%
1944 1,302 50.04% 1,292 49.65% 8 0.31%
1940 1,000 40.31% 1,462 58.93% 19 0.77%
1936 894 38.92% 1,390 60.51% 13 0.57%
1932 665 39.30% 995 58.81% 32 1.89%
1928 1,037 62.73% 616 37.27% 0 0.00%
1924 631 49.69% 624 49.13% 15 1.18%
1920 704 53.86% 594 45.45% 9 0.69%
1916 319 47.61% 346 51.64% 5 0.75%

Like most of the Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg was among the first areas of Virginia where old-line Southern Democrats began splitting their tickets. The city went Republican at every presidential election from 1944 to 2004. In 2008, however, Barack Obama carried the city by a margin of 16 percent—slightly larger than the 14-point margin by which George W. Bush carried it four years earlier. The city has voted Democratic in every presidential election since then, and has become one of the few Democratic mainstays in this more conservative part of Virginia. In most elections, it is one of the few areas west of Charlottesville carried by Democrats.

Government edit

Head of the City Government in the 20th Century
City Manager Mayor Vice-Mayor
Term Name Term Name Party Term Name Party
Sep 1946–

Aug 1948[74]

Bernard Denton
Sep 1948–

Aug 1950[74]

Lawrence Loewner
Sep 1950–

Aug 1952[74]

Sep 1952–

Aug 1954[74]

Sep 1954–

Aug 1956[74]

Walter Green Sep 1954–

Aug 1956[75]

Dan L. Logan R
Sep 1956–

Aug 1958[74]

Frank C. Switzer Sep 1956–

Aug 1958[75]

Sep 1958–

Aug 1960[74]

Sep 1958–

Aug 1960[75]

Sep 1960–

Aug 1962[74]

Sep 1960–

Aug 1962[75]

Sep 1962–

Aug 1964[74]

Sep 1962–

Aug 1964[76]

Sep 1964–

Aug 1966[74]

Sep 1966–

Aug 1968[74]

Jun 1966[77] Joseph Mintzer D
Sep 1968–

Aug 1970[74]

Roy Hjalmar

Erickson

R Sep 1968–

Aug 1970[78][74]

Royal Kincheloe
1969–1974 Marvin B. Milam
Sep 1970–

Aug 1972[74]

Sep 1970–

Aug 1972[74]

Edgar Warren Denton Jr.
Sep 1974–

Aug 1976[79]

Sep 1974–

Aug 1976[79]

Sep 1974–

Aug 1976[79]

Sep 1976–

Aug 1978[80]

Sep 1976–

Aug 1978[80]

Sep 1976–

Aug 1978[80]

Sep 1978–

Aug 1980[81]

Sep 1978–

Aug 1980[81]

Sep 1978–

Aug 1980[81]

Walter Franklin Green III.
Sep 1980–

Aug 1982[82]

Sep 1980–

Aug 1982[82][83]

Sep 1980–

Aug 1982[82][83]

Sep 1982–

Jun 1984

Sep 1982–

Jun 1983

Sep 1982–

Jun 1983

Jul 1983–

Jun 1984[84]

Walter Franklin Green III. Jul 1983–

Jun 1984[84]

Raymond C. Dingledine Jr.
Jul 1984–

Jun 1986[85]

Jul 1984–

Jun 1986[85]

Jul 1984–

Jun 1986[85]

Jul 1986–

Jun 1988[86]

Jul 1986–

Jun 1988[86]

Jul 1986–

Jun 1988[86]

Jul 1988–

Jun 1990[87]

Jul 1988–

Jun 1990[87]

Jul 1988–

Jun 1990[87]

Jul 1990[88]

Sep 1991

Jul 1990–

Jun 1992[88]

Jul 1990–

Jun 1992[88]

Elon W. Rhodes
Oct 1991–

Oct 1992[88]

Roger D. Baker (acting)
Jul 1992–

Jun 1994[89]

C. Robert Heath Jul 1992–

Jun 1994[89]

John N. Neff
Nov 1992–

Jun 1994[89]

Steven E. Stewart
Jul 1994[90]

1997

Jul 1994–

Jun 1996[90]

John N. Neff Jul 1994–

Jun 1996[90]

Emily R. Dingledine
Jul 1996–

Jun 1998[91]

Rodney L. Eagle I Jul 1996–

Jun 1998[91]

Hugh. J. Lantz R
1997–Sep 2000
Jul 1998–

Jun 2000[92]

Jul 1998–

Jun 2000[92]

City Manager Mayor Vice-Mayor
Term Name Term Name Party Term Name Party
1997–Sep 2000 Steven E. Stewart Jul 1998–

Jun 2000[92]

Rodney L. Eagle I Jul 1998–

Jun 2000[92]

Hugh. J. Lantz R
Jul 2000–

Jun 2002[93]

Carolyn W. Frank I Jul 2000–

Jun 2002[93]

Dorn W. Peterson
Sep 2000–

Jun 2004[94]

Roger Baker
Jul 2002–

Jun 2004[95]

Joseph Gus Fitzgerald D Jul 2002–

Jun 2004[95]

Larry M. Rogers D
Jul 2004–

Jun 2007[96][97]

Jul 2004–

Jun 2006[96]

Larry M. Rogers D Jul 2004–

Jun 2006[96]

Rodney L. Eagle I
Jul 2006–

Dec 2008[98]

Rodney L. Eagle I Jul 2006–

Dec 2008[98]

George W. Pace
Jul 2007–

Dec 2010[99]

Kurt D. Hodgen
Jan 2009–

Dec 2010[100]

Kai Degner D Jan 2009–

Dec 2010[100]

Richard A. Baugh D
Jan 2011–Oct 31, 2017[101] Jan 2011–

2012[101]

Richard A. Baugh D Jan 2011–

2012[101]

Ted Byrd R
Jan 2013–

Dec 2014[102]

Ted Byrd R Jan 2013–

Dec 2014[102]

Charles R. Chenault I
Jan 2015–

Dec 2016[103]

Christopher B. Jones D Jan 2015–

Dec 2016[74]

Richard Baugh D
Jan 3, 2017–

Jan 1, 2019 [104]

Deanna R. Reed D Jan 3, 2017–

Jan 1, 2019 [105]

Nov 1, 2017–Jan 15 2018[106] Ande Banks (acting)
Jan 16, 2018–Dec 31 2021[107] Eric Campbell
Jan 2, 2019–

Jan 3, 2021[108]

Jan 2, 2019–

Jan 3, 2021[108]

Sal Romero D
Jan 4, 2021–

Jan 2, 2023[109]

Jan 4, 2021–

Jan 2, 2023[109]

Jan 01, 2022–Jan 02, 2023[1] Ande Banks (acting)
Jan 03, 2023–incumbent[110] Ande Banks Jan 3, 2023–incumbent[110] Jan 3, 2023–incumbent[110] Laura Dent D

Education edit

School systems edit

Serving about 4,400 students (K–12), Harrisonburg City Public Schools comprises six elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. Eastern Mennonite School, a private school, serves grades K–12 with an enrollment of about 386 students.[111]

Higher education edit

 
James Madison University is the largest higher education institution in Harrisonburg.

