Marker Logo
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Low Moor in Alleghany County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Oakland Presbyterian Church and Cemetery

 
 
Oakland Presbyterian Church And Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011
1. Oakland Presbyterian Church And Cemetery Marker
Inscription.
Jackson River Station

Around 1857, the Virginia Central Railroad completed the Jackson River Depot and was the terminus of the railroad for trains and travelers heading west. Travelers had to continue their travels by horseback or stagecoach. They often stayed in the Jackson River Hotel that was located just across the road from the church. The station was also called “Flat Boat Warf” because batteaux boats would bring items needing to go east to the station for shipment on the railroad. The depot was located approximately 200 feet to the east of the church. During the Civil War, the Jackson River Station was an important point in transporting troops from Richmond to the west.

Changes to the River and Road

The Jackson River and the Lexington - Covington Turnpike curved it’s way along the north side or front of the church. In 1922, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad made major improvements to the railyards. In order to enlarge the yard, they diverted the Jackson River to a channel further north and relocated the main rail line from the south side of the church to the north side. The main road was relocated to the south side of the church on the old railbed.

Preservation Project

In 2000, a grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation was
Paid Advertisement
Click or scan to see
this page online
acquired by Alleghany County for the preservation of the Oakland Presbyterian Church and cemetery, the Low Moor Presbyterian Church, Kim-Stan advisory board, CSX Transportation, and many area businesses and individuals contributed to the preservation of the church and cemetery. Preservation of the church was completed in 2007.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & StreetcarsReligion & Religious StructuresRoads & VehiclesWar, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1857.
 
Location. 37° 48.117′ N, 79° 51.593′ W. Marker is near Low Moor, Virginia, in Alleghany County. It can be reached from Selma Low Moor Road (Virginia Route 696) 0.2 miles west of Oakland Drive ( Route 1002), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Clifton Forge VA 24422, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Mountain Region, in the Alleghany Highlands, and specifically in the Potomac Highlands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, 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, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Oakland Grove Presbyterian Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Jackson River Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); C&O Railroad Shops (approx. 1.4 miles away); Low Moor Iron Company Coke Ovens (approx. 1½ miles away); Chesapeake and Ohio Lines (approx. 2 miles away); Masonic Theatre (approx.
Oakland Presbyterian Church (east side) image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011
2. Oakland Presbyterian Church (east side)
2.1 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 2.2 miles away); World War Memorial (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Low Moor.
 
Other markers no longer nearby. Oakland Presbyterian Church (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named Oakland Presbyterian Church and Cemetery (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).
 
Also see . . .  Oakland Grove Presbyterian Church. Virginia Department of Historic Resources website entry (Submitted on March 14, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 983 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on August 22, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
m=46385

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisement
Jun. 25, 2026