Stephen H Provost

Roanoke Century Stephen H Provost

Do you remember when Dr. J played in Roanoke? When Santa's train stopped at Miller & Rhoads downtown? When a native son starred in one of the biggest holiday classics of all time? Whether you answered, "I didn't know that," or whether you just want to be reminded, you'll find it all in Roanoke Century.

Illustrated with nearly 100 images, it's part of the Century Cities series, which was created to celebrate and preserve the history of midsized and smaller American cities during the 20th century.

Roanoke got its start in the mid-19th century as Big Lick, an odd yet descriptive name based on the salt deposits, otherwise known as licks, in the area. Forged with the help of iron rails and steely determination, it grew so fast at the end of the 19th century that they called in "The Magic City."

It was headquarters for the Norfolk & Western railroad and a thriving textile industry. Growth eventually slowed, and the "Magic City" moniker gave way to "Star City of the South" in the mid-20th century, when a giant neon star appeared on Mill Mountain overlooking a thriving and historic downtown. Roanoke was once home to the state's biggest football stadium and its first indoor mall.

Now, in the 21st century it's a vibrant city of 100,000 at the heart of a metropolitan area three times as large. Historic Elmwood Park now has an art walk and amphitheater. There's a monument to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Taubman Museum of Art moved into a sleek new building in 2005.

The 19th century boom years and the Roanoke of today hold many tales of their own, but Roanoke Century tells the story of what happened in between.