High schools edit

Middle schools edit

  • Skyline Middle School
  • Thomas Harrison Middle School

Elementary schools edit

  • Bluestone Elementary
  • Smithland Elementary
  • Spotswood Elementary
  • Stone Spring Elementary
  • Waterman Elementary
  • W.H. Keister Elementary

Other schools edit

  • Elon W. Rhodes Early Learning Center
  • Great Oak Academy

Technical schools edit

  • Massanutten Technical Center
  • Massanutten Regional Governors School

Private schools edit

Points of interest edit

  • Hardesty-Higgins House Visitor Center
  • Edith J. Carrier Arboretum
  • Downtown Harrisonburg
  • Harrisonburg's Old Post Office Mural (Now US Bankruptcy Court)
  • Virginia Quilt Museum - located downtown and dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and nurturing Virginia's quilting heritage. The museum was established in 1995 and features a permanent collection of nearly 300 quilts, a Civil War Gallery, antique and toy sewing machines, and rotating exhibits from across the United States.[57]
  • Heritage Oaks Golf Course

Events edit

  • The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo road-cycling event hosted by professional cyclist Jeremiah Bishop starts and finishes in downtown Harrisonburg.[112]
  • The annual Harrisonburg International Festival celebrates international foods, dance, music, and folk art.[113]
  • Valley Fourth - Downtown Harrisonburg's Fourth of July celebrations that bring in over 12,000 people. The festival includes a morning run, food trucks, beer and music garden, kids' area, art market, craft and clothing vendors, and fireworks.
  • Christmas/Holiday Parade- dates vary.
  • Taste of Downtown - food event, yearly in March.
  • MACROCK - an independent music conference held in the downtown area of Harrisonburg, Virginia the first weekend of April annually since 1997
  • Skeleton Festival - This event blends aspects of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos in a big, community celebration. Activities kick off with trick-or-treating at downtown businesses and culminate with a fun, all-ages party at the Turner Pavilion & Park. The festival features kid, dog, and adult costume contests; face painting; fire dancing; food trucks; live music; a community ofrenda; video art; "trunk or treating"; wacky shacks, goober blobs and whisker biscuits. www.skeletonfestival.com
  • Rocktown Beer & Music Festival- This event is very well attended each Spring. It features over 75 different beers and ciders. The band lineup changes each year and food is supplied by some of the local downtown restaurants. www.rocktownfestival.com

Sports edit

Climate edit

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. Harrisonburg has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps according to the Köppen climate classification, but has four clearly defined seasons that vary significantly, if not having brief changes from summer to winter.[114] The USDA hardiness zone is 6b, which means average minimum winter temperature of −5 to 0 °F (−21 to −18 °C).

Notable people edit

Born edit

Raised edit

Resident edit

See also edit

References and notes edit

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  4. ^ "Council Member Dany Fleming". City of Harrisonburg, VA. January 5, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
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  76. ^ "Harrisonburg Daily News Record Archives, Nov 13, 1964, p. 1". NewspaperArchive.com. November 13, 1964. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
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External links edit

