Log pond which later became apex and new hill were also part of the new hope valley. The freight railroad station originally built by the sal here still stands, owned by csx. According to the north carolina history project, the town was named for its location as the. Railroads in western north carolina digital heritage. Bookaday blog eva perry mock newberry book club eva perry mock printz book club. After starting in elkin, the line ran north through adsit, klondike, state road, parks, thurmond, doughton and ended in veneer. Theater production tells the story of this wake county.
The history of apex revolves around the railroads and station. American tobacco trail wake county, north carolina. Over the years, north carolina rail companies have ranged in size from wellengineered giants like the southern railway to temporary logging railroads like the hemlock. Surviving north carolina railroad stations aberdeen. In the early 1900s, holly springs outgrew its neighbors, apex and sippihaw a community. With 21,000 miles of track, access to 70 ports and nationwide transloading and warehousing services, weve got what it takes to move your business. Anybody living in salem village that can vouch for the current rail noise. We provide answers to over 2 million searches every day, helping 35. The railroad was little more than a tramway leading from apex, in wake county, to the jake williams farm in harnett county. Train watching apex, nc trains magazine trains news. The passenger railroad station originally built by the acl here still stands, owned by. It was first known and chartered as the cape fear and northern railroad.
The community that sprang up around these rail car and track repair shops was known as company shops and later became the town of burlington, north carolina. The area was first settled in the 1860s by a number of private landowners, and the town was incorporated in 1873. Railroads, the pioneers building americas transportation backbone, and more. The apex union depot is a historic railroad station located on salem street in downtown apex, north carolina. The western north carolina railroad, 18551894 by william abrams, jr. Image courtesy of the north carolina collection, university of north carolina at chapel hill libraries.
Whitepages provides the top free people search and tenant screening tool online with contact information for over 250 million people including cell phone numbers and complete background check data compiled from public records, white pages and other directories in all 50 states. The north carolina railway museum is a private, educational, taxexempt 501c3 organization dedicated to preserving and sharing north carolina s railroad history. Original 1854 nc railroad survey, showing the future location of durhams station courtesy david southernsteve rankin as most folks are aware, durhams raison detre came with the north carolina railroad in 1854, and the desire to establish a train depot between hillsborough and raleigh. For an annotated history of the countys formation, with the laws affecting the county, boundary lines and changes, and other origin information, visit these references in the formation of the north carolina counties corbitt, 2000, available online at north carolina digital collections note, there may be additional items of interest for the. The early history of apex revolves around the railroad, as the apex railroad station was chartered in 1854. They also fail to realize that this railroad was built almost. Raleigh and gaston railroad completed, 1840 nc dncr. The wake county portion of the american tobacco trail is a recreational railtrail open to walkers, runners, dog walkers, bicyclists and horseback riders. Excerpt from richard princes book, norfolk southern railroad old dominion line and connections. North carolina transportation museum book published by. The new hope valley railway is the triangles train, offering excursion rides on vintage equipment at the north carolina railway museum. This book is a comprehensive overview of the development of railroads in canada and the united states from 1830 to the present day.
Popular railroad history books goodreads share book. The early history of apex stems from a railroad station that was chartered in 1854, although the first train did not pass through town until 1869. Environmental and cultural history programs are also offered. Apex union depot triangles train new hope valley railway.
Indulge your senses as you tour the brightly colored sensory garden, take your bike out on the hog run mountain bike trail, play a round of disc golf with friends or spend a quiet afternoon fishing at harris lake county park. The promise of rail transportation, which was conceived and cultivated through the experimen. Constructed in 1914 by the seaboard air line railroad, the building shared service with the durham and southern railway, but now houses the apex visitors center, apex chamber of commerce, and meeting rooms rented out for special events. Founded in the 1860s, the town got its name from a location at the highest point on the old chatham railroad. A history of railroading in western north carolina by c. Browse maps, pictures and histories of abandoned railroad lines in the state of north carolina. Problem is the trains are fairly infrequent and the chances of catching a train at random are slim. When it comes to the business of shipping, csx can move you in the right direction. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, choice hotels near cary, nc are an excellent and affordable way to stay close to all the action. The columbia branch railroad new 384 page hardbound book chronicles the 175year history of a shortline railroad still. Throughout eastern north carolina in the1840s, the sound of a locomotive horn was heard, signifying the arrival of trainsand a new era of unprecedented prosperity. Celebrate black history month with a variety of activities and events read on. Spectacular 4 color cover, lithographs and 120 pages of history.
Railroad history score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Railroads of north carolina images of rail series by. The northern pacific railroad, the sioux, and the panic of 1873 by m. Theater production tells the story of this wake county town, from slavery to suburbs. Aug 12, 2011 today, the rightofway is visible in the woods north elkin.
