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BM 252 Starkey Speedway
Aerial view of Starkey Speedway.
BM 253 Starkey Speedway
Stock car racing at Starkey Speedway.
BM 254 Starkey Speedway
Stock car racing at Starkey Speedway.
BM 001 Back Creek School
Students at old Back Creek School on Landmark Circle in Southwest Roanoke County.
BM 002 Back Creek School
Back Creek School, back row L to R: Bernice Harmon, Charlie Blankenship, Lonzie Janney, Dempsey Grisso, Dean Dores; Second row, L to R: Buster Webster, Edison Likens, Isaac Sutphin, Grover Sink, Harry Cannaday, Grant Christley; Front row, L to R:…
BM 003 Back Creek School
School group at old Back Creek School on Landmark Circle in Southwest Roanoke County.
BM 004 Back Creek School
School group at old Back Creek School on Landmark Circle in Southwest Roanoke County.
BM 005 Back Creek School
School group at old Back Creek School on Landmark Circle in Southwest Roanoke County.
BM 006 Back Creek School
School group at old Back Creek School on Landmark Circle in Southwest Roanoke County.
BM 007 Back Creek School
Sophomore Class at Back Creek School: L to R: Billy Agee, Jane Coon, Edmund Chamberlain, Douglas Grisso, Louis Grisso, Hazel Henderson, John Jones, Mildred Jones, Lotherine Lavinder, Sara Lee Poage, Evelyn Webster
BM 008 Back Creek School
Back Creek High School, Junior Class, Front row, L to R: Nancy Poage, Pete Christley, Herbert Henderson, Jr., Norman Lavinder, Mary Bowling; Back row, L to R: Bertha Christley, Carl Wade, Bertha Bohon, Martha Jane Henry
BM 009 Back Creek School
May Day at Back Creek School, L to R: Catherine Bowling, Frances Grubb, Frances Gill, Lotherine Lavinder (Queen), Josephine Grisso, Evelyn Webster; in the front is crown-bearer Nadine Henderson
BM 010 Poages Mill
Mill wheel at Poage's Mill
BM 011 Haran School
School – probably the old log school house first used for Haran School before larger facility was built.
BM 012 Back Creek School
Back Creek High School 4-H Club, L to R: Mildred Bohon, Jane Coon, Josephine Grisso, Geraldine Grubb, Hazel Henderson, Mildred Jones, Sue Lane, Nancy Poage, Sara Lee Poage, Emily Rierson, Cornelia Simpson, Evelyn Webster, Irma Wright
BM 013 Haran School
Haran School, front row, L to R: Blanche Ferguson, Robert Ferguson, Billy Bohon, Geneva Poage, Francis Martin, Mae Agee, Mamie Agee, Mina Day, Gladys Bohon, Claude Puckett, Omer Puckett, Floyd Bohon;
Second row, L to R: Lela Jenny, Nellie Ferguson,…
Second row, L to R: Lela Jenny, Nellie Ferguson,…
BM 015 Roland Ferguson School
Roland Ferguson School, located on Twelve O’Clock Knob Road. The teacher was Mildred (Edd) Bell, sister-in-law of Tom and Luther Bell; #1 is Ocie Ferguson, #2 is Icie Ferguson, #3 is Jim Ferguson
BM 016 Haran Baptist
Haran Baptist Church
BM 017 Back Creek School
Students at Back Creek School.
BM 018 Haran Baptist
Haran Baptist Church
BM 021 Kittinger Chapel
Ink sketch of Kittinger Chapel, artist unknown.
BM 255 Sally Lewis
Sally Lewis, resident of Poages Mill area.
BM 256 Ben Lewis
Ben Lewis, resident of Haran area.
BM 259 Woodrum Orchard
Scene at Woodrum Orchard.
BM 262 Elmore Martin
Charcoal drawing of Elmore Martin. Martin served with the 28th Virginia Infantry, CSA. He died in the war.
BM 263 Grisso Family
Grisso Family, L to R: Ellis Grisso, Mary Grisso, Susie (Harris) Grisso, Price Grisso (small child), John H. Grisso.
BM 264 Back Creek
Erecting telephone poles and wire in Back Creek area.
BM 265 J.H. Grisso
Unidentified man examining remnants of splintered oak tree struck by lightning on J.H. Grisso farm, the strike of which killed J.H. Grisso
BM 266 John and Susie Grisso
John Henry and Susie (Harris) Grisso.
BM 267 Back Creek Orchard
Aerial view of Back Creek Orchard Company at foot of Bent Mountain; owned by Woodrum family, R.S. Stearnes, Dr. E.W. Senter, Jack Kefauver and Clinton Craighead
BM 268 Bent Mountain Elementary
Bent Mountain Elementary School
BM 269 Back Creek Elementary
Back Creek Elementary School
BM 270 Dr. Edward Tinsley
Dr. Edward Tinsley ready to start rounds on horseback. His house is in background. Tinsley practiced from 1890 to 1940 in the Bent Mountain area.
BM 271 Cave Spring
Spring at Cave Spring.
BM 272 Reed Family
Enjoying a spin in a Metz car. L to R: Neva, Vera, Elba, Raymond, and Alton Reed.
BM 274 Luther Bell
Luther Bell, board of supervisors member representing Cave Spring.
BM 276 Cave Spring Fire Department
Cave Spring Volunteer Fire Department.
BM 277 Book Mobile
Roanoke County Book Mobile in front of the Roanoke Count Public Library.
BM 278 Grant Plaza
Grant Plaza at Cave Spring, located at 3901 Brambleton Avenue.
BM 279 Ola and Hubert Harris
Ola Agee Harris and Hubert E. Harris lived in the Starkey area.
BM 280 Sarah and Ballard Martin
Sarah and Ballard Martin in front of home. Home is presently located on Shingle Ridge Road, off of Cotton Hill Road. Grandson Damon Martin is in buggy.
BM 281 Lockett Family
L to R: Alonzo Lockett, Callie Harris Lockett, Pattie Martin at home formerly located across from the old Starkey School.
BM 282 Hubert Harris
Hubert Harris on Salem Avenue in Downtown Roanoke.
BM 283 Lockett-Harris Family
Callie Lockett (seated), L to R: Carol Harris, Alonzo Lockett, Hubert Harris, David Harris, Dorothy Harris
BM 284 Callie Lockett
Callie Lockett (nee Harris). She did not cut her hair after age 16, as she thought it sinful to do so.
BM 285 Alonzo Lockett
Alonzo Lockett in “Dokkie” fez.
BM 286 Harris Home
Harris homeplace along Route 221. It was razed when highway was widened.
BM 287 Central Baptist
Central Baptist Church, Vacation Bible School. Rev. Arnold Williams is in suit at far left.
BM 288 Fralins Produce
Fralin’s produce stand along Route 221 on Bent Mountain.
BM 289 Reed Home
Home of Elbe and Essie Reed, located behind Reed’s Store.
BM 290 Bent Mountain High
1936 Graduating Class of Bent Mountain High School; Standing, L to R: Raymond Carr, George Powell, Homer Reed; Seated, L to R: Elois King, Margaret Jamison
BM 291 Reeds Orchard
Reed’s Orchard operation at intersection of Poor Mountain Road and Tinsley Lane. The apple packing shed in photo was built in 1933.
BM 292 Reeds Orchard
Aerial view of Reed’s Orchard, located at the intersection of Poor Mountain Road and Tinsley Lane. The house was built by the Woodrum Family, bought by Homer Reed in 1948 and closed as a commercial orchard in 1995.
BM 293 Coles Egg Farm
Snow being plowed at Coles Egg Farm after a big snow on Bent Mountain.
BM 294 Reeds Store
Elbe Reed in his store (right) on Route 221. The man at left is unidentified, but possibly a salesman. The store also served as Bent Mountain Post Office.
BM 295 Bent Mountain Faculty
Faculty Group at Bent Mountain School; L to R: Mrs. Lloyd, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Brook Alderman, ?, Mr. Woods (principal), Ann McGee, Viva Bowles.
BM 296 Bent Mountain School
Student group at Bent Mountain School, mostly unidentified, though it does contain Virginia Walters and Cassie Fralin
BM 297 Bent Mountain School
Group at Bent Mountain School.
BM 298 John Austin
John Philip Austin at his home located across Route 221 from Mt. Union Church of the Brethren. Austin was the first person to have heart by-pass surgery at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
BM 299 John and Virginia Austin
John and Virginia Walters Austin sitting on front porch of home with grandchildren.
BM 301 Back Creek Elementary
Back Creek Elementary School; L to R: Marie Sloan, ?, ?, Gaynelle Simpson, ?
BM 302 Poages Mill COB
Play at Poages Mill Church of the Brethren; L to R: Eddy Grisso, Curt Mowles, Norvell Hurt, Dick Agee, Daisy Long
BM 303 Lorene Simpson and Polly Rierson
Lorene Simpson and Polly Rierson.
BM 304 Stanley Home
House along Route 221, formerly across from Haran Baptist Church.The Stanley Family moved there in 1943. It was razed in late 1960s.
BM 305 Back Creek School
Back Creek School; L to R: Ethel Stump, Mauvieleen Stanley, Lorene Underwood, Martin Tinsley, Arlene Stanley.
BM 306 Mauvieleen Stanley
Mauvieleen Stanley on Route 221 in area of Haran Baptist Church.
BM 307 Stanley Family
Stanley Family in snow in the Haran area.
BM 308 Altis Family
L to R: Clarence Altis, Mauvieleen Stanley, Ida Stanley, Gaye Stanley. The hill behind them is where the King’s Forest subdivision is today along Route 221.
BM 309 Diane Altis
Diane Altis on pick-up in Back Creak area.
BM 310 Look Out Lodge
Look Out Lodge postcard, Bent Mountain.
BM 311 Reno Restaurant
Reno Restaurant card, formerly located in Starkey area on Crystal Creek Road.
BM 312 Ferguson Family
Roland Ferguson and family in front of their house. The house is located at 5109 Twelve O’Clock Knob Road.
BM 313 40 Acres
“40 Acres” home postcard, Bent Mountain.
BM 314 Back Creek Faculty
Back Creek School faculty photo; L to R: Ella Clark Henry, Rufus Henry, Mary Turner.
BM 315 Hartman Home
Preston Hartman home, Cave Spring.
BM 316 Preston Hartman
Preston Hartman
BM 317 Henry McGuire
Henry P. McGuire of Cave Spring in J.L. Dishong fruit and vegetable wagon.
