Jerome, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerome
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Jerome operator's cabin on the Western Maryland Railway
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 Jerome
Location in West Virginia
Jerome
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Morgan |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1554805 |
Jerome is a place in Morgan County, West Virginia, where no one lives anymore. It's located right along the old main train line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Jerome is also found within the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which is a special park along the Potomac River.
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Jerome's Location
Jerome is in a part of West Virginia known for its beautiful nature. It sits right next to the Potomac River, which is a large and important river in the eastern United States. The area is also part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. This park protects a historic canal and towpath that once helped transport goods.
The Paw Paw Bends
Jerome is located in a curvy section of the river and railway known as the "Paw Paw Bends." This area was quite hard to reach, even for trains, because of how winding the paths were.
Railway History
Jerome was an important spot for trains, especially for the Western Maryland Railway. A long section of this railway's path, from milepost 126 to 160, is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States.
The Train Order Office
At Jerome, there was once a special building called a train order office. This office was used to give instructions to train engineers and conductors, helping to keep trains moving safely and on schedule. The office was used until September 1, 1959.
When the Chessie System, a railway company, stopped using this line in May 1975, the office building was not torn down. It's one of the few buildings from that time that you can still see in Jerome today.
Connecting Train Lines
Jerome also had a connection to another train line, the B&O "low line." This connection was at milepost 137. However, this connection was removed when the B&O company stopped using the low line in 1961.
How Jerome Got Its Name
It's believed that the community and its train station might have been named after Jérôme Bonaparte. He was a younger brother of the famous French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte.