  • City of Harrisonburg
  • personal statement writing

harrisonburg, virginia, confused, with, harrisburg, virginia, harrisonburg, independent, city, shenandoah, valley, region, commonwealth, virginia, united, states, also, county, seat, surrounding, rockingham, county, although, separate, jurisdictions, 2020, cen. Not to be confused with Harrisburg Virginia Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States It is also the county seat of the surrounding Rockingham County 9 although the two are separate jurisdictions At the 2020 census the population was 51 814 10 The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Harrisonburg with Rockingham County for statistical purposes into the Harrisonburg Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area which had an estimated population of 126 562 in 2011 11 Harrisonburg VirginiaIndependent cityCity of HarrisonburgRockingham County Courthouse in Court Square in downtown HarrisonburgSealNickname s The Friendly City Rocktown H burg The Burg Friendly by NatureHarrisonburg enclaved within the Rockingham CountyLocation of Harrisonburg in the Commonwealth of VirginiaHarrisonburgShow map of VirginiaHarrisonburgShow map of the United StatesCoordinates 38 26 58 N 78 52 08 W 38 44944 N 78 86889 W 38 44944 78 86889Country United StatesState VirginiaCountyNone Independent city Founded1779Incorporated1916Founded byThomas HarrisonNamed forThomas HarrisonGovernment TypeCouncil manager government City ManagerAnde Banks 1 MayorDeanna R Reed D 2 City Council 5 Council Members Deanna R Reed D Laura Dent D Christopher B Jones D Monica Robinson D 3 Dany Fleming D 4 House DelegateTony Wilt R State SenatorMark Obenshain R Area 6 Total17 39 sq mi 45 04 km2 Land17 34 sq mi 44 91 km2 Water0 05 sq mi 0 13 km2 Elevation1 325 ft 404 m Population 2020 Total51 814 Density3 000 sq mi 1 200 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 EST Summer DST UTC 4 EDT ZIP Codes22801 22803 22807Area code540FIPS code51 35624 7 GNIS feature ID1498489 8 Websitewww harrisonburgva govHarrisonburg is home to James Madison University JMU a public research university with an enrollment of over 20 000 students 12 and Eastern Mennonite University EMU a private Mennonite affiliated liberal arts university Although the city has no historical association with President James Madison JMU was nonetheless named in his honor as Madison College in 1938 and renamed as James Madison University in 1977 13 EMU largely owes its existence to the sizable Mennonite population in the Shenandoah Valley to which many Pennsylvania Dutch settlers arrived beginning in the mid 18th century in search of rich unsettled farmland 14 The city has become a bastion of ethnic and linguistic diversity in recent years Over 1 900 refugees have been settled in Harrisonburg since 2002 15 As of 2014 Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 19 of the city s population 16 Harrisonburg City Public Schools HCPS students speak 55 languages in addition to English with Spanish Arabic and Kurdish being the most common languages spoken 17 Over one third of HCPS students are English as a second language ESL learners 18 Language learning software company Rosetta Stone was founded in Harrisonburg in 1992 19 and the multilingual Welcome Your Neighbors yard sign originated in Harrisonburg in 2016 15 Contents 1 History 1 1 Newtown 1 1 1 Project R4 and R16 1 2 Infrastructure 2 Culture 2 1 Historic sites 2 1 1 The Harrison House formerly the Thomas Harrison House 2 1 2 Hardesty Higgins House 2 1 3 Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District 2 1 4 Other sites 3 Geography 4 Demographics 4 1 2020 census 4 2 2010 census 5 Politics 5 1 Government 6 Education 6 1 School systems 6 2 Higher education 6 3 High schools 6 4 Middle schools 6 5 Elementary schools 6 6 Other schools 6 7 Technical schools 6 8 Private schools 7 Points of interest 8 Events 9 Sports 10 Climate 11 Notable people 11 1 Born 11 2 Raised 11 3 Resident 12 See also 13 References and notes 14 External linksHistory edit nbsp Harrisonburg was named for Thomas Harrison 1704 1785 an early settler 20 The earliest documented English exploration of the area prior to settlement was the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition led by Lt Gov Alexander Spotswood who reached Elkton and whose rangers continued and in 1716 likely passed through what is now Harrisonburg Harrisonburg previously known as Rocktown was named for Thomas Harrison a son of English settlers 21 In 1737 Harrison settled in the Shenandoah Valley eventually laying claim to over 12 000 acres 4 900 ha situated at the intersection of the Spotswood Trail and the main Native American road through the valley 22 In 1779 Harrison deeded 2 5 acres 1 0 ha of his land to the public good for the construction of a courthouse In 1780 Harrison deeded an additional 50 acres 20 ha 23 This is the area now known as Historic Downtown Harrisonburg In 1849 trustees chartered a mayor council form of government although Harrisonburg was not officially incorporated as an independent city until 1916 Today a council manager government administers Harrisonburg 24 On June 6 1862 an American Civil War skirmish took place at Good s Farm Chestnut Ridge near Harrisonburg between the forces of the Union and the forces of the Confederacy at which the C S Army Brigadier General Turner Ashby 1828 1862 was killed The city has expanded in size over the years 25 On October 17 2020 the city was the scene of a massive explosion and fire at a small shopping center at Miller Circle in the South Main St area Newtown edit When the slaves of the Shenandoah Valley were freed in 1865 they set up near modern day Harrisonburg a town called Newtown 26 This settlement was eventually annexed by the independent city of Harrisonburg some years later probably around 1892 Today the old city of Newtown is in the Northeast section of Harrisonburg and which is referred to as Downtown Harrisonburg 27 It remains the home of the majority of Harrisonburg s predominantly black churches such as the First Baptist and Bethel AME The modern Boys and Girls Club of Harrisonburg is located in the old Lucy Simms schoolhouse used for the black students in the days of segregation 28 Project R4 and R16 edit A large portion of this black neighborhood was dismantled in the 1960s when in the name of urban renewal the city government used federal redevelopment funds from the Housing Act of 1949 to force black families out of their homes and then bulldozed the neighborhood This effort called Project R 4 focused on the city blocks east of Main north of Gay west of Broad and south of Johnson This area makes up 32 5 acres Project R 16 is a smaller tag on project which focused on the 7 5 acres south of Gay street 29 27 30 31 32 According to Bob Sullivan an intern working in the city planner s office in 1958 the city planner at the time David Clark had to convince the city council that Harrisonburg even had slums Newtown a low socioeconomic status housing area was declared a slum Federal law mandated that the city needed to have a referendum on the issue before R4 could begin The vote was close with 1 024 votes in favor and 978 against R4 Following the vote the Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority was established in 1955 to carry out the project All of the members were white men The project began and due to eminent domain the government could force the people of Newtown to sell their homes 33 They were offered rock bottom prices for their homes Many people couldn t afford a new home and had to move into public housing projects and become dependent on the government Other families left Harrisonburg It is estimated between 93 and 200 families were displaced 30 29 In addition to families many of the businesses of Newtown that were bought out could not afford to reestablish themselves Locals say many prominent black businesses like the Colonnade which served as a pool hall dance hall community