A Guide to the Charles Grattan Price Jr. Collection on Tweetsie and the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1916-1997 (bulk 1948-1956) SC 0327

A Guide to the Charles Grattan Price Jr. Collection on Tweetsie and the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1916-1997 (bulk 1948-1956) SC 0327


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James Madison University Libraries Special Collections

820 Madison Drive
MSC 1706
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Telephone: (540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu
URL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/

Tiffany Cole

Repository
James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
Identification
SC 0327
Title
Charles Grattan Price Jr. collection on Tweetsie and the Shenandoah Central Railroad 1916-1997 1948-1956
Quantity
1.53 cubic feet, 2 boxes, 1 flat file
Quantity
61.9 Megabytes, 1 digital file comprising a 00:05:23 video recording
Creator
Price, Charles Grattan, Jr., 1919-1996
source
Price, Charles Grattan, III
Language
English .
Abstract
The Charles Grattan Price Jr. Collection on Tweetsie and the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1916-1997 (bulk 1948-1956), comprises correspondence, printed material, and photographs related to the Shenandoah Central Railroad's narrow gauge engine Tweetsie (locomotive #12) and the one-mile Tweetsie Route, a scenic museum line, in Penn Laird, Virginia that operated from 1953 to 1954.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Other Formats Available

All photographs (not including photograph negatives) and W. Graham Claytor's video recording of his family's visit to the Shenandoah Central have been digitized and are available online via Artstor . Duplicate copies of photographs and postcards were not scanned.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Charles Grattan Price Jr. Collection on Tweetsie and the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1916-1997 (bulk 1948-1956), SC 0327, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated to Special Collections in July 2021 by C. Grattan "Butch" Price III, son of C. Grattan Price Jr.

Processing Information

Special Collections staff provided the donor with archival folders prior to transferring materials. The collection was largely received in foldered groupings (correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings) by the donor. Much of the correspondence was received grouped together according to correspondent and bound with staples, likely an arrangement kept by C. Grattan Price Jr. These groupings as well as the staples were left intact to maintain original order.

Duplicate copies of magazines were not retained.

Photographs with affixed labels or extensive writing on the backs are interfiled with paper to prevent bleeding onto surrounding photographs. Photograph titles are based largely on the descriptions provided by C. Grattan Price Jr. All photographs (not including photograph negatives) and W. Graham Claytor Jr.'s video recording of his family's trips to the Shenandoah Central are digitized. Duplicate copies of photographs and postcards were not scanned.


Biographical/Historical Note

At the suggestion of Don W. Thomas, president of the Chesapeake Western Railway, C. Grattan Price Jr., Harrisonburg insurance agent and railroad enthusiast, wrote to the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (ET&WNC) Railroad in August 1952 about purchasing a narrow gauge steam locomotive and tender as well as narrow gauge cars. Price, along with fellow railfans Wade W. Menefee Jr. and Dr. Paul S. Hill, intended to build a narrow gauge railroad on Hill's farm in Penn Laird, Virginia as a scenic operating museum line. Narrow gauge railways differ from standard railways in that the distance between rails is 3 feet compared to the standard 4 feet, 3 1/2 inches.

Dr. Paul S. Hill (1907-1986) was a surgeon in Harrisonburg. He attended Washington & Lee University and graduated from the University of Virginia Medical School. Hill served as a major with the Medical Corps during World War II. Wade W. Menefee Jr. (1924-2004) was a graduate of Virginia Tech and a World War II veteran. Upon his return from military service, Menefee managed W. M. Menefee & Son, a local feed, fuel, and general supply company. Charles Grattan Price Jr. (1919-1996) graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a veteran of World War II during which time he served as a railway shop superintendent and was a member of the U.S. Army's military railway service in France. Price was a partner in the insurance firm C. G. Price & Sons, Inc. until his retirement in 1978. He also authored "The Crooked & Weedy": A History of Virginia's Chesapeake Western Railway (1991). He was a resident of Harrisonburg and lived on Franklin Street until 1958 when he moved to Ott street where he lived the remainder of his life.

