My Old Town

Down in Harrisonburg yesterday I had the rare opportunity to wander around in town for a couple of hours. 

First, I found a great cup of strong coffee and a slice of French Almond cake at the Farmers’ Market, after visiting with a family friend at his shitake mushroom table. Next I ventured into my favorite shops on South Main Street that are full of local arts, crafts, and wares (Oasis and Agora) as well as international fairly-traded treasures (Ten Thousand Villages). Finally, I hit the Friendly City Food Co-op and picked up some Spring seedlings. 

I was pleased to see small groups gathered near the farmers’ market for International Women’s Day, and in front of the courthouse in support of Ukraine. I noticed a new-to-me bakery adjacent to the historic Harrison House, and a quilt museum in a grand house dating back to the mid-1800s.

The blind man in front of Woolworth with his accordion is long gone, along with the lunch counters at the Woolworth, and the McCrory’s. Both the State Theater and the Virginia Theater are distant memories now, one of them burned to the ground. Jess’s Quick Lunch is more recently departed. But Kline’s Dairy is still going strong, and the updated Library stands proud beside the twenty-year-old Harrisonburg Children’s Museum that appears to be thriving.

The vibrancy on the streets was uplifting, and almost reminiscent of the downtown from my youth. Before the mall. Before the sprawl. My old town lives on.