Vanceburg in Lewis County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Vanceburg Depot
Photographed By J. J. Prats, August 23, 2021
1. Vanceburg Depot Marker
Erected by Lewis County (Kentucky) Chamber of Commerce and the Eagle Scout Project completed by Damon Kennedy in 2018.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1888.
Location. 38° 36.102′ N, 83° 19.103′ W. Marker is in Vanceburg, Kentucky, in Lewis County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and 3rd Street, on the left when traveling north on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Vanceburg KY 41179, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Commercial Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); Halbert House (within shouting distance of this marker); Stamper Block (within shouting distance of this marker); Hickle’s Pool Room (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Carter House (about 300 feet away);
this page online
Regarding Vanceburg Depot. The railroad line beside this depot was acquired by the Chesapeake & Ohio and became its main line between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Newport News, Virginia. Today the line is part of CSX Transportation’s system.
Additional commentary.
1. Passenger Service at Vanceburg Depot
A December 1925 Chesapeake and Ohio Railway timetable is representative of passenger service to and from Vanceburg in the 80 some years of the passenger train era. Vanceburg was on the “main line” for passenger service, but not all express trains stopped here. Four local trains (trains that stopped at all stations on the line) and two express trains stopped here every day; four other express trains did not.
The first train of the day was the 5:35 AM express to Cincinnati, train No. 5, the overnight Mid-West Limited that left Washington DC the previous afternoon at 2 PM. It was
Photographed By J. J. Prats, August 23, 2021
2. Vanceburg Depot and Marker
This small interpretive panel is mounted on a monopole at the edge of the building on the right.
At Cincinnati Central Union Station you could change to trains from other railroads that could take you west to Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago, north to Detroit, Toledo, Columbus, or Cleveland, and south to Lexington and Nashville. Or further. Dozens of long distance trains left Cincinnati every day for most anywhere in the country, including Gulf Coast and Florida vacation spots especially popular in the winter. The C&O station agent at Vanceburg could sell you a ticket book with tickets to any place in the U.S., Canada or Mexico you wanted to go and check your luggage through to the final destination.
Next was the 8:20 AM westbound morning local, train No. 17, from Huntington, West Virginia, on its way to Maysville, Kentucky, stopping at Concord, Trinity, and Springdale along the way. Maysville arrival was at 9:30 AM. At Trinity station, a riverboat ferry would meet the train to take you across the river to Manchester, Ohio.
At 10:12 AM the eastbound morning local that left Cincinnati at 6:45 AM arrived at Vanceburg to pick up passengers for any of 47 stops, the last of which was Hinton, West Virginia, arriving there at 9 PM. That was a long, slow ride! Nearby stations included Buena Vista, Garrison,
Photographed By J. J. Prats, August 23, 2021
3. Vanceburg Depot, Trackside View
At 3:05 PM it was the eastbound afternoon local that had left Maysville at 2 PM. It was on its way to Huntington and should get there at 6 PM. Just two minutes later the westbound afternoon local that had left Hinton at 6 AM was scheduled to arrive. It would continue to Cincinnati, arriving there at 6:45 PM if there were no delays.
The last train of the day was the 11:44 PM express to Washington, train No. 4, the overnight Old Dominion Limited that had left Cincinnati at 9:10 PM that evening. It was scheduled to arrive in Washington at 4:15 PM the next day, a 17½ hour ride because of the time change as Vanceburg was on Central Time back then. When you got to Washington there was plenty of time to connect to trains to Philadelphia, New York and Boston that would get you there later that day. Or to southbound overnight trains.
On the overnight train east, if you paid for first class, you would get a bed for the night and a comfortable chair in the parlor car lounge the next day. Breakfast and lunch was available in the dining car, and snacks, soft drinks in the parlor car any time. But no wine, beer or liquor could be served in 1925 because of Prohibition. The barman would pretend not to notice if you
Photographed By J. J. Prats, August 23, 2021
4. Vanceburg Kentucky C&O Depot Museum
Passenger train travel declined in the 1960s and by 1971 the C&O ran its last passenger train through Vanceburg.
— Submitted August 24, 2021, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
By Thyl via Wikipedia Commons (GNU 2+ license)
5. C&O Class L 4-6-4 Passenger Locomotive
This steam engine would have pulled some of the express trains that stopped (or hurried past) the Vanceburg Depot in the 1930s and 1940s.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 24, 2021, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 314 times since then and 81 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 24, 2021, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
