Settled beside the Blue Ridge Mountains in the mid-1700s, Waynesboro was named after Revolutionary War general Mad Anthony Wayne. On March 2, 1865, the Civil War shook Waynesboro in the form of a short, devastating battle. Following the war, the establishment of the crossing lines of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in Waynesboro helped industries thrive. Rife Ram and Pump Works, Virginia Metalcrafters, DuPont, and Invista are a few of the manufacturers that have called Waynesboro home during the last 120 years. Town and mountainside apple orchards also flourished. Despite some citizen resistance, Waynesboro and Basic City, the town across the South River, were joined in 1924. With the closing of many industries in the mid- to late 1900s, Waynesboro began to focus on its natural, historic, and cultural uniqueness to strengthen and redefine the city as it entered the 21st century. Images of America: Waynesboro looks back at Waynesboro’s past, offering fascinating glimpses of its businesses, institutions, events, and people.
