Radford, VA: From Railroad Town To College Town

[@jimward1586]

I live 3 miles away from Radford and visit there at least weekly. The biggest thing Mary Ingles was known for was being captured by Indians in Blacksburg and taken to Ohio. She escaped and walked over 500 miles to get back home.

[@realappalachia]

Yes, amazing story!!

[@marciabyram6003]

I wonder if that song, "500 Miles" came from that story. kzbin.info/www/bejne/paLFlZmlfJeLeac 😍

[@alanwilliamson9350]

I made alot of the benches and trash cans on campus there at a local welding shop here in Roanoke. They also had built a new auditorium of some sort there and I helped build the staircases and handrails for that at another welding outfit.

[@realappalachia]

Awesome!!

[@gailweikelcorrea]

My Aunt went to the nursing school there, I remember taking her there in the 60s

[@hello9945]

Thank you Shane and Melody for another excellent video; we appreciate you!

[@johnnymayo8534]

Another fun video!! My mother went to Radford. She took nursing and left lacking 1 semester to graduate. She left to marry my dad before he shipped off to WWII.

[@realappalachia]

Oh wow! We’re glad you enjoyed!! - Melody

[@DrummerGrrrl]

I graduated from Radford High School in 1985. Go, Bobcats! 😂

[@debbieepperly3821]

In the red brick building next to the old Taylor Office Supply, my husband & I had a hobby business, The Race Place, where everyone had a blast racing slot cars on our 2 tracks & dragstrip! We really enjoyed having that & getting to meet some really great folks. If you turn up Tyler & go toward the hospital, next to a motel is Lovely Mount Road. Been to several yardsales out there. Brick House Pizza y'all passed used to be a 5 & dime store when I was a little girl. I worked at St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital for 11-1/2 yrs doing medical transcription, computer training, among other duties. Loved working there. Loved the history of the place. I was all over the old hospital, new hospital, clinical building. Makes me so sad to see it in the shape it's in now. It used to be a beautiful old place. And, yes, it did have its share of hauntedness, but never anything bad or evil. My son used to go with me to pull charts for patients being readmitted in the basement of the old hospital & yes, there were "noises" but I was never afraid or spooked. The first year they had the haunted house thing, my son worked as security & guide. People would ask him why stuff they heard or saw didn't bother him. He just told them he'd been there so many times with his mom, either getting a chart or restarting the computer mainframe, it didn't bother him. He understood why it was the way it was. When it became so commercialized & had all the graffiti & stupid stuff added, he quit. It made him sad to see a beautiful, old, historical building come to that. Hate it made y'all feel creepy. It's been made to cause folks to feel that way. Ģlad to see y'all made it to a part of my stomping grounds! Stay safe & God bless!

[@realappalachia]

Oh my goodness, Debbie!! Those sound like such great memories! Thank you for sharing!! Shane and I were actually talking about the graffiti we could see spray painted on the walls inside. That just makes us sad too because it is so historic. I hate it’s not in better condition now either. Thank you so much for sharing!! I always look forward to your comments ❤️❤️ - Melody

[@foxmulder4269]

Thanks, love these tour videos of VA

[@realappalachia]

Thank you!!

[@sandy89107]

Definitely get back to that museum!! I look forward to that video 😍

[@realappalachia]

Thank you, Sandy!! We’ll have to do that, especially now we know others are interested! - Melody

[@johndaughtry9071]

yay my home town

[@chubbawubba4287]

Boy this little town could tell stories, I promise some of them could have wild endings... LOL Thanks for this blast from my past.

[@realappalachia]

Sounds like a good time! Lol thank you!! - Melody

[@bradlane3662]

It was quite common when I was growing up to hear people make remarks like " she went nuts and they sent her to Radford" or " he had a nervous breakdown so he's in Radford." I'm 64 and live in McDowell County so I guess they ended up there from all over. Good video guys.

[@bradlane3662]

@Clevis Bleiman Yep! My Mom was fiery! She'd say something like y'all are drivin me to the crazy house in Radford or I'm gonna send y'all to the loony bin in Radford!lol They'll might have been fiery and outspoken. And they whipped our asses too! And that's EXACTLY what separates them from the wimp parents of today who are trying to raise kids with the common sense of a goose and the backbone of a nightcrawler!

[@realappalachia]

Thank you!! We heard that a lot about Marion. - Melody

[@heatherfulmore3412]

Really?

