A train runs through it

by Alex Hutchins

Every 20 years, for some reason, I have relocated, and the towns to which I have relocated were all built and became successful because a train ran through them, delivering goods from other parts of the country.

My first location was Alexandria, Virginia which is located on the Potomac River and is situated 4 miles south of the Nation’s Capital, Washington, DC.  While the train no longer passes through, the quiet little town grew because of the commerce brought by the railroad.  In the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s Alexandria had two main streets: 

Duke and King around which the town was built and driving north, the railroad tracks would be on one’s right on the poor side of town which is now, Old Town, and considered one of the more exclusive, richer sections of Alexandria.

The 1970’s brought me to Burlington, North Carolina around which another town was built and grew because of the railroad.  This time the commerce it picked up was textiles and the town was named after its largest employer. 

On either side of Burlington are numerous towns through which the train also passed:  Mebane, Graham, Elon, Gibsonville, but none grew like Burlington. 

If fact, there is still quite the rivalry between the towns of Burlington and Graham both of which were textile based.  The town of Elon was a College town and is now the home to Elon University and was able to grow, in part, because the railroad brought students to campus.

In the 1990’s, I find myself relocating again, this time to Morristown, TN and later Jefferson City, TN both of which grew because a train passed through, stopping  to offload goods and passengers.  The Virginia Railroad Company in 1856 finished laying tracks that connected Bristol, VA with Knoxville, TN. 

Morristown and Jefferson City (then known as Mossy Creek) were Confederate strongholds even though the rest of TN aligned themselves with the Union armies of the North.  Twice a day, a train still rumbles along these tracks and twice a day, I am still in awe of its movements through the countryside.

Each of these cities has numerous stories to tell about their growth and their dealings with the railroad.  Each of these towns provided laborers to lay these tracks and build these buildings around which the towns grew.  Each of these locations were railroad towns, even though none of them look back with pride as to who they were and from whence they came.  Railroads are an integral part of our Southern history and heritage.

What stories will these railroad towns tell us now that we are listening?