Mulberry Creek

Lancaster County, Virginia 

This picture was taken in Belle Isle State Park, where I stayed in my travel trailer last week during my visit to the Northern Neck. In the distance is the Rappahannock River.

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading Photography In Place.

Lonely field

Lancaster, Virginia 

House and barn

Lancaster County, Virginia 

Last week I spent several days photographing on the peninsula that lies between the Rappahannock River and the Potomac River known as Virginia's Northern Neck. This region has a rich history going back to the earliest days of Colonial America. In the nineteenth century, steamboat transportation provided access to larger markets, particularly Baltimore, and fishing and agriculture thrived.

The steamboats are gone now, and the once bustling river ports are fading away. The farm pictured above is located on a quiet bay just off the Rappahannock River very near where it empties onto the Chesapeake.

Evening light

Lancaster County, Virginia 

Just after sunset . . .

Lancaster County, Virginia 

Boyce Depot

Boyce, Virginia 

The town of Boyce grew up around the Shenandoah Valley Railroad which later became part of the Norfolk and Western Railway. In around 1910, Norfolk and Western made plans to replace the existing station with a new small wooden station. The citizens of Boyce, in a spirit of community pride, raised money to help fund a large station and convinced the railroad to build elaborate station that still stands today.

The new station was completed in 1913. The November 26, 1913 edition of the Clarke County Courier boasted:

"The new N & W station, with fine concrete platforms and promenade, long train shed, electric-lighted throughout, with all modern conveniences for the comfort of patrons, is a great addition to the town."

The station is now home to the Railway Mail Service Library.

Have a relaxing (Memorial Day if you are in the USA) weekend and thanks for reading Photography In Place.

Next stop

Boyce, Virginia 

A couple of miles down the track from White Post, the railroad passes through the town of Boyce. For a small town, Boyce has a surprisingly large and elaborate train station which we will get to tomorrow.