The Iron Road of Franconia

by Nathaniel Lee | History |
ISBN: 1530919584 Global Overview for this book
Registered by LastCavalier of Springfield, Virginia USA on 5/20/2022
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by LastCavalier from Springfield, Virginia USA on Friday, May 20, 2022
For nearly 150 years, a great iron road has snaked its way through the Franconia community. This railroad was born in the era of the legendary railroad tycoons, and its history weaves a tale of political intrigue in the Reconstruction Era. Started in 1872, this railroad went by many names over the next century including the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway, the Washington Southern Railway and the company recalled fondly by many: the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. Today the railroad is owned by CSX. Whatever its name, this railroad tied the Franconia community together, gave it a lasting identity and a doorstep to the nation. Following the Civil War, railroads around the country were entering a golden age. The world's largest railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad, had its eye on the South. Its visionary founders, John Thomson and Thomas Scott wanted a way into the South and its markets by any means necessary, and the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway offered them just that chance. This hastily built railroad was held together sometimes by only a sheer force of will and a few wood planks. Phineas Barnum, founder of the Ringling Brothers Circus, even exclaimed, "I have been all over the United States, but this is the first railroad I ever saw tied to a tree!" Yet for its humble beginnings, the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway would grow over the next century into one of the most important railway corridors on the East Coast. "The Iron Road of Franconia" is a community-focused book that documents the many flag stops that dotted the countryside throughout the county. These stops came and went over the years, but were integral in developing Franconia's economy and future development sites. Some of the stops found were previously unknown to anyone, their foundations forgotten, left to lie in the woods. This book also documents some of the strange yet memorable occurrences on the rails over the years, including wrecks, robberies and explosions!

Journal Entry 2 by LastCavalier at Gaithersburg Book Festival in Gaithersburg, Maryland USA on Friday, May 20, 2022

Released 1 yr ago (5/21/2022 UTC) at Gaithersburg Book Festival in Gaithersburg, Maryland USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

This book is being released to the BookCrossing festival tables at the Gaithersburg book festival. This book was left there on purpose for you to find. Read and enjoy!

____________________________________________

Thank you so much for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry here on this page if you haven’t already done so to let me know that this book has found a good home. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (it is entirely free). If you choose to join, I would love if you could indicate nat4lee referred you.

I really hope you enjoy the book you found! When you’re done reading it, you can make another journal entry with your comments here to let me know what you thought of it. You can keep the book forever and ever or pass it on to someone else. If you’re giving it to someone directly, make another journal entry saying so. If you choose to leave it somewhere “in the wild” for anyone to catch, make release notes that indicate where you left it. If you register, you will be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free. Then you can track this book as it goes on its journey!

Journal Entry 3 by wingMelydiawing at Rockville, Maryland USA on Monday, May 23, 2022
The author is a friend of mine. Glad I finally got my hands on a copy of his book!

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.