Jaime Alvarez

Lee’s Retreat | While driving through central Virginia in 2016, a sign caught my eye. The sign was for Lee’s Retreat Highway, a self guided tour one could take to view the various locations of the final days of the Civil War. The particular route I was one also lead me to several small towns that at one time had importance as part of the general infrastructure and coal business to the region. It is also intertwined with the Civil Rights in Education Heritage trail, pointing out locations where African Americans, Native Americans and women developed the right to an education equivalent of white males. 

These small towns while exhibiting signs of decline, the ghost of a strong American Industry is still persistent. 

Burkeville VA, population of 405 (estimated) serves as the junction of the Norfolk and Western Railway and the Norfolk Southern Railway. 

Crewe VA, population of 2171 (estimated) was founded as a central steam locomotive repair depot, and named after the large railroad town of Crewe, England. The town of Crewe has faced large economic decline in the past years, but still houses a small railroad museum dedicated to the work the Norfolk Southern Railway’s history. 

Victoria VA, population of 1642 (estimated) is largely employed be the Lunenberg Correctional Center, which opened in 1995, and was founded in 1906 during the construction fo the Tidewater Railway, which later on merged to become part of the Norfolk and Western Railway which in 1997 was merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway. www.jaimephoto.com