center and tearoom were unable to reopen 34 Kline s a white owned business was actually one of the few businesses in the area that was able to reopen The city later made 500 000 selling the seized property to redevelopers Before the project the area brought in 7000 in taxes annually By 1976 The areas redeveloped in R4 and R16 were bringing in 45 000 in annual taxes These profit gains led Lauren McKinney to regard the project as one of only two profitable redevelopment schemes in the state of Virginia 29 Cultural landmarks were also influenced by the projects Although later rebuilt The Old First Baptist Church of Harrisonburg was demolished 34 35 Newtown Cemetery a Historic African American Cemetery was also impacted It appears no Burials were destroyed however the western boundary was paved over and several headstones now touch the street 36 34 Infrastructure edit nbsp Interstate 81 a main roadway in HarrisonburgMajor highways in Harrisonburg include Interstate 81 the main north south highway in western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley Other significant roads serving the city include U S Route 11 U S Route 33 Virginia State Route 42 Virginia State Route 253 and Virginia State Route 280 In early 2002 the Harrisonburg community discussed the possibility of creating a pedestrian mall downtown Public meetings were held to discuss the merits and drawbacks of pursuing such a plan Ultimately the community decided to keep its Main Street open to traffic From these discussions however a strong voice emerged from the community in support of downtown revitalization On July 1 2003 Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance 37 was incorporated as a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization with the mission of rejuvenating the downtown district 38 In 2004 downtown was designated as the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and a designated Virginia Main Street Community 39 with the neighboring Old Town Historic District residential community gaining historic district status in 2007 Several vacant buildings have been renovated and repurposed for new uses such as the Hardesty Higgins House and City Exchange used for the Harrisonburg Tourist Center and high end loft apartments respectively In 2008 downtown Harrisonburg spent over 1 million in cosmetic and sidewalk infrastructure improvements also called streetscaping and wayfinding projects The City Council appropriated 500 000 for custom street signs to be used as wayfinding signs directing visitors to areas of interest around the city Another 500 000 were used to upgrade street lighting sidewalks and landscaping along Main Street and Court Square 40 In 2014 Downtown Harrisonburg was named a Great American Main Street by the National Main Street Association and downtown was designated the first culinary district in the commonwealth of Virginia Norfolk Southern also owns a small railyard in Harrisonburg The Chesapeake and Western corridor from Elkton to Harrisonburg has very high volumes of grain and ethanol The railroad serves two major grain elevators inside the city limits In May 2017 Norfolk Southern 51T derailed in Harrisonburg spilling corn into Blacks Run No one was injured Shenandoah Valley Railroad interchanges with the NS on south side of Harrisonburg and with CSX and Buckingham Branch Railroad in North Staunton Harrisonburg Transit provides public transportation in Harrisonburg Virginia Breeze provides intercity bus service between Blacksburg Harrisonburg and Washington D C 41 Culture edit nbsp Larkin ArtsHarrisonburg has won several awards 42 in recent years including 6 Favorite Town in America by Travel Leisure in 2016 43 the 15 Best City to Raise an Outdoor Kid by Backpacker in 2009 44 and the 3 Happiest Mountain Town by Blue Ridge Country Magazine in 2016 45 Harrisonburg holds the title of Virginia s first Culinary District awarded in 2014 46 The Taste of Downtown TOD week long event takes place annually to showcase local breweries and restaurants 47 Often referred to as Restaurant Week the TOD event offers a chance for culinary businesses in downtown Harrisonburg to create specials collaborations and try out new menus 48 The creative class of Harrisonburg has grown alongside the revitalization of the downtown district The designation of first Arts amp Cultural District in Virginia was awarded to Downtown Harrisonburg in 2001 49 Contributing to Harrisonburg s cultural capital are a collection of education and art centers residencies studios and artist facilitated businesses programs and collectives Some of these programs include Larkin Arts a community art center that opened in 2012 and has four symbiotic components an art supply store a fine arts gallery a school with three classrooms and five private studio spaces 50 51 Old Furnace Artist Residency OFAR 52 and SLAG Mag Artist residency and arts amp culture quarterly zine focused on community engagement and social practice projects started in 2013 53 nbsp A Little Free Library in HarrisonburgThe Super Gr8 Film Festival founded in 2009 The 2013 festival featured more than 50 locally produced films and all of the films in the festival were shot using vintage cameras and Super 8 film 54 Arts Council of the Valley including the Darrin McHone Gallery and Court Square Theater provides facilities and funding for various arts programs and projects 55 OASIS Fine Art and Craft opened in 2000 is a cooperative gallery of over 35 local artists and artisans exhibiting and selling their work It offers fine hand crafted pottery jewelry fiber art wood metal glass wearable art paintings and photography 56 The Virginia Quilt Museum established in 1995 is dedicated to preserving celebrating and nurturing Virginia s quilting heritage It features a permanent collection of nearly 300 quilts a Civil War Gallery antique and toy sewing machines and rotating exhibits from across the United States 57 Historic sites edit The Harrison House formerly the Thomas Harrison House edit The modern city of Harrisonburg grew up around this modest stone house which until recently was thought to have been erected for Thomas Harrison ca 1750 But new research and a dendrochronology study completed by James Madison University in 2018 has determined that it was built ca 1790 Harrison died in 1785 Harrison laid out the town that was to bear his name on fifty acres of his holdings and was also instrumental in having Harrisonburg established as the Rockingham County seat in 1780 Prior to confirmation of the date of construction it was believed that the first courts were held in this building which is also associated with Bishop Francis Asbury a pioneer leader of the Methodist Episcopal church who often visited Harrison and conducted some of the county s first Methodist services While the original Thomas Harrison house no longer exists this building remains an early example of stone vernacular architecture in the Shenandoah Valley and a contributing building in the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District Its window architraves are cut from solid walnut timbers This house remained in the Harrison family until 1870 which is probably why it was long thought to have been Thomas Harrison s 58 59 Hardesty Higgins House edit Home to Harrisonburg s first mayor Isaac Hardesty the house bears his name and the name of the physician Henry Higgins who began construction in 1848 Isaac Hardesty was born in 1795 and became the city s first Mayor by charter on March 16 1849 incorporating the town of Harrisonburg Hardesty completed construction of the home by 1853 and lived in the house with his wife Ann and two children He was a successful business man apothecary and merchant and he served on the board of directors of the Valley Turnpike Company 60 Isaac Hardesty supported the Union and moved from Harrisonburg during the early part of the Civil War The Strayer sisters occupied the house and during their stay the sisters hosted Union