Skinquarter, Virginia facts for kids
Skinquarter is a small community located in the western part of Chesterfield County in Virginia. It's not a big city with its own government, but a quiet area found off U.S. Route 360. This area is special because it's where two creeks, Goode's Creek and Skinquarter Creek, begin. These creeks then flow into the Appomattox River.
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Why Is It Called Skinquarter?
The name "Skinquarter" might sound a bit unusual! Early settlers gave it this name because of a nearby spring. Native Americans used this spring to prepare deer they hunted. They would skin the deer (remove its hide) and then quarter it (cut it into four main pieces) to make it easier to carry and cook. This practice gave the place its unique name.
Skinquarter Baptist Church
A church named "Skinquarter Baptist Church" was started in 1778. The very first church building was built close to the spring that gave the area its name. The church building you see today is actually the third or fourth one built for the church. Even though the buildings have changed over the years, the church has always kept the name Skinquarter.
A Stop on the Railroad
For many years, Skinquarter was an important stop for trains.
- From 1884 to 1905, it was a stop on the Farmville and Powhatan Railroad.
- Then, from 1905 to 1917, it became a stop on the Tidewater and Western Railroad.
Mail on the Move
In 1891, trains didn't always stop at Skinquarter. Instead, a special mail car, called a railway post office, would drop off and pick up mail using a clever method. This was called the "Mail on-the-fly technique." It used a hook and a pouch system. This allowed the train to pick up and drop off mail without even slowing down!
From Trains to Cars
A few years after the railroad was sold, in 1926, a gas station and a store called Skinquarter Market were built. These new buildings were put near where the old railroad station used to be, about a quarter-mile up what is now Skinquarter Road. This shows how the area changed from being a train stop to a place for cars.
