Another Downtown Christiansburg event this weekend is the second "Cruisin' Christiansburg" with special ceremonies and town sponsored activities. A main stage and children's activity area will extend the energy already present with the arrival of Grand Classic Cruisers and a portion of a major face lift being completed.
What is the background for all this brouhaha?
Well, with the Town of Christiansburg’s last major annexation a new mall was constructed (Market Square and Triangle Bowling Lanes), which lead to many downtown retailers shifting to new locations or closing. And more malls. Acres and acres and acres of them, now some empty or others having "chain stores" preparing to relocate to the next, better market.
Yet the downtown merchant’s Wilderness Trail Festival continued, guided by Kathy Mantz. In 1983, a group of citizens acquired the Pepper House and chartered the Montgomery Museum & Lewis Miller Regional Art Center to preserve and interpret the region’s history. In that same year, the old train depot in Cambria was saved from demolition and a two year restoration project begun. Subsequently, several areas with significant structures were placed on the National Register of Historic Places and a large inventory of properties was recognized by the Virginia Landmarks Register.
By 1996, a group of forward thinking citizens, working with town and county leaders and the Christiansburg/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, began brainstorming on how to redesign and rejuvenate the Historic Cambria and traditional downtown district.
While the “Christiansburg Old Town” and renovations were sometimes delayed by more changes over the next decade – business closings, reduced federal and state grant funding, and a merger of the town’s chamber of commerce – others kept the idea of a vibrant downtown and preservation of historic structures moving forward.
In August 2006, Councilman Steve Huppert and Coffee Depot owner Tacy Newell Foutz began a series of meetings with downtown business operators, which pointed to a continuing desire for community events in the downtown area. Preservation and economic or tourism development support was also voiced. This lead to a “Pickin’ on the Museum” concert on the lawn in July 2007 and Town Council's resolution to designate an "antiques corridor" with others researching signage to point visitors to the historic districts. This was later followed by Huppert beginning a conversation with Dale Echols about hosting the cruise in cars in the downtown area a couple of times or so.
Today -- with the summer 2008 Cruisin’ Christiansburg events and grand re-opening of the downtown, a fledging Historic Cambria & Downtown Christiansburg Partners group working in tandem with the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce on Wilderness Trail Festival planning and the local museum and library branch -- connections are being sustained and nurtured.
Through the collaborative efforts of many individuals and organizations committed to Christiansburg and its history -- business operators, property owners, volunteer members, civic organization and government partners -- the heart and soul of our community is becoming stronger and more vibrant through the preservation of local heritage and its assets.