General Nathaniel Banks The house served as an inn after the war and was home to the Virginia Craftsman makers of handcrafted furniture from the 1920s to the 1980s 60 Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District edit The approximately 100 acre Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District 61 embraces the historic commercial and institutional core of the city The principal axis of the district is Main Street which runs approximately north south through the district Another principal thoroughfare is Liberty Street which parallels Main Street The principal cross axis is Market Street US Highway 33 which intersects with Main Street on the east side of Court Square 62 The Romanesque Revival Renaissance Revival 1896 97 Rockingham County Courthouse commands the square and surrounding blocks arc densely developed with early twentieth century high rise bank buildings and other commercial buildings from the 1870s through the 1950s Most residential buildings dates to after the Civil War when South Main Street developed as Harrisonburg s elite residential avenue Notable houses from the period include Victorian Queen Anne masterpieces such as Ute 1890 Joshua Wilton House and rarities such as the late 1880s Octagon House Several fine Gothic Revival churches date to the early years of the twentieth century Industrial buildings and warehouses date largely to the first half of the twentieth century and include the 1908 City Produce Exchange a poultry shipping plant and the late 1920s Maphis Chapman Co gas storage tank factory A complex of mid twentieth century cinder block warehouses clusters near the 1913 Chesapeake Western Railway Station and the 1920 21 Rockingham Milling Co roller mill on Chesapeake Avenue Alter World War I automobile dealerships appeared in the downtown area An outstanding example is the 1920 Rockingham Motor Co an inspired Tudor Revival Art Deco design Architectural modernism achieved popularity in the 1940s and early 1950s at the end of the period of significance Harrisonburg s downtown experienced a number of losses during the late twentieth century but the recent rehabilitation of several key buildings demonstrates a growing commitment to the preservation of the district s historic character 62 Other sites edit In addition to the Thomas Harrison House Hardesty Higgins House Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District and Old Town Historic District the Anthony Hockman House Rockingham County Courthouse Lucy F Simms School Whitesel Brothers and Joshua Wilton House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places 63 Geography editAccording to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 17 4 square miles 45 1 km2 of which 17 3 square miles 44 8 km2 is land and 0 1 square miles 0 3 km2 0 3 is water 64 The City of Harrisonburg comprises six watersheds with Blacks Run being the primary watershed with 8 67 miles of stream and a drainage area of over 9000 acres The city also drains into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Harrisonburg is in the western part of the Shenandoah Valley a portion of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province 65 Generally the area is a rolling upland with local relief between 100 and 300 feet 65 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 18601 023 18702 03699 0 18802 83139 0 18902 792 1 4 19003 52126 1 19104 87938 6 19205 87520 4 19307 23223 1 19408 76821 2 195010 81023 3 196011 91610 2 197014 60522 6 198019 67134 7 199030 70756 1 200040 46831 8 201048 91420 9 202051 8145 9 U S Decennial Census 66 1790 1960 67 1900 1990 68 1990 2000 69 2010 70 2020 71 2020 census edit Harrisonburg city Virginia Demographic Profile NH Non Hispanic Race Ethnicity Pop 2010 70 Pop 2020 71 2010 2020White alone NH 35 391 31 454 72 35 60 71 Black or African American alone NH 2 911 3 906 5 95 7 54 Native American or Alaska Native alone NH 67 71 0 14 0 14 Asian alone NH 1 705 2 089 3 49 4 03 Pacific Islander alone NH 54 20 0 11 0 04 Some Other Race alone NH 112 196 0 23 0 38 Mixed Race Multi Racial NH 1 009 2 033 2 06 3 92 Hispanic or Latino any race 7 665 12 045 15 67 23 25 Total 48 914 51 814 100 00 100 00 Note the US Census treats Hispanic Latino as an ethnic category This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category Hispanics Latinos can be of any race 2010 census edit nbsp This graph using information from the 2000 federal census illustrates the uneven distribution of age due to the two universities in HarrisonburgAs of the census 72 of 2010 48 914 people 15 988 households and 7 515 families resided in the city The population density was 2 811 1 mi2 1087 0 km2 The 15 988 housing units averaged 918 9 mi2 355 3 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 78 4 White 6 4 Black or African American 0 3 Native American 3 5 Asian 0 1 Pacific Islander 8 2 from other races and 3 1 from two or more races Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 15 7 of the population up from 8 85 according to the census of 2000 Of the 15 988 households 22 1 had children under the age of 18 living with them 32 7 were married couples living together 10 1 had a female householder with no husband present and 53 0 were not families About 27 3 of all households were made up of individuals and 17 4 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 59 and the average family size was 3 06 In the city the population was distributed as 15 0 under the age of 18 48 9 from 18 to 24 21 2 from 25 to 44 13 2 from 45 to 64 and 9 3 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 22 8 years For every 100 females there were 87 3 males The median income for a household in the city was 37 850 and for a family was 53 642 The per capita income for the city was 16 992 About 11 5 of families and 31 8 of the population were below the poverty line including 19 6 of those under age 18 and 9 5 of those age 65 or over Politics editUnited States presidential election results for Harrisonburg Virginia 73 Year Republican Democratic Third partyNo No No 2020 5 591 32 72 11 022 64 51 473 2 77 2016 6 262 34 81 10 212 56 77 1 513 8 41 2012 6 565 42 10 8 654 55 50 374 2 40 2008 6 048 41 21 8 444 57 54 183 1 25 2004 6 165 55 89 4 726 42 85 139 1 26 2000 5 741 57 65 3 482 34 97 735 7 38 1996 4 945 55 33 3 346 37 44 646 7 23 1992 4 935 51 24 3 414 35 44 1 283 13 32 1988 5 376 64 86 2 799 33 77 113 1 36 1984 5 221 68 15 2 384 31 12 56 0 73 1980 3 388 58 45 1 896 32 71 512 8 83 1976 3 376 63 01 1 803 33 65 179 3 34 1972 3 626 77 26 992 21 14 75 1 60 1968 2 859 65 69 1 036 23 81 457 10 50 1964 1 820 50 70 1 765 49 16 5 0 14 1960 2 172 72 04 836 27 73 7 0 23 1956 2 265 78 29 571 19 74 57 1 97 1952 2 238 77 82 635 22 08 3 0 10 1948 1 377 58 55 751 31 93 224 9 52 1944 1 302 50 04 1 292 49 65 8 0 31 1940 1 000 40 31 1 462 58 93 19 0 77 1936 894 38 92 1 390 60 51 13 0 57 1932 665 39 30 995 58 81 32 1 89 1928 1 037 62 73 616 37 27 0 0 00 1924 631 49 69 624 49 13 15 1 18 1920 704 53 86 594 45 45 9 0 69 1916 319 47 61 346 51 64 5 0 75 Like most of the Shenandoah Valley Harrisonburg was among the first areas of Virginia where old line Southern Democrats began splitting their tickets The city went Republican at every presidential election from 1944 to 2004 In 2008 however Barack Obama carried the city by a margin of 16 percent slightly larger than the 14 point margin by which George W Bush carried it four years earlier The city has voted Democratic in every presidential election since then and has become one of the few Democratic mainstays in this more conservative part of Virginia In most elections it is one of the few areas west of Charlottesville carried by Democrats Government edit Head of the City Government in the 20th CenturyCity Manager Mayor Vice MayorTerm Name Term Name Party Term Name PartySep 1946 Aug 1948 74 Bernard DentonSep 1948 Aug 1950 74 Lawrence LoewnerSep 1950 Aug 1952 74 Sep 1952 Aug 1954 74 Sep 1954 Aug 1956 74 Walter Green Sep 1954 Aug 1956 75 Dan