Our History

A Timeline Of Our Comuunity

   The Briery Branch Community Club was created to fulfill a needed lack of a place to hold community gatherings, family reunions, 4-H club meetings and wedding receptions. The local churches had no space for civic and social gatherings nor did the Briery Branch School. Although the school was used on several occasions to host oyster, country ham and turkey supper fundraisers as well as Community Center business meetings.  Annual dues were set at $0.50 per year.
   On September  15, 1954, the organization was reorganized as the Briery Branch Community Club, keeping the same name.  The following officers were elected:  President,  Joseph S. Foster; VP, Calvin Auville; Secretary, Evelyn Cook; Treasurer, John O. Huffman.
    December 27th, 1954, the Briery Branch Community Club was incorporated with the following Trustees for the first year: L. (Lenwill) I. Cupp, Hubert Smith, Kenneth Cook, Robert Snyder, Weldon Miller and Joseph Foster.    
Five acres of land was purchased from John Cook for a total of $1,302 on March 19, 1955. The land had been owned by  John  D. Long estate and was sold to John Cook. There was an agreement between the two of them that a portion of Land containing the ball diamond would be sold to the Community Club. The home of the estate is where Paul Long lived and is located across the road from the tennis/basketball courts.
   Monies were being raised as early as the 1930’s to construct a community building.  Construction plans were created by the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service in Blacksburg.  Community members volunteered their time, led by Kenneth Cook.  Work days were in place for every Saturday to construct the original cinder block two story 30 by 60 ft. building. The women brought lunch for the workers.  The lumber was cut from the George Washington National Forest and sawed in the local saw mills by  David T. Huffman and Russel and Earl Hussey.  Lenwell Cupp contributed his back hoe attached to a farm tractor to dig the basement. John & Dale Croushorn contributed their services for electrical wiring.  John Huffman donated his plumbing skills. As monies were raised construction material were purchased and the project moved forward.
       The Briery Branch Extension Homemakers had fundraisers:  selling baked goods on the weekly market in Harrisonburg and a booth at the annual lawn party selling plants, baked goods, and fabric stenciled items.  They purchased the kitchen cabinets, a commercial stove, oven, and French fryer, and dishes and flatware.                   The Community Club held annual Oyster, Country Ham and Turkey Suppers as well as the Annual Lawn Party and Dog Show to generate money for the building project.  The Lawn Party and Dog Show continue to be a major fund raising project today. 
   The Briery Branch 4-H Club considered the Community Center to be their home. They had curtains installed for the stage. 
     1958 marks the date that active use began in the new community building  when the septic was approved. The first recorded use of the Community Center was a board meeting on August 28, 1958. 
Since then the following improvements have been made:
   1959   – Mary Morrison’s oil painting of an Apple Butter Boil, completed from one of the fund raising projects.  Purchased and donated by the Briery Branch Extension Homemakers.
   1961 – Purchased lights for the ball field from the Spring Creek Recreation Association.  The lights were located on the John Revercomb Farm, old Spring Creek Airport.
    1962 – constructed a 11 ft. by 21 ft. BBQ pit by Hubert & Joe Smith.  It is now used as tractor shed.
    `1964 – Purchased 4 bleachers.  Half of the $660 price paid by the Ball Club. 
     1965 – Purchase a piano with cost shared by 4-H
     1968 – Construction of outdoor toilet 
      1970 – Rockingham County Recreation Dept. began a 3 night a week recreation program .
       1970 – A 16 & one half ft by 32 & one half ft. building constructed to serve as lawn party food booth and storage building was construct at a cost of $1,200 - $2,000. The Committee was chaired by Robert Snyder.
      1971 – Children’s playground equipment installed.  A merry-go-round, two swing sets and a large slide. Committee members: Dolly Long, Dale Hummel, Jr. Anna Lee Casidy, Gary Long and Earl Hammer 
      1971 – November - the Community Center began serving as an polling place for state and federal elections. It was so used for 10 years.
      1971 – Winter - Attempted to put in an ice skating ring.  Did not work.
      1971 – Anna Lee Casady will operate the ball stand food booth. The profits to go into the recreation fund.
     1972 – Installed post around the perimeter of the ball grounds 
     1972 – Fall, purchase table and chair racks.
      1973 – Sock hops held for area youth.
      1974 – Club Scouts begin meeting 
      1974 – Spring.  David A Reed Construction contracted to dig a ditch around the outside of the Center down to the footer and place drainage tile and gravel to solve the problem of water seeping into the basement.  Total cost of $491.62 after a 20% discount. 
       1974 – First parade held during the Lawn Party 
        1975 – The newly formed Briery Branch Ruritan Club began using the Center for its meetings.
         1975 – Membership fees raised to $5 for lifetime and $0.50 for yearly. 
      1976 - 1977  Constructed two clay  tennis courts. The profits from the recreation fund paid for this.  In January 1980 a car intentionally crashed into the fence several times.  The alleged perpetrators was never apprehended. 
    1978 – Well dug, 572 ft. 8 gal per minute. 
     1978 – Created a new entrance off of Nazarene Church Road and closed the original one off Community Center Road.  A drop inlet created to drain water from the grounds and across Nazarene Church Road.
      1978 -  In June excavation began for the construction of a larger kitchen and entrance hall. What had been the main entrance at ground level dirt was excavated and the former front door became the second floor removing the cistern in the process.  It was into the early 1990’s before the project was completed.
 1988 – Stucco was applied to the kitchen addition exterior cinder block walls by Virginia Silo
  1989 – Arson fire.  Tuesday March 29. Damage on the 2nd floor and the refreshment stand was destroyed.
   1989 – John Lee’s son working his Eagle Scout Project formed a group of volunteers to build a replacement refreshment stand 12 ft. by 16 ft. in one day.  He was a member of a troop from the LDS Church then located in Dayton. 
     1991, January - dedicated the 4 panel stained glass windows in the front entrance hallway.  The project was made possible by a Memorial Fund from Glen and Regina Cupp Wine and the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Club members foiled the glass to help.
    1995 – County Road 731 named Community Center Road 
1998 - Ball field leveled with grading equipment from H & W Excavating, Donnie Wanger,  a pan, motor grader, tractor and dozer.  The following operated the equipment:  Jim Reedy, Benjamin Wenger, Norlyn Curry, Jim Reedy, Dale Wenger and John Auville.  The dirt was used to form a berm along the property line with Community Center Road creating a noise and safety barrier for the playground from highway traffic.  Sam Wheelbarger provided a seeder and mulcher to plant grass seed with helper Eugene Shackelford. 
     2002 – Wooden Kid’s Castle opened in May. 
     1999 - BBQ Pit - Briery Branch Ruritan Club constructed a chicken BBQ pit holding 1,000 halves.  It has heated water, drain and windbreak curtains. It was donated it to the Briery Branch Community Club.  The Ruritan Club operates the BBQ pit. 
   2005 – Flag Pole dedicated Sept 10.  Donated by Woodman of the World. 
   2010 – Sign with message board beside Community Center Road made possible by the Glenna Wine Cupp Memorial Fund and labor by the Briery Branch Ruritan Club. 
       2016 – Turned one tennis court into a basketball court and with the extra room marked out two areas for corn hole games.
      2017 –Constructed a Picnic Shelter 42 by 60 feet with two bathrooms  
     2017 – Fire pit constructed next door to the Picnic Shelter by Dennis Knicely and  Carl Lambert