ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
County Offices
20 East Gay Street
Harrisonburg 540-564-3000
www.rockinghamcountyva.gov
Chamber of Commerce
800 Country Club Road
Harrisonburg 540-434-3862
www.hrchamber.org
Closely aligned with the independent City of Harrisonburg, beautiful Rockingham County nestles in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains. Well-served by the Interstate 81 corridor, the county offers quick connections to Interstates 64 and 66 as well as other major highways. The area’s diverse economy supports a wide spectrum of businesses and industries including a growing information technology sector. The closest commercial airline service is available at Shenandoah Regional Airport in Weyers Cave.
Services
The City of Harrisonburg serves as a regional healthcare hub for Rockingham County residents, providing state-of-the-art services and exemplary care at Sentara RMH Medical Center. This 218-bed Magnet® hospital serves a seven-county region with comprehensive medical, general, and specialized services. Recognition for Sentara RMH includes a ranking among Virginia’s top hospitals by US News & World Report and rankings of “high performing” in the specialty areas of gastroenterology and related surgery, geriatrics, and pulmonology. The Harrisonburg area is also home to convenient urgent care centers that provide fast, effective treatment for most illnesses and injuries. Throughout the county, primary care physicians as well as skilled professionals in private practice are available in every major specialty and a number of sub-specialties. Depending upon their location in the county, some residents find Augusta Health an equally convenient choice. This nationally acclaimed institution has been recognized for a number of advanced programs that include a state-of-the-art cancer center. Considered as one of America’s finest community hospitals and ranked by Healthgrades among the 50 Best Hospitals, Augusta Health maintains a 255-bed hospital staffed by 225 full-time physicians.
Few locales can rival Rockingham County for quality educational institutions on every academic level. The Harrisonburg and Rockingham County school systems are two of the highest ranking in Virginia for Standards of Learning scores and overall value of education. National recognition includes the inclusion of Harrisonburg High School on the list of Best High Schools by US News & World Report. Options for career and technical training are as close as the Massanutten Technical Center in Harrisonburg or the nearby campus for Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave. Harrisonburg is also home to the private Eastern Mennonite University and James Madison University—ranked by US News & World Report as the Number 2 public masters-level university in the South. This fast-growing institution enrolls more than 1,200 students in 115 degree programs including a new College of Visual and Performing Arts. Private colleges include Eastern Mennonite University, combining rigorous academics with the core values of peace building, cross-cultural awareness, human relationships, and sustainability for the earth. Located within Rockingham County, the highly respected Bridgewater College in Bridgewater had been named one of the best liberal arts colleges in the southeast by Princeton Review.
Lifestyle
Those who appreciate an active lifestyle will find an abundance of sports facilities and opportunities for outdoor adventure in and near Rockingham County. Harrisonburg offers a dozen city parks and a kaleidoscope of recreational amenities, crowned by Heritage Oaks Golf Course—consistently voted “Best of the Valley.” George Washington National Forest in southwestern Rockingham County offers picturesque scenery, breathtaking view points, stocked trout waters, diverse wildlife habitats, a world-class trail system and spacious campgrounds. Endless Caverns and Grand Caverns preserve underground wonderlands, with the latter offering hiking, picnicking, and swimming in the surrounding park. Anglers will want to visit Lake Shenandoah, Silver Lake, and the Shenandoah River—with the latter also an ideal destination for canoeing and kayaking. Nearby Massanutten Resort offers winter snow sports along with an indoor/outdoor water park, two golf courses, and zip-line thrills. Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway are just minutes from home for world-class hiking and cycling.
Rockingham County residents can enjoy the finest of rural living in close proximity to a thriving arts community in Harrisonburg. Award-winning restaurants and cultural attractions like Court Square Theater and the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts are just a few of the jewels in Downtown Harrisburg, holding the dual designations of a Virginia “Culinary District” and “Arts and Cultural District.” Local highlights include the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, the Virginia Quilt Museum, and the Harrisonburg Children’s Museum. Throughout Rockingham County’s rural landscape, picturesque farms and colorful markets attest to the region’s thriving agribusiness community. Popular destinations include The Shops at Dayton Farmers Market and White Oak Lavender Farm along with stops along the Appalachian Wine Trail like CrossKeys and Bluestone vineyards. Charming small towns and villages dot the countryside, each one offering locally made delights and fine handcrafts. The housing selection in Rockingham County ranges from rustic farms and historic properties to handsome new construction, elegant country manors on spacious lots, and opportunities for multi-acre view properties. For the finest in rural living near one of Virginia’s most lively urban centers, consider the many possibilities available in beautiful Rockingham County.
COMMUNITIES
Elkton
Town Offices
540-298-1951
www.elktonva.gov
Chamber of Commerce
540-434-3862
www.hrchamber.org
The small, welcoming community of Elkton nestles on the eastern side of Rockingham County in the scenic Shenandoah Valley. Ideally situated between Massanutten Mountain and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, residents enjoy unrivaled access to four-season recreation from winter snow sports to world-class hiking, cycling, fishing, hunting, and camping. Interstate 81 is only a few minutes from home for quick commutes to Harrisonburg, and Charlottesville is only 55 minutes away. One of the focal points in Elkton is a new community center, a joint project between the town and Rockingham County, providing eastern county residents a gathering place for recreational activities as well as community programs and events for all ages. The home selection in this area ranges from quaint and charming older properties shaded by mature greenery to magnificent country manors on spacious view lots.
Dayton, Bridgewater, Mount Crawford
Dayton Town Offices
540-879-2241
www.daytonva.us
Bridgewater Town Offices
540- 908-4212
http://town.bridgewater.va.us
Chamber of Commerce
540-434-3862
www.hrchamber.org
The small town of Dayton is just two miles south of Harrisburg along Route 42, offering an intimate hometown atmosphere around the corner from urban cultural, entertainment, and retail amenities. Distinguished as one of the county’s oldest settlements, the town is surrounded by farmland that is largely owned by the Old Order Mennonite community. The open countryside surrounding the town is a step back in time to horse-drawn buggies on quiet, picturesque roads. While older parts of Dayton are relatively unchanged, new development is evident to the west and north. Local highlights include colorful annual events, a town museum, historic preservation, and unique shops including Dayton Market—a collection of more than 20 boutiques. The town of Bridgewater and the unincorporated community of Mount Crawford expand the options for serene county living in close proximity to all that the City of Harrisonburg has to offer.
Grottoes
Town Offices
540-249-5896
www.ci.grottoes.va.us
Chamber of Commerce
540-434-3862
www.hrchamber.org
Ideally situated equidistant from the cities of Harrisonburg and Staunton, the town of Grottoes is home to Grand Caverns, formerly known as Weyer’s Cave. Distinguished as the nation’s oldest show cave, this attraction has been in operation since 1806 and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973. The area surrounding the cave has been transformed into an amenity-rich park with picnic facilities, hiking and cycling trails, a swimming pool, and a miniature golf course. The park also serves as a focal point of annual events and seasonal celebrations from a popular bluegrass festival to Christmas caroling. Residents of the Grottoes community enjoy easy access to national parks and forests but they also have a wonderful 54-acre park just outside the front door with pavilions, a boat ramp, baseball field, and driving range.