L Logan RSep 1956 Aug 1958 74 Frank C Switzer Sep 1956 Aug 1958 75 Sep 1958 Aug 1960 74 Sep 1958 Aug 1960 75 Sep 1960 Aug 1962 74 Sep 1960 Aug 1962 75 Sep 1962 Aug 1964 74 Sep 1962 Aug 1964 76 Sep 1964 Aug 1966 74 Sep 1966 Aug 1968 74 Jun 1966 77 Joseph Mintzer DSep 1968 Aug 1970 74 Roy Hjalmar Erickson R Sep 1968 Aug 1970 78 74 Royal Kincheloe1969 1974 Marvin B MilamSep 1970 Aug 1972 74 Sep 1970 Aug 1972 74 Edgar Warren Denton Jr Sep 1974 Aug 1976 79 Sep 1974 Aug 1976 79 Sep 1974 Aug 1976 79 Sep 1976 Aug 1978 80 Sep 1976 Aug 1978 80 Sep 1976 Aug 1978 80 Sep 1978 Aug 1980 81 Sep 1978 Aug 1980 81 Sep 1978 Aug 1980 81 Walter Franklin Green III Sep 1980 Aug 1982 82 Sep 1980 Aug 1982 82 83 Sep 1980 Aug 1982 82 83 Sep 1982 Jun 1984 Sep 1982 Jun 1983 Sep 1982 Jun 1983Jul 1983 Jun 1984 84 Walter Franklin Green III Jul 1983 Jun 1984 84 Raymond C Dingledine Jr Jul 1984 Jun 1986 85 Jul 1984 Jun 1986 85 Jul 1984 Jun 1986 85 Jul 1986 Jun 1988 86 Jul 1986 Jun 1988 86 Jul 1986 Jun 1988 86 Jul 1988 Jun 1990 87 Jul 1988 Jun 1990 87 Jul 1988 Jun 1990 87 Jul 1990 88 Sep 1991 Jul 1990 Jun 1992 88 Jul 1990 Jun 1992 88 Elon W RhodesOct 1991 Oct 1992 88 Roger D Baker acting Jul 1992 Jun 1994 89 C Robert Heath Jul 1992 Jun 1994 89 John N NeffNov 1992 Jun 1994 89 Steven E StewartJul 1994 90 1997 Jul 1994 Jun 1996 90 John N Neff Jul 1994 Jun 1996 90 Emily R DingledineJul 1996 Jun 1998 91 Rodney L Eagle I Jul 1996 Jun 1998 91 Hugh J Lantz R1997 Sep 2000Jul 1998 Jun 2000 92 Jul 1998 Jun 2000 92 City Manager Mayor Vice MayorTerm Name Term Name Party Term Name Party1997 Sep 2000 Steven E Stewart Jul 1998 Jun 2000 92 Rodney L Eagle I Jul 1998 Jun 2000 92 Hugh J Lantz RJul 2000 Jun 2002 93 Carolyn W Frank I Jul 2000 Jun 2002 93 Dorn W PetersonSep 2000 Jun 2004 94 Roger BakerJul 2002 Jun 2004 95 Joseph Gus Fitzgerald D Jul 2002 Jun 2004 95 Larry M Rogers DJul 2004 Jun 2007 96 97 Jul 2004 Jun 2006 96 Larry M Rogers D Jul 2004 Jun 2006 96 Rodney L Eagle IJul 2006 Dec 2008 98 Rodney L Eagle I Jul 2006 Dec 2008 98 George W PaceJul 2007 Dec 2010 99 Kurt D HodgenJan 2009 Dec 2010 100 Kai Degner D Jan 2009 Dec 2010 100 Richard A Baugh DJan 2011 Oct 31 2017 101 Jan 2011 2012 101 Richard A Baugh D Jan 2011 2012 101 Ted Byrd RJan 2013 Dec 2014 102 Ted Byrd R Jan 2013 Dec 2014 102 Charles R Chenault IJan 2015 Dec 2016 103 Christopher B Jones D Jan 2015 Dec 2016 74 Richard Baugh DJan 3 2017 Jan 1 2019 104 Deanna R Reed D Jan 3 2017 Jan 1 2019 105 Nov 1 2017 Jan 15 2018 106 Ande Banks acting Jan 16 2018 Dec 31 2021 107 Eric CampbellJan 2 2019 Jan 3 2021 108 Jan 2 2019 Jan 3 2021 108 Sal Romero DJan 4 2021 Jan 2 2023 109 Jan 4 2021 Jan 2 2023 109 Jan 01 2022 Jan 02 2023 1 Ande Banks acting Jan 03 2023 incumbent 110 Ande Banks Jan 3 2023 incumbent 110 Jan 3 2023 incumbent 110 Laura Dent DEducation editSchool systems edit Serving about 4 400 students K 12 Harrisonburg City Public Schools comprises six elementary schools two middle schools and a high school Eastern Mennonite School a private school serves grades K 12 with an enrollment of about 386 students 111 Higher education edit nbsp James Madison University is the largest higher education institution in Harrisonburg James Madison University public Eastern Mennonite University private Mennonite affiliated National College private for profit defunct American National University private for profit defunct High schools edit Harrisonburg High School Rocktown High School Under construction Middle schools edit Skyline Middle School Thomas Harrison Middle SchoolElementary schools edit Bluestone Elementary Smithland Elementary Spotswood Elementary Stone Spring Elementary Waterman Elementary W H Keister ElementaryOther schools edit Elon W Rhodes Early Learning Center Great Oak AcademyTechnical schools edit Massanutten Technical Center Massanutten Regional Governors SchoolPrivate schools edit Blue Ridge Christian School Eastern Mennonite School Redeemer Classical SchoolPoints of interest editHardesty Higgins House Visitor Center Edith J Carrier Arboretum Downtown Harrisonburg Harrisonburg s Old Post Office Mural Now US Bankruptcy Court Virginia Quilt Museum located downtown and dedicated to preserving celebrating and nurturing Virginia s quilting heritage The museum was established in 1995 and features a permanent collection of nearly 300 quilts a Civil War Gallery antique and toy sewing machines and rotating exhibits from across the United States 57 Heritage Oaks Golf CourseEvents editThe Alpine Loop Gran Fondo road cycling event hosted by professional cyclist Jeremiah Bishop starts and finishes in downtown Harrisonburg 112 The annual Harrisonburg International Festival celebrates international foods dance music and folk art 113 Valley Fourth Downtown Harrisonburg s Fourth of July celebrations that bring in over 12 000 people The festival includes a morning run food trucks beer and music garden kids area art market craft and clothing vendors and fireworks Christmas Holiday Parade dates vary Taste of Downtown food event yearly in March MACROCK an independent music conference held in the downtown area of Harrisonburg Virginia the first weekend of April annually since 1997 Skeleton Festival This event blends aspects of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos in a big community celebration Activities kick off with trick or treating at downtown businesses and culminate with a fun all ages party at the Turner Pavilion amp Park The festival features kid dog and adult costume contests face painting fire dancing food trucks live music a community ofrenda video art trunk or treating wacky shacks goober blobs and whisker biscuits www skeletonfestival com Rocktown Beer amp Music Festival This event is very well attended each Spring It features over 75 different beers and ciders The band lineup changes each year and food is supplied by some of the local downtown restaurants www rocktownfestival comSports editEastern Mennonite Royals NCAA Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference 2010 Division III Men s Basketball Elite 8 qualifiers 2004 Women s Basketball Sweet 16 qualifiers Harrisonburg Turks Valley Baseball League Harrisonburg Turks minor league baseball 1939 to 1941 Virginia League 1939 league champions James Madison Dukes NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Sun Belt Conference 1994 NCAA Division I Field Hockey National Champions 2004 NCAA Division I AA Football National Champions 2016 NCAA Division I Football Championship National Champions 2018 NCAA Division I Women s Lacrosse National ChampionsClimate editThe climate in this area is characterized by hot humid summers and generally cool to cold winters Harrisonburg has a humid subtropical climate Cfa on climate maps according to the Koppen climate classification but has four clearly defined seasons that vary significantly if not having brief changes from summer to winter 114 The USDA hardiness zone is 6b which means average minimum winter temperature of 5 to 0 F 21 to 18 C Notable people editBorn edit David Avison American photographer and physicist Brian Bocock former MLB player Pasco Bowman II Judge of the U S Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1983 1999 Nelson Chittum former MLB player James H Cravens U S Representative from Indiana 1841 1843 Clement Conger White House Curator 1970 1990 Dell Curry former NBA player father of NBA players Stephen Curry and Seth Curry Page Dunlap former LPGA Tour member and 1986 winner of the individual NCAA Division I Women s Golf Championship Dan Forest 34th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina 2013 2021 Brenan Hanifee MLB pitcher Alan Knicely former MLB player Tom Lough former modern pentathlete and competitor in the 1968 Summer Olympics 115 Old Crow Medicine Show Americana string band John Paul Jr U S Representative from Virginia 1922 1923 U S Attorney for the Western District of Virginia 1929 1932 Judge for the Western District of Virginia 1932 1958 whose school desegregation rulings set off