BM 318 Cave Spring Baptist
Postcard of Cave Spring Baptist Church, showing parsonage and sanctuary.
BM 319 Ott and Lucy Poage
Ott and Lucy Poage at a dance at Back Creek Elementary School.
BM 320 Poffs Garage
Poff’s Garage, Route 221, Bent Mountain.
BM 321 Ruby and Allen Stone
Ruby and Allen Stone, Bent Mountain.
BM 322 Allen Stone
Allen Stone, Bent Mountain.
BM 324 Bent Mountain School
“Old” Bent Mountain School.
BM 325 Christo Evangelical
A vacant Christo Evangelical Wesleyan Church in the Bottom Creek area.
BM 326 Bottom Creek COB
A vacant Bottom Creek Church of the Brethren.
BM 327 Elbe Reed Store
Former Elbe Reed store and Bent Mountain Post Office on Route 221 in process of being razed.
BM 328 Fralins Produce
Fralin's Produce along Route 221 on Bent Mountain.
BM 333 Ruby and Allen Stone
Ruby and Allen Stone at Union 76 Service Station along Route 221 on Bent Mountain.
BM 334 Union 76
Stone’s Union 76 Service Station along Route 221 on Bent Mountain.
BM 335 Fletcher Wimmer
Fletcher Wimmer working on family farm. The Wimmers had large cabbage fields. Their farm bordered the Blue Ridge Parkway near the spur road to Bent Mountain.
BM 336 Will Wimmer
Will Wimmer, a farmer at Bent Mountain.
BM 337 Bent Mountain Hunting Club
Bent Mountain Hunting Club. The old club building was located on Callaway Road, off of Route 221 just past Blue Ridge Parkway overpass. Standing, L to R: Will Wimmer, C.F. Holt, Walter Overfelt, Dewey Holt, Doug Lancaster, ?, Woodrow Reed, Jake…
BM 338 Bent Mountain Hunting Club
Unidentified musicians entertain inside clubhouse of Bent Mountain Hunting Club.
BM 339 Bent Mountain Hunting Club
Bent Mountain Hunting Club cabin on Calloway Road, later burned and was replaced with a cinderblock building. Will Wimmer on far right.
BM 340 Bent Mountain Hunting Club
Bent Mountain Hunting Club members ready for a hunt, location unknown.
BM 341 Apple Shed
Marshal Conner’s Bent Mountain Apple Shed produce stand along Route 221 on Bent Mountain.
BM 342 King Brothers Mill
King Brothers’ saw mill, formerly located in the Bottom Creek area. The mill was powered by steam engine. Logs were hauled to the site by oxen and horses.
BM 343 Starkey Station
Starkey Combination Station.
BM 345 Grisso-Gates School
Grisso-Gates School building, located on property of 5321 S. Roselawn Road in Cave Spring.
BM 346 Tinsley Lane
Haystacks along Tinsley Lane.
BM 348 Laurel Ranch
Vacation cabin at Laurel Ranch.
BM 349 Starkey School
Starkey School
BM 350 Dr. Joseph Gale
Dr. Joseph A. Gale, a physician at Cave Spring in 1880s.
BM 351 Gale Office
Dr. Joseph Gale’s office in Cave Spring.
BM 352 Gale Home
Dr. Joseph Gale’s home in Cave Spring, later owned by Dr. White.
BM 353 Conner Store
Former store of Clem and Mae Conner along Route 221.
BM 355 Omer and Francis Simpson
Omer Simpson (right) with son, Francis, cutting hay. Simpson's farm was located on Martins Creek Road.
BM 356 Simpson Family
L to R: Nelson Simpson, Omer C. Simpson, Omer C. Simpson Jr., Francis Simpson and unidentified man stacking hay in field. Simpson farm was located on Martins Creek Road.
BM 357 Bent Mountain Hunting Club
Bent Mountain Hunting Club. Back row, L to R: Ruben Holt, Dewey Holt, Will Wimmer; Front row, L to R: Ralph Metz, Howard Nichols, Raymond Wimmer
BM 359 Mormon Group
Mormon Church Group at Back Creek.
BM 360 Conner Family
L to R: Marvin, Jesse, and Betty Conner picking apples in Thompson orchard on Bent Mountain.
BM 361 Finnell & Sons
B.G. Finnell & Sons store on Route 221, near foot of Bent Mountain.
BM 362 Finnells Pool
Finnell’s Pool on Route 221, near foot of Bent Mountain.
BM 363 B.G. Finnell
B.G. Finnell, Sr. in front of his store.
BM 365 Belleview Primitive Baptist
Belleview Primitive Baptist Church on Roselawn Road.
BM 366 Riersons Store
Rierson's Store. This was the original store that stood where Back Creek Elementary School stands today on Route 221.
BM 367 Riersons Store
Temporary Rierson's Store that was used after old store was razed and before new store was built.
BM 371 Riersons Store
Rierson’s Store on Route 221.
BM 372 Rierson Family
Maynard Rierson and family.
BM 373 Mr. and Mrs. Rierson
Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Rierson 50th Wedding Anniversary photo.
BM 374 Bent Mountain
Aerial view of Roanoke Look Out Lodge Gift Shop along Route 221 at the top of Bent Mountain.
BM 375 Look Out Gift Shop
Roanoke Look Out Gift Shop on Route 221 at the top of Bent Mountain.
BM 376 George Burris
George M. Burris (right) on a hay wagon, Bent Mountain.
BM 378 Cave Spring High
Cave Spring High School
BM 379 Cave Spring High
Aerial view of Cave Spring High School and Cave Spring Baptist Church.
BM 380 Marvin Thompson and Guy Conner
Marvin Thompson (sitting on barrel) and Guy Conner in Woodrum Orchard.
BM 381 Poages Mill Baseball
Poages Mill baseball team, #1, R.C. Wertz, #2 O.L. Grisso, #3 John Wertz, #4 Bill Grisso, #5 Ott Wertz, #6 Walt Henry, #7 E.B. Martin, #8 John Bowles, #9 R.C. Henry
BM 138 Bessie and Essie Beckner
Bessie Beckner (left) and Essie Mae Beckner.
BM 190 Holt's Store
Col. Holt’s store and house on Bent Mountain. Dr. Hurt’s car is parked in front.
SR001 Virginia Bridge & Iron
The Virginia Bridge and Iron Works began in 1888 as the American Bridge Works, changing its name in 1893. Other branch plants were located in Memphis, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. The Roanoke Branch was involved in hundreds of bridge projects…
SR002 Jefferson Apartments
The Jefferson Apartments were built in 1912 on South Jefferson Street. The apartments existed for several decades before being razed in the late 1990s. The site of the apartment building was occupied by a house that was moved across Mountain Avenue…
SR003 Roanoke Times
The Roanoke Times was the first daily paper in Roanoke, having been started by M.A. Claytor in 1886. In 1909, the Times was purchased by J. B. Fishburn, Edward L. Stone, and W.S. Battle and became the Roanoke Times, Incorporated. The Times…
SR004 Calvary Baptist
The Calvary Baptist Church on Campbell Avenue had as its early sanctuary this beautiful building which was located directly across the street from the present-day facility. Needing more space for the growing congregation and with the completion of…
SR005 Martha Washington Candies
This interior view of the Martha Washington Candies store shows what the company considered its “Southern Factory.” Martha Washington Candies Roanoke franchise was started by W.G. Baldwin at 310 S. Jefferson Street in 1914. Mr. Baldwin was of the…
SR006 Shenandoah Hospital
Construction of Shenandoah Hospital commenced in 1912, opening the next year. The hospital was located on West Campbell Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets. Dr. J.H. Dunkley was president and assisted by Dr. Ira Huff, Dr. W.S. Slicer, Dr. J.T.…
SR010 YMCA
The top image is of the Central YMCA and the bottom image is of the Railroad Department YMCA. The Railroad YMCA opened on November 10, 1903. The Young Men’s Christian Association began in Roanoke in 1883.
SR011 View from Incline
The postcard image shows what the vista would have looked like over a century ago atop the famous Mill Mountain Incline. In the bottom foreground is the back side of the old Roanoke Hospital, and in the top distant background one can see the former…
SR012 Jefferson Street
This card shows how Jefferson Street had changed over the years. This view looks north down Jefferson Street from Mountain Avenue, showing a variety of commercial buildings, apartments and hotels.
SR013 Masonic Temple
The Masonic Temple was located on the northwest corner of 1st and Kirk Street. In 1915, the street level was occupied by Reams, Jones and Blankenship furniture store. The store’s slogan was “Marry the girl – we’ll furnish the home.”
SR014 J.H. Marsteller
J.H. Marsteller created ornate marble monuments and headstones. This card was produced for Marsteller in 1907, showing on the left the exhibit of Marsteller at the 1907 Jamestown Exhibition’s Timber and Mineral Building. The image on the right shows…
SR015 Belmont Baptist
Belmont Baptist Church was organized on October 17, 1901. They dedicated their second sanctuary in Southeast Roanoke in 1904. Belmont Baptist continues to worship in the sanctuary depicted on this card.
SR016 First Christian
A member used this card to celebrate her new church sanctuary: “Our new church cost $15,000, pipe organ $2,650, pews $1,100. Expect to dedicate third Sunday in April.” Unfortunately, the church was badly damaged by a fire in 1917, but recovered.
SR017 Belmont Christian
The Belmont section of Roanoke, long-served by the Christian Church there, began as a 40-home development around 1889. The Belmont School opened in 1893 and soon followed street car service (1905), the city’s first automobile fire steamer (1911),…
SR018 Roanoke Sanatorium
This card’s description reads, “One of the bedrooms of the Roanoke Sanitarium, Inc. – Institution for the treatment of Nervous and Mental Diseases, Drug and Alcohol Addictions.”
SR019 St. Charles Hospital
The St. Charles Hospital was located at 533 Mountain Avenue. It opened in March of 1913 under the direction of Dr. J.C. Burke. The hospital closed in 1934, and the building was converted into apartments.
SR011 Fort Lewis Tourist Court
The sender of this postcard wrote, “Will spend New Years Eve here, rained all day, having a good time. This motel is very comfortable. See you in San Francisco.” The Fort Lewis Tourist Courts was ½ mile west of Salem on Route 11.
SR012 Goodwin's Motel
The Goodwin Motel’s postcard boasted “approved drinking water.” The motel was located west of Salem on Route 11, which served for many years as the modern-day equivalent of the interstate.
