Carysbrook, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carysbrook
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 Carysbrook
Location in Virginia
Carysbrook
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Fluvanna County |
| Elevation | 96 m (315 ft) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1492723 |
Carysbrook is a small place in Fluvanna County, Virginia. It is called an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a town or city. It's just a group of homes and businesses.
Contents
Where is Carysbrook?
Carysbrook is located in the middle of Virginia. It is about two miles northwest of a place called Dixie. It is also three miles southeast of Palmyra. You can find it along U.S. Route 15, which is also known as the James Madison Highway.
How Carysbrook Got Its Name
The name Carysbrook comes from a very old farm. This farm was called a plantation during the colonial era. It was named after the Cary family, who owned it.
The Cary Plantation was a huge farm. It covered thousands of acres of land. This land was along the Rivanna River. The soil there was very rich, perfect for growing crops like tobacco.
In 1777, a man named Wilson Miles Cary moved his family to this farm. They moved from Williamsburg because British soldiers were too close. Wilson Miles Cary was related to the famous Thomas Jefferson. He became an important leader in the new Fluvanna County. Many people worked on the Cary family's large farm.
Trains and Transportation
A train line called the Virginia Air Line Railway used to run through Carysbrook. Because of the railroad, a small group of buildings and shops grew up here. These businesses were located where the railroad crossed U.S. Route 15. Carysbrook even had its own U.S. Post Office.
The Virginia Air Line Railway
The train traveled from Strathmore Yard, near the James River. It went through places like Cohasset, Carysbrook, and Palmyra. Then it continued on to Troy and either Gordonsville or Charlottesville.
There was a stone quarry near Carysbrook. This quarry dug up granite. This granite was used to build the bridges for the railroad. One of these railroad bridges is still standing today. It is over the Rivanna River, north of Carysbrook. However, it is now privately owned.
The railroad was finished and started working in October 1908. This special train route was built for large cargo. It could carry things that were too tall or wide. These items would not fit through the tunnels in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Coal for Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia was sent this way.
Changes to the Railway
The railway also became very important for communication. It connected small communities like Carysbrook. They could now easily reach bigger cities, such as Washington, D.C.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) started running the line in July 1909. They bought it completely in July 1912. Over time, fewer people rode the trains. By 1927, there was only one passenger train per day. In 1932, passenger trains were replaced by "mixed" trains. These trains carried both people and cargo. The mixed trains stopped running in 1954. More and more people started using cars, trucks, and airplanes. This meant less business for the railroads.
In 1971, local leaders tried to keep the railway open. But they were not successful. The railway stopped operating in November 1975. At one time, Carysbrook had a train station, a grocery store, and a post office near the tracks. Some factories also opened in Carysbrook in the 1960s and 1970s. But these businesses have also closed down.
Schools in Carysbrook
Carysbrook has been an important place for education. The first Fluvanna County High School was built here. It was completed in 1934.
In 1976, the high school moved to a new location. It moved next to the Fluvanna Junior High School. Today, the old high school campus is still used. The county parks and recreation department uses it. Other community groups also use the playing fields.
Carysbrook Elementary School is also located here. It used to be called Fluvanna Middle School. This school is on U.S. Route 15. It is across the old railroad tracks from the former high school's football and baseball stadium.