Railroads of the southern appalachians by lou harshaw, 1977. We are a private corporation, with one hundred percent of our stock owned by the state of north carolina. North carolina railroad north carolina history project. The railroad was the focus of a term paper by dan bray in 1979. A community developed around the train station, and many of the large forests in the area were converted to farmlands. The western north carolina railroad, 18551894 many people fail to realize the actual cost in time and labor that was spent in constructing the western north carolina railroad from salisbury to murphy. May 01, 2014 anybody living in salem village that can vouch for the current rail noise. The apex historical society is a nonprofit, membershipsupported organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the history of apex, north carolina. Pluck, perseverance, and paint apex, north carolina.
The railroad corridor is a rich asset, which we proudly protect and manage for the good of north carolinas citizens. Crews working on behalf of csx will close four intersections this week for up to five days, according to the town of apex. In fact, you dont even have to be located on railroad track for us to help you. Hotels are the perfect place to relax while exploring this fastgrowing north carolina town. An 1860 stock slip for the north carolina railroad company. The area is a member of the raleighdurhamchapel hill metro area. My boy is about old enough now where we could go down there and enjoy watching the trains. Johnston county, north carolina offers great connections to history, entertainment, dining, lodging, and outlet shopping, along with a generous helping of true southern hospitality. Apex railroad repairs closing multiple intersections. The first depot built in what would become apex was little more than a wooden shed with a desk and chair inside for the parttime agent and a small bench for passengers inside. In june 1840, a grand celebration was held in raleigh to commemorate two milestones, the new railroad and the new state capitol. Best 12 railroads in north raleigh, raleigh, nc with. Downtown apex, north carolina is the gem of north carolina. A charming blend of rich history and bright future.
In the great railroad revolution, renowned railroad expert christian wolmar tells the extraordinary story of the rise and the fall of the greatest of all american endeavors, and argues that the time has come for america to reclaim and celebrate its oftenoverlooked rail heritage. The apex union depot is the most prominent site in apex and has a long and varied history. On march 21, 1840, work was completed on the raleigh and gaston railroad. And if youre interested in railroad history but have never been to the museum, you, too, might want to seek out colemans new book from arcadia publishing, called simply north carolina.
A history by john hairr, 2002 american shortline railway guide by edward a. It appears csx brings a train every now and then in and does some switching. However, with the 1849 passage of the north carolina railroad charter bill, the state government. The western north carolina railroad was accordingly incorporated to connect the north carolina railroad with the valley of. Originally given the name apex because it was the highest point on the chatham railroad. I saw an apex development plan online that showed a future train station at the 540salem interchange, which would imply increased rail traffic. Please note that there is a book is currently being written about the durham. History of apex apex, north carolina is five miles sw of cary, north carolina center to center and 12 miles w of raleigh, north carolina. Apex is a town in wake county, north carolina, united states. Today, the rightofway is visible in the woods north elkin. Search census records 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1890 veterans. Events join us history gallery contact us links venue rental historic photographs.
Ashe was the author of the bill to incorporate the north carolina railroad company. Railroads in north carolina docsouth unc chapel hill. Raleigh and gaston railroad by matt stokes, research branch, nc office of archives and history, 2007. The history of railroad book examines the changing fortunes brought by the civil war and the great depression as well as the remarkable contributions made by pioneers such as baldwin, pullman, westinghouse and edison. Apex union depot apex, north carolina train station. Check out the holleman brothers local book about history of apex from when the town was established through 1941. Theater production tells the story of this wake county town. It was named apex simply because it is the highest point on the chatham railroad, running.
Rail transportation, faster and more efficient than other methods of the era, opened new markets for the products of north carolinas farms, factories, and mines. The first settlers came to the area in the 1860s, and the town was incorporated in 1873. The apex union depot is a historic railroad station located on salem street in downtown apex, north carolina and is the centerpiece of the apex historic district. The western north carolina railroad, 18551861 in 1854, the state of north carolina was completing the construction of her great work, the north carolina railroad, which extended from goldsoro to charlotte.
According to the north carolina history project, the town was named for its location as the highest point on a portion of the chatham railroad which ultimately extends between richmond, virginia and jacksonville, florida. Is the railway mostly used for slow moving freights. A week later, the raleigh depot received 20 bales of cotton from petersburg, virginia, the lines first commercial shipment on record. Air line railroad and later home to the locally supported apex community library. Image courtesy of the north carolina office of archives and history, raleigh, nc. The apex union depot is a historic railroad station located on salem street in downtown. According to a 1905 usgs publication on place names, the name refers to the highest point between raleigh and the deep river. This book is largely a reprint of the original literature published by the line in 1889 with updated information and photos. Wncn drivers in apex can expect some serious delays this week due to ongoing railroad track repairs scheduled for this week. From peak to peak, the town of apex, north carolina is well named. Located midway between new york and florida on i95 and at the crossroads of i95 and i40, johnston county connects the nations north and south with east and west.