SR013 Poole's Motor Court
This motor court was managed by H.R. Poole, who mailed this particular card to Joseph Lang of West Hempstead, NY, with the simple message, “You’re welcome in Virginia.” The establishment lured visitors by claiming “no truck or railroad noise.” Its…
SR014 Windsor Court Motel
Windsor Court Motel was at 1908 W. Main Street, Salem. Effie Snead was the owner and, at the time the card was published, Charles Snead was the manager.
SR015 Falls Near Hollins
Elva wrote to Albert Reinhold on the back of this card the following: “Received your postal from Washington, thank you so very much. Tell your dear mother that I will write to her tomorrow. This is a perfectly grand day to take a walk. Wish you…
SR016 Hollins College
The history of Hollins University actually begins in New York with Joshua Bradley, a Baptist minister. Bradley purchased the property of the defunct Roanoke Female Seminary in 1842 for the purpose of forming an education union to “conduct an…
SR020 Hollins College
The “new” bridge shown here was built in 1908, replacing an older one. The bridge was part of an extensive landscape plan developed for the campus at the time that consisted of gardens, boardwalks, bridges and recreational areas.
SR021 Hollins College
Early in Hollins’ history, social life for the students was very structured and limited. For example, in 1925 students could receive “gentlemen callers” only on weekend nights and Sunday afternoons. Dates off campus required a chaperone and…
SR022 Hollins College
The sulphur spring on the Hollins campus was discovered in the early 1800s in the bed of Carvins Creek. The message on this card boasted, “Its water has wonderful curative powers, and many prominent men, among them President Andrew Jackson and…
SR023 Hollins College
When this postcard was sent, Hollins students were on a reinvigorated academic schedule that covered six days. Students could no longer attend for two years and get an “Academic Certificate.” They now must complete all four years. These academic…
SR025 Hollins College
The Main Building is one of the oldest structures on the campus. The building was erected in between 1861 and 1863. The day the building was started was the same day Virginia seceded from the Union. With the onslaught of the Civil War,…
SR027 Hollins College
The 1920s saw the emergence of student leadership in the affairs of the college. In 1920 a student forum was organized for the purpose of providing input on a variety of issues. One reoccurring issue was dress. Could students wear short skirts,…
SR028 Hollins College
The West Building was totally rebuilt in 1890. The left wing contained the infirmary, doctor’s office and faculty living quarters, and the right wing contained two large halls for Hollins’ two early literary societies. The portico, completed in…
SR031 Hollins College
The Little Theater was created largely through the spirited giving of Hollins students who, in the 1920s, raised $45,000 toward the total cost of $65,000 for the structure. The theater was built in 1924, replacing an old auditorium that was in the…
SR032 Hollins College
Construction on East Building began in 1856 and was completed two years later. The East Building, complimenting Main and West, completed the quadrangle courtyard. According to early Hollins historians, East was designed to imitate in appearance the…
SR033 Hollins College
Presser Hall was erected in 1925, a gift of Theodore Presser, music publisher. Presser was a music professor at Hollins from 1880 until 1883. Unfortunately, Presser died before the building was completed. At the time of its dedication, the…
SR034 Hollins College
The Bradley Chapel was built in 1883 but not named until the 1930s for Joshua Bradley. The chapel served as the center for campus religious activities. During the early years, Hollins students were expected to attend chapel services daily after…
SR035 Hollins College
The infirmary, constructed in 1910, was named for Susanna Cocke. Utilizing Georgian and Federal architecture, the infirmary was actually the first building included in part of new quadrangle on the southeast section of the campus.
SR036 Catawba Sanatorium
The Virginia Building of Catawba Sanatorium was constructed in 1913, four years after the Catawba Sanatorium opened. The original property for the sanatorium had been the Red Sulphur Springs.
SR037 Catawba Sanatorium
When Catawba Sanatorium opened in 1909, it consisted of 42 beds located primarily in the old hotel that served the sulphur springs resort area. The sanatorium would expand in both buildings and number of patients significantly over the next few…
SR038 Catawba Sanatorium
By 1937, Catawba Sanatorium was serving some 340 patients and the grounds totaled over 1100 acres, almost double the acreage contained in the original purchase. The many pavilions, such as the one above, were named for Virginia governors.
SR039 Catawba Sanatorium
Catawba Sanatorium became in many ways a self-sustaining community. For many years, the sanatorium operated its own dairy farm. The number of patients and employees were such that the area soon had its own post office, school, chapel, and other…
SR041 Catawba Sanatorium
Catawba Sanatorium developed its own nursing school to train healthcare professionals in the treatment of tuberculosis. Between 1912 and 1954, Catawba School of Nursing graduated 258 Certified Tuberculosis Nurses.
SR042 Catawba Sanatorium
This view of the women’s quarters shows the west end of the lean-to with lounging room in the center. Catawba ceased accepting tuberculosis patients on January 1, 1972. When it did, records indicated that some 25,000 tuberculosis patients had…
SR043 Enon Baptist
Enon Baptist Church is one of the oldest Baptist churches in the Roanoke Valley. Built in 1855 across from the entrance of present-day Hollins University, the church was established by Charles Cocke, president of Hollins Institute.
SR044 Twelve O'Clock Knob
One of the most prominent geographical features in the Roanoke Valley is Twelve O’Clock Knob with an altitude of 2,707 feet. According to local tradition, the mountain received its name prior to the Civil War when slaves, working west of Salem,…
SR045 Twelve O'Clock Knob
Exactly what road this might be cannot be determined. Historic records, however, show that interest in building a road from Salem across Twelve O’Clock Knob to Back Creek and then up Bent Mountain dated back to 1840.
SR046 High Cliffs
The official arrival of the Norfolk and Western Railroad (later Railway) into the Roanoke Valley occurred on June 18, 1882, when an N&W locomotive steamed into the newly-named Town of Roanoke. With the coming of the railroad, the population and…
SR047 Ward Haven Camp
This camp was originally constructed in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1941, it became an Army mechanical training camp. From 1943 until 1946, the camp housed 150 German POWs who worked in nearby orchards. Today, the camp is owned and…
SR050 Vinton Roller Mill
Vinton Roller Mills, along Glade Creek, grew out of mills originally built by David Gish that pre-dated the Civil War. By the Twentieth Century, the remaining mill was owned and operated by James Bowie and produced three kinds of flour. By 1924,…
SR051 Vinton Baptist
Vinton Baptist Church began in 1892. The building shown in this postcard rendering is one constructed in 1924, replacing the original sanctuary of 1894.
SR053 Vinton War Memorial
The Vinton War Memorial is a tribute to the 29 men of Vinton who gave their lives in military service during World War II and Vietnam. The building, seen here, was dedicated in 1948 as a community center and remains such today.
SR054 JC Cook Home
This fine residence belonged to prominent businessman, J.C. Cook originally of Bonsack. Cook later moved to the Vinton area and owned the land on which the Vinton War Memorial was built.
SR055 Methodist Church
This Methodist Church was an early sanctuary of the present-day Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church. The present sanctuary was built in 1963. The church was named for Paul and Sallie Thrasher, pioneer Methodists in the Roanoke Valley. The…
SR056 Hanging Rock
The name “Hanging Rock” was given due to the rock formation’s appearance as projecting from the mountainside. In the area of Hanging Rock occurred one of only two Civil War engagements within the bounds of Roanoke County.
SR057 Traveltown
Traveltown, located on Route 11 in Cloverdale, advertised “Every cottage heated with Private Bath.” In the mid-1920s, Route 11 became a link in the Washington-to-San Diego Lee Highway, making it a part of the transcontinental highway system.
SR058 Traveltown
The vast majority of tourist homes, motor courts, motels and other tourist-related businesses dried up after the emergence of President Eisenhower’s interstate highway system. Small towns were bypassed, and routes, such as Route 11, were no longer…
SR059 Camp Powhatan
Camp Powhatan was located in the Natural Bridge National Forest Reserve. Scouting, having reached the States in 1910, has a long history in Roanoke County. The Blue Ridge Mountains Council, No. 599, is headquartered in Roanoke County, having merged…
SR061 Lakeside
Lakeside was opened in 1920 by Robert Lynn, Sr., and featured a public swimming pool, roller coaster and one additional ride. The original 50-acre tract on which Lakeside was built was an orchard owned by John Bower.
SR062 Lakeside
In 1936, Lakeside was purchased by H.L. Roberts, and his family owned and operated Lakeside for the next fifty years. When the amusement park opened it was described as “the largest pool anyone had ever seen,” complimented by a beach of imported…
SR064 Lakeside
Lakeside survived the Depression by offering low admission prices and cheap entertainment. During World War II, the USO provided servicemen complimentary tickets. There was even a movement in 1958 by nearby residents to constitute themselves as the…
SR065 Lakeside
Like most public venues in the South, Lakeside was not integrated until 1964. At about this same time, park owners closed the pool, filled it over, and the park expanded.
SR066 Lakeside
This card shows how much the park had developed under the ownership of the Roberts family. This card advertises, “South’s Finest Swimming Pool, Joy Rides for Children and Adults, Beautiful Picnic Grounds.”
SR067 Lakeside
Lakeside was for many decades the most popular draw for Valley residents and tourists in the region. Offering rides, amusements, recreation, and concerts, Lakeside was complimented by Dixie Caverns, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and being at the…
SR068 Lakeside
Aunt Katherine wrote her nephew in Salisbury, Maryland, using this card, the following: “How would you like to go in bathing here? Uncle Frank and the boys are in now. It is fresh water. They have slides and swings and acting bars and every kind…
SR069 Lakeside
Lakeside survived for over six decades, but the competition brought on by other more major theme parks took its toll. By 1983, the park was in financial trouble. Bought by Charles Fox in 1984, the park was struck by the Flood of 1985. The flood…
SR071 Salem
This century-old view of Salem showed the development of the town since its inception in 1802 by James Simpson when he created 40 lots on 16 acres. The lots fronted one main road which Simpson named “Roanoke Street.” The lots were two sizes,…
SR072 Pennsylvania Avenue
This early street scene illustrates the stately residential developments that marked Salem’s development at the turn of the last century.
SR073 Water Street
Water Street, later South Broad Street, was one of the earliest streets laid out in the 1802 plot of Salem. Water Street became the dominant center for Salem’s African-American community.