In November 1952, Price, Menefee, and Hill entered into a partnership agreement forming the Shenandoah Central Railroad. Hill served as Shenandoah Central's president, Price was vice president and general manager, and Menefee was secretary-treasurer. Soon after its formation, Shenandoah Central purchased Tweetsie (aka Locomotive #12), a historic narrow gauge steam locomotive, and two narrow gauge passenger cars from ET&WNC. Prior to its purchase by Shenandoah Central, Tweetsie was a working engine from 1917 to 1950 in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, plying the area's Great Smoky Mountains. Shenandoah Central purchased a third car from Pennsylvania's East Broad Top Railroad. After several failed attempts to locate and acquire rail, Chesapeake Western Railway loaned Shenandoah Central the necessary rail to build the one-mile scenic track which would be known as the Tweetsie Route. Norfolk & Western provided the ties and ballast.

Shenandoah Central Railroad held its Golden Spike Ceremony on May 29, 1953 to mark the official opening of the Tweetsie Route and the inaugural run of the Stonewall Jackson train. The Stonewall Jackson comprised a coach, a combination car, and a screened observation car with Tweetsie pulling the cars. During the Stonewall Jackson's first run, Dr. Paul Hill was Tweetsie's conductor, C. Grattan Price Jr. was engineer, and Wade W. Menefee Jr. was fireman. The ceremony included remarks by Don W. Thomas, president of the Chesapeake Western Railway; F. S. Baird, vice president of the Norfolk & Western; Sherman Pippin, retired ET&WNC engineer who was the engineer on Tweetsie's last run in 1950; and C. Grattan Price and Wade Menefee Jr. on behalf of the Shenandoah Central Railroad among others. Music was provided by the Harrisonburg High School band and included the songs "Dixie" and "I've Been Working on the Railroad." Major General Carl R. Gray Jr, Administrator of Veterans Affairs, drove the golden spike.

After two operating seasons, which saw more than 15,000 visitors, the partners were forced to place Tweetsie and the cars up for sale due to insufficient patronage and resulting loss of money. Additionally, flooding from Hurricane Hazel which hit Virginia in October 1954 damaged the track and roadbed beyond what was financially feasible for the partners to repair.

Actor and singer-songwriter Gene Autry inquired about purchasing Tweetsie and related equipment in April 1955. He intended to use the locomotive and equipment in his television and movie projects. Autry even planned to come to Harrisonburg in the spring of 1955 to finalize the arrangements, a visit that was eagerly anticipated by community members and local press. However, by the end of August 1955, the Autry Deal was dead due to the cost to transport the locomotive and equipment from Virginia to Autry's Melody Ranch in California as well as the cost to lay the rails.

During the spring of 1955, singer, musical actor, and automobile enthusiast James Melton also expressed interest in Tweetsie for display in his antique automobile museum, James Melton Autorama, in Hypoluxo, Florida.

Grover C. Robbins Jr. of Lenoir, North Carolina ultimately purchased the Tweetsie locomotive and equipment on August 25, 1955 for $17,000. The Tweetsie Railroad is still in operation in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Scope and Content

The Charles Grattan Price Jr. Collection on Tweetsie and the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1916-1997 (bulk 1948-1956), comprises correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, printed articles, and promotional materials concerning the purchase of Tweetsie, narrow gauge locomotive #12, and related equipment by the Shenandoah Central Railroad in 1952; the opening of the Tweetsie Route in Penn Laird, Virginia in 1953; and the eventual sale of Tweetsie and equipment in 1955.

Photographs primarily document Tweetsie and the Stonewall Jackson train on the Tweetsie Route in Penn Laird and include passengers and railroad workers.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into three series. All series are arranged chronologically.

Correspondence, 1916-1997 Printed and Promotional Materials, 1952-1997 Photographs, 1952-1954

Separated Material

Two books were removed from the collection and cataloged individually as part of Special Collections rare book holdings: Mallory Hope Ferrell's Tweetsie Country: The East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad (1976) and Clyde J. Dellinger's Tweetsie and The Clinchfield Railroads: Crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains (1975).


Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Hill, Paul S., Dr. (Paul Swanson), 1907-1986
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Magazines (periodicals)
  • Memorandums
  • Menefee, Wade W., Jr. (Wade Whitfield), 1924-2004
  • Narrow gauge railroads -- United States
  • Newspaper clippings
  • Penn Laird (Va.) -- History
  • Photographs
  • Price, Charles Grattan, III
  • Price, Charles Grattan, Jr., 1919-1996
  • Printed Ephemera
  • Railroad trains -- History
  • Railroads -- History
  • Railroads -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History
  • Railroads -- Virginia -- History
  • Steam locomotives -- History
  • Telegrams
  • Tweetsie (Locomotive)
  • Tweetsie Railroad (N.C.)

