North Jefferson Street

North Jefferson Street was the core of the Railroad's management center. There were more workers concentrated in this block at one time than the rest of the facilities in Roanoke. The face of North Jefferson is dominated by the N&W influence, with the General Office Buildings and Hotel Roanoke. Only one other facility was needed to complete the group. The last link in the chain of North Jefferson Street is not a Railroad building, but the Stone Printing Company building. Stone Printing was a long time Roanoke firm, established in 1891 by Edward Stone and J.B. Fishburn. Edward Stone was quite an enthusiastic amateur photographer and recorded many early images of Roanoke., Stone printing was not owned by the N&W, but this close proximity to the Railroad's headquarters brought much contact with the Railroad and Hotel, and Stone was the printer of choice for both the Hotel and Railroad for many years. One can be certain that the Railroad holdings and business was quite important to the bottom line for a number of years., The Stone influence was widespread on many of the Railroad's advertising pieces. Edward Stone's wife is credited with originating the Hotel Roanoke's famed Dogwood china pattern. It is very likely that a now unknown Stone Printing artist produced the artwork for the pattern which was used at the Hotel until 1989. The dogwood art is still in use many places throughout the Hotel., Stone was quite successful as a printer, doing large quantities of important work for the Railroad over the years. As times changed, Stone was taken over by the Hickory Printing Group from North Carolina and moved to new quarters near the airport, but that was short lived and the Stone name passed from the Roanoke business scene some years ago., All Photos and Items: Norfolk and Western Railway/Kenneth L. Miller Collection , Panel Design and Content by Miller Design and Photography ©2006