SR075 Main Street
Dirt streets and horse carriages marked town living one hundred years ago. In the foreground, one can see the outline of a crosswalk, probably brick, that allowed pedestrians to maneuver across streets avoiding ankle-deep mud that often plagued…
SR079 Main Street
Prominent on the left is a sign for W.B. Dillard Drug Co., Prescription Druggists, Soda and Mineral Waters. Watts Dillard was a prominent Salem business man involved in numerous civic projects. His drugstore, at the corner of Main and College, got…
SR080 East Main
On the back of this postcard was written the following message: “Dear Mama – Does this look like home? Not much, I guess you would like it down here because people are so easy going and don’t believe in working all the time…” Home, by the way, was…
SR081 East Main
After much discussion, Salem’s city fathers agreed to a streetcar route on Main Street (the tracks can be seen in this card) in 1894. The system served Salem and connected riders to the Roanoke line that crossed over Masons Creek. The streetcars…
SR083 High Street
Salem’s first major population and economic boom occurred between 1880 and 1890 with the development of the railroad. The population during that decade nearly doubled. The Roanoke Collegian reported in 1891, “Building continues, High Street is…
SR084 College Avenue
Good streets have always been one of the basic services provided by any municipality to its citizens. In 1909, a Salem newspaper headline read, “Good Streets Coming.” The editor was congratulating Salem leaders for applying crushed limestone to the…
SR085 The Boulevard
For a few years, Salem’s residential streets were segregated. In 1913, Salem created racially segregated residential districts which were permitted by state law. District No. 1 (centered around Water Street) was for blacks, and District No. 2 was…
SR086 Broad Street
Business leaders in Salem and Roanoke sought to promote their respective communities through a variety of promotional pamphlets. Scenes, such as the one above, were often included to demonstrate progress and prosperity. Salem was labeled as the…
SR088 Courthouse
This photo postcard shows the old county courthouse. The structure was built in 1841 on a lot purchased by Roanoke County from John Gray of Missouri for $400. The courthouse was constructed by Salem hotelier William C. Williams. During the Civil…
SR090 Courthouse
Judge William Moffett convened the first session of Circuit Court in the new court room on April 1, 1910, and dedicated the day “for the hearing of matters and reading of papers of local historical interest.”
SR092 Baptist Orphanage
The Baptist Orphanage often brought visiting Baptists from around the state to Salem, who, according to the early Salem newspapers, would bring the children into town for entertainment and recreation.
SR093 Baptist Orphanage
As a measure of Salem’s hospitality, many of the local churches, regardless of denomination, became involved with both the Baptist and Lutheran orphanages. In fact, Roanoke College offered free tuition to qualified students from both orphanages.
SR094 Baptist Orphanage
Before the advent of modern medicine, quarantine was often the best strategy to avoid the spread of disease. Salem, like all communities, had to impose its fair share of them. In 1905, the Baptist Orphanage was quarantined for two weeks due to an…
SR095 Baptist Orphanage
The cornerstone on the Administration Building was laid on July 4, 1901, becoming occupied in 1902. It’s red-brick castle-like structure was an imposing piece of architecture on the campus. The Administration Building was razed in 1965.
SR096 Baptist Orphanage
The hill-top Baptist Orphanage prided itself on being self-sustaining in its early years. A generous donation of an additional 87 acres in 1897 allowed the orphanage to even operate a full-scale farm and dairy herd.
SR097 Baptist Orphanage
By 1905, the Baptist Orphanage, which was just a decade old, was caring for 165 orphans. Some were placed in the institution’s care due to loss of parents, while others came to live because their families were impoverished. All needs of the…
SR098 Baptist Orphanage
The original 16 acres on which the orphanage sat was donated by businessman John M. Evans. The very first cottage to be built, which was completed on July 1, 1892, was named for the philanthropist.
SR099 Baptist Orphanage
This second cottage to be built for the orphanage was named for the institution’s first superintendent, the Reverend George J. Hobday, who served from 1891 until 1906.
SR100 Baptist Orphanage
The residence for the superintendent was constructed within the first decade of the orphanage’s operation. The residence allowed the superintendent to not only live on the campus but to host visitors and families.
SR101 Baptist Orphanage
Life at the orphanage often paralleled the events within Salem. Some of those were not positive. In 1918, a severe outbreak of the Spanish flu closed Salem’s schools, churches, and businesses for over a month. Sixty children at the Baptist…
SR102 Lutheran Orphanage
The Lutheran Orphanage arrived in Salem in May of 1896, occupying a brick home on five acres at the corner of present-day Florida Avenue and Boulevard. The orphanage eventually bought the former Hotel Salem on College Avenue (shown here), which it…
SR104 Lutheran Orphanage
The Lutheran Orphanage sold much of its land holdings in the 1960s to Salem for the purpose of erecting what is now the Salem Civic Center. The buildings were sold in 1985 to Roanoke College.
SR105 Women's Club
The Roanoke County Women’s Club was formed on June 7, 1923, by 28 women. In May of 1929, the club formally dedicated their clubhouse. On year later, the Junior Club added a wing to the main clubhouse and started a library. This effort laid the…
SR107 Monterey
Monterey was the pre-Civil War home of the Chapman family. In later years, the home at the corner of High and Clay served as a hotel, hosting visitors by providing a truly residential flavor.
SR108 Ridgewood Farm
The Ridgewood farm land is today a developed retail corridor, known as the Ridgewood Village Center. The center opened in 1985 with a variety of stores and restaurants. The home, shown here, remains.
SR109 Strouse Home
The impressive home of Salem lawyer Demetrius B. Strouse on Broad Street was built around the turn of the last century. Strouse was involved in numerous civic and religious projects in the Roanoke Valley.
SR110 N&W Passenger Station
The passenger station hosted a prominent visitor on October 19, 1934, when President Franklin Roosevelt came to dedicate the new Veterans’ Hospital. After the ceremony, the President came to Salem where he was escorted by Salem’s mayor and a cadre…
SR111 N&W Passenger Station
The N&W Railway donated and created a park near the passenger station in 1933 at College Avenue and 8th Street. The park was one of several that were developed in Salem during that time period.
SR112 N&W Passenger Station
Passenger service at the Salem depot ended on April 30, 1965. On that day, YWCA kindergartners boarded the Powhatan Arrow for a trip to Christiansburg. That same year, the N&W donated the station to the town of Salem.
SR113 N&W Passenger Station
For many years, Salem had also benefited from passenger service provided by the Virginian Railroad. Virginian passenger service in Salem ended in 1954, five years prior to its merger with the N&W.
SR114 Crawford Hotel
This hotel stood on Main Street and was erected by W.D.F. Duval in 1871. It contained 40 to 50 rooms with bath tubs and running water. For a few years, the hotel was owned by the Chapman family and renamed the Lucerne.
SR115 Longwood
The Victorian mansion, known as “Longwood,” was built by Thomas Henry Cooper around 1904. Unfortunately, this majestic structure was destroyed by fire on November 19, 1968.
SR117 Fort Lewis
The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected in 1927 a monument marking the location of Fort Lewis which had been built by General Andrew Lewis.
SR119 Salem
In 1952, residents of South Salem started a petition drive to incorporate a new town, Mount Regis. This was countered by residents desiring annexation into Salem. With some legal maneuverings and posturing, the “Mount Regis” citizens settled down,…
SR120 Mount Regis
Mount Regis was built on Development Hill in South Salem. Mount Regis closed its doors as a sanitorium in 1939. The building was then taken over by the Youth Administration to provide housing for nurses aids in hospitals. After World War II, the…
SR121 Mount Regis
Tuberculosis sanatoriums were numerous in the first half of the last century. By the late 1960s, tuberculosis was controllable and facilities, such as Mount Regis, were converted to other uses usually health related.
SR122 Salem High School
What is now known as the Academy Street School served Salem’s students for many years. The building on the right was constructed in 1890 with an addition (left) coming in 1895. The original portion served the lower grades and the addition became…
SR122 Salem High School
The architectural drawing gracing this card was done by G.R. Ragan. The new high school, built on Broad Street, opened in 1912, relieving the overcrowded Academy Street school. Additions followed in 1920 and 1923, but the school was heavily damaged…
SR124 Graded School A
– The “Graded School A” was erected on Water Street as a six-room frame school in 1890-91 (the same year the Academy Street School opened for white students). By 1895, the school had an enrollment of 258 under the principal John Duckwilder.
SR126 G.W. Carver
– The George Washington Carver School was opened in the fall of 1940. The construction cost was $125,000. This new school was in response to the deterioration of the Water Street school
SR127 Baptist Church
The Salem Baptist Church was organized in 1870 and dedicated their sanctuary at the corner of North Broad Street and College Avenue in 1873. An educational building was added in 1952. The new sanctuary seen today was erected in 1967.
SR128 St. Pauls Episcopal
St. Paul's Episcopal congregation was organized around 1867. The congregation moved a few times before erecting this sanctuary on Main Street in 1911 There have since been numerous acquisitions and additions to the facility.
SR130 Bethel Methodist Episcopal
The Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was started in 1870 and at the date of this card’s printing (1912), it stood on the corner of Water Street and Calhoun.
SR131 Central Methodist
Known originally as the First Methodist Episcopal Church when organized in 1908, the congregation later was called Second Methodist (1939) and then Central Methodist (1954). The sanctuary shown here was consecrated on June 26, 1955.
SR132 First Presbyterian
While termed “First” church here, the sanctuary is known as home to the Salem Presbyterian Church located on Main Street. Salem Presbyterian was organized in 1831 and dedicated this sanctuary in 1852. Additions were made in 1914 and 1958.
SR133 College Lutheran
College Lutheran Church – This collage shows the various structures associated with College Lutheran. The congregation first met in the Roanoke College chapel (top left) from 1852 until 1858; then they built their first sanctuary (top right) which…
SR134 Pentecostal Holiness
The congregation of Pentecostal Holiness Church was organized in 1915. Their present sanctuary, shown here, on North Bruffey Street was dedicated in April 1953.
SR135 Methodist Episcopal South
This was the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church congregation from 1904 until 1953. It was located on the northeast corner of College and Clay Avenues.
SR136 Homestead Hotel
The Homestead Hotel has a long history. Built by David Wade in 1802, it was formerly known as the Old Globe Tavern with five huge fireplaces and 27-inch thick walls. At the time this card was published, it was the only original stage coach tavern…
SR137 Lake Spring
The purchaser of this card sent the following message to his brothers: “Your letter received this morning…Father is working for the Virginian R.R. at present…I expect to take an examination for a R.R. mail clerk sometime this fall.” His brothers…
SR144 Sherwood Burial Park
The Sherwood Burial Park, named for the old “Sherwood” estate that was near the property, was developed on a 35-acre tract in 1928 by C.B. Strickler.
