JMU Special Collections

08/20/2026

It's late August again in Harrisonburg. First-year students begin moving into their residence halls tomorrow. Upperclassmen are in town and moving into their off-campus apartments and houses. Classes begin Wednesday. So now seems like a perfect time to announce our inaugural exhibition in the newly renovated Carrier Library - "Won't You Be My Neighbor?": Town and Gown in the Friendly City.

"Won't You Be My Neighbor?" explores the historic and present-day town-gown relationship between JMU, Harrisonburg, and the surrounding community. Drawing on primary source material (photographs, correspondence, official university records, newspapers, audio recordings, oral histories, and printed ephemera), the exhibit examines the community's response to the school's establishment and early town-gown interactions, changing physical and social landscapes, community service and philanthropy, and ongoing efforts to build mutual trust.

The physical exhibit will be on display until May 2027 on the 2nd floor of Carrier Library (Distinctive Collections Exhibition Space). We also encourage folks to explore the digital version of the exhibit: https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/jmu-town-and-gown/.

08/03/2026

06/18/2026

05/27/2026

The recently acquired Charles T. Smith Photographs (https://aspace.lib.jmu.edu/repositories/4/resources/807) is one of hundreds of collections that will soon be available for research when the renovated Carrier Library reopens in August. The collection comprises original and reproduction photographs, vernacular photograph albums, postcards, and photo enlargements documenting the eastern and southeastern sections of Rockingham County including Cross Keys, McGaheysville, Port Republic, Penn Laird, Pineville, and Elkton. Other areas documented include Harrisonburg, Shenandoah, and Charlottesville. The photographs, including historic and contemporary images, were collected and taken by Charles T. Smith (1932-2024) of Cross Keys, Virginia.

1. Lloyd’s Steak House, S. Main St. Harrisonburg
2. R. S. Monger & Sons, Chesapeake Ave. Harrisonburg
3. Daily News-Record Building, S. Liberty St., Harrisonburg
4. Weyers Cave Depot
5. Future site of new Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Rockingham County
6. - 8. Photograph album documenting the 1996 flooding from Hurricane Fran, Elkton

04/20/2026

Calling all locals! Please help us identify this building. These photographs are part of several lots of photos we recently acquired that document the Cross Keys/Port Republic/Mill Creek area of Rockingham County. Most photos were labeled or we were able to identify them ourselves, but this one is stumping us. Any ideas?