Eastern Kentucky Railway Marker event

[NW Mailing List]

Of possible interest to our Scioto Division members around Kenova WV:

 

 

 

 On November 21st at 12 Noon, The Eastern Kentucky Railway Historical
Society is happy to announce the dedication of the Willard Historical
Marker.  This will be a Highway Marker dedicated to the Eastern Kentucky
Railway and its importance to the people of Eastern Kentucky.    

   The EK railway existed from 1865 through 1933 in Greenup, Carter and
Lawrence Counties.  The membership of the EK society has completed highway
markers at each important stop of the railway so that one might travel via
automobile and read the history of the railroad.  This railroad gained
international fame through Jesse Stuart who wrote about it in his book Huey
the Engineer and is the only railroad in the U.S. documented from beginning
to end in this manner.  The Willard marker will be the only two sided marker
dedicated due to the amount of history for this area. 

The Marker will read:   

In 1873 the line extended from Grayson to Willard. Located here were a
turntable, water tower, railroad scales and engine house. Nearby -the Lick
Branch and Lost Creek spurs as well as EK coal mines and a coal camp
existed. The EK railroad was prominent in the Porter Lynching of 1892 as an
angry mob stole the train and hung Mr. Porter south of Willard from a
railroad bridge.  

On October 31, 1905, 6 men attempted to rob the safe at the Bank of Willard
but were thwarted by locals. The robbers escaped by using an EK engine but
were later captured as they slept up Johns Creek Branch.  In the 1920's for
$7.20 a month, kids took the EK's Blue Goose to school from Willard to
Grayson each day.  

 

Gary Rolih

Cincinnati 

 

 

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