SR145 Glass Plant
In 1911, the Piedmont Glass Company purchased and resurrected the old glass plant. During the early years, the plant employed some 125 workers who produced glass bottles for a variety of uses. The plant was closed for two months each summer due to…
SR146 J.J. Newberry
One of the more contemporary establishments was J.J. Newberry Company. The card boasts, “Completely air-conditioned on two large selling floors, approximately ¾ mile counter space carrying over 30,000 separate items of merchandise. A modern…
SR147 Hotel Fort Lewis
In 1927, Salem businessman Henry A. Oakey purchased the former Hotel Salem and changed its name to Hotel Fort Lewis. The structure was demolished in 1974 .
SR148 Post Office
The construction of a "new" Federal post office on Main Street was a saga of many years. Land purchased by the government in 1917 went undeveloped until 1922 when construction finally commenced. The post office officially opened in June of 1923.
SR149 Pierponts Brick Works
Pierpont's Brick Works was owned and operated by Salem businessman George E. Pierpont. In 1908, Pierpont was named as one of the privileged few in Salem to own an automobile.
SR150 Andrew Lewis Monument
One of the most notable citizens in the region’s early history was General Andrew Lewis. Though Lewis died before the town of Salem was officially plotted by James Simpson, his life was spent in its general vicinity. This monument was erected in…
SR152 Municipal Field
The land on which Municipal Field was located had originally been designed for use as an elementary school site. Further study, however, prompted Salem’s leaders to appreciate its use more for athletics. Thus, in the spring of 1932, Municipal Field…
SR153 Salem Filtration Plant
The filtration plant was an early element in Salem’s water supply infrastructure, but the water supply system itself dated to the 18th century. In 1874, the first concept for a water supply system was advanced to the town council, and in 1875 Salem…
SR154 Salem Civic Center
Dedicated in 1967 and financed through the sale of bond proceeds, the Salem-Roanoke Valley Civic Center opened as a recreational and cultural center for Salem. Noted historian Norwood Middleton termed this as “the single most talked-about project in…
SR155 Farmers National Bank
The Farmers National Bank was organized May 8, 1871, with capital of $75,000. Through the leadership of Salem’s prominent businessmen, the bank weathered successfully economic turbulence that put other banks under during the latter part of the 18th…
SR162 Bittle Library
Bittle Memorial Library was named for Roanoke College’s early president, Dr. David Bittle. Bittle led the college through its move to Salem and during the Civil War. Bittle was one of three Salem leaders who officially surrendered Salem to the…
SR167 Roanoke College
Smith Hall, named for a past president of the college, was erected in 1941. Designed by the firm of Eubank and Caldwell in Roanoke, the structure (originally a residence hall for forty women) was built and equipped for a total cost of $50,174.
SR168 Roanoke College
The gymnasium shown here was built in 1930 for a total cost of $138,354. The gym was but one component of a large master plan to expand the college’s facilities. Unfortunately, only the gymnasium was completed on time as the Depression stopped…
SR170 Roanoke College
The Class of 1933 contributed funds for the landscaping and drive that made the “High Street Gateway.” The entrance and subsequent drive were made necessary at the time by the large number of students possessing automobiles as well as increasing…
SR179 Parkway Motel
The Parkway Motel was located on Route 220, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, three miles south of Roanoke. The card promoted the motel as having “room telephone, air conditioning, all tile baths, hot water heat, air foam mattresses.” The motel was…
SR180 Memphis Special
“Memphis Special” made its debut through the Roanoke Valley on June 20th, 1909, running between Memphis, Tennessee, and New York City. The Memphis Special remained for years a popular passenger train, being the fastest and most direct route to New…
SR183 Keister Home
Sanatoriums were popular at the turn of the last century in the care and treatment of tuberculosis patients. Often doctors or others in the healthcare profession would establish homes and other institutions with such a purpose. Tuberculosis often…
SR184 Scottie's Tavern
Scottie’s Tavern was three miles north of Roanoke on Route 11 and specialized in country ham, chicken and steak dinners. It even offered curb service. J.S. Scott was the manager.
SR186 Martha Washington Candies
This interior view of the Martha Washington Candies store shows what the company considered its “Southern Factory.” Martha Washington Candies Roanoke franchise was started by W.G. Baldwin at 310 S. Jefferson Street in 1914. Mr. Baldwin was of the…
SR187 Mountain Stroll
This view shows strollers atop Mill Mountain. The top of the mountain had park grounds and trails and was a popular destination with the incline and the watch tower.
SR190 Bell Telephone
The Bell Telephone Company began service in Roanoke on May 19, 1884. In 1895, Bell Telephone introduced long-distance service. That year Roanokers could call Bedford, Lynchburg and Danville.
MP 60.1 Peaks of Otter Lodge
Peaks of Otter Lodge in the latter part of construction.
MP 60.2 Peaks of Otter Lodge
Peaks of Otter Lodge
SHH004 Hara-Kiri Display
Window display at Heironimus for Hara-Kiri robes. Sign reads, "Newest, most popular in Hon. Japanese fashion apparel...authentic ceremonial Hara-robe."
SHH007 Heironimus Float
Heironimus Christmas parade float encouraging children to "Go on the air with Santa" on WSLS.
SHH020 McGregor Displays
Floor displays at Heironimus for McGregor Menswear
SHH024 Heironimus Shoppers
Throngs of Christmas shoppers at Heironimus.
FC001 Willis High School
Willis High School in Floyd County, VA. The school closed after the 1961-62 school year.
FC002 Mountain Normal School
Mountain Normal School dormitory at Willis in Floyd County, VA.
FC003 Old Mountain Normal
The long abandoned old Mountain Normal School at Willis in Floyd County, VA. The Normal School opened in 1893.
FC004 Willis High School
Willis High School under construction.
FC005 WHS Cornerstone
The cornerstone of Willis High School.
FC007 Willis High School
Willis High School shortly after opening.
FC008 Willis High School
Willis High School after the addition was completed.
FC010 Willis Elementary School
Willis Elementary School.
FC011 Rollie Phillips Store
Rollie N. Phillips store and gas station, located in the Indian Valley area of Floyd County. Phillips opened his service station in 1927.
FC012 Floyd Esso
Floyd Esso Service Center in Floyd County.
FC013 Mountain Normal School
Mountain Normal School students posing in front of the dormitory building.
FC014 Willis High School
Willis High School. The agricultural building is at right.
PGCC01 Piney Grove Christian Church
Piney Grove Christian Church.The church was located in Roanoke County and was razed in the early 1970s due to the creation/expansion of Route 419. The church was located where the on-ramp is located from 419 to 220 South, near Tanglewood Mall. The…
SF001 Church Avenue Bus Depot
Bus depot, formerly located at 16 West Church Avenue.
HNWR002
Amongst the clerks, boilermakers, carpenters, mechanics, and engineers were a slew of instrumentalists, singers, song writers, and composers. Together, they formed the Roanoke Shop Band. Here the band stands on the grounds of the Hotel Roanoke. …
HNWR003
The carpenter crew has almost completed work on the station at Vicker, Virginia in this photo. Carpenters built everything from depots to boxcars and cabooses, to the finished interiors of passenger coaches.
HNWR004
This photograph captures the station and crew at Welch, West Virginia. It is believed that the building in the background is the courthouse. Notice the freight car to the left.
HNWR005
Here is the Old Yard Office located upstairs from the N&W Passenger Station at Radford. Pictured from right to left are Zince, Stump, E.E. Allen, Lawrence Allen, Louis Lucas, Horace Price, Tom Heslep, H.A. Hall, J.C. Turner, O.C. Charlton, J.H.…
HNWR006
Employees at the N&W roundhouse in Lynchburg. While Lynchburg served as the divisional point for the N&W during its first few years, increased coal and ore traffic caused the N&W to move its divisional points farther west in 1888.
HNWR007
Working for the railroad was not always about work. Here is the 1895 N&W General Office Building Baseball Team. Team members are from left to right: (front row) ? Coleman, Winfree Reed, Max Howe, and G.F. Butler; (middle row) Harry Moore, Garnet…
HNWR008
An early N&W mail car. The N&W purchased the car, which was built in 1892. Railroads were a popular and effective way to distribute mail around the country. Clerks aboard the cars would actually cancel the letters en route with the initials RPO,…
HNWR009
On July 2, 1889, a night storm swelled Wolf Creek near Thaxton, Virginia, which rose out of its banks just as passenger train No. 2 was crossing. The situation became N&W's first major disaster. There was only one survivor, trainmaster James…
HNWR010
An N&W passenger train speeds between Roanoke and Christiansburg, Virginia. The N&W provided extensive passenger service through southwestern and southeastern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, West Virginia, and into parts of North Carolina. With…
HNWR011
This photograph of the crew of Engine No. 82 was taken when Goodwin, West Virginia was a western terminus. The engine was standing on the Wye track. Crew members are S.D. Clowers, engineer; R.S. Brown, engineer; James Emmons, fireman; George…
HNWR012
Engine No. 500 pulls out of Norfolk with the Pocahontas. The Pocahontas' maiden run occurred on November 21, 1926, when she ran between Norfolk and Columbus, Ohio. That run replaced the former "Norfolk-Chicago Express".
HNWR013
Passengers board an N&W coach. Passenger service when into a steep decline after the mid-1940s. In 1946, for example, the N&W carried 3.4 million passengers. By 1950, that figure was about 900,000. The automobile was taking its toll on the…
HNWR014
The crew of Engine No. 102, shortly after the engine was taken over by the N&W, included Conductor Lawrence Boyles, Engineer George Agee, Fireman Harley Pugh, and Brakeman Jesse Honaker and R.C. Warden.
HNWR016
This photograph captures a proud moment in the development of the N&W. Rolled out from the shop is the first locomotive built by Roanoke Machine Works. Roanoke Machine Works would later become the N&W Roanoke Shops. The engine is a Class I.
HNWR019
This photograph was taken at east Radford coal wharf. It depicts Engine No. 138 and crew. Mr. Akers, engineer; Charlie Roby, fireman; Mr. Allen and Mr. Adkins.
HNWR020
Rail workers watch a safety film inside the N&W's motion picture car.
