1671History
== History ==
=== European discovery, founding (1671–1792) ===
In 1671, Abraham Wood commissioned the first English expedition to cross the Eastern Continental Divide.
1774Crime
Among records in the County Courthouse is a warrant dated 1774 for the arrest of Boone on a debt charge.
1776Culture
In 1776, Montgomery County was formed from part of Fincastle County.
1792History
It has served as the seat of government for the county since 1792, when it was formally recognized by the Virginia General Assembly.
1793History
=== Early years (1793–1860) ===
Christiansburg experienced significant growth in the early 1800s, and by 1840, the population had grown to 400.
1808History
Downtown Christiansburg was the site of the Lewis-McHenry Duel on May 9, 1808.
1810History
The rifle duel between Thomas Lewis and John McHenry, which killed both men, led to the passage of the Barbour Bill in 1810, outlawing dueling in Virginia.
1826Architecture
New streets were laid out during the early 1800s, and additional construction included a number of churches and a public well and pumps, which were placed just north of the Cour...
1833Government
The town of Christiansburg was later incorporated on January 7, 1833.
1836Civil Rights
Ten years later, a public privy was built near the public square, and a new courthouse was constructed in March 1836 in the east corner of the public square.
1849Government
He was also the father of John Buchanan Floyd, who served as governor of Virginia from 1849 to 1852.
1854Government
The Christiansburg (Cambria) Depot in the community of Cambria was established on the Virginia Tennessee Railroad line in 1854.
1861Military
=== Civil War through late 19th century (1861–1899) ===
During the Civil War, many men from the Christiansburg area served in the Confederate army in the Shenandoah Valley under...
1864Military
Averell, and in 1864, the Union Army burned all of the Christiansburg Depot structures except the passenger station.
1866Government
Schaeffer, an agent of the Freedmen's Bureau, founded the Christiansburg Normal Institute (renamed the Christiansburg Industrial Institute) in 1866.
1870History
In 1870, there were 864 people in the town, and by 1900, there were only 659.
1886Government
Telephone service was provided by the Montgomery Intelligence Company, which was incorporated in 1886.
1896History
Washington served as superintendent of the institute from 1896 until his death in 1915 and was instrumental in expanding the curriculum to include both classical instruction and...
1898Education
The school was relocated to Lattimer Plantation in 1898 and was significantly expanded in the following years, growing to 14 buildings and 185 acres.
1900History
=== Early 20th century (1900–1945) ===
By the early 1900s, Christiansburg had taken on many of the functions of a regional center, with a bank, newspaper, Temperance Hall and ph...
1906Government
Several new houses were built between the town center and the Depot, and the Depot area community was eventually incorporated as the town of Cambria in 1906.
1926Infrastructure
Route 11 – the first interstate highway in America – was celebrated in Christiansburg when the last link passing through downtown was hard surfaced in 1926.
1929Education
By 1929, Virginia Polytechnic Institute was providing employment for the area's citizens through academic positions and mining jobs related to the school's coal-operated power p...
1935Education
The Institute came under lease by the Montgomery County School System in 1935.
1938Architecture
Christiansburg's mural is entitled Great Road and was completed in 1938 by John DeGroot.
1946Military
=== Post–World War II (1946–1965) ===
Following World War II, Christiansburg rapidly industrialized.
1947Education
The property was transferred to Montgomery County Schools in 1947, establishing it as a full-fledged public school.
1953Architecture
In 1953, the Starlite Drive-In opened and continues to operate as one of the few remaining drive-in theatres in the United States.
1954History
In 1954, Roses' 5&10 and Cavalier Furniture were both destroyed.
1956History
Catastrophe struck again in 1956, destroying most of the businesses on East Main Street.
1957Disaster
Fires in 1957 claimed Simmons Shoe Shop, the Blue Moon Lunch and the rebuilt Jennings Barber Shop.
1959Disaster
A major fire on Main Street (now Cambria Street, N.E.) in Cambria in 1959 destroyed many of the oldest and most historic buildings there.
1965History
Having lost most of its taxpaying enterprises and faced with failing utilities, the town of Cambria proposed and was accepted for consolidation with the Town of Christiansburg o...
1966Civil Rights
It remained in operation as a segregated high school until 1966 when desegregation brought its closure.
2000History
In 2000, the Spradlin Farms area began development, providing an additional retail space to the town.
2002Culture
In 2002, a large portion of both Blacksburg and Christiansburg, as well as a portion of Montgomery County, were designated as a part of an "urbanized area" based upon 2000 Censu...
2007Architecture
In 2007, the New River Center was constructed just north of the New River Valley Mall, which added another large retail development to the town.
2009Education
In a 2009 boundary adjustment, the town added the area of the Christiansburg Middle School, Harkrader Sports Complex and former Harkrader Farm, which brought in 170.318 acres an...
2020Culture
== Arts and culture ==
New River Valley Mall was renamed Uptown Christiansburg in 2020.
2021Military
A "friendly sign war" between local businesses in the community went viral in 2021.
2025Culture
There is one movie theater in Christiansburg,the town used to have a drive in movie theater (demolished in 2025)
== Parks and recreation ==
Christiansburg maintains public pa...