The Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation, Inc. regularly publishes a bi-annual newsletter that shares historic, cultural, and natural preservation-related information and activities taking place throughout the Roanoke Valley, the surrounding counties and their municipalities.
We hope you will enjoy our most recent issue:
Visit our website’s Newsletter page for a comlisting of past newsletters.
Only July 5th, 2024, the Claytor Memorial Clinic building in Gainsboro, a historic site known as one of Southwest Virginia’s earliest Black family-owned medical clinics, received official recognition from the state with a new historical marker. Founded by Dr. John B. Claytor Sr. in 1948, in memory of his late wife Roberta Claytor, the clinic provided crucial healthcare services at a time of racial segregation.
The unveiling ceremony also underscored the challenges faced by the Claytor family during Roanoke’s urban renewal period, which threatened their clinic and nearby properties with eminent domain. Despite legal battles, the Claytors prevailed, leading to legislative changes that curtailed localities’ use of eminent domain. Jordan Bell, a Gainsboro historian, emphasized the community’s responsibility to preserve and restore the clinic, noting its symbolic importance in revitalizing the entire Gainsboro area. Vice Mayor Joe Cobb echoed these sentiments, calling for city support in restoring the clinic as a focal point of community resurgence.
Despite this honor, the future of the clinic, closed since the 1990s, remains uncertain. Efforts by the Claytor family to secure funding for restoration, including a proposal to use federal pandemic relief money from Roanoke City Council, were ultimately unsuccessful. The city had intended to repurpose the site as part of a community hub for small business development and healthcare, but negotiations faltered.
The new marker, located in the cul-du-sac next to the clinic, marks the culmination of a year and a half of efforts led by Nelson Harris, former City of Roanoke mayor and local historian. Funds for the state marker were raised by the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation from the proceeds from their annual Scavenger Hunt and Pub Crawl.
This marker is part of Roanoke’s growing collection of historical markers, with a significant focus on acknowledging overlooked Black histories.
On June 25th at the Dumas Center auditorium located at 108 Henry Street NW in Roanoke, VA, the Gainsboro Branch Library hosted Defiant Libraries: Virginia Lee and the Secrets Kept by Good Bookladies, a lecture and book event honoring the legacy of librarian Virginia Lee. A lecture by Laura Helton, assistant professor at the University of Delaware and author of Scattered and Fugitive Things: How Black Collectors Created Archives and Remade History, highlighted Virginia Lee’s clandestine fight against access restrictions on Black readers and Black literacy during Segregation in Roanoke.
Following Helton’s lecture, a panel discussion was held and moderated by Nelson Harris, with special guests Dr. Curtis Reeves, Jr., Dr. lvin and Virginia Schexnider, family of Virginia Lee, and Carla Lewis, former librarian of the Gainsboro Branch Library.
Exclusive event book sales will be by Book No Further.
This is one interesting lecture you will not want to miss, so SAVE THE DATE!!
The Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation, Inc. regularly publishes a bi-annual newsletter that shares historic, cultural, and natural preservation-related information and activities taking place throughout the Roanoke Valley, the surrounding counties and their municipalities.
We hope you will enjoy our most recent issue:
If you would like to purchase your own bottle of D/2 cleaning solution, you may do so from the Atlas Preservation Company…this is not required to participate. Use the code HOST2024 for 20% off ANY order on atlaspreservation.com. You can use the discount information and order a small bottle. Everything is available & ready to ship.
This week, the City of Roanoke, VA recognized RVPF Trustee, Alison Blanton, as a Historic Place-Saver. Alison performs vital work as the Senior Preservation Fellow at Hill Studio. She continues to be active through preservation-focused community groups and is a Trustee of the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation and also serves on the Board of Friends of Mountain View, Inc.
Visit planroanoke.org/historic-preservation to learn more about Alison and her work.
Congratulations Alon this well-deserved recognition!!
Topic: Genealogy of Slavery Research Project
When: Tuesday, June 11,2024
Time: 5:30 to 6:30 pm
Where: Gainsboro Library, 15 Patton Avenue, NW, Roanoke, VA
This is one interesting discussion you will not want to miss. So SAVE THE DATE and hope to see you there!