HNWR021
In the late 1920s, the N&W developed a new strategy in rail safety education - the motion picture car. Carrying the "Safety First" logo, the car traveled various rail lines of the N&W as a mobile classroom for the purpose of providing safety…
HNWR022
The caboose functioned in may was as the train's office. Often train orders and other paperwork were handled aboard the caboose, which come on the scene in the late 1800s to serve as living quarters as well as an office for the crew. With the…
HNWR023
A foreman gauges track to make certain the distance between the rails is exactly 4 feet, 8 inches. In 1883, the N&W operated primarily on a 5-foot gauge; however, on June 1, 1886, the N&W and other southern railroads adopted the now-standard gauge…
HNWR024
This photograph shows the interior of a 52-foot long baggage and express car built in 1892. Notice the hanging oil lamp and stove at the mid-point.
HNWR025
Commonly called the "boxcar", this particular model was used by N&W in 1960. The small numbers along the side under the logo indicated its hauling capacity, weight and load limits, measurements, when it was built, and when it was most recently…
HNWR026
A hopper with coal is ready to go. 1970 was the peak for N&W coal traffic, when the railway carried 90.6 million tons of coal. While coal was profitable, it was not always a source of revenue. Floods, miner strikes, and other labor disputes cut…
HNWR030
Locomotive No. 1212 pulls a load in a scene of the past: a steam engine at work. The N&W was the last major American railroad to abandon the steam engine in favor of the diesel engine. The designers and engineers of the N&W developed the steam…
HNWR031
Engine No. 1442 is placed on the new 115-foot turntable and in the new roundhouse of the Shenandoah Division. For this moment, the men of the roundhouse take a break to pose in recognition of achievement.
HNWR032
Electric engines acquired by the N&W were from Baldwin-Westinghouse. There were 16 locomotives in all. The system, including overhead catenary wires and a generating plant, was completed in 1916. Engine No. 2506 makes the Bluefield run. In 1950,…
HNWR033
This electric locomotive, Engine No. 126, was from the Virginian Railway. The Virginian was formed by Henry Rogers for $30 million in 1907. Having made his fortune in oil, Rogers died a month after the Virginian was officially formed and his…
HNWR034
Engine No. 1 was the switching locomotive used at the Roanoke Machine Works (later Roanoke Shops) in 1886. Standing in the cab of the engine is H.S. German. Others, from left, are Brakemen W.H. Hall and W.W. Rule, Engineer Paul DeArmond, and…
HNWR035
Engine No. 345 was the first compound engine owned by N&W. This photograph was taken at Crewe, Virginia. Crew members include A.D. Lane, engineer, and Julian Hark, fireman.
HNWR036
During the first part of the 20th Century, N&W tried to cultivate agricultural products and freight as possible revenue. Rail agents often advertised farmland near N&W depots to encourage such activity. Here a "farm train" stops as men gather…
HNWR037
The railroad employed a number of young boys to serve as apprentices during the advent of child labor laws. This photograph shows the Roanoke Shops machinist apprentices. A young apprentice would work a 10 hour day and often overtime on weekends. …
HNWR038
This photograph shows track crews at work along the N&W line. Track laying and maintenance was an awesome undertaking, given the thousands of miles of track owned and operated by N&W. Only in the middle part of the 20th Century did track work…
HNWR039
Unidentified employees at the Roanoke roundhouse pose with locomotive wheels. Notice the various tools each is holding, which suggest the different types of work done at the roundhouse.
HNWR040
N&W employed a wide variety of skilled laborers. In this photograph, upholsterers in the Roanoke Shops prepare seats for passenger coaches. In addition to outfitting trains, the upholstery shop also fitted office furniture and some items for the…
HNWR041
Roanoke Boiler Shop employees at the corner of Salem Avenue and Commerce Street. Pictured from left to right (front row): Frank Bianchi, T.D Equi, John Griffin, P.E. Lawhorn, F.H. Wigmore, George Leisinger, T.J. Murray, James Conway, Edward Irvin,…
HNWR042
Carpenter Force No. 1, Pocahontas Division at Richlands, Virginia. From left are R.L. Sorah, J.A. Dye, Dayton Henderson, O.J. Lawson, R.L. Maxwell, J.D. Farmer, T.R. Stinson, S.T. Sparks, G.W. Petts, E.W. Clay, A.G. Quillen, R.H. Honaker. Notice…
HNWR043
Drawing room employees in the N&W office building. Pictured from left are: John Worthington, Charles Jacobsen, James Woods, Fred Scuiffer, two unidentified, George Worthington, Otis Bellingrodh, Servelius Bisphan.
HNWR044
This history of the Nickel Plate Railroad is an amassment of histories from other lines, such as Lake Erie and Western, Clover Leaf, and the Wheeling and Lake Erie. The Nickel Plate was officially the New York, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad…
HNWR045
Like many railroads, the lines of the Wabash Railway Company predated the company's formation in 1877. The history of the Wabash is long and complicated, involving certain dubious personalities, mergers, receiverships, and a wavering bottom line. …
HNWR046
In addition to Engine No. 1776, N&W also had painted certain cars within their rolling stock to highlight the Bicentennial. Here a caboose wears the nation's colors.
HNWR048
Public relations was not always left to copy editors and high-ranking N&W officials. This photograph shows a "train" built by the men at the Roanoke Shops for advertising purposes.
HNWR049
The station at Schooler, Virginia was operated by W.H. Cord (left). The small station operated from March 1883, when coal first began to move from Pocahontas to Norfolk, until 1900 when the station was bypassed by new track. The young man in the…
HNWR050
Locomotive No. 37 was used in 1871 when the South Side, Norfolk and Petersburg, and Virginia and Tennessee Railroads were consolidated, forming the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad. The AM&O was the forerunner of N&W.
HNWR051
Coal Pier 4 at Lamberts Point. The pier served N&W for nearly half a century.
HNWR052
This aerial view shows the N&W coal piers at Lamberts Point. Coal Pier 4 (center) was built in 1914. At the time of its initial construction, the pier was 1,200 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 90 feet above the water. It could empty 600 cars per day.…
HNWR053
At Coal Pier 4 at Norfolk, hoppers are dumped into pier cars which carry coal to the loading shutes. In the background is a portion of N&W's 12,000 car classification and storage yards.
HNWR054
Coal quickly became N&W's leading freight commodity. Here an employee loads an N&W hopper with coal.
HNWR055
N&W hoppers at a West Virginia coal tipple are loaded for their eastbound trip to Lamberts Point near Norfolk. In 1883, N&W moved nearly 106,000 tons of coal. A century later, N&W moved 75 million tons annually.
HNWR056
Engine No. 1200. As part of the Class A engines, No. 1200 was the first to be built by N&W between 1936 and 1950. Maximum horsepower was 6,300 at 45 miles per hour.
HNWR057
Front view of Engine No. 1200, a Class A built in 1936.
HNWR058
Engine No. 114 was a member of the K-1 Class of N&W locomotives. This class of engine, numbering 100 to 115, was built between 1916 and 1917. The Class K engines were built to pull more weight since new steel passenger cars were replacing those…
HNWR059
The sleek, Class K-2, Engine No. 118 was acquired by N&W in 1919. These engines, numbering 116 through 125, were rebuilt later and streamlined by N&W.
HNWR061
Engine No. 209.
HNWR062
The Class M Engine No. 1112 was built in 1910. Their purchase was almost solely in response to the increased demands for hauling coal.
HNWR063
Engine No. 37 was a Class N, as were all engines numbered 28 through 37. These engines, purchased by N&W, were made between 1887 and 1888. This photograph was taken at Wakefield, Ohio.
HNWR064
Engine No. 76 was a Class U engine. On the N&W line, these engines were numbered 71 through 85.
HNWR065
Engine No. 800 was an N&W Class W-6. These engines, numbered 800 through 814, were made between 1898 and 1899.
HNWR066
Engine No. 2023 was a Class Y-3 locomotive. This was one of 50 built between 1919 and 1923.
HNWR067
The Class Y-3A engines included No. 2058. These engines, numbering 2050 through 2079, were built in 1923. This photograph was taken in Cincinnati.
HNWR068
The Class Y-4 engines were developed by N&W in 1927. Only 10 were produced, with Engine No. 2087 among them.
HNWR069
In an effort to heavier freight, N&W developed the Y-6 locomotive. While retaining many of the design elements of the previous Y models, the Y-6 had a new steel frame, roller bearings, and mechanical lubrication at 213 points. A peak horsepower of…
HNWR070
Engine No. 2156
HNWR071
Between 1948 and 1952, 30 Class Y-6B engines were produced by N&W. Engine No. 2200, the last of the Y-6Bs, is shown here at Roanoke.
HNWR072
Engine No. 1438 was one of many Class Z-1A engines used by N&W. This particular engine was built in January 1916 in Schenectady, New York. These engines, numbered 1315 through 1438, were built between 1912 and 1917. A number of them were purchased…
HNWr073
To join the celebration of the nation's bicentennial, N&W painted this diesel locomotive red, white, and blue. The engine's number was appropriately 1776.
HNWR074
The Shenandoah Valley Railroad operated a 239-mile line from Hagerstown, Maryland to Roanoke, Virginia, which was completed in 1883. Norfolk & Western purchased the railroad in 1890. The Shenandoah Valley's president, Fredercik Kimball, would…
HNWR075
Union Local 440 entered this "Safety First" float in a Roanoke parade. It testifies to the cooperation by rail unions and officials to improve worker safety.
HNWR076
Safety became a paramount concern of the railroad. Pictured is the Eckman Shop Safety Committee on Engine No. 1343. In 1893, Congress passed the Railroad Safety Appliance Act and in 1916, rail employees won Congressional approval for an 8-hour work…
HNWR077
The shop gang of the Portsmouth (Ohio) Shop pose in front of Engine No. 600. In 1901, N&W purchased the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, and Virginia Railroad for $2.5 million. Portsmouth would become a major location in the future operations of N&W.
HNWR078
Some "cars" were used for necessary tests to properly maintain a railroad track. One example is the Scaletest Car in this photograph. The car was used to test the scales on the N&W system that weighed the rolling stock. Instructions on the car…
HNWR079
This N&W ambulance from the 1920s signifies the hazards of being a rail worker. In fact, N&W financed the hospital in Roanoke for its first two years of operation so rail families could get necessary medical services.
HNWR080
Passenger coaches went through numerous stages of development. From wood to steel construction, and from basic amenities to luxurious accomodations, the coach was designed for both comfort and safety. This is an early passenger coach used by N&W.