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Autry, Gene, 1907-1998
  • Aydelott, Gale B.
  • Claytor, W. Graham (William Graham), 1912-1994
  • Clodfelter, Frank, 1911-
  • Disney, Walt (Walter Elias), 1901-1966
  • Fallberg, Carl, 1915-1996
  • Gorman
  • Gray, Carl R. (Carl Raymond), 1889-1955
  • Hill, Paul S., Dr. (Paul Swanson), 1907-1986
  • Howe, Ward Allan, 1900-1977
  • McCarthy, Wilson, (Judge)
  • Menefee, Wade W., Jr. (Wade Whitfield), 1924-2004
  • Price, Charles Grattan, III
  • Price, Charles Grattan, Jr., 1919-1996
  • Reid, Gil, 1918-2007
  • Reid, H.
  • Riley, Bob
  • Warden, W. E., Jr. (William E.)

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Penn Laird (Va.) -- History
  • Tweetsie Railroad (N.C.)

Container List

1
Correspondence
1916-19971948-1956
Scope and Content

Series 1: Correspondence, 1916-1997 (bulk 1948-1956), primarily comprises correspondence relating to the purchase and subsequent sale of the Tweetsie narrow gauge locomotive, cars, and related equipment and infrastructure. One file of legal and financial documents containing annual reports, agreements, and tax documents is also included. The correspondence is arranged chronologically and according to correspondent.

The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (ET&WNC) Railroad Company correspondence file also includes bills of lading, inspection and repair reports, and designs for locomotive #12. A souvenir program celebrating ET&WNC's 85th anniversary is also included.

The Shenandoah Central Railroad file contains correspondence as well as the railroad's first annual report, a contract between George W. Anderson of Bridgewater and Shenandoah Central Railroad for railroad ties, and a list comprising the guests of honor attending the Golden Spike Ceremony on May 29, 1953 as well as a list of contributors and non-contributors.

Correspondence between Price and cartoonist and railroad enthusiast Carl Fallberg concerns Fallberg's 1953 cartoon drawing of the Shenandoah Central Railroad commissioned by Price. Mulitple copies of the cartoon are included.

Correspondence with Gene Autry concerns Autry's intended option to purchase the Tweetsie locomotive for use on his California ranch and in movies. Autry ultimately backed out on the purchase agreement due to the cost to transport and erect the narrow gauge locomotive and equipment. Financial agreements, legal documents, telegrams, and memoranda concerning the Autry Deal supplement the correspondence.

Additional correspondence includes Price's offer to various movie studios including Warner Brothers, Republic Productions, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Walt Disney to purchase Tweetsie and their respective responses. The new theme park Disneyland was undergoing construction at this time and Price was advised that Walt Disney might be interested in purchasing the locomotive and cars to incorporate into the new theme park. Disney responded that all of the locomotives and trains were being built on-site and scaled down to 5/8 the size. Price also wrote to Los Angeles-area newspapers urging them to write a human interest story about Tweetsie.

A single file of legal and financial documents is included in this series and filed after the correspondence. Shenandoah Central's first and second annual report, legal agreements, and tax documents are included.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 1
    East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Company
    East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad19161948-1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 2
    Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company
    Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company1952-1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 3
    East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company
    East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company1952-1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 4
    Timber Ridge Logging Company Railway
    1952-1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 5
    Wilson McCarthy, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company
    McCarthy, Wilson, (Judge)Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company1952-1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 6
    Carl R. Gray Jr.
    Gray, Carl R. (Carl Raymond), 1889-19551952-1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 7
    Southern Railway System
    Southern Railway System1952-1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 8
    Hiatt Bros. Plumbing Shop/Hiatt Park & Amusements
    1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 9
    Arthur J. Lodge Jr., NBC Television News
    1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 10
    E. C. Toms
    1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 11
    Tweetsie testimonials
    1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 12
    Carl Fallberg
    Fallberg, Carl, 1915-1996Fallberg, Carl, 1915-19961953-1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 13
    Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Inc., Southern California Chapter
    1953-1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 14
    Shenandoah Central Railroad
    Shenandoah Central Railroad (1952-1956)1953-1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 15
    Chesapeake Western Railway
    Chesapeake Western Railway1953-1956
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 16
    William A. Smith Contracting Company Inc.
    1953-1956
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 17
    Movie studios and Los Angeles newspapers
    Disney, Walt (Walter Elias), 1901-19661954-1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 18
    Raymond Bassett, Frontier Village [New Jersey]
    1954-1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 19
    Norfolk and Western Railway Company
    Norfolk and Western Railway Company1954-1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 20
    Grover C. Robbins Jr.
    1954-1956
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 21
    Gene Autry
    Autry, Gene, 1907-19981955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 22
    Elizabeth Black
    1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 23
    W. Graham Claytor Jr., Covington & Burling
    Claytor, W. Graham (William Graham), 1912-19941955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 24
    James Melton
    1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 25
    Frederic Shaw
    1955
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 26
    G. B. Aydelott, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company
    Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad CompanyAydelott, Gale B.1956
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 27
    W. Frank Clodfelter
    Clodfelter, Frank, 1911-1972
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 28
    C. Grattan "Butch" Price III
    Price, Charles Grattan, III1997
  • Mixed Materials [1000885701] box: 1 folder: 29
    Legal and financial documents
    1952-1955
2
Printed and Promotional Materials
1952-1997
Scope and Content

