Thirteen men and two women enthusiasts of antique cars met in 1955 and applied to the Antique Automobile Club of America for a local chapter.  It was granted in the name of the Roanoke Valley Region, Antique Automobile Club of America.  Blair A. Riley, with a 1912 Ford Model T Torpedo Roadster, was elected the region's first director.  Today the region has a membership of over three hundred representing several hundred vehicles of various makes and models 25 years old or older.  RVR hosts several events and car shows each year including the Vinton Dogwood Festival, Olde Salem Days, and Festival in the Park.  In addition, the region was host to National AACA meets in 1966, 1974, 1982, 1999, and 2006.  Leadership is provided by a band of officers elected annually and guided by a set of by-laws, approved by the national club.  Membership in the national Antique Automobile Club of America is a prerequisite for becoming a member of the local club.

FOUNDING MEMBERS - James T. Anderson, Walter Anderson, Nellie Bowles, Joseph E. Brumberg, J. Gary Clay, Wesley V. Hillman, Frank E. Koehler, S. M. Bill Reedy, Blair A. Riley, Paul "Pete" Robinson, Mason Rust, Doris Turman, Anna Stanley, Garvin "Red" Stanley, and Howard Sumpter.