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 Welcome to Radford The Radford Highlanders Festival, now in its ninth year, is a partnership between the Main Street Radford and Radford University. Held every second Saturday in October, the festival is representative of the closeness between the two entities. Radford is a small town that is proud of its history with RU. Born as a central depot to the railroad industry, Radford is rich in heritage and history. It was 1772 when the early Scots-Irish settler William Ingles began operating a ferry across the New River and 10 years later when he built the first tavern on the opposite side of the ferry. Next came a blacksmith shop, general store and the tavern Lovely Mountain. Now, over two centuries later, Radford has achieved the “All American City” status. The drama “The Long Way Home” tells the story of William’s wife, Mary Draper Ingles, who was captured by Shawnee Indians in 1755. She escaped and journeyed 850 miles home through rugged and unexplored terrain by following the rivers. Radford’s natural forest growth, unusual rock formations, and the New River provide a scenic setting for Radford University. The school enrolls more than 9,200 students from throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Additionally, over 40 other states and 60 foreign countries are represented in our student population. A state-supported coeducational institution founded in 1910, RU offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in seven colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business and Economics, Education and Human Development, Information Science and Technology, Graduate and Extended Education, Visual and Performing Arts and the Waldron College of Nursing and Health Services. The 175-acre campus is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the banks of the New River. In addition to the main campus, the university foundation owns a 380-acre tract of land known as Selu Conservancy. The conservancy is available for academic and recreational use and features a retreat center, observatory and overlook at the river. Future plans include the addition of dormitories. The C.E. Richardson Appalachian Heritage Education Park at Selu is now under construction. The park will feature a replica 1930s farmhouse. Points of interest to visitors in the surrounding areas include Claytor Lake and the Blue Ridge Parkway (45 minutes from campus). The Appalachian Trail also runs through nearby Pulaski, Montgomery and Giles counties. To learn more about the festival
e-mail Bonnie Erickson, or write to PO Box 6916, Radford University, Radford VA 24142 |
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