Maidens, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maidens, Virginia
|
|
|---|---|
 Maidens, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Maidens, Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Goochland |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
Maidens (also called Maiden's Adventure) is a small, quiet community in Goochland County, Virginia, United States. It's not a big city but a place where people live without a formal city government. It's located right next to the James River. You can find it where three roads meet: U.S. Route 522, State Route 6, and State Route 634.
Contents
Maidens: A Look Back in Time
Maidens has a long and interesting history. It was once known as Maiden's Adventure.
The Canal Era
A long time ago, in 1840, the James River and Kanawha Canal opened near Maidens. This canal was like a special water highway. It was built to connect the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The idea was to link the James River to the Kanawha River. This would then lead to the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and finally the Gulf of Mexico.
Before the canal, people used small boats called batteaux to move goods. The canal allowed bigger boats, called packet and freight boats, to travel. These boats carried goods and people to and from Richmond and other places.
A Dream Unfinished
Many early Virginians, like George Washington, dreamed of this big canal. George Washington was a surveyor, someone who measures land, when he was young. However, the canal was never fully finished. The American Civil War (1861-1865) stopped construction. By then, railroads were becoming more popular. They were a faster way to move things.
The Rise of Railroads
After the war, railroads started to take over. The canal couldn't compete with them anymore. So, on March 4, 1880, the James River and Kanawha Canal was sold to a new railroad company. Workers quickly started building train tracks right on the canal's towpath. A towpath was the path next to the canal where horses or mules would walk to pull the boats.
This new railroad was called the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad. It offered a path from the Appalachian Mountains all the way to Richmond. In 1888, a big railroad company called the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) took over. They named the local train station "Maidens."
Hurricane Camille's Impact
In 1969, a powerful storm called Hurricane Camille caused a lot of damage. The C&O train station in Maidens was badly hurt. The highway bridge over the river was also destroyed by the huge floods.
Historic Places in Maidens
Today, two important places in Maidens are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Mount Bernard Complex and Tanglewood. They are recognized for their historical importance.