HNWR081
Henry Fink, president of N&W from 1895 until 1902, was the chief operating officer for Mahone's AM&O Railroad. A life-long bachelor, Fink had immigrated to the United States with his brother in 1851 and became a railroad engineer four years later. …
HNWR082
General William Mahone served as the president of the AM&O Railroad for its 10-year existence. Gen. Mahone first gained attention during the Civil War as a field commander, notorious for his unorthodox battle antics. Following the war, Mahone…
HNWR084
Electric engines were developed in 1914 so crews could safely navigate the tunnel at Coldale, West Virginia. Slow-moving steam engines choked the badly ventilated tunnel to the detriment of the crew's health. The electrified line ran between…
HNWR085
Diesel Engine No. 1633, photographed shortly after being built. Notice the railroad's last corporate logo, the more streamlined "NW". The white-on-black design was introduced by John Fishwick when he was the railroad's president in 1971.
HNWR086
Diesel engines could operate more efficiently than the steam engine and American railroads were quick to make the switch. Between 1941 and 1955, the number of diesel locomotives in use went from 1,200 to 20,000. Pictured is Engine No. 8511.
HNWR087
The diesel engine was developed in 1890 by Rudolph Diesel. The Central Railroad of New Jersey was the first to use a diesel locomotive in 1925. It was not until 1955 that N&W began to order diesel locomotives, primarily from American Locomotive…
HNWR088
After the first N&W office building burned in 1896, this building took its place. Constructed on the same location as the old, one section was completed in 1896 and the other in 1907. The building is now used for upscale apartments.
HNWR089
Passenger locomotive No. 29 pulls into the Winston-Salem yard in 1890. This train may have been operating on the former Roanoke and Southern track that was absorbed into the operations of N&W in 1892.
HNWR090
Engine No. 1100, a Class M-2, was one of a number of engines purchased by N&W in 1910. The Class M, as rebuilt, had a 4-8-0 wheel alignment, allowing it to meet the freight demands of the railroad.
HNWR091
Given the hazards of early railroading, even Mother Nature did not cooperate at times. This image shows a collapsed car shop in Roanoke, a result of a heavy snow storm in 1890.
HNWR093
A school group lines up to board the Powhatan Arrow. The name of the train was the result of a contest conducted by N&W, wherein 140,000 entries were submitted. The winner of the $500 first place prize was an N&W retiree, Leonard A. Scott.
HNWR094
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad named rather than numbered their locomotives. This locomotive was Roanoke. Chartered in 1849 and completed in 1856, the V&T ran from Lynchburg to Bristol and later merged with the AM&O.
HNWR095
The Powhatan Arrow boasted the finest passenger service amenities when introduced, including a tavern-lounge car. Here the Arrow moves from Roanoke to Bluefield and was photographed at Singer, Virginia. The round-end tavern car, No. 581, allowed…
HNWR096
Called a "vestibule car", this interior shot shows passenger seating in an 1892 coach. Notice the window shutters, ornate interior design, and fold-down seats. Despite its comfortable feel, early trains of this era were unsafe and not that pleasant…
HNWR097
Engine No. 475 steams out of Roanoke. In 1946, the year considered to be the beginning of N&W's modern passenger service, an average ridership per train was 118. By 1971, when N&W discontinued passenger trains, the number had dropped to less than…
HNWR098
The Pocahontas traveling along the New River. This route was the most spectacular and difficult. After leaving the New River Valley, The Arrow climbed abruptly to Bluefield and then downhill along the Tug River at Williamson.
HNWR099
This head-on collision occurred at Rippon, Virginia. Engine No. 481 is at left.
HNWR100
A closer view of the Thaxton wreck shows the debris pile. Engineer Pat Donovan's body was so badly mangled he was only identified by his clothing. The entire woodwork of the train was burned due to exploding gas lights in the coaches. Seven cars…
HNWR101
Engines No. 14 and No. 37 collided at Rural Retreat. Note the collapsed front half of the first baggage coach. While engines could often withstand collisions, the wood-constructed baggage and passenger coaches were extremely vulnerable.
HNWR102
One of the largest freight depots along the N&W line was in Roanoke. Today, the freight depot is home to the Virginia Museum of Transporation, wherein are housed many N&W artifacts and archival material, as well as some steam engines in the outdoor…
HNWR104
This view shows the early Roanoke passenger station (center),the N&W office building (center right), and the Hotel Roanoke (right).
HNWR105
"Roanoke Wheel Shop 1927" is stamped on the axel of the car wheel displayed by the men of the wheel shop. Individuals unidentified.
HNWR107
Engine No. 53 and her crew excavate for new track near Bluefield, West Virginia. N&W pioneered and financed early coal production in the mountains of West Virginia and carved the rail beds that allowed the "black gold" to move east.
HNWR108
The blacksmith gang at the Bluefield Shops. Blacksmithing was rugged and often dangerous work, but a necessary trade to make the railroad operate. Individuals unidentified.
HNWR109
Freight Engine No. 173 of the Radford Yard is depicted at a Radford pipe shop.
HNWR110
Employees of Roanoke Machine Works build a caboose. They are, left to right: W.E. Meadows, Ted Swain, William Patterson, R.L. Daddow, R.L. Funk, and T.S. Jones.
HNWR111
Diesel Engine No. 1590 passes through Buena Vista, Virginia. Notice the train order raised to be grabbed by the engineer as the train passes.
HNWR112
This is an unidentified station office. Pictured left to right are: C.E. Moore, C.C. McPherson, W.L. Bingham, Harvey Call, and W.G. Light.
HNWR113
An interior view of a sleeper car.
HNWR114
This image symbolizes the commercial ventures of N&W - a coal train enters the picture as a passenger train, the Powhatan Arrow, leaves. Engine No. 1213 is westbound out of Williamson, West Virginia, to deliver coal to the Great Lakes region. The…
HNWR115
Unidentified men work in a standard rail mail car. The United States Postal Service discontinued use of the railroad post office in 1967.
HNWR116
This photograph includes three types of modern, coal-burning steam locomotives designed and built by N&W. These represent the best elements of steam engine design: low initial investment, high utilization, low-cost operation and maintenence, and…
HNWR119
Passengers enjoy a ride on a N&W coach.
HNWR120
Engine No. 17 is surrounded by rail employees in this photograph taken near Elkton, West Virginia. On the ground at the extreme left is G.W. Pile; standing fourth from the left is H.S. Walker; standing second from the right is C.C. Edmondson; and…
HNWR121
One of the largest freight depots along the N&W line was in Roanoke. Today, the freight depot is home to the Virginia Museum of Transporation, wherein are housed many N&W artifacts and archival material, as well as some steam engines in the outdoor…
HNWR122
The station at Christiansburg, Virginia awaits freight and passengers. Note the mail and express carts to the right.
HNWR123
The N&W, like all major railroads, served its country well during World War II for the movement of troops and military freight. In fact, passenger service reached its zenith during wartime. While the exact location of this scene is unknown, it…
HNWR124
Employees repair an N&W locomotive at the Roanoke Shops.
HNWR125
An interior view of the erecting shop at Roanoke showing an engine's assembly in progress.
HNWR126
Taken from the Roanoke passenger station, this photograph shows the Birmingham Special in the background and the Pocahontas in the foreground..
HNWR127
Shown here is the back, lower level of the Roanoke passenger station three years before the Raymond Loewy renovation.
HNWR128
The N&W passenger station at Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
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The N&W station at Bluefield, West Virginia.
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The N&W station at Portsmouth, Ohio.
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The depot in Ivor, Virginia.
HNWR133
Two employees examine car wheels at the Roanoke Shops. C.G. Wiley is at right; the man at left is unidentified. Unfortunately, African American employees of the N&W could not be promoted beyond entry-level positions until the passage of the Civil…
HNWR134
The Dynamometer was pulled by locomotives to determine their actual horsepower and potential speeds. Such calculations were extremely important for effeciently moving freight over different grades and distances. The ability of the locomotive to do…
HNWR135
Here, a former N&W mail car is a museum display. Notice the period mail bag hanging from its post. As the train would pass, the mail clerk would position the hook, grab the bag, and then begin the sorting process inside the car.
HNWR136
The Powhatan Arrow on one of its runs. The Arrow traveled along a diverse scenic route through Virginia's Dismal Swamp, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Alleghanies, and into the West Virginia coal fields.
HNWR137
Aerial photograph of N&W freight docks at Lambert's Point near Norfolk.
HNWR138
Coal was not the only export transported by N&W. This image shows freight docks and a grain elevator at Sewall's Point at Norfolk. Pier A is in center foreground.
HNWR139
Engine No. 382 runs the steepest grade of all - a sustained three percent grade to the summit at White Top Station. This run, affectionately known as the "Virginia Creeper", ran between Abingdon, Virginia and West Jefferson, North Carolina. Here,…
HNWR140
A small coal yard in West Virginia. N&W pioneered and developed the state's coal industry.
HNWR141
When passenger services encompassed long distances, dining service was offered. While cooks had to operate in a relatively confined space, they prepared full-course meals as good as any fine restaurants.
HNWR142
The depot at Grundy, Virginia was reminiscent of many rural depots that lined the tracks of the N&W.
HNWR143
The "Wheel Rollers" of the Roanoke Shops include (front left): Earl Dunning, John Cantry, Charles Wiley, Monk Wiggins, and Thomas Campbell. The Wheel Rollers competed in wheel rolling competitions around the nation and always placed high.
HNWR144
The Norfolk and Western Male Chorus consisted of African American employees who toured and performed hundreds of concerts. Here, the chorus performs at Roanoke's Academy of Music. The chorus was of such a high caliber that one needed an audition to…
HNWR145
The old car record office at Portsmouth, Virginia. Shown from left are: Floyd Chabot (seated), Paul Jones, S.A. Highfield, H.H. Hester, and John Farley.
HNWR146
Car yardmen at Kimball, West Virginia. As the coal mines opened, the number of men employeed by N&W soared, bringing economic opportunity to many West Virginia families.
HNWR147
One of N&W's largest freight stations was in Roanoke. Depicted are unidentified freight station employees. The average annual wage for railroad workers in America at the turn of the century was $740, much higher than the average American wage.
HNWR148
The crew of Engine No. 19. This engine, like most of the engines used by N&W in its infancy, was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works.
HNWR149
An early example of freight locomotives used by N&W was Engine No. 264.
HNWR150
Class Q Engine No. 516 pulls into a depot at Nolan, West Virginia. The engine was originally put into service in April 1882. Crew members are servicing both passenger and express cars.
HNWR151
Shop employees and crew of Engine No. 205 in Roanoke, shortly after the locomotives construction.
HNWR152
Engine No. 54 with her crew (from left): Engineer E.H. Jones, Fireman Guy Emery, and Conductor Lloyd Pugh. The train was running between Sardinia and Hillsboro branch, and the main line of the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, and Virginia Railroad.
