Gainsboro, Roanoke, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Gainsboro is a Roanoke
, Virginia
neighborhood located in central Roanoke immediately north of Downtown
, across the Norfolk Southern Railway
right of way, between Interstate 581
and Orange Avenue. It borders the neighborhoods of Harrison
and Gilmer
on the west, Washington Park
on the north, Williamson Road
on the east and Downtown Roanoke on the south. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Gainsboro has a population of 967 residents.
's oldest town, and takes its name from Major Kemp Gaines, who both founded and provided the early financing for the village. The location of the settlement would shift slightly to the southwest after 1852 following the arrival of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
and the establishment of Big Lick
.
Referred to as Old Lick between the 1850s and 1880s, what would become present-day Gainsboro began to develop as a predominantly African-American community. In 1882, Old Lick and Big Lick would incorporate as Roanoke, and most of its development which still stands today occurred between 1890 and 1940. It was during this time that the area would develop as the center of Roanoke's African American community with Henry Street
serving as the cultural and commercial center of the community.
The urban renewal
programs of the 1960s and 70s displaced many families and businesses in the neighborhood and changed the overall urban fabric and character of the area. Today the neighborhood is seeing redevelopment, especially in the areas surrounding the Hotel Roanoke
. Established in the 1970s, the Gainsboro Neighborhood Alliance has served as the citizen advocacy group for the community.
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
neighborhood located in central Roanoke immediately north of Downtown
Downtown Roanoke
Downtown is the central business district of Roanoke, Virginia, United States. Located geographically at the center of the city, Downtown began its development with the completion of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in 1882...
, across the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
right of way, between Interstate 581
Interstate 581
Interstate 581 is a spur off Interstate 81 into Roanoke, Virginia, United States, completely overlapping U.S. Route 220.-Route description:...
and Orange Avenue. It borders the neighborhoods of Harrison
Harrison, Roanoke, Virginia
Harrison is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke, that initially developed in the 1920s as an early Roanoke suburb. It borders the neighborhoods of Melrose-Rugby and Washington Park on the north, Gilmer on the south, Gainsboro on the east and Loudon-Melrose on the west. Its...
and Gilmer
Gilmer, Roanoke, Virginia
Gilmer is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke, abutting the Norfolk Southern rail yard that initially developed in the 1920s as an early Roanoke suburb. It borders the neighborhoods of Harrison on the north, Gainsboro to the east and Loudon-Melrose to the west...
on the west, Washington Park
Washington Park, Roanoke, Virginia
Washington Park is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke, that initially developed in the 1920s as an early Roanoke suburb. It borders the neighborhoods of Roundhill on the north and Williamson Road on the north and east, Gainsboro and Harrison on the south and Melrose-Rugby...
on the north, Williamson Road
Williamson Road, Roanoke, Virginia
Williamson Road is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in north, central Roanoke. It borders the neighborhoods of Roundhill and Preston Park on the north, Belmont on the south, Hollins on the east, and Gainsboro and Washington Park on the west opposite Interstate 581...
on the east and Downtown Roanoke on the south. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Gainsboro has a population of 967 residents.
History
Gainsboro traces its origins to the 1835 establishment of Gainesborough settlement. Developed by William Rowland, Gainesborough was established as the Roanoke ValleyRoanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
's oldest town, and takes its name from Major Kemp Gaines, who both founded and provided the early financing for the village. The location of the settlement would shift slightly to the southwest after 1852 following the arrival of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway...
and the establishment of Big Lick
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
.
Referred to as Old Lick between the 1850s and 1880s, what would become present-day Gainsboro began to develop as a predominantly African-American community. In 1882, Old Lick and Big Lick would incorporate as Roanoke, and most of its development which still stands today occurred between 1890 and 1940. It was during this time that the area would develop as the center of Roanoke's African American community with Henry Street
serving as the cultural and commercial center of the community.
The urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
programs of the 1960s and 70s displaced many families and businesses in the neighborhood and changed the overall urban fabric and character of the area. Today the neighborhood is seeing redevelopment, especially in the areas surrounding the Hotel Roanoke
Hotel Roanoke
The Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Doubletree Hotels brand...
. Established in the 1970s, the Gainsboro Neighborhood Alliance has served as the citizen advocacy group for the community.
Notable places and persons from Gainsboro
- Hotel RoanokeHotel RoanokeThe Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Doubletree Hotels brand...
- Roanoke Catholic SchoolRoanoke Catholic SchoolRoanoke Catholic School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Roanoke, Virginia. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond. It also includes a highly specialized preschool...
- Edward R. DudleyEdward R. DudleyEdward Richard Dudley was the first African-American to hold the rank of Ambassador of the United States, serving as Ambassador to Liberia from 1949 to 1953....
- the first black United States ambassador