Dallard-Newman House receives $300k federal grant toward renovations

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – The Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) is celebrating a major boost for historic preservation in its community. The organization is receiving a $300,000 federal grant for the historic Dallard-Newman House, one of Harrisonburg’s oldest landmarks.

The grant will help restore the house at 192 Kelley St. in Harrisonburg’s Northeast Neighborhood. Renovations from other grants have been underway, including lifting the entire house to repair the foundation, but the large sum will expedite progress. At the end of the upgrades, the home will be turned into the first African American history museum in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

“We are so proud that we are able to bring back that history and show the history to the new generation after us, what happened here and what how the legacy of this community is just so rich,” Karen Thomas, president of NENA, said.

The house was built in 1895 by Ambrose and Rueben Dallard, former slaves from Elkton. The house was originally built for Ambrose’s daughter, but was passed on to William Johnson, a freeman from Winchester, around 1907. The Dallards and Johnson were the founders of the Northeast Neighborhood, formerly known as Zenda.

Thomas said she thinks believes the men would be proud of the work the association has done to keep their legacy alive.

Alex Lee has been working on the house’s construction. He said it’s been a “cool” experience uncovering the century-old details in the house, like the horse hair used as wall insulation. He said renovations have been challenging, especially when it comes to keeping the integrity of the house, but it’s been worth it.

“I want to be able to drive by and my grandkids can go, ‘my grandpa worked on that house,’” Lee said. “The good and the bad, everybody needs to know where they came from. They need to know the town where you grew up. Everything has a history.”

Thomas said she was a little worried NENA would lose the grant because of cuts to federal spending, but it worked out in the end.

The funding was secured through a government funding bill passed by Congress, through the national parks. The Dallard-Newman project will continue to apply for grants to ensure the house’s upkeep and to preserve history of African Americans in the neighborhood for decades to come.

The next round of renovations is expected to be complete in August.

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