“‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’ Town and Gown in the Friendly City” Exhibit in Carrier Library

Posted September 3, 2026 in Uncategorized

Examine the historic and present-day town-gown relationship between JMU, Harrisonburg, and the surrounding community at “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” a new exhibit online and in the new Distinctive Collections Exhibition Space on the second floor of Carrier Library.

Within a college town, two distinct communities exist. Town refers to the local non-academic community, permanent residents, or so called “townies,” while Gown refers to the university community, particularly students and administrators. The tensions, ties, conflicts, collaborations, and interactions between those two groups all contribute to a college town’s unique town-gown dynamic.

James Madison University and its relationship with Harrisonburg and the local community has evolved dramatically over the course of the school’s history. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”: Town and Gown in the Friendly City explores the historic and present-day town-gown relationship between the two communities, paying particular attention to the themes of community response to the school’s establishment and early interactions between the two groups, changing the physical and social landscapes, community service and philanthropy, and building mutual trust.

The physical exhibit will be up through May 2027. It will be celebrated with an exhibit talk at Massanutten Regional Library on March 4, 2027.