The history of the Roanoke Valley during the 1940s has largely been
unexplored until now. This significant decade bore witness to the birth
of the local civil rights movement, the impact of World War II and the
postwar boom in public projects and private development. The J-Class
locomotives, Carver School, Woodrum Field, Victory Stadium, Carvins
Cove, the Roanoke Star, the end of streetcars, and the advent of
drive-in theaters all marked the decade. Crowds thronged to see the
biggest names in radio, film and music at the American Legion
Auditorium, the Academy of Music and the Roanoke Theatre, while Major
League baseball and professional football brought exhibition games to
Maher Field and Victory Stadium. Local historian Nelson Harris provides
a detailed account of this dynamic decade along with 300 archival
photographs.