Harrisonburg dates to 1779, and 15 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 77% of U.S. towns · #44 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Most of Harrisonburg was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1987. 15 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 395 buildings between them. Below: 17 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1860.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Harrisonburg is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #44 of 253 in Virginia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Harrisonburg’s overall grade.
Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Virginia town has 3.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Harrisonburg’s 79.4 sits above most of its state (71% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 408 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1779.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share (±1.3 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Harrisonburg’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
Harrisonburg, building by building, 1886–1924
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
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 and member of the Harrison family of Virginia. 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.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1779, according to Wikidata. the census of 1860 counted 1,023 people here.
How does Harrisonburg rank for history?
Harrisonburg is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #44 of 253 in Virginia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Harrisonburg?
15 listings: 10 buildings, among them the Thomas Harrison House (listed 1973, the first), 3 historic districts, the Old Town Historic District, the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District and the Bethel AME Church and Dallard-Newman House Historic District, with 395 contributing buildings, 1 site, and 1 object. 408 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Harrisonburg?
8% of Harrisonburg’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.3 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1987.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (13), the Library of Congress (8), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (15), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1907
1907
1907
1930s
1930s
1930s
1933
1941
1941
1941
1941
1941
2004
2003
2003
2002
