Blue Jay near Beaver in Raleigh County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Railroad Days
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 20, 2025
1. Railroad Days Marker
The construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) from Virginia through the rugged Appalachian mountains to the Ohio River was a monumental undertaking. In 1873, after three years of manual labor, the east and west construction crews met near Fayette Station in the New River Gorge.
The completion of the C&O Railway through the New River Gorge transformed an isolated and sparsely populated land of subsistence farmsteads into a booing industrial zone of coal mining and logging. The area's timber and coal fueled our nation's Industrial Revolution and brought profound social, economic, and political change to a young nation.
[Captions:]
The tunnels and rail grades were carved by hand by thousands of workers.
Railroad bridges connected mining communities and expanded the railroad system beyond the gorge.
People in the gorge found steady employment in railroad jobs, such as this switch operator.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1873.
Location. 37° 49.847′ N,
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Regionally, this marker is in West Virginia’s New River Gorge. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Black Gold (a few steps from this marker); Those Who Came Before (a few steps from this marker); The Ingram House Foundation (within shouting distance of this marker); Grand Canyon of the East (within
Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 20, 2025
2. Railroad Days Marker
"Railroad Days" is the middle marker in this photo.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 27 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 2, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
