184 Kelley Street
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Last updated: March 25, 2024
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Directions from Effinger Street School to site 17:
The historic Dallard-Newman House is one of Harrisonburg’s oldest and most enduring monuments to African American history. Its history begins at the Riverbank Plantation in Elkton, VA, with formerly enslaved twin brothers Ambrose and Rueben Dallard. After the Civil War, the Dallards contributed to establishing the black community of Zenda and later extending Harrisonburg’s Newtown neighborhood. The Dallards brought property in the northeast section of Harrisonburg. Both brothers were carpenters. Ambrose helped build and find the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and several other houses in the area. One home still standing on Kelley Street was constructed by Ambrose in 1885 for his daughter Lucy.
His daughter, Mary Dallard, and her husband, George A. Newman, moved into the home after Lucy relocated. George A. Newman was a principal at Effinger Street School and then a Lucy F. Simms School teacher. He also had several other occupations and was an active community member. The Dallard-Newman house is one of the few African American homes to survive the 1960s Urban Renewal Projects that targeted the black community. It remained in the family until 2015, upon the death of Mary Carlotta Newman, the youngest daughter of Mary Dillard and George Newman.
This structure is worthy of preservation in the Northeast Community and symbolizes endurance, community, family, and history. The Northeast Neighborhood Association, a black-run non-profit organization, initiated renovations to convert the standing structure into a museum that will be an educational resource telling the history of African American families in the Northeast neighborhood.
His daughter, Mary Dallard, and her husband, George A. Newman, moved into the home after Lucy relocated. George A. Newman was a principal at Effinger Street School and then a Lucy F. Simms School teacher. He also had several other occupations and was an active community member. The Dallard-Newman house is one of the few African American homes to survive the 1960s Urban Renewal Projects that targeted the black community. It remained in the family until 2015, upon the death of Mary Carlotta Newman, the youngest daughter of Mary Dillard and George Newman.
This structure is worthy of preservation in the Northeast Community and symbolizes endurance, community, family, and history. The Northeast Neighborhood Association, a black-run non-profit organization, initiated renovations to convert the standing structure into a museum that will be an educational resource telling the history of African American families in the Northeast neighborhood.
References
Colby Johnson, “Renovations to Harrisonburg’s historic Dallard-Newman House underway,” WHSV3, October 31, 2022, https://www.whsv.com/2022/10/31/renovations-harrisonburgs-historic-dallard-newman-house-underway/.
“History of Kelley Street United Brethran in Christ Church, Newtown, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1892-1906, Ledger Entries by George A. Newman and others,” Edited and transcribed by Ruth M. Toliver, 1998.
“History of the Northeast Neighborhood in Harrisonburg Virginia,” NENA, accessed February 27, 2024, http://www.nenava.org/history.html.
“Restoring History,” Riverbank Companies LLC, accessed February 27, 2024, https://www.riverbankcompaniesllc.com/about.
Colby Johnson, “Renovations to Harrisonburg’s historic Dallard-Newman House underway,” WHSV3, October 31, 2022, https://www.whsv.com/2022/10/31/renovations-harrisonburgs-historic-dallard-newman-house-underway/.
“History of Kelley Street United Brethran in Christ Church, Newtown, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1892-1906, Ledger Entries by George A. Newman and others,” Edited and transcribed by Ruth M. Toliver, 1998.
“History of the Northeast Neighborhood in Harrisonburg Virginia,” NENA, accessed February 27, 2024, http://www.nenava.org/history.html.
“Restoring History,” Riverbank Companies LLC, accessed February 27, 2024, https://www.riverbankcompaniesllc.com/about.