High Bridge Trail State Park
Encyclopedia
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
converted from a railway line last belonging to Norfolk Southern and having originated as a portion of the Southside Railroad.
Currently developed for a length of more than thirty miles, the shared-use trail for bicyclists, pedestrians and equestrians will ultimately include a restored crossing of the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
at the historic High Bridge
High Bridge (Appomattox River)
High Bridge is a historic former railroad bridge across the Appomattox River valley about east, or downstream, of the town of Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia...
– from which the park derives its name.
The lineal park traverses Appomattox
Appomattox County, Virginia
Appomattox County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,973. Its county seat is Appomattox. For a long time, Appomattox was a prohibition or dry county...
, Nottoway
Nottoway County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,725 people, 5,664 households, and 3,885 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 6,373 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, Cumberland
Cumberland County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,017 people, 3,528 households, and 2,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile . There were 4,085 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, and Prince Edward
Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
counties as well as Pamplin City
Pamplin City, Virginia
Pamplin City is a town in Appomattox and Prince Edward counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 199 at the 2000 census.The Appomattox County portion of Pamplin City is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Prospect
Prospect, Virginia
Prospect is an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States....
, Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
, Rice and Burkeville
Burkeville, Virginia
Burkeville is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is disputed. The town is located on the crossroads of U.S. Routes 360 and 460....
. Where the trail traverses Farmville, it directly adjoins Longwood University
Longwood University
Longwood University is a four-year public, liberal-arts university located in Farmville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 and became a university on July 1, 2002...
at the campus' satellite housing and athletic site.
Background
High BridgeHigh Bridge (Appomattox River)
High Bridge is a historic former railroad bridge across the Appomattox River valley about east, or downstream, of the town of Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia...
had been built in 1854 across the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
connecting Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
to Lynchburg
Lynchburg
Lynchburg or Lynchburgh may refer to:*Lynchburg, California*Lynchburg, Mississippi*Lynchburg, Missouri*Lynchburg, Ohio*Lynchburg, South Carolina*Lynchburg, Tennessee*Lynchburg, Texas*Lynchburg, Virginia...
. The bridge is 2400 feet (731.5 m) long and ranges from 60 to 125 ft (18.3 to 38.1 m) high. It was originally made of wood, standing on 21 brick piers and included a pedestrian walkway next to the tracks and a nearby wagon bridge. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, both Union and Confederate forces attempted to destroy the bridge to their advantage. Confederates succeeded in setting the bridge on fire, but the fire apparently self-extinguished, and the bridge was not repaired until 5 months later. After the Battle of High Bridge
Battle of High Bridge
The Battle of High Bridge was fought on April 6–7, 1865, near the end of the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. On April 6, the Confederate cavalry fought stubbornly to secure the Appomattox River bridges. On April 7, elements of the Union II Corps came up against Lt. Gen. James...
and his surrender at Appomattox, Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
told the very men who had destroyed the bridge – including civil engineer Major General William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
– to go home and start its rebuilding.
Park history
Norfolk Southern's last train crossed High Bridge on October, 26th 2004 – and on June 28, 2007 the company donated 31 miles (49.9 km) of abandoned rail to the Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationVirginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is a department of the government of Virginia; it oversees all Virginia state parks and Natural Area Preserves.-External links:*...
, managers of the Virginia State Park system. Intended as a park with the High Bridge as its centerpiece, the shared-use path for non-motorized traffic – pedestrians, bicyclists, and horseback riders – would preserve and protect trail resources while creating an education resource for local and national history.
With a total budget of an estimated $11 million, four miles of trail east of Farmville opened on Aug. 22, 2008 and 12 more miles from Farmville west to Prospect opened on June 6, 2009. Aside from the bridge itself, thirty miles of trail are open with a new crossing at High Bridge
High Bridge (Appomattox River)
High Bridge is a historic former railroad bridge across the Appomattox River valley about east, or downstream, of the town of Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia...
ultimately scheduled to open in late 2011.
Park details
Having been privately owned and operated by Norfolk Southern and offering only very limited access, the park area now offers more than thirty miles of white limestone gravel trail open to the public. Retaining the 6% grade of the original rail line, the corridor features picnic, parking and toilet facilities as well as large oak trees, telegraph poles erected in the 1900′s, remnants of the original rail's signal system – and Norfolk Southern's original cement mile markers as official trail markers. Park rangers and local police monitor the trail daily.The trail receives community support from the Friends of High Bridge Trail (FoHBTSP). Formed shortly after the creation of the trail, the volunteer group supports the trail with cleaning, publicity and citizen patrol efforts.