Christiansburg, Virginia: Small Town America at Its Finest

Author – Roy W. Kanode

Second Printing

Christiansburg is rich in history – from the early pioneers who struggled against great hardships to make this town a better place – to our community leaders just a few years ago. These men and women worked together in harmony and developed close relationships with friends and family. We will always be proud of their accomplishments, and the power of their stories is compelling. This large coffee table style book (8.5 x 11 inches) contains 416 pages and over 900 photographs. This is an increase of 65 pages and 500 photographs from the first edition in 2005.

We cannot let their labors for a better way go unnoticed. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to understand and appreciate our heritage. One will discover little known facts about Christiansburg:

  • Churches – Two churches built in the 19 th century are still standing today
  • Private Schools – A photo of a 1820s instructor
  • Montgomery Female Academy – A description of the interior of Montgomery Hall
  • Christiansburg Institute – The influence of Booker T. Washington and the Friends Freedmen’s Association
  • National Leaders – Our leaders as secretary of war and congressmen
  • State Leaders – Our leaders as governors, justices, delegates, and senators
  • Town Leaders – A photo of a town trustee in 1856, and a description of Virginia’s first female mayor, one of our own
  • Maps – Town streets and property owners in 1826, 1878, and 1924
  • Slavery – Town slavery statistics are compared with the county and state
  • Civil War – Battles, casualties, and what our soldiers accomplished during and after the war
  • Railroad – An eye witness account of the arrival of the first train at the depot
  • Telephone Service – The first telephone directory
  • Automobile – The first automobile and its demise
  • Bank – The first bank and its short history
  • Mosby & Johnston Store – A description of this and other 19 th and 20 th century retail businesses
  • Masonic Hall – Discover 19 th century plays and lectures given in this historic old building

    • Book #2: Heroes Among Us: World War II Veterans of Montgomery County and Radford, Virginia

    Each day in the U.S., some men and women of the “greatest generation” pass away, and many of them take their stories of their experiences in World War II with them. These stories are lost forever.

    The thought of this history being lost to future generations was the genesis for a newly published book titled, “Heroes Among Us: World War II Veterans of Montgomery County and Radford, Virginia.”

    Gene Morrell, the author of the book, is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience as a reporter and editor with the News Messenger in Christiansburg and The Southwest Times in Pulaski.

    Roy Kanode of Christiansburg did the layout and design and also contributed a number of stories to the book.

    The hard-back book has more than 300 pages, and contains about 100 stories of local men and women who served in WWII, along with more than 800 photos, most them never before published.