The present

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County continue to prosper with a population which has kept pace with the expanding job market. Our economy has pushed beyond the traditionally strong agricultural base through tremendous growth in business, industry, and education.
      Harrisonburg now serves as the major financial and retail center for eight counties including three in West Virginia. Over 40 major industries have located in the area providing stable employment and a promising future. Two universities, an independent college, and a community college have made the area a prominent educational center for the entire region!

If you want the excitement of city life, we've got it... if you want the charm of country life, we've got that too!

We have grown from predominantly small town, rural areas into dynamic communities. We have become well-known for mainstage theatre, dinner theatre, art galleries, and museums.
      For the music lover, live concerts run the gamut from classical to jazz, to country and bluegrass, to the latest hard rock groups. Superb opportunities to enjoy a full range of music performances can be found at both James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University. If you love good food, our restaurants and community events offer virtually everything you can imagine from "down-home, country kitchen" fare to international gourmet cuisine. We are also well known for our country fairs and craft shows. If you are a sports fan, there are three collegiate teams to root for in football, basketball, soccer and baseball. The area has been called a "mecca" for the baseball fan. Our Valley League is among the few NCAA sanctioned leagues in the country! Expect to see the top collegiate players from all over the country. The Valley League has been the "Gateway to the Major Leagues" for many talented baseball players over the years.

"Picture Perfect" living

      In the midst of this urban diversity, our rural heritage has been preserved. County homes and farmettes can still be found for those who want to raise horses, livestock or, perhaps, work toward a self-sufficient lifestyle. Even though you really can live in a secluded, rural setting, you are still just minutes from grocery stores, shopping centers, banks, schools, movie theatres, libraries, and many other conveniences.
      No matter what your interests, there are many lifestyles from which to choose. Housing can be just about anything to suit your taste. The elegant, roomy Victorian homes found in Harrisonburg and in many of the small towns may be just the thing for a growing, young family. If a close-to-the-city community is your style, then there are many planned communities and neighborhoods with wide ranging prices in colonial, contemporary, and ranch homes.
      There is no doubt that the Shenandoah Valley projects a distinct quality of life that we all dream of if we are looking for a place to be at home, to put down roots, find friends, and to enjoy life.

The natural beauty, the pace of life, the genuineness of the people - this is what Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are all about.

Most people who have moved here, in fact, simply comment: "We liked it here, so we stayed!"

The Future . . .

Photos:
Mountain Panorama: Hubert Gentry, Gentry Photography
Court Square: Allen Showalter, King Photo

Proud Member of the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association