Elkhorn City Railroad Museum facts for kids
Elkhorn City Railroad Museum
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Location | 100 Pine Street, Elkhorn City, Kentucky 41522 |
| Type | Railroad |
| Founder | Edward "Chick" Spradlin |
| Owner | Elkhorn City Heritage Council |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
The Elkhorn City Railroad Museum is a cool place in Elkhorn City, Kentucky, where you can learn all about trains! It opened in 1990. This museum teaches visitors about the history of railroads in the Eastern Mountain Coal Fields area of Kentucky. It also shows how important the timber (wood) and coal industries were to the region. You can even find out about local family histories, called genealogy.
Contents
Museum History: All About Trains
The museum was started by a man named Edward "Chick" Spradlin. He used to work for the railroad for 40 years! Most of his time was spent in the train yard in Elkhorn City. This yard was the very end of the Clinchfield Railroad line.
Chick wanted to save the history of trains in the area. So, he and some other retired railroad workers began collecting old items. They opened the museum in 1990. The building they used was an old office from a coal company, which was given to the museum.
Changes Over Time
In 1999, Chick Spradlin passed away. The museum's management then went to the Elkhorn City Heritage Council. This group was created to help protect the history of the Elkhorn City area. Many of the people who work at the museum today are volunteers. A lot of them are also former railroad employees.
In 2016, the museum had a problem when a water pipe broke. This caused a flood in the main building. Many of the museum's items were damaged, and it had to close for a while. A plan to fix up the museum started in 2019. Then, in 2020, the museum closed again because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, it was able to open its doors again by 2022.
What You Can See: Museum Exhibits
The museum has more than 1,000 pieces of railroad history. These items date from the 1800s all the way to today! You can see two cabooses, which are the last cars on a freight train. There are also velocipedes (small rail vehicles you pedal) and motor cars.
You can also find old uniforms and equipment. A special item on display is a seat from the private train car of President James Garfield. The museum also has displays that explain how the Clinchfield Railroad was built. Building it was considered an amazing engineering feat at the time!
How Exhibits Arrived
All the items and displays at the museum were given as gifts. Many of them were left behind when the railroad closed. Community members then saved these items and donated them to the museum. During the colder winter months, when the museum is closed, some displays are moved. You might find them at the local library or sometimes at schools in the area.
Santa Train Stop
The museum is also a special stop for CSX's yearly Santa train. This train is decorated for Christmas and travels through the Appalachian region every November. It gives out toys, food, and clothing to people in the communities it visits.
