Mountain View, Roanoke, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mountain View
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Mountain View Center on 13th Street SW
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| City | Roanoke |
| Elevation | 1,017 ft (310 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
24016
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| Area code(s) | 540 |
Mountain View is a cool neighborhood in Roanoke, Virginia. It's located right in the middle of Roanoke, just north of the Roanoke River. It shares borders with other neighborhoods like Norwich to the west and West End to the east. To the north is Hurt Park, and to the south are Raleigh Court and Wasena.
In March 2011, a famous home improvement group called This Old House picked Mountain View. They named it Virginia’s “Best Old House Neighborhood 2011.” This award goes to places with beautiful old homes that have interesting pasts and bright futures. Mountain View was one of 64 neighborhoods in the U.S. and Canada to get this special recognition.
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History of Mountain View
Most of the houses in Mountain View were built a long time ago. They were constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many of these large homes were built for important railroad executives who worked in Roanoke. The main style of houses you'll see here is the two-story American Foursquare. Over time, some of these big houses have been divided into smaller apartments for several families.
The neighborhood gets its name from a specific house called Mountain View. This house is a Georgian Revival style home built in 1907. It's so important that it's listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. A well-known person named Junius Blair Fishburn built this house. He was a publisher, banker, and a generous person in Roanoke during the early 1900s.
The entire neighborhood is also part of the Southwest Historic District. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Fun Places in Mountain View
Mountain View has some great spots for everyone to enjoy.
Mountain View Center (Fishburn Mansion)
The Mountain View Center is a huge house with 42 rooms. It was once known as the Fishburn Mansion. In 1955, Junius Fishburn gave this mansion to the City of Roanoke. He wanted it to be used for fun activities for the community. It's now a Virginia Landmarks Register site and a National Historic Landmark since 1981. Today, senior groups use it for games and cards. It also hosts fitness and art classes. Many people rent it for weddings and parties.
Vic Thomas Park and Roanoke River Greenway
Vic Thomas Park opened in the fall of 2010. It's a large park, about 16 acres, and it's part of the Roanoke River Greenway. The Greenway is a system of 10 miles of paved trails. This park is special because it has exercise stations along its paths. Signs suggest different exercises to help you work out your whole body. The park also has big open areas for groups to gather. Soon, picnic tables will be added too. The city wants to keep the park as natural as possible.
A long steel bridge, 250 feet long, crosses the Roanoke River. This bridge connects Wasena Park to the new Vic Thomas Park. The park is named after Vic Thomas, who was a state delegate. He worked for 30 years to represent parts of Roanoke and was known for caring about nature.
West End Community Market
The West End Community Market started on June 2, 2010. It's a farmers’ market held in the parking lot of the West End Center for Youth. You can find it at the corner of 13th Street and Patterson Avenue. This market is open every Wednesday from June through September, usually from 4 to 7 p.m.
When October starts, the market changes to winter hours, from 3 to 6 p.m. In November, the market moves inside the nearby building. It continues every Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. through the holiday season. The market has a "100-mile rule." This means all items sold must come from within 100 miles of the market. Also, most products sold here are grown using organic methods.