[@bradlane3662]

@@heatherfulmore3412 Really! You know, kids don't think in depth usually. That's why they pick up common sayings, mispronunciations, etc from the people around them. I swear! I'm thinking probably because it was the closest mental institution to us 50 years ago. And actually not very close because of the remoteness of our area back then.

[@Heavy_Distortion]

Cute town. Sweet historic architecture. Civic pride. Love Appalachia.

[@realappalachia]

Oh yes

[@BlueRidgeCritter]

Went to RU and lived for a number of years in the town. You mentioned it having "two downtown's" (the east end and west end, we called it), but when you went across the river over into Fairlawn/Saint Albans, that's almost really a third downtown. Wonderful to see you do a video on it! Brought back a lot of memories, I don't get through there all that often but it always amazes me how much the college has changed and grown since I was there in the early/mid 90's to about 2003. I also saw on your page, the Buchanan theater, about an hour north - I'm really hoping you do a video on that town because that's my hometown. 😂

[@TomHoffman-uw7pf]

Somebody told me it used to be two towns. One of them has numbered streets that run north-south; the other has numbered avenues that run east-west.

[@SpookyAppalachia]

You drove past my car I was getting a haircut lol

[@SpookyAppalachia]

@Clevis Bleiman I was inside getting a haircut lol

[@realappalachia]

Oh wow! Haha how cool! Hate we passed you up though! - Melody

[@SpookyAppalachia]

@@realappalachia yeah I could have shown y’all around a little. Another place y’all woke Jane loved is Ingles Castle, also haunted. I sent Shane a picture.

[@SpookyAppalachia]

@Clevis Bleiman I’m already a little famous from my channel lol. I’ll meet them one of these days probably.

[@SpookyAppalachia]

@Clevis Bleiman LOL! Yeah probably, I didn't even plan for our names to match. I've been a fan of this channel since it was the size mine is now.

[@kevinbarrett5001]

Iv been to Radford several times. Used to go to the race track up the road there. It was called New River Valley Speedway then changed name to Motor Mile Speedway.

[@jesseferg]

Ha I’ve ate at the Tie Dyed Pig! Passing through town one time. They had the best fried chicken breast I have ever had called “slats”. Nice fellas that own it as well. Glad to see it is still there! I like y’all’s video’s. They give me ideas of places to visit. My wife and I also like to travel that part of the country whenever the good lord gives us an opportunity to. Cheers from the Florida Georgia line!

[@SpookyAppalachia]

😮😮😮 that’s my town. I’m an alumni of the university as well. I think I told ya that though. I was going to say I bet you guys would like Tie Dyed Pig and you ended up there lol.

[@realappalachia]

Awesome!! The food was great! We thought about you but everything we do ends up being last minute! We said we’d have to make plans to go back and get up with you! - Melody

[@SpookyAppalachia]

@@realappalachia no worries looks like you guys came while I was getting a haircut lol. Maybe we can see if the lady at ST Albans could get us both in over there and do a cross over video or something.

[@richardbyers7699]

Thanks for sharing and informative trip. Shane barely made it through the yellow light😬!!

[@TheDudeZach]

The alma mater, I’ve been waiting for this day.

[@realappalachia]

Awesome!! Thanks for watching and sticking with us!! - Melody

[@chubs1701]

Hello my dear friends wanted to let you know you make my day even when I get not so great news as I got today found out I have mouth and throat cancer I was sad about the news but I saw the fun your having and it just cheer me up so thank you for cheering me up remember me in your prayers and God Bless you earthly Angel's your happiness makes people like me have hope thank you for your videos

[@realappalachia]

Aw no, we’re so sad to hear this!! We will be praying for you, our friend!! I hope that we can continue to bring a smile to your face!! God bless you!! - Melody

[@marciabyram6003]

Radford has a very nice hospital also as I remember. Ha! Serve him day old doughnuts!

[@realappalachia]

Seems like I’ve heard the hospital is nice too. Haha he’d still enjoy the doughnuts! - Melody

[@marciabyram6003]

Melody has great hair! 😊

[@marciabyram6003]

@@realappalachia Yeah, I'll be nice since this is a family station. 😅

[@Karen-bt6lh]

You both are really enjoyable to watch and appreciate the history you share with each video.

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much!! - Melody

[@deborahkelley4719]

I like the country roads, then the view of a city. Lol thanks for sharing

[@talldude5841]

My gosh, I love this town. Thanks so much for showing it in a super well done way. You two are always so positive and easy to watch. My blood pressure goes down when I watch your stories.

