Tag

Virginia

Tag

Virginia

Stonega Coke & Coal Company Electrical Shop

The Rise of Coal in Wise County, Virginia

The rise of coal in Virginia in the early 1900s was propelled by the expansion of railroads and the increasing demand from industrializing cities. This era saw the development of many new coal mines in the Appalachian region, transforming local economies and shaping the landscape of communities in southwestern Virginia.

Presidents Heads

Presidents Park

With the inauguration of United States President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. today, I wanted to share a history and gallery of 43 crumbling effigies of the presidents of the United States that stand in a field near Williamsburg, Virginia.

New River, Holston and Western Railroad

While exploring Virginia’s back roads, I came upon the former New River, Holston and Western Railroad (NH&W) that once extended from the Norfolk & Western (N&W) at Narrows on the New River in Giles County to the village of Suiter in Bland County, Virginia. The 43-mile line followed Wolf Creek or its tributaries for its entire length.

Chesapeake Western Railway

On a recent business excursion to Virginia, I discovered the oft-forgotten Chesapeake Western Railway which was once proposed from Washington, D.C. to Cicninnati, Ohio. Only a segment from Elkton, Virginia westward to Stokesville was ever completed in its original intention. Although some of the railroad has been dismantled, portions remain active for the Norfolk Southern and for a short line.