(Segments taken from Radford: Then and Now, a pictorial history compiled and Edited by Elmer D. Johnson. A full version of this text can be found at www.radford.va.us or by downloading the pdf at the bottom.)
The first permanent settlement within Radford's present boundaries occurred at the New River crossing of the Wilderness Road. This trail extended westward from the valley of Virginia through southwest Virginia and on to the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. This pathway became known as the Wilderness Road and with later development it became known as the Stagecoach Road. Stagecoach Road would later be called the Valley Pike and eventually what is now US 11. Radford’s section of this road is known as Rock Road and here in 1762 William Ingles and his wife, Mary Draper Ingles, established Ingles's Ferry. The ferry became the nucleus of a commercial center which was to have, among other businesses, a tavern, blacksmith's shop and a general store.
In an era when paved roads were scarce in Southwestern Virginia, it proved a boom to the city to secure the passage of the Lee Highway through its center in 1920. By 1928 there were fifteen industries in Radford employing 980 workers (Norfolk and Western and Lynchburg Foundry were the major employers) and 84 retail and wholesale establishments employing 245. Its population approaching 6,000, the city had three banks, three hotels, two motion picture theaters and two weekly newspapers.
During the 1930's the federal government had decided the Radford area was a choice site for a major industry requiring ample space, plentiful water, good transportation and a large work force. Radford "powder plant" or Arsenal was built in 1940-1941 to manufacture gunpowder and associated products. 10 War time employment exceeded 20,000. Three housing projects were developed in Radford to accommodate the rapid influx of people. These were Monroe Terrace, Radford Village, and Sunset Village. Fairlawn, which is the area across the river from Radford to Pulaski County, was also developed at this time. Hundreds of freight cars and no fewer than 12 passenger trains passed through Radford daily during the peak of the war time economy.
A student skateboards
after class. |
The post-war years saw a sharp decline in population followed once again by slow increase. In 1957, the city joined the New River Valley Industrial Commission to help attract new industries to the city. Since then several companies have chosen to locate in Radford, among them the Inland Motors Division of Kollmorgen Corporation, Kenrose Manufacturing Company, Brad Ragan Rubber Company, which was originally the Graflo Rubber Company, and the RADVA Plastics Corporation. The growth of Radford College, given university status in 1979, has influenced the character and development of east Radford. The concern for education and juvenile after-hours behavior was the basis for Radford's achieving "All American city" status.
The railroad no longer dominates Radford. All passenger service was discontinued in 1971. The Radford section of Interstate 81, which was completed in 1965, bypassed the city and reduced US 11 to primarily local traffic. The hospital relocated from Radford to the neighboring county in 1999. Today Radford is a quaint small university town with a thriving business community made up primarily of specialty shops.
You have read much of what has made Radford grow to what it is today. Wouldn't you like to be apart of the next chapter in Radford's growth?
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Radford: Then and Now
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