About

In 1833, twin brothers Ambrose and Reuben Dallard were born into slavery on the Riverbank plantation, located in present-day Rockingham county. The two brothers remained enslaved with their families until sometime in their late twenties or early thirties. The brothers and their family members presumably gained their freedom after the end of the Civil War, and shortly after moved off the plantation. In the 1870 census, Ambrose Dallard is listed as living at dwelling number 320 in central Rockingham with his wife, Harriet Graves (also born on Riverbank plantation), and their six children. At that time, Dallard listed his occupation as "laborer" (1870 Federal Census). In 1875, the Dallard brothers built a home, the future Dallard-Newman house, at 192 Kelley Street. It was one of the first homes to be built in what would become the Newtown Community in downtown Harrisonburg, a thriving African American community.

Once completed, Ambrose Dallard and his wife Harriet gifted the house to their daughter Lucy and her husband Charles Cochran. Over the next few years, Lucy and Charles left Newtown and the Dallard's daughter Mary and her husband George Newman moved into the home at 192 Kelley Street, where they lived with their fourteen children. When Charles and Lucy passed away, ownership of the home went to their youngest daughter, Mary Carlotta Newman. Mary resided in the house for the duration of her life, and likely played a key role in the survival of the house during the demolition of Newtown during Harrisonburg's "Urban Renewal" project in the late 1950s. Mary Newman passed away in the Dallard – Newman house in 2015 at the age of 103 years old. Her death ended the 140 – year residency of the Dallard family in the original home.

In recent years the Northeast Neighborhood Association has raised over $100,000 to convert the house into a museum highlighting African American history in the neighborhood and city.