Series 2: Printed and Promotional Materials, 1952-1997, comprises magazine articles, printed news stories, and newspaper clippings concerning Tweetsie, the Tweetsie Route, and the Shenandoah Central Railroad. Press releases, promotional ephemera, brochures, and invitations and name tags for the Golden Spike Ceremony are included. A 1997 print of Gil Reid's 1954 watercolor "Tweetsie," created to support Rockingham Public Library's capital campaign fund, is included

Of particular interest is a five-minute home video documenting the Claytor family's trips to Penn Laird to visit the Shenandoah Central Railroad and ride the Tweetsie Route in 1953 and 1954. The footage is narrated by W. Graham Claytor Jr., Price's friend and fellow railroad enthusiast, and features Claytor's wife Frances, and children Murray and Graham III.

C. Grattan Price Jr.'s undated draft manuscript "All Steam and a Yard Wide" provides an incomplete historical account Shenandoah Central Railroad, its partners, and Tweetsie.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 1
    Press releases, Golden Spike Ceremony, and promotional ephemera
    1952-1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 2
    Newspaper clippings
    1952-1983
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 3
    Newspaper clippings
    1953-1986
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 4
    University of Virginia Alumni News
    January-February 1953
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 5
    Norfolk and Western Magazine
    1953-1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 6
    Ties: The Southern Railway System Magazine
    1953-1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 7
    Assorted magazines and articles
    1953-19541971
  • Moving Images SC0327-VHS-001
    Tweetsie and Shenandoah Central Railroad Penn Laird, Virginia video recording
    Claytor, W. Graham (William Graham), 1912-19941953-1954
    Approximate running time 00:05:23

    [Artstor] Tweetsie and Shenandoah Central Railroad Penn Laird, Virginia video recording, 1953 - 1954


    32613515   acd24b4a-9977-4c1c-bae8-4cfb1c495d4a_size1   
    Scope and Content

    Five-minute home video documenting the Claytor family's trips to Penn Laird to visit the Shenandoah Central Railroad and ride the Tweetsie Route in 1953 and 1954. The footage is narrated by W. Graham Claytor Jr., Charles Grattan Price Jr.'s friend and fellow railroad enthusiast, and features Claytor's wife Frances, and children Murray and Graham III.

  • Mixed Materials [1000898271] Flat File: 1
    "Birthday of Railroading" advertisement
    1954
  • Mixed Materials [1000898271] Flat File: 1
    "Tweetsie" watercolor print
    Reid, Gil, 1918-20071997
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 8
    "The Tweet-Tweet-Tweet-Sie Train" sheet music (lyrics by Wanda H. Hyder) and photograph
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 9
    "All Steam and A Yard Wide" draft manuscript by C. Grattan Price Jr.
    undated
3
Photographs
1949-1954
Scope and Content

Series 3: Photographs, 1949-1954, primarily comprises black-and-white photographs of Tweetsie and the Stonewall Jackson train along the Tweetsie Route in Penn Laird. Railroad employees and passengers are photographed in the train and inside the depot. Photographs of the May 29, 1953 Golden Spike Ceremony are also included. Six photographs document Tweetsie when it was part of the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Company. Many of the photographs are captioned with people, places, and dates identified. Postcards and color photograph negatives are included. Duplicate copies of photographs and postcards were retained.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 10
    Tweetsie, North Carolina and Tennessee
    circa 1949
    • SC0327-001
      Locomotive 12 in Elizabethton, Tennessee
      1949 October 20

      Locomotive 12 in Elizabethton, Tennessee, 1949 October 20


      32512481   5243d961-3ae3-4b46-a341-383a2ccbbf00_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: ELIZABETHTON, TENN OCT 20, 1949 - handwritten.

