ROANOKE, Va. – Friends of Mountain View and the city of Roanoke have joined forces to restore the historic Fishburn Mansion and its surrounding grounds, aiming to bring new life to the early 1900s property once home to the prominent Fishburn family.
The mansion, along with the greenhouse, cottage, chicken coop, and grounds, will undergo extensive renovations estimated to cost around $6 million. The mansion alone is expected to require about $3 million for a major overhaul.
Terry McGuire, vice mayor of Roanoke, said the property was left to the city in 1955 after Junius Fishburn passed away. “They were left to the city under the condition that the land and the building be used as a recreational facility and a park,” he explained.
Judy Harrison, president of Friends of Mountain View, highlighted Fishburn’s impact on the city. “He contributed greatly to the growth of the city of Roanoke,” she said. “He has a lasting legacy that we need to honor by fixing his home.”
In a recent meeting, Friends of Mountain View and the Fishburn family agreed to name the cottage on the property Bea’s Cottage, honoring a servant who once worked there, per the family’s request.
The restoration project will be funded through grants, partnerships, and a capital campaign set to launch in 2026. Harrison said, “Next year we will start a capital campaign to work with the city.”
McGuire expressed gratitude for the partnership with Friends of Mountain View. “We’re really grateful to have the Friends of Mountain View as a partner in helping organize the community, help raise funds and help facilitate us as we get the buildings and grounds updated and ready for the next 100 years.”
The community values the Fishburn property as a special place within Roanoke’s parks and recreation system, and this collaborative effort aims to restore it to its former glory.