Adminstrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Roanoke, Virginia Scrapbook must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Roanoke, Virginia Scrapbook, Ms1932-001, Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Roanoke, Virginia Scrapbook was acquired by Newman Library prior to 1933.

Processing Information

The processing and description of the Roanoke, Virginia Scrapbook commenced and was completed in February, 2011.

Historical Note

The city now known as Roanoke was founded as the town of Big Lick in 1852 and chartered under that name in 1874. Growth of the community was spurred when it became the the site of the Norfolk & Western Railway's junction with the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. Big Lick grew with the success of the railroad; the town's name was changed to Roanoke in 1882, and it was chartered as an independent city in 1884. By 1930, the city's population had reached sixty-nine thousand; by 2000, the population of Roanoke had reached ninety-six thousand.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of a single scrapbook, apparently compiled by officials of the city of Roanoke to promote Roanoke as the site of a proposed new Veterans Administration hospital in Southwest Virginia. The scrapbook, bearing the title "Roanoke, Virginia: Exhibits," describes the city's cultural, social, and economic advantages through descriptive essays, photographs, city reports, maps, and ephemera. It is divided into the following sections: Transportation, Climate, History and geography, Population, [Living conditions], Recreational facilities, Sanitation, [Costs], Hotels, Social services, Medical and hospital inventory, [City services], Utilities, [Schools and churches], and Locations. Among the printed materials assembled for the scrapbook are railroad timetables, restaurant menus, travel brochures, a VPI vs. VMI football program, a Roanoke College catalog, and the city's annual report and comprehensive plan. Photographs within the scrapbook include images of hotels, hospitals, parks, a theater, and other city scenes.

Index Terms

Geographical Names:

• Roanoke (Va.)

Subjects:

• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South