    • Engineer Sherman Pippin and unidentified trainman in Locomotive 10 on ET&WNC
      North Carolina. Department of Conservation and Development. State Advertising Divisioncirca 1949

      Engineer Sherman Pippin and unidentified trainman in Locomotive 10 on ET&WNC, circa 1949


      32559414   eeada22e-c679-431c-bf00-6ac364d9ae66_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: "Tweetsie's" crew loved the little train as much as did the mountain people who depended on it for contact with the outside world. Engineer Sherman Pippin was as the throttle of No. 10 and No. 12 for some 20 years before the railroad was discontinued. (N.C. News Bureau Photo) - typed and affixed with tape; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label; NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BUREAU DEPT. CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - stamped.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and cars on ET&WNC past a corn field near Newland, North Carolina
      North Carolina. Department of Conservation and Development. State Advertising Divisioncirca 1949

      Tweetsie locomotive and cars on ET&WNC past a corn field near Newland, North Carolina, circa 1949


      32559412   7062c7f4-2b8d-4a73-a4cd-ada58fb0ff77_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: "Tweetsie" was a familiar part of the rural landscape in Western North Carolina, as this photograph taken near Newland, N.C., shows. (N.C. News Bureau Photo) - typed and affixed with tape; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label; NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BUREAU DEPT. CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - stamped.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and cars on ET&WNC through the Appalachian Mountains and Doe River Gorge
      North Carolina. Department of Conservation and Development. State Advertising Divisioncirca 1949

      Tweetsie locomotive and cars on ET&WNC through the Appalachian Mountains and Doe River Gorge, circa 1949


      32559413   7645cf35-a354-456d-a919-c6c7739b824f_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: The route between Johnson City, Tenn., and Boone, N.C. presented some of the most rugged territory in the Appalachian mountains. Here the railroad skirts the Doe River Gorge on a ledge of solid rock. (N.C. News Bureau Photo - typed and affixed with tape; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label; NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BUREAU DEPT. CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - stamped.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and cars on ET&WNC crossing a bridge over the Doe River
      North Carolina. Department of Conservation and Development. State Advertising Divisioncirca 1949

      Tweetsie locomotive and cars on ET&WNC crossing a bridge over the Doe River, circa 1949


      32559595   89cd82d9-7b2f-42c8-8f9f-2336d57a6287_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: "Tweetsie" went where even a sure-footed burro would fear to tread. Here the little train starts across the Doe River on one of the many bridges built by ET&WNC R.R. Co. (N.C. News Bureau Photo) - typed and affixed with tape; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label; NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BUREAU DEPT. CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - stamped.

    • Engineer Sherman Pippin and unidentified trainman in Locomotive 10 on ET&WNC on a bridge crossing a river
      North Carolina. Department of Conservation and Development. State Advertising Divisioncirca 1949

      Engineer Sherman Pippin and unidentified trainman in Locomotive 10 on ET&WNC on a bridge crossing a river, circa 1949


      32563537   3d0874ee-2e3c-4da4-aa15-bc38bad76847_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: "Over the river and through the wood" went "Tweetsie" on her trips from Johnson City, Tenn., to Boone, N.C. in former days. Engineer Sherman Pippin stopped his train so passengers aboard for a day's outing could take pictures like the one above. (N.C. News Bureau Photo) - typed and affixed with tape; NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BUREAU DEPT. CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT P. O. BOX 2719 RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - stamped.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 11
    Golden Spike Ceremony
    1953 May 29
    • Dr. Paul S. Hill, C. Grattan Price Jr., and Wade W. Menefee Jr. standing beside Tweetsie locomotive on the day of the Golden Spike Ceremony
      1953 May 29

      Dr. Paul S. Hill, C. Grattan Price Jr., and Wade W. Menefee Jr. standing beside Tweetsie locomotive on the day of the Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32581949   02a7617e-ef67-4e83-8cc9-c48614fe0fbb_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: L to R - Hill, Price Menefee - handwritten; THE THREE OWNERS OF THE SHENANDOAH CENTRAL RAILROAD TAKEN ON "GOLD SPIKE DAY" 5/29/53 L. TO R.: DR. PAUL S. HILL (PRESIDENT), C. GRATTAN PRICE, JR. (VICE PRES. & GEN. MGR.), WADE W. MENEFEE, JR. (SEC.-TREAS.) - handwritten and affixed with tape; Property of C. G. Price Jr. Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label; C. Grattan Price, Jr. 531 Ott Street Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 - address label.

