E. Frank Stephenson

A little-known part of the history of Murfreesboro, North Carolina, is that from December 1891 to May 7, 1897, it had a railroad. It burned coal, and the town's women didn't hang their wash out to dry when the train was coming. They feared their newly washed clothes would get soot on them.

The train terminal was on Broad Street, behind the church I grew up in. It was on the edge of town and near enough to Chowan College that their young ladies could get to the train to visit their parents. Unfortunately, the train was in direct competition with the steamships, and that conflict didn't end well.

The book covers all of this information and is chock-full of photos. The old railbed can be seen west of the town, although it is now overgrown.

This slender book is highly recommended for train buffs, historians, and readers interested in the area. No other book that I am aware of covers this topic in any depth.… (mais)