[@judypierce7028]

Have you read the book "Follow the River?" It is a wonderful story of a wonderful, strong, pioneer woman who lived in the area with her family. She was taken prisoner along with her two young sons by a group of Shawnees from Ohio. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth on the long walk to Ohio,. As the story goes, she was able to escape one day leaving behind her baby and two sons. Mary walked 1,000 miles home. She later had several more children. One of her sons who had been adopted by the Shawnees finally returned home. It is a wonderful book. I also understand that a movie that shares her story. One of my former colleagues teaches at Radford College. Thank you for taking me along. It was nice to see again a beautiful part of Virginia. You know you were not too far from Schuyler where Earl Hammer and his family lived. Earl Hammer was the author of the TV series, "The Waltons." It is a small place, but much history. Great video Shane and Melody. Stay safe.

[@realappalachia]

I haven’t read that but that’s an amazing story!! I’ll have to look into it. Thank you, Judy! - Melody

[@jonhammes6209]

The Dawg House is a great place to eat!

[@danharrell2024]

I use to live there! That building was a church some time ago. Use to walk by there all the time. I believe it was a Presbyterian church before it was apartments. You missed the comic book store before the theater.

[@robinhaupt9119]

Great area, thank you Melody and Shane! Also, Melody your hair looks fantastic, even in the wind 😊

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much, Robin!! Haha maybe that wind adds some volume!! - Melody

[@jasongartin8546]

Y’all the bomb digities! Watch y’all a lot these days…. Keep the roads hot, y’all!

[@realappalachia]

Thank you sir

[@isabellemohl5378]

I'm an Appalachian studies and sociology minor at Radford and I'm using your video on Appalachian hollers for a sociology assignment on Appalachian culture and It was so nice to see a video on Radford!! When people from home found out I was coming here they said I was gonna party myself dead or drop out, and I'm still here going strong so hey to y'all from Radford!! Radford is a gorgeous city between the new river and the views. Not to mention our academics are wayyy better than the reputation we get credit for (the parties are good too but we're still smart). I'm a criminal justice major and we have the fifth-best program in the state and the other programs I'm a part of (sociology and Appalachian studies) also have phenomenal professors who are incredibly intelligent and teach us so well. Radford is really big on integrating Appalachian culture ever since we got our Appalachian studies program. Radford started as a college to train women to be teachers in Appalachia, and we're still keeping the culture alive on our campus. Thanks for appreciating it!! It's become my home since I came to college here.

[@MillerMeteor74]

In the next township over from here there is a university. It was started in 1969. Through most of its life it was called Stockton State College (named after one of the NJ signers of the Declaration of Independence). Then in 1993 it was renamed Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Then in 2015 it received university status. It has a little over 9300 students, and has a nice rural campus with lots of woods. With that Arabica place you went to, as far as I know the pronunciation would have the accent on the second syllable. That building at the end was really cool. Oh, yesterday I had to call AAA for a tow. The girl on the phone had the same accent and similar voice at Melody, and she seemed really nice.

[@brendabray5333]

When you were at St Albans, I wanted to Suggest Sweet Springs Resort in WV. It's supposed to be one of the most haunted places! The current owner gives tours and is working on fixing it up.

[@realappalachia]

Cool!! We’ll have to check it out. I love all things spooky!! - Melody

[@dearally4787]

My Dad went to Radford for his masters degree. I’ve never been to there so I really enjoyed watching your video!

[@deankirkner8653]

I love Radford!! Thanks again for a great video. Like Shane, our whole family went to VT and a few chose Radford! It’s like you brought me home once more.🏠

[@brendah4689]

I live just a few miles from Radford also. ❤

[@boogiedaddy3434]

Another interesting piece of the Radford and Virginia Tech history that a lot of articles overlook is that the schools used to be affiliated. In fact, the name Radford College which was adopted in 1944 was a direct result of that affiliation. As you mentioned, RU began as State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Radford, commonly referred to as The Normal School. However, in 1944, as economic pressures hit the nation during the war, The Normal School merged with VT, leading to the creation of Radford College: The Women's Division of Virigina Polytechnic Institute. This merger lasted 20 years. Over time the schools had formed their own boards of directors and, eventually, Radford elected their own president, Dr. Chris Martin, in 1964. The schools amiccably and quietly split, leaving behind the much abbreviated Radford College.

[@chuckhussey9761]

The old church is the grove Ave apts. Each apt inside is different. Even has one that has round walls. When u passed that coffee shop arabica, that's where my restaurant used to be years ago. Let me know when y'all come.to rural retreat. Coffee is on me. BTW I'm off Saturday, perfect time.