    • Dr. Paul S. Hill, C. Grattan Price Jr., and Wade W. Menefee Jr. standing beside Tweetsie locomotive on the day of the Golden Spike Ceremony
      1953 May 29

      Dr. Paul S. Hill, C. Grattan Price Jr., and Wade W. Menefee Jr. standing beside Tweetsie locomotive on the day of the Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32581967   b839b2db-a6da-431f-ada9-68ef6ec6ea6e_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copy of this photograph has not been scanned.

      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Dr. Paul S. Hill, Pres. (Conductor) C. Grattan Price, Jr., V.P. & G.M. (Engineer) Wade W. Menefee, Jr., Sec.-Treas. (Fireman) Taken at the end of first run following Golden Spike ceremony May 29, 1953 at "Central Park." - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Major General Carl R. Gray Jr. drives the golden spike for the Shenandoah Central Railroad while others look on
      Norfolk and Western Railway Company1953 May 29

      Major General Carl R. Gray Jr. drives the golden spike for the Shenandoah Central Railroad while others look on, 1953 May 29


      32581970   53f33f19-334d-48c6-85c7-a45e10dcb559_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copy of this photograph has not been scanned.

      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Driving of the Golden Spike, Shandoah Central Railroad, Lakeside Station (Penn Laird, Va.), 4:30 P.M. May 29, 1953 by Major-General Carl R. Gray, Jr., Veterans Administrator of the U.S. (former Vice-Pres., Chicago & Northwestern Ry., and Chief, Military Railway Service, European Theater, W.W.II). L to R - C.G. Price, Jr., Vice-Pres. & Gen. Mgr., Shenandoah Central R.R., W.W. Menefee, Jr., Sect'y.-Treas., Shenandoah Central R.R., L.W. Huncke, Pres., Wm. A. Smith Contracting Co., Kansas City, Kas. (donors of track-laying), F.S. Baird, Vice-Pres. (Traffic), Norfolk & Western Ry., Sherman Pippin, Engineer of last train when E.T.&W.N.C.R.R. abandoned narrow-gauge division in 1950. (Equipment bought by Shenandoah Central R.R.), General Gray, A.W. St. Clair, Gen'l. Mgr., Southern Ry. System - Lines East, C.R. Wilburn, Vice-Pres., Operations, East Broad Top R.R., Dr. P.S. Hill, Pres., Shenandoah Central R.R., (Mr. D.W. Thomas, Pres., Chesapeake Western Ry. temporarily absent when picture taken.) Photo by: N.&W. Ry. - handwritten; Please return to: C.G. Price, Jr. 531 Ott Street Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 - handwritten and address label.

    • Crowd of attendees prior to the start of the Golden Spike Ceremony
      Southern Railway System1953 May 29

      Crowd of attendees prior to the start of the Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582003   aa73261d-6afc-45a6-a262-3d8a9238a487_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Crowd before start of ceremony, Photo by Southern Ry. - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Don W. Thomas, President of Chesapeake Western Railway, addresses crowd during Golden Spike Ceremony
      Riley, Bob1953 May 29

      Don W. Thomas, President of Chesapeake Western Railway, addresses crowd during Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582005   cdd67328-a2cd-4220-a21f-023d6da20337_size1   
      Scope and Content

      D.W. Thomas, Pres., Chesapeake Western Ry., speaking. Photo by Bob Riley - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Crowd of attendees and Harrisonburg High School band prior to the start of the Golden Spike Ceremony
      1953 May 29

      Crowd of attendees and Harrisonburg High School band prior to the start of the Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582009   96e74281-7b08-4264-80c6-8e2033ecaa5a_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Harrisonburg High School Band plays as invited guests board the Stonewall Jackson's first fun, after the Golden Spike Ceremony
      Norfolk and Western Railway Company1953 May 29

      Harrisonburg High School Band plays as invited guests board the Stonewall Jackson's first fun, after the Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582015   7a0d9f8f-87a2-4d18-bc80-8bf7bc6fde19_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copy of this photograph has not been scanned.

      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Harrisonburg High School Band plays as invited guests board first train, after ceremony. 5/29/53 Photo by N.&W. Ry. - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • F.S. Baird, Vice President of Norfolk & Western Railway, address crowd during Golden Spike Ceremony
      Norfolk and Western Railway Company1953 May 29

      F.S. Baird, Vice President of Norfolk & Western Railway, address crowd during Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582018   6105b29d-67cc-4b5b-93f6-610c5cc99a31_size1   
      Scope and Content

      F. S. Baird, Vice-Pres., Norfolk & Western Ry. Photo by N.&W. Ry. - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copy of this photograph has not been scanned.

