The Trackside Photographer

The Trackside Photographer is a website dedicated to the railroad landscape. A new article by John Marvig takes us to a 19th century railroad swing bridge in Minnesota. To read about the historic Redstone Bridge click here.

Blue Ridge

Rockingham County, Virginia 

Winter barn

Warren County, Virginia 

Just before sunset

Shenandoah River State Park - Virginia

Carpenter

Copiah County, Mississippi (photo by Allan Leese)

A few days ago, our Mississippi correspondent sent us pictures from the small community of Carpenter, Mississippi. He writes:

"The old Carpenter Store sits beside a north-south railroad line and the tracks were removed several years ago. The railway ran from Jackson to points south in the state.

Carpenter United Methodist Church is used a couple of times a month and is well attended and maintained. Framed deed displayed in church is dated 1901."

 Photo by Allan Leese

Small house

The Plains, Virginia 

Hope your first week of Spring (or first week of Autumn if you live in the other half of the world) has been pleasant. It wasn't very much like Spring the day in February that I visited the small town of The Plains. Snow still lingered and the winter air was clear and cold. This old house, apparently unoccupied, is just off the main street through town.

Have a warm weekend, and thanks for reading Photography In Place.

The Trackside Photographer

The Trackside Photographer is a website devoted to the railroad landscape. Today, a new article by Bob Hughes takes a look at the New Haven Railroad in Connecticut as it looked around 1966. Click here to read.

Resting place

Haymarket, Virginia 

Small red barn

Haymarket, Virginia 

Spring awakening 2

Greene County, Virginia 

Spring awakening

Greene County, Virginia 

Third Sunday - March, 2016

South River Primitive Baptist Church - 1882

There are two church buildings extant in the small village of Browntown. A Union Church was built in 1882 to serve the Old School Baptists, the New School (Southern) Baptists, the Methodists and the Lutherans. Each denomination owned a quarter share of the building and worshiped there once a month. Today the Union Church is the home of the South River Primitive Baptist Church.

Henry T. Compton ran a bar room in Browntown but in 1896 his liquor license renewal was denied and he sold the lot and building to the Lutherans, who moved the bar room to the back of the lot and built a new church in 1897.  The church building was purchased in 1943 by the Baptists and is now the Browntown Baptist Church.

Browntown Baptist Church - 1897

O.J. Rudacille Gen. Mdse.

Browntown, Virginia 

After I took this picture I went inside and met the owner of the store, Mr. Tom Lacombe. The store is the social center of the town. Everyone that came in while I was there greeted the proprietor as "Tom," and Tom called all his customers by their first name.

Tom is also somewhat of the local historian, and shared with me information on the history of Browntown and directed me to some of the local landmarks. Take a look at the Facebook page about the store and Browntown.

The store was built in 1885 and has been in continuous operation since that time.

 ¶

Third Sunday is coming up and we will feature the two churches in Browntown. Stop by on Sunday. Enjoy the weekend, and thanks for reading Photography In Place.

The Trackside Photographer

A new article by photographer Gordon Glattenberg is on The Trackside Photographer today. Click here to visit the "Santa Fe Depot"

House on Gooney Run

Browntown, Virginia 

Gooney Run flows down the western slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains and empties into the Shenandoah River. On the way, it passes through the middle of Browntown, dividing the town in half. Gooney Run flooded the town in 1996, damaging homes and destroying the bridges that link the town together.

Although this house looks as if it is out in the country,  it is only a few feet from the main street through Browntown.

Dr. Updike/Post Office Building

Browntown, Virginia 

This small building was the office of Dr. Charles F. Updike who practiced here until his death in 1918. The building was restored, moved a few feet back from its original location closer to the street and now houses a small museum. The Browntown Post Office was also located in this building at one time, but the town no longer has a Post Office. The residents receive mail via rural routes from either Bentonville or Front Royal.

Schoolhouse

Browntown, Virginia 

The three room schoolhouse in Browntown was built in the late 1890s. Private schools in the area served students until the 1870 Public School Act required the construction of public schools. The first public school was destroyed by fire and was replaced by this schoolhouse that now serves as the Browntown Community Center.

Browntown

Warren County, Virginia 

The plan for the day did not include a visit to Browntown. I turned down a road to look at some buildings along the railroad tracks at Bentonville and by the time I found a place to turn around it seemed easier just to keep going. And then I came upon the small village of Browntown.

Although the history of settlement in the area goes back to the 18th century, the town got its start in 1870 and was once a thriving commercial center. It is a wonderful little town that has survived into the 21st century, but seems much closer to the 19th century.

Join me this week as we take a look around Browntown.

(Note: Browntown is located in the Shenandoah Valley close to Front Royal. There is another Browntown in Albemarle County, Virginia, not too far to the south.)

View from Wildcat Ledge

Warren County, Virginia 

By the time I got back to camp, the rain was picking up and I decided to stay another day instead of packing up in the rain. I dried off, fixed lunch, made a cup of hot tea and watched the rain come down with the sound of the Shenandoah River in the background.

Next week we will be taking a step back in time to a small town nestled against the western slopes of the Blue Ridge. Come along with us.

Hope you enjoy a rain-free weekend and, as always, thanks for reading Photography In Place.

River bottom

Warren County, Virginia 

The rain-swollen Shenandoah River is just out of sight as it runs by the rich river bottom land it created and nourished. The muddy water flows swiftly and even from up here the faint sound of it reaches me along with the stirring of the wind in the winter trees.

Along the trail to Wildcat Ledge

Warren County, Virginia 

The path is quite steep here, and a little slippery. The trees and foliage have a twisted and stunted look; the kind of thing one expects to see at a much higher elevation. The rain brings out the green of the moss and evergreen trees. I stood still while three does watched intently from the woods nearby. They soon became bored with me and disappeared in the mist. 

Path by the river

Warren County, Virginia 

It is not raining very hard, and the path starts out by the river, which runs high and fast after the recent rain and snow. But soon the trail climbs up the bluffs above the riverbanks toward Wildcat Ledge, and the sound of the river fades below. The trees keep most of the rain off, and the trail gets steeper.

Rain and the river

Warren County, Virginia 

Week before last, I spent a couple of days camped in the travel trailer at Shenandoah River State Park. The first day was devoted to a hike in the nearby Shenandoah National Park. There was still some snow in the mountains making walking difficult in places, and it was colder than we anticipated, but what does one expect in February.  Another thing about hiking in the mountains: how is it that we walked a five mile loop trail, ended up where we started, and it was ALL uphill. It defies the laws of physics (pass the ibuprofen).

The next morning it was raining. This week, a walk in the rain along the Shenandoah River.

White houses

Pleasant Valley, Virginia

Enjoy the upcoming weekend, and thanks for reading Photography In Place.

Brief announcment

If you follow along with Photography In Place, you know that I frequently include railway related subjects. Today, I am launching a new website dedicated to railroad photography, but with a bit of a twist. The Trackside Photographer will focus on what is along the tracks: stations, freight houses, signals, interlocking towers, bridges, trestles, shops and related elements of the railroad landscape. This is not a personal project. I hope to include articles from photographers and railroad enthusiasts from all over and encourage submissions.

The Trackside Photographer(click here) will publish weekly, on Thursday. Check it out.

Old house

Barboursville, Virginia 

Rain tree

Warren County, Virginia 

Southern barn

Lincoln County, Mississippi