Town of Dayton

About Us

Dayton is a small town located in the center of the Shenandoah Valley, two miles south of Harrisonburg along Route 42, and is one of the oldest settled communities in Rockingham County, and the County’s second oldest incorporated town. Home to about 1,500 people, Dayton is surrounded by prime agricultural farmland, mostly owned by members of the Old Order Mennonite community. With working farms and open spaces, traveling through Dayton and the surrounding area is a step back to an earlier time where horse-drawn buggies remain a common form of travel on rural roads throughout the community. Although Dayton has grown in sections to the west and north, the older part of town is largely unchanged.
Shopping in Dayton is a unique experience as you browse through the Dayton Market, a place where you can feel welcome with more than 20 specialty shops featuring a wide variety of merchandise, including items made with local, skilled hands. There are other unique shops around town where you will find glass art, gifts, crafts, primitives, modern furniture, antiques and collectibles, as well as a place to find all of your sewing and quilting needs. Also, nearby is the Silver Lake Mill, a landmark structure that now houses a store offering mill themed products, gifts and commemorative collectibles.
Dayton is also home to a national historic registered landmark, The Daniel Harrison House, also known as Fort Harrison, which is the oldest house in Dayton and one of the oldest in County.
The Town of Dayton also offers lots of fun-filled events from spring until the winter holidays.