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ROANOKE, VA - A dynamic mix of historic reflection, cultural
recognition and
celebration will be in store for Roanoke in 2007 as
the city celebrates its
125th anniversary. It may be just Spring 2006
right now, but the city already
is preparing for the year-long event.

Mayor C. Nelson Harris announced
plans for the 125th anniversary
during a news conference today (Wednesday,
March 22). He also
introduced the co-chairs and members of the Celebration
Committee, a
group of citizens who live in or have close ties to Roanoke, and
who
have been tasked with helping to shape upcoming events.

"As we
prepare to celebrate this milestone, we want to ensure that
those plans
involve individuals such as these committee members, who
represent the rich
culture, history and love in Roanoke," Harris
said. "I thank them for
volunteering their time and talents to this
group."

The members of the
committee are:

Honorable Clifton (Chip) Woodrum, Co-Chair
Dr. Wendell
Butler, Co-Chair

Ms. Elizabeth T. Bowles
Mr. M. Caldwell Butler
Mr.
H. Clarke (Duke) Curtis
Mr. Warner Dalhouse
Ms. Doris Ennis
Ms. Pearl
Fu
Mr. Robert A. Garland
Ms. Brenda Hale
Ms. Kathy Hill
Mr. A. L.
Holland, Sr.
Mr. George Kegley
Ms. Taylor Kiefer
Mr. Forrest
Landon
Mr. Michael Ramsey
Mr. Craig D. Walker, II

Harris said that
they plan to honor this anniversary with a series of
activities and special
events to be held throughout the year,
culminating in an arts festival in the
fall, which could develop into
an annual event.

"For 125 years Roanoke
has been, and continues to be, a wonderful
place to live and work," Harris
said. "It is only fitting that we
celebrate our anniversary in a way that
truly embraces our community
in 2007 and in years to come."

Following
the announcement, the committee convened for its first
meeting. As plans
proceed the committee hopes to continue to receive
ideas from the community
on aspects of the city that should be
celebrated, Harris said. The committee
is also is hoping to hear from
businesses and residents who have been a part
of Roanoke for most -
or even all - of the city's 125
years.

Additional information about the city's 125th anniversary will
be
available in upcoming months. In the meantime, Roanoke citizens
are
beginning to brush up on their city history:

Towns formed within
what is now the city of Roanoke in the first
decades of the 19th Century.
Antwerp was subdivided in 1801 followed
by Gainesborough in 1825 (the present
Gainsboro neighborhood) and Old
Lick in 1834. The Gainesborough settlement
remained the most populous
community until 1874 when the Town of Big Lick was
chartered. This
tiny village of less than 500 people was to become the town
of
Roanoke in 1882 and in 1884, the city of Roanoke. The new town
was
located along the old Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad later
to
become the Norfolk and Western. Completion of the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad
from Hagerstown to Roanoke in 1882 marked the start
of Roanoke's rapid
growth.

Amazing how certain people were left off this list. Someone feeling some heat from the Overlord?