About the Historical Society of Western Virginia
Formed out of Roanoke’s Diamond Jubilee in 1957, the Historical Society highlights the Greater Roanoke region’s material culture, and includes the iconic black and white train photography of O. Winston Link.
Mission
History lives all around us. From everyday stories to landmark moments, western Virginia’s past helps shape who we are today. Our organization exists to preserve these stories and share them with our community.
The mission of the Society shall be to promote an interest in the broad spectrum of history with emphasis on that of western Virginia; to collect, preserve, interpret and make available materials relating to that history; to sponsor research and publication in the field of regional history and to provide education services to people and institutions throughout western Virginia.
Understanding our past helps us better understand our community today. By preserving western Virginia’s history, we help ensure that local stories, traditions, and voices are not lost—and that future generations can learn from them.
History of the Museums
The City of Roanoke was founded in 1882 and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1957. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Diamond Jubilee’s Historical Committee realized there was a lack of source material concerning the history of the Roanoke Valley. Money and artifacts left over from that anniversary event were turned over to Edmund P. Goodwin, and the museum and non-profit organization was chartered the same year with around 75 members.
The first museum space was in the basement of the Roanoke College Library. It published its first journal in in 1964 under then Society president George Kegley, and moved its museum space to Cherry Hill in 1966, alongside the Roanoke Fine Arts Center (now known as the Taubman Museum of Art). Throughout the 1970s, the museum moved and operated out of several different buildings, and in 1983, it became one of five founding members of Center in the Square, housed in the renovated 1914 McGuire Building in Market Square, downtown Roanoke.
In 2004, the O. Winston Link Museum was added to the Historical Society’s operations, representing the rural Appalachian and Norfolk & Western Railroad photographs of New York photographer O. Winston Link. The Roanoke History Museum & Historical Society of Western Virginia remained in the Center in the Square McGuire building until 2017, when it moved across the railroad tracks into the historic Norfolk & Western Passenger Station alongside the O. Winston Link Museum.
The Historical Society of Western Virginia continues to interpret the story of the Greater Roanoke region, and has expanded from a few artifacts in the Roanoke College Library basement to managing over 100,000 artifacts, two museums, and several historical assets throughout the Roanoke Valley.
Diversity Statement
Too often, many events in history have been dictated by the social norms of the time in which they occurred. As a flagship historical organization for the region of western Virginia, our mission is to:
preserve, interpret and promote the history of the Roanoke region; collect, preserve, interpret, and make available materials relating to that history; sponsor research and publication in the field of regional history, and provide educational services to people and institutions throughout southwestern Virginia.
This includes the history of all residents of this area, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or religious background. We also work to provide educational services to those that have traditionally been underrepresented. As we look to the future, we will work to inspire learning by including and collaborating with communities of people who have previously been excluded, both historically and socially.
This all-encompassing approach extends into the operational aspects of the Historical Society as well and we strive to reasonably accommodate all members of the public, volunteers, staff, and others. All visitors should be able to freely experience all that the Historical Society has to offer, including exhibitions, research materials, programming, and events.
Any questions or concerns regarding this policy should be directed to the museum at info@vahistorymuseum.org or 540-982-5465.
Meet the Historical Society Staff
Ashley received her BA in History and Anthropology from Longwood University, and an MA in Museum Studies from Bournemouth University. In addition to her role with the Historical Society, Ashley works with several local museums as a contract museum collections specialist, including the Taubman Museum of Art and the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech. Her specialty is fashion history, and owns Bustle Textiles – a historic dress preservation company with an emphasis on creating traveling fashion exhibitions for small museums. Ashley is a Director-At Large with the Virginia Associations of Museums, and was appointed by Governor Spanberger in 2026 to serve on the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Before joining the Historical Society, Kelly spent 12 years as a public school Social Studies teacher inNorth Carolina. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of South Carolinaand a M.Sc. in Architectural History and Theory from the University of Edinburgh. She also completed alldoctoral coursework and comprehensive examinations toward a Ph.D. in History at Liberty Universityand will graduate in 2027 with a Master’s of Heritage Resources Administration from the University ofKentucky.
Board of
Directors
Executive Committee (Effective July 1, 2026)
William B. Hopkins Jr., President
D. Chris Venable, Vice President
Pam Kendall, Secretary
Natalie Norris, Treasurer
Board Members:
Taylor Adkins
Dr. Beatrice Naff Bailey
Daniel Colston
Nelson Harris
William Honeycutt
Frank Karpiel
Richard Kegley
Walton Rutherfoord
Eldred “EL” Saviers
Stephen Warren
Emeritus Members
Sara Airheart
George “Al” McLean Jr.
F. Anderson “Andy” Stone
Eddie Wheeler
Facility Rentals
If you need a space for your corporate or private event we are happy to accomodate your group of up to 200 people.
Discover the Stories That Shaped Western Virginia
From iconic photographs and historic artifacts to exhibitions, events, and educational programs, there’s always something waiting to be discovered.