[@chuckhussey9761]

I work at the arsenal BTW. Captain of security.

[@realappalachia]

Oh awesome!! And that sounds great!! Hopefully we can make it soon! - Melody

[@hpblack1953]

Grove Avenue Methodist Church was converted to apartments in the mid-70s as I recall.

[@benlaw4647]

Enjoyed this ! Nice college town , in a beautiful area . I didn't realize frank beamer went to school at Radford, I knew he went to VT and played football , and was born in Mt. Airy, lived on a farm in fancy gap. I Googled it , sure enough frank went to graduate school at Radford. I also read that frank is a direct descendant of the infamous Allen clan of Carroll County....thanks guys . Appreciate y'all always...God bless..🙏❤️

[@johnnyringo8319]

I work at Kollmorgen. It's pronounced coal-morgan. A large supplier of electric motors for aerospace and defense applications as well as robotics and medical applications.

[@realappalachia]

Cool!! Sounds like an interesting job! - Melody

[@lazerchrizzy3402]

Cool to see my home town

[@galndixie]

I worked at St. Alban's in the 19980's. That main building was used as the administrative offices then. It was beautiful inside. And yes, it is haunted, I've seen some stuff myself, even in the newer building which was used for inpatient care. There was a night security guard there, big burly guy, some of us asked him to take us into the admin building one night on our break. He went white as a sheet and said "Ain't no way I'm going in there at night". It's so sad that they've let it go to rack and ruin. Seems like people aren't interested in preserving and teaching local history anymore.

[@MylanDarshall]

I love the Tie-dyed pig, I eat there as often as possible!!!

[@Surfguitarist59]

Another excellent video you two !!! Melody , you giving him stank for noticing all those gals at the college, BUT he picked you didn't he..LOL I did enjoy this video however.

[@kevingoodwyn6137]

Awesome video. Thank you. 😊

[@car24dude]

I just live 17 miles from this place. Several years ago I tried to enroll for class ended up getting a parking ticket, after that I decided not to go.

[@navydogsadventures3500]

Hey guys, we got 10 inches of snow yesterday! That was a great looking lunch. Our universities are sad anymore. Young people are being brainwashed badly. Somewhere in Virginia, I believe they had those secret bunkers built.

[@mrs.checkmate1282]

Greenbrier Hotel in WSS, West Va had bunkers built.

[@navydogsadventures3500]

@Mrs. Checkmate yes that's it, close to Virginia. Lol

[@DrummerGrrrl]

Lord. Pronouncing theater/theatre as "THEE-AY-ter" 😂

[@mrs.checkmate1282]

Im jealous because you two made it to tye dye pig before we did. We drive from Floyd County to Rural King once a month and more in the summer to walk along the river. Y’all come over to Meadows of Dan sometime.

[@undasea]

Love your videos! As a Virginia boy who's been away to warmer climes for a long time, you sure make me want to come settle back. One small thing, next time you show y'all getting pulled pork sandwiches, please do the right thing and have the Cole slaw ON the sandwiches? Just ain't right otherwise.

[@viking7560]

Serval of my undergrad classmates from Glenville State College went to graduate school at Radford.

[@CindyWhopantsCarter3421]

In my town we have an old church turned into a tavern named The Holy Smoke Tavern then years later it was turned back into a church

[@realappalachia]

Now that is wild

[@markbrucker7022]

Radford is near Pulaski VA, is that correct....I think I've been near there at Roanoke, I think.

[@Jams_C5825]

My church is located in radford Va the name of it is First apostolic church of radford feel free to come anytime on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights

[@DrummerGrrrl]

I'm a famous Abstract Acrylic artist and I attended Radford High School from 1983-1985. Okay...just kidding. Not famous. YET. But I am known in parts of Seattle, WA.

[@heatherfulmore3412]

I try to avoid haunted places ghosts are always slamming doors and suspending things in mid air. I saw enough and it was scary with the invisible beings.

[@realappalachia]

Shew that’s scary

[@joe.dirtty]

East Radford and West Radford are completely different.

[@Roadtripmik]

Im from philly the farthest south i ever been is staunton, Virginia

[@realappalachia]

Well you’ll have to come on down for a visit!! - Melody

[@ronc7743]

Messy hair is hot!

[@vanniegrace]

Grove Avenue Methodist Church

[@danielmoore7332]

Another nice video of a college town. I believe that towns with a higher than normal percentage of educated people tend to favor facts over opinion and vote Democratic. of course the Libertarian Party has a high percentage of educated supporters as well. Do y'all ever see any music stores while your out?