Massive Resistance by Virginia officials Thomas F Riley Brigadier general in the Marine Corps later served as Orange County Supervisor 1974 1994 Jeremiah Sullivan Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court Kaitlyn Vincie Fox NASCAR reporter and NASCAR Race Hub presenter Happy the Man progressive rock bandRaised edit Samuel B Avis U S Representative from West Virginia 1913 1915 Charles B Gatewood United States Military Academy graduate and United States Army Lieutenant who convinced Chiricahua Apache leader Geronimo to surrender to the Army in 1886 John H Gibbons nuclear physicist Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy 1993 1998 William Conrad Gibbons historian and Vietnam War expert Akeem Jordan former NFL player Edgar Amos Love co founder of Omega Psi Phi fraternity John Otho Marsh Jr U S Representative from Virginia 1963 1971 Secretary of the Army 1981 1989 Bill Mims Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia 2010 2022 former Attorney General of Virginia 2009 2010 Ralph Sampson former NBA player Howard Stevens former NFL player Maggie Stiefvater bestselling young adult fiction author Josh Sundquist paralympian bestselling author and motivational speaker Kristi Toliver current WNBA player and NBA assistant coach Landon Turner current NFL player John Wade former NFL playerResident edit Jeremiah Bishop cross country mountain bike racer John T Judge Harris U S Representative from Virginia 1859 1861 1871 1881 Daryl Irvine former MLB player John R Jones brigadier general in Confederate States Army Gus Niarhos former MLB player Mark Obenshain Republican nominee in Virginia Attorney General Election of 2013 member of the Senate of Virginia 2004 present Charles Triplett Trip O Ferrall U S Representative for Virginia 1883 1894 42nd Governor of Virginia 1894 1898 John Birdsell Oren U S Coast Guard Rear admiral Sofia Samatar award winning writer 116 Howard Zehr pioneer of restorative justiceSee also editHarrisonburg Department of Public Transportation National Register of Historic Places listings in Harrisonburg Virginia Virginia Mennonite ConferenceReferences and notes edit a b Harrisonburg VA January 14 2022 City Manager search moves forward with selection of firm PDF City of Harrisonburg Press Release Retrieved April 3 2022 Mayor Deanna R Reed City of Harrisonburg VA December 27 2016 Council Member Monica Robinson City of Harrisonburg VA January 5 2023 Retrieved May 4 2023 Council Member Dany Fleming City of Harrisonburg VA January 5 2023 Retrieved May 4 2023 City Council City of Harrisonburg VA Harrisonburgva gov August 24 2017 Retrieved September 30 2017 2019 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved August 7 2020 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 Harrisonburg Populated Place Geographic Names Information System USGS Retrieved May 8 2008 Find a County National Association of Counties Retrieved June 7 2011 Harrisonburg city Harrisonburg city Virginia United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 30 2022 Table 1 Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas April 1 2010 to July 1 2011 2011 Population Estimates United States Census Bureau Population Division April 20 2009 Archived from the original CSV on April 27 2012 Retrieved June 4 2012 JMU Facts amp Figures James Madison University Retrieved September 15 2015 JMU Historical Timeline JMU Centennial Office Retrieved December 5 2006 Schum Guy February 14 2012 The Plain People Virginialiving com Retrieved September 30 2017 a b Where Did Those We re Glad You re Our Neighbor Signs Come From WAMU org Retrieved September 30 2017 USA April 1 2000 Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends Pewhispanic org Archived from the original on September 30 2017 Retrieved September 30 2017 ESL Students in HCPS Harrisonburg k12 va us Archived from the original on June 1 2017 Retrieved September 30 2017 Harrisonburg City Schools English as a Second Language Harrisonburg k12 va us Archived from the original on June 1 2017 Retrieved September 30 2017 Rosetta Stone History Rosettastone com Retrieved September 30 2017 Kane Joseph Nathan Aiken Charles Curry 2004 The American Counties Scarecrow Press p 130 ISBN 0 8108 5036 2 Harrison J Houston 1935 Settlers by the Long Grey Trail J K Ruebush p 214 249 Julian Smith 2007 Moon Virginia p 246 A Brief History of Harrisonburg Harrisonburgva gov Retrieved September 30 2017 Government Structure of Harrisonburg Harrisonburgva gov April 8 2016 Retrieved September 30 2017 Historic Growth Map PDF Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Stephens City Virginia was also called Newtown at this time a b Hagi Randi B February 11 2020 The Legacy of Harrisonburg s Urban Renewal www wmra org Retrieved April 29 2020 Welcome landing page Celebrating Simms The story of the Lucy F Simms School James Madison University amp the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Center in association with Billo Harper Retrieved January 29 2019 a b c Hagi Randi B February 12 2020 The Role of Race and Money in Harrisonburg s Urban Renewal www wmra org Retrieved April 29 2020 a b Remembering Project R4 Eightyone info Archived from the original on January 16 2009 Retrieved September 30 2017 projects r 4 and r 16 Shenandoah Living Archive Prototype Archived from the original on June 14 2020 Retrieved April 29 2020 Harrisonburg s Urban Renewal Projects R4 amp R16 Learn Share Illuminate Retrieved April 29 2020 A Guide to the Harrisonburg Redevelopment amp Housing Authority Photographs 1960 1987 SC 0235 Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority Photographs 1960 1987 SC 0235 Special Collections Carrier Library James Madison University Harrisonburg VA https ead lib virginia edu vivaxtf view docId jmu vihart00185 xml a b c Mapping African American Life in Harrisonburg public imaginingamerica org Retrieved April 29 2020 First Baptist History firstbaptisthbgva org Retrieved April 29 2020 Newtown Cemetery National Register of Historic Places Registration Form PDF December 20 2014 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Home Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Bolsinger Andrew Scot October 28 2002 Downtown Daily News Record Harrisonburg VA Retrieved July 3 2009 Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District Virginia Main Street Community A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary National Park Service Retrieved July 3 2009 Creswell Kelly August 14 2007 Harrisonburg Streetscape WHSV TV 3 Gray Television Inc Archived from the original on July 16 2011 Retrieved July 3 2009 The Virginia Breeze Bus from Blacksburg to Washington DC The Virginia Breeze Bus from Blacksburg to Washington DC DRPT Retrieved January 20 2020 Awards and Recognitions City of Harrisonburg VA July 10 2013 Retrieved October 27 2016 America s Favorite Towns Travel Leisure Retrieved October 27 2016 The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid The Winning 25 Page 3 of 6 Backpacker Backpacker July 1 2009 Retrieved October 27 2016 The Top 61 Happiest Mountain Towns in the Blue Ridge BlueRidgeCountry com Retrieved October 27 2016 Hellman Reed August 14 2017 Farm to table means just that in Virginia s first Culinary District Recreation News Retrieved January 29 2019 Annual Events Downtown Harrisonburg Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Retrieved January 29 2019 Taste of Downtown Downtown Harrisonburg Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Archived from the original on January 29 2019 Retrieved January 29 2019 Main Street vibe Harrisonburg VA Friendly by Nature Harrisonburg Tourism Retrieved January 29 2019 SCCF OUT amp ABOUT LARKIN ARTS HARRISONBURG Staunton Creative Community Fund September 17 2012 Archived from the original on April 14 2014 Retrieved April 13 2014 Stacy Sarah Larkin Arts hosts second annual juried art show DNR Harrisonburg Archived from the original on April 13 2014 2014 Open Engagement Program Open