Virginian Railway Passenger Station
Encyclopedia
The Virginian Railway Passenger Station, also known as the Virginian Station is a former rail station listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in the South Jefferson
neighborhood of the independent city
of Roanoke
, Virginia
, U.S.A
. Located at the intersection of Jefferson Street SE (VA 116
) and Williamson Road, the Virginian Station served as a passenger station for the Virginian Railway
between 1910 and 1956. The station was the only station constructed with brick along the entire length of the Virginian's 608 miles (978.5 km) network. Severely damaged by fire on January 29, 2001, current plans for its restoration are underway.
Overshadowed by the larger Norfolk & Western Railway, this would serve passengers traveling between West Virginia and Norfolk
through 1956 when passenger service was discontinued. By 1959, Virginian would merge with Norfolk & Western, and the former station would be leased out and subsequently operated as a feed and seed store.
By the late 1990s, the station was threated with demolition to make way for an expansion of the Carilion
bio-tech campus resulting in its placement on the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation's 2000 list of Most Endangered Sites. Operating as the Depot Country Store, on January 29, 2001, the former station suffered severe damage as a result of a fire. Despite the extensive damage, the station was cited for both its unique design and contribution to the railroad industry in Roanoke, and has been listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register since April 2003 and the National Register of Historic Places since June 2003.
A grass-roots effort to rehabilitate the former station into office space for the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
in addition to additional leaseable office space is underway.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in the South Jefferson
South Jefferson, Roanoke, Virginia
South Jefferson is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in southeast Roanoke, surrounded roughly by the Roanoke River to the south and east and the Roy L. Webber Expressway to the west, centered on South Jefferson Street...
neighborhood of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, U.S.A
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located at the intersection of Jefferson Street SE (VA 116
Virginia State Route 116
Virginia State Route 116 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from SR 122 at Burnt Chimney north to SR 101 in Roanoke. SR 116 connects northwestern Franklin County with the southeastern part of Roanoke...
) and Williamson Road, the Virginian Station served as a passenger station for the Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
between 1910 and 1956. The station was the only station constructed with brick along the entire length of the Virginian's 608 miles (978.5 km) network. Severely damaged by fire on January 29, 2001, current plans for its restoration are underway.
History
Standing at the division point between the New River Division and the Norfolk Division of the Virginian Railway, construction commenced on the Virginian Station in September 1909 and was complete by early 1910. Measuring 162 feet (49.4 m) long by 32 feet (9.8 m) wide, the station consists of a pair of one-story buildings, connected by a covered overhang and features a tile roof, a blond brick facade and terrazzo floors.Overshadowed by the larger Norfolk & Western Railway, this would serve passengers traveling between West Virginia and Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
through 1956 when passenger service was discontinued. By 1959, Virginian would merge with Norfolk & Western, and the former station would be leased out and subsequently operated as a feed and seed store.
By the late 1990s, the station was threated with demolition to make way for an expansion of the Carilion
Carilion Health System
Carilion Clinic, formerly known as Carilion Health System, is a Roanoke, Virginia-based not-for-profit health care organization. Carilion owns and operates eight hospitals in the western part of Virginia...
bio-tech campus resulting in its placement on the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation's 2000 list of Most Endangered Sites. Operating as the Depot Country Store, on January 29, 2001, the former station suffered severe damage as a result of a fire. Despite the extensive damage, the station was cited for both its unique design and contribution to the railroad industry in Roanoke, and has been listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register since April 2003 and the National Register of Historic Places since June 2003.
A grass-roots effort to rehabilitate the former station into office space for the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
in addition to additional leaseable office space is underway.
External links
- Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society official website