Explore Nearby Museums
 Updated: 8/28/2012 
Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
Dayton, Virginia
Description
Here we tell the story from the Indians to Contemporary Industry.

"Invincible Spirit: History in the Heart of the Shenandoah " tells the history of Rockingham County and Harrisonburg from pre-Columbus times through the present. Here, you can learn which Native American groups utilized the Valley, understand the local impact of our nation's wars, explore a pioneer toolshed, discover what industries fed the pre-Civil War economy, and appreciate the new diversity of our community. And, don't miss the sixteen-foot neon pencil that formerly 'pointed' the way to Service Stationers on Market Street for years. You can pay that old friend - bright as ever - a visit right here at the Heritage Museum.

A Display of Artifacts unique to Rockingham County.

"The Art of Tradition" is the permanent exhibition of Shenandoah Valley Folk Art at the Heritage Museum, offering an introduction to a variety of objects that all reflect traditional decorations and forms found in the region. The items in this exhibition are utilitarian, with the decorative qualities of folk art. This ornamentation may take the form of painted designs or simply an attractive shape and often reflects the ethnicity and religious background of the groups who originally settled the Valley--Germans and Scots-Irish. A wide range of material is represented, including pottery, quilts, furniture, frakturs, wrought iron, elaborate longrifles and hand-woven baskets. Come and see what our ancestors developed.

President Lincoln's Rockingham Roots

Opening on the birthday of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, this exhibit tells the story of Lincoln’s ancestors in the Shenandoah Valley. This exhibit changes several times a year.

An historic house exhibiting early furniture and household items

The original farmstead consisted of the house, a log barn, log smokehouse, log springhouse, and other outbuildings on 10 acres. The present log rear section was built about 1811. The front brick part was built about 1840. This house contains architectural features which show a German influence. Particularly the roof subtructure. Shannon Trumbo, an attorney who grew up in the house that his grandmother, Sarah Cromer, purchased in 1889, gifted the home to the Society. The house contains the Mary Spitzer - Etter collection of Victorian and early twentieth century household items, toys, and decorative arts.

Artifact Collections

The museum collection includes a large number local artifacts. Many are stored for preservation. The Collection is available for viewing on the HRHS museum software at the Society.

Research Collections
A Decade of data collection.

For many, many years, HRHS has manually entered name information into various databases. From a variety of historical sources, names and key events of individuals continue to be indexed to make a search for a relative or ancestor easier to find.

These names and the source are also compiled into a master database to facilitate lookup. When a name is found, the source of the material is referenced for detailed information. This 'master' database is located on the Genealogy library computer.

Library

Many of these sources have been entered into the Family Search Database that is availble in the library. This database contains about 500,000 records. This database is available on line; it lists names, events (marriage, death, etc.) and where the source of information exists in the HRHS library.

The personal papers of local historians and genealogists are available for study. For instance, the correspondence and notes of Flavia Converse may be called for in the library.

The Rockingham County Courthouse in Harrisonburg has many original legal documents, including the "burnt records" that were partially burned during the Civil War. Copies of many of these are in the HRHS library.

Access:

Appointment required: False

Services
Gift Shop
Online Gift Shop
Street Address
382 High Street
Dayton, VA 22821
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 716
Dayton, VA 22821
phone: 540-879-2616
e-mail: heritage@heritagecenter.com
home page: www.heritagecenter.com
Report Incorrect Data
Submit Events
Hours of Operation
April thru November (call to confirm)
Tuesday - Saturday10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday1 PM - 5 PM
Mondayclosed

Monday: Closed ( Genealogy Research by appointment ): Also closed most holidays

Rest of Year
Tuesday - Saturday10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday - Mondayclosed

Monday: Closed ( Genealogy Research by appointment ): Also closed most holidays

Admission
Museum Type(s)
Archaeology
Art
Culture
General
History
Historic House
Historical Society
Library
Military
Specialized
Staff
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

March 11 - 14, 2025

Knoxville, Tennessee

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

Tuesday, March 11 - Friday, March 14, 2025

Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, Tennessee

Hosted by: Tennessee Association of Museums

Tennessee museums are full of hope. But how are they turning hope into reality

With the Semiquincentennial quickly approaching in 2026, the state's museum community if approaching a turning point, and is now a great time to take stock and develop a vision for the future

The Tennessee Association of Museums' 64th Annual Conference in Knoxville will challenge the state's museums to think ahead and share their hopes, the best practices and strategies for turning those hoes into realities, and the rewards that come from aspirational thinking

The 2025 TAM Annual Conference will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN.

For more information, please call 615-495-3354 or email hawkins@aaslh.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

view all conferences
RECENT UPDATES

Museums

03/12 Boca Raton Museum of Art

Boca Raton, Florida

03/12 Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

Clewiston, Florida

03/12 Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

Naples, Florida

03/10 The Sherman Museum

Sherman, Texas

Museum Associations

03/05 Florida Association of Museums

Tallahassee, Florida