New Year, Old You: Moving Forward Through Looking Back
Each December, no matter how much has happened in a given year, I find myself flabbergasted that another 12 months have managed to pass by so quickly. And I think it’s true what “They” say, that this speed only increases as you grow older.
As such, come the week after Christmas, I can often be found staring wistfully out the window, reflecting on the past year and contemplating the future. The eve of 2010 is no exception.
Inspiration Through Exploration
This year, Immerge decided to create an e-card to send to clients, partners, and community members that would focus on the new year. I was immediately attracted to this idea for several reasons (the first being my aforementioned penchant for reflection).
I enjoy the overall festiveness our culture places on a “new year, new you,” giving us all the opportunity for a fresh start, perhaps mixed with the wisdom we gained in the previous 365 days. I believe that this outlook, as well as general well wishing, can be an important part of personal and professional relationships alike.
The main reason why this particular project excited me did not come until I took a second look at the place in which I work every day. I walked into our office one morning and admired, as I normally do, the generous amount of sunlight streaming through our 10-foot windows.
However, this time I started thinking about the building itself. When was it built? Why were those windows so large? Who had been here to enjoy them before me? And wouldn’t it be an interesting exploration to incorporate into the New Year’s card? So I decided to embark on a little journey to the library.
I grew up in Rockingham County, about 10 minutes from downtown Harrisonburg, and I am absolutely in love with this area. I’ve been most recently captivated by the sheer abundance of history that can be found here. Two years ago, I took this interest and channeled it into a documentary I made about growth and development in the area. Since then, I’ve jumped at opportunities to continue to learn about the stories behind local places I see every day.
The Keezell Building intrigued me in much the same way. The more I researched it, the more I was struck by what a varied past it had. This also led me to consider how Immerge’s place in the building served as an apt representation of our own relationships in the community and our commitment to that community’s development and revitalization.
The Keezell Building: A Retrospective
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Lyon
Immerge Technologies was fortunate to move into the Keezell Building in 2006 and, in so doing, became a part of the rich history of the building, downtown family, and greater Harrisonburg-Rockingham community.
When considering the larger picture, however, Immerge is only a small and very recent part of the Keezell Building. The many businesses and organizations across years and industries that have called this place home lend a strong foundation to its present state.
Built in 1907 and now recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, the Keezell Building was a project undertaken by Virginia State Senator, and Rockingham County native, George B. Keezell to house the Harrisonburg Daily News (now the Daily News-Record).
Senator Keezell was an advocate for creating a knowledgeable citizenry in all its forms and was critically instrumental in having the Normal School (now James Madison University) located in Harrisonburg. Some may note that Keezell Hall on JMU’s campus is also named for this important figure.
The Keezell Building is not only a part of the Downtown Harrisonburg and greater Harrisonburg-Rockingham spheres, but is also a community unto itself. Over the past century, it has housed private residents, businesses, schools, and public, private, and governmental organizations, with the longest-term tenants being the Daily News-Record, Garber’s Shoe Store, and the public library.
The diversity in occupants is far reaching – across the spheres of education, politics, the arts, health and fitness, fashion, and charity. Among them are two schools of music and a business college; studios for music recording, art, and dance; a country grocery; two clothing boutiques; an animal adoption center; the city’s first Pilates and yoga studio; and most notably, the original offices for Rosetta Stone, as well as the first presidential campaign headquarters located in Harrisonburg (for the Barack Obama campaign of 2008).
The markings of this long past are evident in Immerge's offices today, perhaps the most obvious being our individual work areas. During various points over the course of the Keezell Building’s previous lives, interior walls were erected to cordon off smaller workspaces or living areas. Today, this division of space is perfectly suited to Immerge’s multiple programmers and designers maintaining their own creative environments.
But just as our predecessors did before us, so too will Immerge leave its own mark on this building’s history. We hope that you’ll join us on our journey.
Photo courtesy of the Massanutten Regional Library Archives
Keezell Businesses and Organizations (Past and Present)
For a list of past and present Keezell occupants that I’ve been able to track down thus far, please see below. If you have corrections or additions, please contact me at nicole@immergetech.com.
1907-1941 Daily News-Record
1910 Imogen Avis Palmer’s School of Music
1927 Hartman’s School of Music
1927 Valley Book Shop (books, stationary, film processing)
Garber’s Shoe Store (40 years)
1931-1951 Public library
1955 Harrisonburg Business College
1992 Fairfield Language Technologies (now Rosetta Stone)
