Powells Creek Crossing

Efforts began in 1864, but it wasn’t until July 2, 1872, with the aid of the Pennsylvania Railroad, that this section of rail line opened for service. The crossing at Powell’s Creek was 1,100 feet in length and constructed of heavy timber supplied by the Troth and Willis lumberyard located on Neabsco Creek next to the park entrance. White and black oak, poplar, gum, and beech provided all of the wood necessary for bridges between Quantico and Washington. The line eventually came under the ownership of the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad, who in 1928 replaced the original timber bridge with a concrete deck bridge that allowed for larger and faster trains. The wooden trestle and numerous curves of the original track limited the speed in the area to not more than 20 miles per hour. At the time of its replacement, the crossing at Powells Creek was the last wooden trestle bridge on the line. During very low tides you can still see remains of wood pilings that once supported the bridge.