Screamerville Station & the Virginia Central Railway

Screamerville Station and the Virginia Central Railway. Spotsylvania, Virginia. Screamerville (Chancellor Station) , Along this 38 mile route were many local passenger stations that included country stores and post offices. The train stop at this location was originally called "Screamerville" and was located 9 miles west of the City of Fredericksburg. The name "Screamerville" is believed to have received its name from the screams of excited children as the train approached the station. Screamerville is believed to be the correct spelling for the post office and station although numerous documents and maps list the name as "Screamersville" (note additional "s"). The U. S. Post Office was established herein 1889 and their official name is Screamerville Post Offices For many years, the train station consisted of a general merchandise store and U. S. Post Office. The store, "A. A. McGhee, General Merchandise", opened in 1902 and was owned/operated by Acie McGhee. In addition to the store, Mr. McGhee and members of the McGhee family served as Postmaster at this location from 1916 until it closed in 1966., The Screamerville Post Office name was changed to "Chancellor Post Office" in 1919 and railroad owner changed the train stop from Screamerville to "Chancellor Station" around 1927. Due to constant financial problems, train services west of Fredericksburg ceased in January 1938., The long abandoned 38 mile railroad between Orange and Fredericksburg, better known as the Virginian Central Railway, played a very important role in local history. In 1852, due to deteriorating westward transportation corridors, especially along the plank road and the Rappahannock Canal system, Fredericksburg businessmen became very frustrated with the continuing loss of trade. This group of business leaders formed the Fredericksburg and Gordonsville Railroad Company as a remedy and was incorporated by the Virginia General Assembly in 1853. Construction was slow, and by the outbreak of the Civil War, only a portion of the railroad grading was completed between Fredericksburg and Orange, During the Civil War, the railroad alignment was referred by both Northern and Confederate armies as the "unfinished railroad". Work on the railroad resumed in 1869. By 1874, at least 16 miles of standard-gauge track had been constructed as far west as Parker's Store which was located approximately 8.5 miles west of Screamerville., The Fredericksburg and Gordonsville Railroad Company did not survive long and the railroad again changed ownership in 1872 to become the Fredericksburg, Orange and Charlottesville Railroad Company. In 1876, the railroad's charter was returned to the Fredericksburg and Gordonville Railroad Company who replaced the standard-gauge track with narrow-gauge track. A successor company, the Potomac, Fredericksburg and Piedmont Railroad (or PF&P, affectionately dubbed the "Poor Folks and Preachers Railroad") completed the first passenger train trip from Fredericksburg to the Town of Orange in February 1877., In 1926, the then-owners, Orange and Fredericksburg Railway, transferred ownership to the Virginia Central Railway who converted the track back to standard gauge. In 1938, due to financial problems, the company abandoned and removed most of the track between Fredericksburg and Orange. At the Fredericksburg end, the City of Fredericksburg and several other owners, continued freight operations for local city businesses and industries until all operations ceased in October 1983.