Uncategorized – Gathering Blacksburg History

VPI Chapel and Library

In 1909, Virginia Tech built its campus chapel, later repurposed as the university library in 1914. The building burned on August 31, 1953, while being dismantled to make way for the new library, later named for Carol Montgomery Newman, longtime English professor and dean of the Academic Department. Standing on the site of today’s Newman Library, the old chapel was empty at the time—its books safely relocated weeks earlier.

Baker Family of Blacksburg 1888

According to Virginia and Virginians – Eminent Virginians, Montgomery County, 1606-1888, by Dr. R.A. Brock, Society of the Virginia Historical Society Edward Baker Thompson Baker

German Settlement of Southwest Virginia

The German Middle Settlement—spanning present-day Pulaski, Giles, and Montgomery Counties—has a rich, well-documented history. This page gathers books and resources that highlight the families, traditions, and stories that shaped the community and its lasting impact on Southwest Virginia.

Leadership at Virginia Tech and Its Impact on Blacksburg’s History

The history of the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia, is deeply connected to the evolution of Virginia’s land-grant university. Founded as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (VAMC), the institution later became Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University—now known simply as Virginia Tech. A school of many abbreviations: VPI, VPI&SU and now VT). The university’s growth,Continue reading “Leadership at Virginia Tech and Its Impact on Blacksburg’s History”

Shopping in Blacksburg: Western Auto Store

The Western Auto Store in Blacksburg stood on the east side of North Main Street, between College Avenue and Jackson Street, with another location in Christiansburg. After World War II, it became a vital resource for the community, much like the Sears Catalog store. Each year before Christmas, children excitedly studied the toy catalog, theirContinue reading “Shopping in Blacksburg: Western Auto Store”

Sunnyside-Toms Creek Memorial Park, 2001

Sunnyside – Toms Creek Memorial Park is located on Glade Road, next to Fairview Community Church, 3766 Glade Road, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24060. Sunnyside-Toms Creek Veterans Association Memorial A Brief History of Our Memorial On a sunny afternoon in September, approximately 500 residents and friends of the Sunnyside and Toms Creek communities gathered to dedicate aContinue reading “Sunnyside-Toms Creek Memorial Park, 2001”