Sunday, June 04, 2006

Virginia Landmark Contest XVI

No, in spite of what The Roanoke Times Editorial board would have you believe, this photo is not the aftermath of the General Assembly budget stalemate.

The location of this week's Landmark Contest does not look quite the same today, (it's been cleaned up for some time now), but I'm sure my astute readers will be able to name it without much difficulty.

UPDATE:
Once again, apparently well traveled Tugboat Phil comes through with the correct answer.

On September 27, 1903, Engineer Joseph A. Broady left Monroe, VA driving a Southern Railway train. Ol'97, which had a reputation for always being on time, had left the Monroe station late and Broady was intent on making it into Spencer, NC on schedule.

Coming down White Oak Mountain into Danville, Broady let the engine roll for just a tad too long. Unable to slow down enough to make the curve leading onto Stillhouse Trestle across the Dan River, the train left the tracks just after going onto the trestle.

The resulting wreck killed the entire engine crew and several Railway Post Office clerks who were working in the mail car right behind the engine, eleven dead in all.

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