    • Sherman Pippin, retired ET&WNC engineer, addresses crowd during Golden Spike Ceremony
      Norfolk and Western Railway Company1953 May 29

      Sherman Pippin, retired ET&WNC engineer, addresses crowd during Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582023   1981d6ec-3fe1-4336-b61f-f53c9e651114_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copies of this photograph have not been scanned.

      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Sherman Pippin, retired E.T.&W.N.C. R.R. engineer. He was engineer on last run of their narrow-gauge division in October, 1950. Taken at S.C.R.R.'s Golden Spike Ceremony May 29, 1953, Photo by N.&W. Ry. - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Group of invited guests at Golden Spike Ceremony
      1953 May 29

      Group of invited guests at Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582030   32dd2a4c-c596-47be-ae6e-cf7355588ac1_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copy of this photograph has not been scanned.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad on the day of the Golden Spike Ceremony
      1953 May 29

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad on the day of the Golden Spike Ceremony, 1953 May 29


      32582035   6c949cd7-efdc-431d-900a-847eff6d72ef_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copy of this photograph has not been scanned.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 12
    Railroad workers and passengers with Tweetsie and inside train depot
    1953-1954
    • C. Grattan Price Jr. inside Tweetsie's cab
      Reid, H.1953-1954

      C. Grattan Price Jr. inside Tweetsie's cab, 1953 - 1954


      32582040   443fd56c-f66c-430e-a90e-062bd8e59c84_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by H. Reid 8549 Wayland St. Norfolk, VA. - stamped.

    • C. Grattan Price Jr. inside Tweetsie's cab and M.H. Dofflemyer standing behind the cab
      Gorman1954

      C. Grattan Price Jr. inside Tweetsie's cab and M.H. Dofflemyer standing behind the cab, 1954


      32585397   354c0b44-ab9d-4ba9-9c78-807ce1cec708_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Engineman: C. Grattan Price, Jr., Fireman: M.H. Dofflemyer (Shenandoah Central R.R. No. 12) (1954) - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 531 Ott Street Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 - handwritten and address label.

    • Wade Menefee Jr. and C. Grattan Price Jr. compare time as Myron Dofflemyer looks on
      Gorman1954

      Wade Menefee Jr. and C. Grattan Price Jr. compare time as Myron Dofflemyer looks on, 1954


      32586533   f53e301b-8477-4be1-b78c-1d628476ad94_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Conductor Wade Menefee, Jr. compares time with Engineman Grattan Price, Jr. as Fireman Myron Dofflemyer looks on. Shenandoah Central R.R. No. 12 (1954) - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 531 Ott Street Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 - handwritten and address label.

    • Customer purchasing train ticket from agent inside depot
      Gorman1954

      Customer purchasing train ticket from agent inside depot, 1954


      32586540   ff33c85a-19bc-40ca-9bc9-9455278c1822_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Customer interacting with two employees at the Tweetsie Mail Service desk inside depot
      Gorman1954

      Customer interacting with two employees at the Tweetsie Mail Service desk inside depot, 1954


      32586587   d665d71f-58e2-453b-9821-948c1cc3230c_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Exchanging of mailbag off of Tweetsie as small group of people, including a WSVA reporter, look on
      Gorman1954

      Exchanging of mailbag off of Tweetsie as small group of people, including a WSVA reporter, look on, 1954


      32586788   0ee337b7-a7ce-4104-9c91-91eafbbc6a2f_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Two workers sorting and stamping mail inside depot
      Gorman1954

      Two workers sorting and stamping mail inside depot, 1954


      32586790   de4af104-93eb-40d9-aa7a-93045ba3bfd0_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Two workers holding Shenandoah Central Railroad first anniversary envelopes by mail sorter in depot
      Gorman1954

      Two workers holding Shenandoah Central Railroad first anniversary envelopes by mail sorter in depot, 1954


      32586793   0f98d449-509a-4957-884a-91aeed8a31fe_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Wade Menefee Jr. punches two passengers' tickets
      Gorman1954

      Wade Menefee Jr. punches two passengers' tickets, 1954


      32586794   ecf5e236-e3e5-48a7-a9d4-828d38b5b775_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Conductor Wade Menefee, Jr. "lifts transportation." - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Wade Menefee Jr. stands at the end of the Stonewall Jackson train
      Gorman1954

