Railroad History
Ashland, Virginia, was developed by the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company in the 1850s.
“A Railroad Runs Through It: The Unique History of A Virginia Train Town”
Documentary Film by Wulf Team Productions
Ashland’s Railroad Ave (circa 1866)
This is a charming picture of Ashland printed in Harpers magazine in 1866 in an article about Ashland during the Civil War.
After 1923 - Railroad Avenue looking North
In 1920’s, several new buildings have appeared in the commercial district. The first building visible at the left edge of the photo, on the south side of Thompson St., is the “new” Cox Department store. Today, the Ironhorse restaurant occupies the ground floor of this building.
Ashland at the Turn of the Century
Ashland’s business district looking south from the intersection of Railroad and College Avenues. This photo was taken just after the turn of the century. The passenger station on the left was built by the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad in 1866. The tower supplied water for steam engines.
RF&P Depot
This is the 1890s depot that was later replaced by the 1922-23 brick station on the west side of the tracks.
Blakey’s Train
The Ashland Accomodation was a train that ran between Richmond and Ashland with stops along the way from the antebellum years to 1928. Its most famous crew consisted of Engineer Harry T. Perdue, Conductor Charles G. Blakey, Fireman J.W. Bush and Flagman Percy Taylor.