HNWR153
An aerial view of Bellevue Yard in Ohio, looking east. The classification yard is at left center and immediately to the right is the car repair facility. In the distance are the receiving and departure yards.
HNWR154
Wreck at Powhatan, West Virginia. Notice the double-tracking in the image. Unfortunately, the development of adequate rail safety technology was years from completion, making railroading a dangerous profession.
HNWR155
A postcard image of the N&W depot at Salem, Virginia. The depot still remains, although the shed at the tracks was dismantled many years ago. During the 1930s, depots like this dotted the lines of the N&W. Few remain today, either abandoned or in…
HNWR158
Interior view of a typical N&W lounge car.
HNWR159
Interior view of a typical N&W dining car.
HNWR160
Here is but one example of how mechanization assisted significantly in the maintenance of tracks. A machine removes cross ties for the crew.
HNWR161
To keep passenger coaches looking good, the railroad regularly sent them through a mechanical washing facility.
HNWR162
Freight cars line up outside a coal-cleaning and prep plant near Gary, West Virginia. The N&W relied heavily on many of the larger coal mines and facilities throughout West Virginia.
HNWR163
A hopper car loaded with coal coasts down the "hump" incline toward classification tracks at the Portsmouth, Ohio freight yard. This car is half-way through the master retarder. The scale house and assistant yard master's office are located in the…
HNWR164
The Bluefield Yard in 1888. In that year, the N&W organized
HNWR165
The Portsmouth Freight Office included (from left): L.M. Dory, Gus Kehrer, Fred Dressler, S.R. Crawford, T.M. O'Connor, and Theodore Doty.
HNWR166
This engine was a Class W-1, 2-8-0 type and was originally built by the Roanoke Shops in October 1900.
HNWR167
Engine No. 102 rolls out of assembly at the Roanoke Shops and employees pose for the customary photograph of the engine.
HNWR168
The "Jawn Henry" was the nickname for this combination steam-electric locomotive. It was N&W's last-ditch effort to give steam one last try. The engine had 12 traction motors, weighed in at 1.1 million pounds, and was 161 feet long. Delivered in…
HNWR170
Welch, West Virginia. The old N&W station is in the foreground; the courthouse is atop the hill and businesses are at left.
HNWR172
Passenger Engine No. 90 was an example of many engines purchased by N&W in its early years from Baldwin Locomotive Works. Engine No. 90 was a Class A engine.
HNWR173
Engine No. 72 is another example of a Class U locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1892. This passenger locomotive weighed in excess of 132,000 pounds and was later converted to simple cylinders.
HNWR174
Engine No. 93 was a small shifting engine used at Roanoke Machine Works. It was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883.
HNWR175
The old Class M engine was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883. N&W owned two of these engines, Nos. 94 and 95, as shown here.
HNWR176
Freight Locomotive No. 1203 rests on the turntable at Shaffer's Crossing in Roanoke.
HNWR177
A stock train rolls through the Virginia countryside. As a way to encourage agribusiness, N&W operated a working farm at Ivor, Virginia for some years around 1910-1915.
HNWR178
An interior view of an express car used by N&W. Express cars held all kinds of freight, from passenger baggage to commercial merchandise.
HNWR179
An interior view of a N&W passenger coach. Notice the oil lamps. Although beautiful design features, these lamps would often shatter during an accident, spilling their fuel into the car. Resultant fires sometimes killed more passengers than the…
HNWR180
Passenger coaches changed significantly over time. Once elaborate and finely appointed coaches evolved into more basic design, as seen in passenger coach No. 1650.
HNWR181
Passenger coach No. 1700.
HNWR182
This passenger train stops in Ivanhoe, Virginia. Passenger service would serve as a popular form of distance travel until the emergence of the automobile.
HNWR183
The Class J 600 is pulling a Southern Railway streamlined passenger train. The Class Js were built between 1941 and 1950.
HNWR184
This photograph shows one of the largest loads of coal cargo on a single ship at Lambert's Point. A total of 493 carloads were required.
HNWR185
Loaded coal cars await their turn at the car-dumping machine. Upwards of 400 cars of coal are required to fill the large colliers.
HNWR186
Norfolk & Western always kept a spare for every part necessary to cargo operations.
HNWR187
An interior view of a Pullman car after being made into a sleeper.
HNWR188
Frederick J. Kimball was one of the most forward-thinking of the early N&W presidents. He was so respected, the citizens of Big Lick voted to change its name to Kimball in his honor. He declined and suggested the location be called Roanoke, which…
HNWR190
Employees of the Roanoke freight office.
HNWR192
The Birmingham Special moves northbound, having detoured through Waynesboro, Virginia, on account of a washout on the Southern Railway's main line between Monroe, West Virginia and Charlottesville, Virginia. The Special was among a number of other…
HNWR193
An industrial hoist rests in the yard at Roanoke. Notice the huge pulleys hanging from the arm. Engine No. 131 is in the background.
HNWR194
Norfolk & Western's passenger service ceased in 1971. Here is the Pocahontas on her last run, traveling eastbound at Blue Ridge, Virginia. An estimated 100,000 spectators lined the route to catch a glimpse of a passing era.
HNWR195
This consist of coal includes some hoppers from the Virginia Railway, which had been acquired by N&W in 1959.
HNWR196
Engine No. 2146 pulls a load of coal. In the 1940s, N&W served the following seven coal districts: Kenova, Thacker, Tug River, Pocahontas, Clinch Valley 1 & 2, and Radford.
HNWR197
This is the view across the flat yard at Norfolk, Virginia. Hoppers would wait in the yard to be emptied.
HNWR198
Diesel Engine No. 322 pulls a consist of coal through Virginia. The switch to diesel was difficult for N&W given its commercial investment in coal.
HNWR199
Loaded coal cars awaiting shipment from an N&W coal tipple. Note the different grades of coal being loaded. During World War II, the United States Navy almost exclusively used N&W coal for its Atlantic fleet.
HNWR202
Two N&W locomotives prepare to pass one another heading to and from the West Virginia coal fields.
BM382
Annie Vest and Helen Williams in front of Oswald L. Williams' Store on Bent Mountain.
RNRV1 Appalachian Power
Group photo of Appalachian Power Company workers in Anawalt, West Virginia to install power lines. Arch Stockton holds rolled blue prints and reins of horse.
RNRV2 McAfee Knob
An unidentified man stands on the rock formation known as McAfee Knob. McAfee Knob is one of the most photographed places on the Appalachian Trail.
RNRV4 Paul Davis
Dr. Paul Davis holds his daughter Pauline while on leave during World War I. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for his service in French hospitals.
RNRV5 Davis Children
Paul, Edith, and Frangie Davis with Frank the horse at Davis home on Salem Avenue.
RNRV6 Davis Men
Dr. John Gibson Davis (2nd from right) with his sons Hal, Algie, Fred, John Jr., and Paul. Dr. Davis' sons also became doctors.
RNRV8 Paine Family
William Henry and Rosa Proffit Paine with children Helen and Robert Edward.
RNRV9 Ruth and Edith
Ruth Mason (left) and Edith Davis Paine.
RNRV10 Davis Family
Zora and Dr. John G. Davis and children with longtime housekeeper, Vivvie.
RNRV11 Edith Paine
Edith Davis Paine holds an air rifle at the Davis home on Salem Avenue.
RNRV12 John Gibson Davis
Dr. John Gibson Davis.
RNRV13 VFW Banquet
Professor Charles Rowe and his Rhythm Boys perform for a Veterans of Foreign Wars banquet at the Hotel Roanoke.
RNRV14 Vest Furniture
Vest Furniture Company, formerly located at 109 Campbell Avenue SW. Sid Vest, owner, is pictured in white shirt.
RNRV15 Confederate Veterans
Confederate veterans parade through Downtown in conjunction with reunion.
RNRV16 Confederate Veterans
Confederate veterans parade through Downtown in conjunction with reunion.
RNRV17 Confederate Veterans
Parade participants for Confederate veterans ride a float through Downtown in conjunction with reunion.
RNRV18 Mountain Park
Check Room and Snack Stand in Mountain Park.
RNRV19 Mountain Park
Popcorn stand at Mountain Park. Lillie Solleday on right.
RNRV20 City Market
Customers peruse the City Market.
RNRV21 Market Street
Farmer in wagon pulled by oxen on Market Street.
RNRV22 Mountain Park
Dance Pavilion and The Thriller rollercoaster in Mountain Park.
RNRV23 Views
Looking north from South Roanoke toward Downtown. Tinker Mountain is visible in the background.
RNRV24 Wagon
Wagon pulled by oxen travels through an unidentified residential neighborhood.
RNRV25 Country Drive
Three unidentified men and a little girl pose with a Mitchell automobile.
RNRV26 Peach Orchard
Three unidentified men in a peach orchard,
RNRV27 Men in Park
Two unidentified men in a park.
RNRV28 Steele Family
Photo of members of the Steele Family. Front row, 3rd from left: Carl Steele; Back row, 3rd from left John Steele, 4th from left Alma Steele. All others unidentified.
RNRV29 Alma Steele
At left is Alma Beckner Steele with two unidentified women.
RNRV30 Beckner Family
Family Photo: Front row, 6th from left Isabell Clingenpeel, 7th from left Carl Steele, 8th from left Helen Clingenpeel, 9th from left Lewis Clingenpeel; Back row, 11th from left John Beckner, 12th from left Jackson Beckner, and 13th from left Ann…
RNRV31 W.J. Rigney
W.J. Rigney was Chief of Police for the City of Roanoke from 1919 through 1928. Rigney had been appointed Chief to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former Chief A.H. Griffin.
RNRV32 Mountain Park
Shooting gallery, The Thriller rollercoaster, and bowling alley at Mountain Park.
RNRV33 Crystal Spring
Crystal Spring reservoir and pump house. Crystal Spring was one of the city's earliest landscaped parks. It was designed and managed by Roanoke Gas and Water Works.
RNRV34 High Street Baptist
Presentation of an auto to Reverend W. E. Lee, of High Street Baptist Church for the church’s 41st anniversary.
RNRV35 Rockledge Inn
Rockledge Inn on Mill Mountain.
RNRV36 Enon Baptist
Group photo of members of Enon Baptist Church.
RNRV37 Roanoke Ice
Workers deliver ice for Roanoke Ice Corporation. Roanoke Ice Corportation began operations in 1913 after Consumer Ice Company and Griggs Packing Company.