      Wade Menefee Jr. stands at the end of the Stonewall Jackson train, 1954


      32586795   8000c73b-1a2c-4d99-94cb-fc6f1fc2e8d1_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Conductor Wade Menefee, Jr. at rear end of "The Stonewall Jackson" - America's last narrow-gauge "name" train. - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Man and woman place mail inside slot on the side of a train car signed Railway Express Agency
      Gorman1954

      Man and woman place mail inside slot on the side of a train car signed Railway Express Agency, 1954


      32586796   140ebbd4-862b-482a-9a20-ffb105b6bdd4_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 13
    Tweetsie locomotive and cars on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
    1953-1954
    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      Howe, Ward Allan, 1900-19771954 May 30

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1954 May 30


      32586797   2cf5f950-dd58-4e9e-a17f-d8bfacde01af_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo By Ward Allan Howe 310 Riverside Drive New York, 25, N. Y. - stamped; 5-30-54 - handwritten.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32586879   e7c2ac63-6a69-49e9-8fce-c7d982a644f0_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      Warden, W. E., Jr. (William E.)August 1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, August 1954


      32586881   5045bd86-72a2-4a2b-9d3b-0ad2e74c732f_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: W. E. Warden, Jr. 1216 Shamrock La. Waynesboro, Va. - stamped; August 1954 - handwritten.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      Gorman1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32587433   b08fd7d0-b0a2-41bf-bb0d-ca00214d8a0b_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Photo by Gorman WSVA-TV - printed on front; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 531 Ott Street Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 - handwritten and address labels; May 71 Railroad Pages 30, 31 #2134.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32587435   1f4e45bd-4da3-4a6c-9c74-d3a9f8a888e1_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Tweetsie locomotive on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32587438   33718840-cf03-4e4e-804b-fa32830119f4_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32587440   4c812ba2-2088-40de-8945-142913809703_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Tweetsie locomotive on the Shenandoah Central Railroad approaching Massanutten Summit
      Reid, H.1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive on the Shenandoah Central Railroad approaching Massanutten Summit, 1953 - 1954


      32587443   dc5182ee-27af-4367-a016-4b224f9fb220_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: H. Reid. - handwritten on front; Shenandoah Central R. R. - approaching Massanutten Summit - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad crossing Cub Run Bridge No. 1
      Reid, H.1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad crossing Cub Run Bridge No. 1, 1953 - 1954


      32613456   0306d265-42b0-413e-b983-bd5d36690d28_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: H. Reid. - handwritten on front; Shenandoah Central Railroad "The Stonewall Jackson," pulled by famous "Tweetsie," crossing Cub Run Bridge. - handwritten; Photo by H. Reid - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 531 Ott Street Harrisonburg, Va. 22801 - handwritten and address labels.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      Lee-Gitchell Studio1954 May 30

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1954 May 30


      32613466   f7a398cc-bfbf-4292-b733-e6c1ba226dd8_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on photo: Taken on line between Cub Run Bridge and Massanutten Summit May 30, 1954 - handwritten; Photo by Lee-Gitchell Studio - handwritten; Property of C. G. Price, Jr. 276 Franklin Street Harrisonburg, Virginia - handwritten and address label.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 14
    Postcards
    1953-1954
    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32613478   ee4dbc73-7110-4c84-97f3-89cd1d2abd54_size1   
      Scope and Content

      Text on postcard: Ride One of America's Last Old-Time Narrow-Gauge Trains! Shenandoah Central Railroad U. S. Route 33 at Penn Laird Six Miles East of Harrisonburg, Virginia - printed; Everett Waddey Company - Richmond, Virginia; printed.

    • Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad
      1953-1954

      Tweetsie locomotive and Stonewall Jackson train on the Shenandoah Central Railroad, 1953 - 1954


      32613501   e101c701-e7ba-4659-8808-f5a97d82beef_size1   
      Existence and Location of Copies

      Duplicate copies of this postcard have not been scanned.

      Scope and Content

      Text on postcard: Famous Locomotive "Tweetsie" pulls old-time narrow-gauge train on 1-mile Shenandoah Central Railroad each Sunday and holiday from late May to early October at Penn Laird, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, six miles East of Harrisonburg, Virginia, on U. S. Route 33. Come take a "Trip to Yesteryear." - printed; Hannau Color Productions, 605 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, Fla. - printed.

  • Mixed Materials [1000885702] box: 2 folder: 15
    Photograph negatives
    1953-1954