Perhaps you are familiar with the W&OD trail and many may have used it for walking or bicycling but you may not be familiar with the history of the railroad that the trail follows. The following photographs and documents tell that history and show how local residents interacted with the railroad. You may also recognize some familiar landmarks from the trail along the way.

Visit the Thomas Balch Library to view these items in person and learn more about Loudoun County’s railroading history. Such items can be found in the John Fletcher Railroad Memorabilia Collection, the Historical Postcards collection, Southern Right-of-Way Maps, Washington and Old Dominion Right-of-Way Maps, and the Thomas Balch Library Photograph Research Collection.

Items in this exhibit are from:

• Alexandria, Loudoun & Hampshire Railroad Account Book, Guilford , VA 1860-1868 (M 002), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Caylor-Howser Post Card Collection, 1898-1975 (M043), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Historical Postcards, 1900-2008 (VC 0004), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Jane Hirst Bogle Photograph Collection (VC 0005), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• John Fletcher Railroad Memorabilia Collection, 1896;1908-1921; n.d. (SC 0085), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Pioneer America Society Photograph Collection, 1968-1994 (VC 0025).

• Russell Gregg Photograph Collection, ca. 1920-1944 (VC 0008), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Southern Railway Right-of-Way Map, ca. 1910 (OMB 018), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Thomas Balch Library, Ephemera 208.

• Thomas Balch Library, Ephemera 267.

• Thomas Balch Library Photograph Research Collection (VC 0002).

• Washington and Old Dominion Railway Right-of-Way Maps (OMB 023), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

• Williams Family Papers, 1819-1993 (M 010), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.