Engagement Jenner Andrew Visiting With the Old Furnace Artist Residency Old South High Old South High Archived from the original on July 29 2014 Retrieved April 30 2014 Jenkins Jermiah Lurid Pictures Super Gr8 Film Fest Awesome Harrisonburg Old South High Archived from the original on June 29 2014 Retrieved July 29 2014 About Us Arts Council of the Valley Archived from the original on April 16 2014 Retrieved April 13 2014 Home OASIS Fine Art amp Craft Oasisfineartandcraft org Retrieved September 30 2017 a b Virginia Quilt Museum VQM 115 0008 The Harrison House formerly the Thomas Harrison House www dhr virginia gov Thomas Harrison House City of Harrisonburg VA May 1 2017 a b Hardesty Higgins House Visitor Center Visit Harrisonburg Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley January 7 2019 Story Map Tour harrisonburg maps arcgis com a b 115 0187 Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District www dhr virginia gov National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 US Gazetteer files 2010 2000 and 1990 United States Census Bureau February 12 2011 Retrieved April 23 2011 a b Ii Thomas M Gathright Frischmann Peter S 1986 Geology of the Harrisonburg and Bridgewater quadrangles Virginia Vol 60 Charlottesville VA Commonwealth of Virginia Dept of Mines Minerals and Energy Division of Mineral Resources Census of Population and Housing from 1790 2000 US Census Bureau Retrieved January 24 2022 Historical Census Browser University of Virginia Library Retrieved January 6 2014 Population of Counties by Decennial Census 1900 to 1990 United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 6 2014 Census 2000 PHC T 4 Ranking Tables for Counties 1990 and 2000 PDF United States Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved January 6 2014 a b P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2010 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 Harrisonburg city Virginia United States Census Bureau a b P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2020 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 Harrisonburg city Virginia United States Census Bureau U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved April 30 2016 David Leip Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections Uselectionatlas org Retrieved December 8 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Previous Council Members PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c d The News Leader from Staunton Virginia on September 2 1960 2 Newspapers com September 2 1960 Retrieved August 1 2021 Harrisonburg Daily News Record Archives Nov 13 1964 p 1 NewspaperArchive com November 13 1964 Retrieved August 1 2021 Harrisonburg Daily News Record Archives Jun 15 1966 p 1 NewspaperArchive com June 15 1966 Retrieved August 1 2021 Virginia Harrisonburg January 7 2013 1969 City Council retrieved August 1 2021 a b c 09 03 1974 PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia September 3 1974 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1976 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 13 1976 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1978 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 3 1978 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1980 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 8 1980 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b 1982 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 12 1982 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b 1983 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 1 1983 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1984 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 10 1984 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1986 City Council Minutes January to December PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 14 1986 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1988 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 12 1988 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c d 1990 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 9 1990 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1992 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 14 1992 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c 1994 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 11 1994 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b 1996 City Council Minutes Jan to Dec PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 23 1996 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c d REORGANIZATION MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia July 1 1998 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b REORGANIZATION MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia July 1 2000 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 REGULAR MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia September 12 2000 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b MINUTES REORGANIZATION MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia July 1 2002 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c REORGANIZATION MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia July 1 2004 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 REGULAR MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia June 26 2007 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b REGULAR MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia July 11 2006 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 REGULAR MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia July 10 2007 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b REORGANIZATION MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 2 2009 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b c REORGANIZATION MEETING PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia January 3 2011 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 a b Special Meeting PDF The City of Harrisonburg Virginia February 10 2014 Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved August 8 2022 Breeze Mike Dolzer The January 11 2016 From Wilson Hall to City Hall An inside look at JMU alumnus Mayor Chris Jones The Breeze Retrieved June 20 2021 About Deanna Reed for Harrisonburg City Council Archived from the original on June 24 2021 Retrieved June 20 2021 Kline Jared January 3 2017 Harrisonburg council chooses new mayor approves protocol change www whsv com Retrieved June 20 2021 Banks Named Acting Harrisonburg City Manager WSVA News Talk Radio Retrieved April 3 2022 City Manager Eric Campbell Harrisonburgva gov August 24 2017 Retrieved September 30 2017 a b Breeze Jamie McEachin The January 29 2019 Historic mayor vice mayor pair highlight city s diversity The Breeze Retrieved June 20 2021 a b Newsroom WHSV January 4 2021 Harrisonburg re elects Mayor Deanna Reed Vice Mayor Sal Romero www whsv com Retrieved June 20 2021 a b c Deanna Reed remains mayor and Laura Dent becomes vice mayor making more history for a historic council The Harrisonburg Citizen January 3 2023 Retrieved May 4 2023 Eastern Mennonite School profile Archived July 28 2013 at the Wayback Machine Alpine Loop Gran Fondo Retrieved February 6 2014 Harrisonburg International Festival Archived from the original on July 29 2016 Retrieved February 6 2014 Climate Summary for Harrisonburg Virginia Weatherbase com Retrieved September 30 2017 Tom Lough Olympic Results sports reference com Archived from the original on December 13 2012 Retrieved August 18 2012 Samatar Sofia 2018 From The White Mosque Archived January 17 2019 at the Wayback Machine CMW Journal vol 10 no 4 Retrieved 2019 16 01 External links edit nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Harrisonburg nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harrisonburg Virginia City of Harrisonburg personal statement writing Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harrisonburg Virginia amp 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