City of Roanoke, from the overlook at Mill Mountain
City of Roanoke, from the overlook at Mill Mountain
Roanoke was originally known as Big Lick, due to the salt in the natural springs that attracted animals in the colonial era. Dr. Thomas Walker visited it in 1750, on the way to crossing Cumberland Gap:1
Big Lick in 1859, on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Source: Library of Congress, A map of the state of Virginia (by Lewis Von Buchholtz, L. V., Herman Böÿe, Benjamin Tanner, 1859)
The town of Roanoke was chartered by the General Assembly on February 3, 1882. The railroad junction linking the Shenandoah Valley Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was completed on June 18, 1882. To maintain the coal trains going to and from Norfolk, the railroad built the Roanoke Shops. The high pay for skilled workers and steady employment opportunities attracted people.
Roanoke became known as the Magic City because it was "the fastest growing urban area in the South from 1880 to 1890."2
three sets of Norfolk and Western tracks converged in Roanoke
Source: ESRI, ArcGIS Online
When Roanoke celebrated its tenth anniversary, local officials made clear how significant they considered the railroad's decision on where to build the connection to the creation of the town, by holding the event on June 18, 1892.3
the Roanoke area has a rich history, though the city was not created until 1882
Source: Wordcloud from Roanoke Virginia's Rich History
in 1937, "redlining" by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation restricted mortgage financing in neighborhoods with a significant percentage of non-white residents
Source: University of Richmond, Mapping Inequality- Redlining in New Deal America
downtown Roanoke in 1951
Source: National Archives, Looking South Along Jefferson Street from Opposite N&W Railroad Office, Roanoke, Virginia (March 30, 1951)
Big Lick station on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad, 1856
Source: Library of Congress, W.W. Blackford map, Map & profile of the Virginia & Tennessee Rail Road
 Taubman Art Museum |
 why it is called the Blue Ridge |
 downtown Roanoke |
 downtown - from rail to museums |
 Norfolk and Western office buildings |
 City Market (2008, before restoration) |
 Center in the Square (2008) |
 Roanoke was an industrial center |
(click on images for larger pictures) | |||
downtown Roanoke fire station on Church Street
rehab project in downtown Roanoke
murals in downtown Roanoke
transit in downtown Roanoke
the 21-story Dominion Tower (now Wells Fargo Tower) was completed in 1991
the 12-story building now occupied by American National was completed in 1927
the Amtrak platform in Roanoke
Roanoke Machine Works in 1891
Source: Library of Congress, Perspective map of the city of Roanoke, Va. 1891
original Hotel Roanoke in 1891, overlooking Norfolk and Western train depot
Source: Library of Congress, Perspective map of the city of Roanoke, Va. 1891
