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BHistory
History · Radford

Radford dates to 1887, and 9 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 62% of U.S. towns · #67 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it

Most of Radford was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. 9 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 399 buildings between them. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1891 on, and the census since 1890.

1887founded
9on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
7old photos & papers
18famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Radford’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Radford began

When was Radford founded?

1887

Radford dates its founding to 1887 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 2,060 in 18902020 census: 16,070139 years

How historic is Radford?

B

More historic than 62% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1891.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Radford’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Radford is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns, #67 of 253 in Virginia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Radford’s overall grade.
Founding era1887, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19409.5% of homes (±2.4) · typical VA town 1.9% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register9 listings, 410 historic buildings, 245 per 10,000 residents · typical VA town 3.6 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 62%
NewerOlder
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 74%

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 Radford’s 245 sits above most of its state (81% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 410 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.4 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1887.

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 Radford’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe East Radford Historic District takes in 300 historic buildings.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Radford, and 18 old place names are still on the map.Mapped building by building6 fire insurance maps, 1891 to 1920, drew every building in Radford.Landmarks on the Register9 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

9 listings protect 410 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
9
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
410
each building in a district counts
first listed
1969
Ingles Ferry
Ingles FerryHarvey HouseLa RiviereHalwyckEast Radford Historic DistrictGlencoeArnheimStonega Historic DistrictWest Radford Commercial Historic District
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Queen Anne4
Colonial Revival1
Bungalow/Craftsman1
Tudor Revival1
T-Plan1
Four-Square1
Ingles FerryBuilding
Harvey HouseQueen Anne
La RiviereQueen Anne
HalwyckQueen Anne
East Radford Historic DistrictQueen Anne
GlencoeSecond Empire
ArnheimFederal Revival
Stonega Historic DistrictLate 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals
All 9 listings
West Radford Commercial Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2005

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Another post office, East Radford, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Belle HethCedar ValleyCollege ParkEast RadfordForest ParkGrandview HeightsHaven HeightsHickory HillsHighland HillsMill VillageMonroe TerraceNew TownRadford VillageRidgefieldSimpkins VillageSmithfieldSunset VillageWillow Woods
Gone or out of use
Ingles Ferrycrossing
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Radford
CentralRock RoadWest View

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Every building

Radford, building by building, 1891–1920

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.

Radford fire insurance map, 1891, sheet 11891Sheet 1 of 6
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

The story

How Radford came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Radford.

Read it all →

Radford was named for Dr. John B. Radford. Dr. Radford's home Arnheim was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. Radford was originally a small village of people that gathered near the New River, which was a major draw to travelers for fresh water and food while traveling west. The town's population grew rapidly after 1854 when the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was built nearby. A large depot was placed at Lovely Mount because of its strategic positioning between the eastern and western parts of the state. The actual station was not on Lovely Mountain, located on the southwestern side of town, but Lovely Mount was a known mountain and naming the station this would help people to remember the location of the depot. The Railroad Depot caused the population of Radford to boom. It also caused a major increase in the amount of trade and business in the area. Radford be…

ChaptersGlencoe Museum

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Radford, 1850 to 1977

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1850In the archiveJohn Blair
  3. 1887
    FoundingRadford is established
  4. 1891Post officeThe East Radford post office opens
  5. 1895Born hereElizabeth Kee is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1920In the archiveRadford General Hospital, East Radford, Va
  8. 1923Born hereRichard Harding Poff is born here
  9. 1938Post officeThe East Radford post office closes
  10. 1940In the archiveRadford, Virginia
  11. 1950On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 1964Born hereJ. Michael Mendel is born here
  13. 1977Born hereShayne Graham is born here
By decade

Radford, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s1 item
John Blair1850sJohn Blair
1920s–1940s6 items
Radford General Hospital, East Radford, Va1920Radford General Hospital, East Radford, VaRadford, Virginia1940Radford, VirginiaRadford, Virginia1940Radford, VirginiaChristmas shopping. Radford, Virginia1940Christmas shopping. Radford, VirginiaRooming houses. Radford, Virginia1940Rooming houses. Radford, VirginiaSunday afternoon. Radford, Virginia1940Sunday afternoon. Radford, Virginia
1950s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Today11 recent
Historical Marker at Ingles Ferry2024Historical Marker at Ingles FerryAdams Cave Sign in2021Adams Cave Sign inRadford, Virginia - panoramio (2)2016Radford, Virginia - panoramio (2)Lawrence Street2016Lawrence StreetGrove Avenue2016Grove AvenueFourth Ave2016Fourth AveCemetary - panoramio (1)2016Cemetary - panoramio (1)Bisset Park from the Bridge2016Bisset Park from the BridgeB-01, VA, USA2016B-01, VA, USAEnd Of Day2013End Of DayRadford Foundry2010Radford Foundry
On the map

Radford on the map, 1950 to 1998

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Radford. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Radford on the 1950 USGS mapRadford on the 1965 USGS mapRadford on the 1970 USGS mapRadford on the 1984 USGS mapRadford on the 1998 USGS map1950Radford sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Radford.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

John Blair
Retake this viewJohn Blair, 1850s

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Radford’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Radford, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,00018,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 16,408

Between 2,060 and 16,408 people in every census since 1890.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Radford’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

18 famous people were born in Radford

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
S
Shayne GrahamPlayer of American football · b. 1977
Elizabeth KeeAmerican politician · b. 1895
J. Michael MendelAmerican television producer · b. 1964
Richard Harding PoffAmerican politician and judge · b. 1923
Beth McCannAmerican politician · b. 1949
Gary ClarkAmerican football player · b. 1962
Help out

Finish Radford’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewJohn Blair: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Plum CreekIts storyC−Fairlawn1 historic placeC

Questions about Radford’s history

What year was Radford founded?

In 1887, according to Wikidata. Radford’s post office opened in 1891, and the census of 1890 counted 2,060 people here.

How does Radford rank for history?

Radford is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns, #67 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 Radford?

9 listings: 6 buildings, among them the Ingles Ferry (listed 1969, the first), and 3 historic districts, the East Radford Historic District, the Stonega Historic District and the West Radford Commercial Historic District, with 399 contributing buildings. 410 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Radford?

10% of Radford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1976.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (12), the Library of Congress (6), the National Register of Historic Places (9), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), 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.