Unsung Hero – Rocktown History Research Library

The research library is the unsung hero of Rocktown History. The volume of data that has been captured by volunteers over the decades is extraordinary. Databases of birth, marriage, and death dates, etc., etc.

While the essence of the resources support genealogy, the library is a treasure for local history research, too. It is not unusual for Daily News-Record or WSVA reporters to call and request information (usually with the fast-paced deadlines of newsrooms).

Last week, DNR reporter Ian Munro came to investigate the history of the Haas House at S. Main and Grace Streets. His article stirred up conversation, including outrage, which lead to phone calls from concerned citizens. The story caught the attention of TV3. As part of a crazy week, I made time for a quick interview with the news station.

Agreeing to the interview meant preparing for the interview. I scoured newspaper archives for information on the efforts to save the Morrison House, which ultimately failed. [1970 offered to the then Rockingham Historical Society under condition that RHS would move the house. For about 12 years, efforts to save the house ebbed and flowed. It was demolished in 1982, and the site is now a parking lot.]

Yesterday, I was perusing the Archives in search of social media inspiration. Serendipitously, I found this photo among HRHS-177.

Sometimes the stars are standing in the wings. The focus of this photo is certainly the Anthony Seeger Campus School musicians standing on the lawn, c1968.

But don’t forget to look beyond the main event in photos. The background here shows a tree-lined landscape along Harrisonburg’s S. Main Street, including the recent local celebrity, the Haas House, which stands no more.