Historic Smithfield

08/14/2026

We’re buzzing with excitement about tomorrow’s Heritage Day Festival 2026 in downtown Christiansburg from 11am to 4pm! Come find our table near the Pepper House to say hello, learn more about Historic Smithfield and our upcoming events, watch a spinning demonstration, and make a church doll!

Want a historical weekend? Consider visiting Historic Smithfield and strolling our incredible gardens while they’re at their peak!

07/22/2026

A friendly reminder:

Historic Smithfield's house and grounds will be closed on Saturday, July 25 for a private event. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to welcoming you back when we reopen on Wednesday, July 29, 10am–3pm.

07/22/2026

Historic Smithfield's house, grounds, and parking will be closed this Saturday, July 25, for a private event.

Looking for historical fun this weekend? Head over to the Mary Draper Ingles Festival at Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery! Stop by our booth to say hi!

Celebrate America’s 250th at the Mary Draper Ingles Festival July 24-26 in Radford and at nearby sites. Visitors will hear outstanding writers, historians, and musicians who bring Virginia’s early frontier to life.

There is engaging content for everyone at the Mary Draper Ingles Festival, including our children visitors. On Saturday, there will be a special storytime at 10 am with Radford Public Library's Morgan Esterhuizen. There will be a petting zoo from 10 am to 1 pm. A giant cow Bounce House will also be part of the festivities.

Check out www.glencoemansion.org/mary-draper-ingles for more information and more events!

07/10/2026

Thanks for lending your musical talents our Independence Day program, JAM Montgomery County!

How wonderful to have a program encouraging young people to learn about Appalachian music and folkways in our community!

We had a blast celebrating America's 250th at Historic Smithfield!

Thanks to Jane, Hannah, Grant, Craig, Jason, and Tim for playing!

And thanks, Jean Haskell, for the photo!

Registration for our Fall semester starts soon!

07/09/2026

Spots are open for our July 27–31 Summer Camp session at Historic Smithfield! 🏛️

Campers will spend the week stepping into the 18th century, mapping the grounds, exploring the garden, trying colonial crafts and chores, and wrapping up with a Revolutionary War encampment experience (water balloon fight included!).

📅 July 27–31
⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM daily
📍 Historic Smithfield parking lot

Spaces are limited, so sign up soon to reserve your camper's spot. Link in bio to register!
https://www.historicsmithfield.org/classes/p/summer-camp-2026-live-through-the-revolution-6kzmf

07/08/2026

What an incredible Independence Day at Historic Smithfield!

Despite temperatures climbing to 95°, 400+ visitors joined us to celebrate America's founding through history, music, hands-on activities, and community.

Guests enjoyed blacksmithing, leatherworking, a colonial militia encampment, spinning demonstrations, gardening activities, hands-on printing, our community Betsy Ross-inspired star project, historic clothing demonstrations with the Children of the American Revolution, and tours of the historic house.

This celebration would not have been possible without the many organizations, performers, craftspeople, and volunteers who generously shared their time and talents.

A heartfelt thank you to our community partners:
• Montgomery Museum of Art & History
• Calfee Community & Cultural Center
• Friends of St Luke, Odd Fellows & Household of Ruth, Blacksburg VA
• History Department at Virginia Tech

Thank you to our outstanding performers:
🎭 Proclamation Theatre for bringing history to life through the story of Daniel Boone and William Preston.
🎶 Blue Ridge Vocal Connection
💃 Floyd Historical Dancers
🎼 Harpist Chloe Scales
🪕 Montgomery Junior Appalachian Musicians for closing the day with wonderful bluegrass music.

A special thank you to Jef and Katie Graham of Linkous-Kipps Historical House for bringing their beautiful horses, which quickly became a visitor favorite, and to Precious Valley Petting Zoo for delighting our youngest guests with an unforgettable hands-on experience with animals.

Finally, we would like to thank Carilion Clinic for generously providing free bottled water throughout the day, helping keep our visitors, volunteers, and staff hydrated in the summer heat. We are also grateful that they have offered to continue supporting future Historic Smithfield events.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who volunteered, participated, and spent part of your Independence Day with us. Your support makes it possible for Historic Smithfield to continue providing engaging, educational, and inclusive programs for our community. We can't wait to welcome you back for our next event!

07/03/2026

Tonight’s the night!

Join us at 4:30 PM at the Christiansburg Public Library for Roots & Routes, an engaging afternoon of local history featuring two thought-provoking talks that explore the people, places, and legacies that shaped the New River Valley.

Hear from Jef Graham, amateur historian and genealogist, and Michael Hudson, Executive Director of Historic Smithfield, as they examine the journeys that brought early settlers to Virginia and the complex stories they left behind. Together, these talks offer a deeper understanding of our region’s past and the many influences that continue to shape our community today.

This program is free and open to the public and is part of Historic Smithfield’s 250th anniversary programming.

We hope to see you tonight at the Christiansburg Public Library!

07/01/2026

This week we've got a double feature of thought-provoking programming as part of our 250th anniversary lineup, and we'd love for you to join us for one (or both!).

🗓️ July 2 at 5:30 PM — Montgomery Museum of Art & History
"July 4 vs. July 2: Are We Celebrating the Wrong Independence Day?"
Dr. Dan Thorp makes the case for why July 2 deserves a second look as our true Independence Day. Snacks and refreshments provided. 4 E Main St, Christiansburg.

🗓️ July 3 at 4:30 PM — Community Room, Christiansburg Public Library
Roots & Routes: The Preston Family's Journey in the New River Valley
Two presentations in one evening: first, a look at what brought the Preston family from Northern Ireland to settle the southwestern Virginia frontier, then "Preston's Three Conflicts," exploring Colonel William Preston's leadership during the Revolutionary Era, navigating Native American raids, a deeply divided county, and the demands of the Continental war effort. Presented by Jef Graham (Amateur Historian & Genealogist) and Michael Hudson (Executive Director of Historic Smithfield).

Both talks are free and open to the public. Come dig into some of the messier, more interesting corners of our region's Revolutionary history before the big July 4th celebration at Smithfield!

07/01/2026

06/30/2026

🌡️ A HEADS UP DUE TO THIS WEEK'S HEAT 🌡️
We've made a couple of changes to keep everyone cool and comfortable as we celebrate 250 years of independence. Here's what's new:

📚 ROOTS & ROUTES LECTURE — July 3 at 4:30 PM
We've moved indoors! Join us in the Community Room at the Christiansburg Public Library for two talks on the Preston family's journey to the New River Valley, including Colonel William Preston's leadership during the Revolutionary Era. Speakers Jef Graham (Amateur Historian & Genealogist) and Michael Hudson (Executive Director, Historic Smithfield). Free and open to the public!

🎉 INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION — July 4
Outdoor activities will now wrap up at 1 PM instead of running later, including:
🪖 Colonial militia demonstrations, leatherworking, blacksmithing, and spinning
🎻 Live music from Blue Ridge Vocal Connection and the Montgomery Junior Appalachian Musicians
🐐 Petting zoo and family crafts
🚚 Food trucks from Playa Bowls and H's BBQ & Snowcones
🏠 Historic House Tours will continue until 3 PM, so you can still explore Smithfield and beat the heat indoors!
We appreciate your flexibility and can't wait to celebrate this milestone anniversary with you, safely and comfortably.

And thank you to Carilion Clinic for sponsoring complimentary water at our event so we can ensure everyone stays hydrated and safe.

📍 1000 Merry Oak Way, Blacksburg, VA
🔗 historicsmithfield.org/events