Timeline of Roanoke, Virginia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Roanoke, Virginia, United States.
| History of Virginia |
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- 1835 - Town of Gainesborough incorporated.[1]
- 1838 - Roanoke County created.[2]
- 1852 - Big Lick Depot built near Gainesborough; Virginia & Tennessee Railroad begins operating.[3]
- 1865 - April: Big Lick settlement sacked by Federal forces during American Civil War.[3]
- 1870 - Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad begins operating.
- 1874
- 1878 - Big Lick News begins publication.[5]
- 1882
- Big Lick and Old Lick renamed "Roanoke".[4]
- Roanoke Machine Works in business.[6]
- Population: 5,276.[6]
- 1883 - YMCA branch founded.[7]
- 1884 - City of Roanoke incorporated.[8]
- 1885 - Municipal market established.[5]
- 1886 - Roanoke Daily Times newspaper begins publication.[9]
- 1889 - Evening World newspaper begins publication.[9]
- 1890
- Roanoke Hospital founded.[7]
- Population: 16,159.
- 1891 - Roanoke Weekly Press newspaper begins publication.[10]
- 1893 - September 20: "Lynch riot" occurs.[3][10]
20th century
- 1902 - Beth Israel congregation formed.[11]
- 1903 - Agricultural "Great Roanoke Fair" begins.[6]
- 1904 - Chamber of Commerce founded.[6]
- 1906 - Virginian Railway begins operating.[5]
- 1910
- City Health Department established.[7]
- Mill Mountain Incline (funicular) begins operating.[5]
- Population: 34,874.
- 1911 - Roanoke Theatre in business.[12]
- 1913 - Bijou Theatre in business.[12]
- 1914 - YWCA branch founded.[7]
- 1919 - "Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court" established.[7]
- 1920 - Population: 50,842.[7]
- 1921
- Public Library opens.[5]
- Ku Klux Klan branch active (approximate date).[13][chronology citation needed]
- 1924 - WDBJ radio begins broadcasting.[14]
- 1925 - Patrick Henry Hotel in business.
- 1926 - Memorial Bridge opens.
- 1930 - Big Lick Garden Club formed.[5]
- 1933 - Roanoke Municipal Airport begins operating.
- 1936 - First Dr. Pepper plant east of the Mississippi River opened by John William "Bill" Davis; Roanoke soon becomes the Dr. Pepper Capitol of the World [15]
- 1939 - Roanoke Tribune newspaper begins publication.
- 1950 - Population: 91,921.
- 1952
- WSLS-TV (television) begins broadcasting.[16]
- Mill Mountain Zoo established.[17]
- 1955 - WDBJ-TV (television) begins broadcasting.[16]
- 1957 - Roanoke Historical Society founded.[18]
- 1959 - Temple Emanuel Synagogue built.[11]
- 1966 - Virginia Western Community College established.
- 1976 - Portion of Roanoke County becomes part of city.[4]
- 1980 - Population: 100,220.
- 1985 - Valley View Mall in business.
- 1992 - David A. Bowers becomes mayor.[19]
- 1993 - Bob Goodlatte becomes U.S. representative for Virginia's 6th congressional district.[20]
- 2000 - City website online (approximate date).[21]
21st century
- 2004 - O. Winston Link Museum opens.
- 2010 - Population: 97,032.[22]
- 2016
- October 25: FreightCar America shooting occurs.
- Sherman P. Lea becomes mayor.[19]
- 2020 - The Norfolk Southern locomotive shops cease production in Roanoke after 139 years of operations.[23]
