Station Number: 151
Code Number: 0219
Telegraph Callsign: ON
Trevilian was named in honor of the Trevilian family who ran a tavern here along the Fredericksburg-Charlottesville
Stage Coach Road (current state route 613). The railroad purchased from the Trevilian family both the land for the
right-of-way and a home for use as the station master’s house.
Trevilian Station was the site of one of the most bloody encounters of the Civil War. The battle was fought on June
11-12 of 1864. The Union’s Major General Philip Sheridan launched a large-scale cavalry raid into Louisa County
threatening to cut the Virginia Central. The attack was intended to destroy the tracks and the station, after which
Sheridan was to join forces with General Hunter who was coming east from Lynchburg. The Battle of Trevilian Station
involved more troops than any other cavalry engagement. Between 8,000 and 9,000 Federal cavalry met 5,000 Confederate
cavalry under Lieutenant General Wade Hampton at Trevilian Station. The first day the advantage went to the Union
troops. General George A. Custer, in charge of the 7th Michigan Cavalry, found himself and his troops caught between
two rebel divisions. Custer managed to escape but lost 416 of his men, including his color bearer. On the second day,
however, the Confederates fought from excellent defensive positions across the railroad and the road to Gordonsville.
After several attacks failed, the Federal troops withdrew, leaving approximately 3 miles of tracks damaged and the
station (which was on the north side of the tracks and slightly east of the current one) burned. The Confederate victory
at Trevilian kept Sheridan from reaching Charlottesville and cooperating with Union troops from the Valley of
Virginia.
The water station in Trevilian was retired in September of 1926. In September, 1931 the depot was remodeled. The 1937
Side Track Record reported that Trevilian had a 2741' passing siding (track number 872), a 962' team track
(track number 873), and a 278' house track (track number 874). In July, 1941 the C&O retired the stock pen in
Trevilian. The passing track was extended in 1942, absorbing the team track. A spur (track number 2220) was built in
1944 to serve the S. B. Henson lumber yard. The 1950 Industrial Directory listed a 5 car team track (probably
the house track) in Trevilian. There was also the private siding serving the S. B. Henson saw and planing mill. In early
1954 track 2220 was reversed (whatever that means). Later that year track 2220 was extended and in 1957 a turnout was
built on the east end. Agency services at Trevilian were discontinued in September, 1962. Tracks 874 (the house track),
track 2220 (serving the lumber yard), and part of track 872 were retired in 1978. At that time, track 2220 was absorbed
by the remaining portion of track 872.
I didn’t expect to find anything in Trevilian when I first visited the area in 1998, but was pleasantly surprised -
the station was still standing and was being used as the local Post Office. On a later visit, Post Mistress Mildred
Smith allowed me to go through the station; some of the photos I took are below. I didn’t get many photos as only
the post office in the old waiting room had power. The rest of the station was in darkness and most of the photos came
out way too dark. There’s only so much a flash can do. While going through the station, I had the opportunity to
talk with Mr. Atkins, who ran the S. B. Henson lumberyard. As I recall, he ran the lumberyard for about 57 years,
ending in 1991, and received rail shipments during the entire time. He is also now associated with the
Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation. They are trying to preserve as
much of the battlefield as possible along with the station. I was very glad to hear that. When I visited the area in
the summer of 2008 the post office had been closed and the station is now sitting empty.
Photos
This is the Trevilian Station as it appears today. The Post Office was in
the far end in what used to be the waiting room. (1998 photo)
This is the interior of one of the waiting rooms at the Trevilian Depot.
I took the top photo through a window back in 1999. The bottom photo was taken from inside the
station in 2013. I think the wood work is beautiful; it must have been a treat to wait for a train here.
Given that the room below was identified for me as the “white” waiting room, this must have
been the “colored” waiting room. Jim Crow laws in Virginia required separate waiting rooms
for whites and African-Americans and separate facilities on board the trains.
The post office is in what used to be the “white” waiting room.
The stove in the photo is used to keep the room warm; I visited on a cold, rainy spring
day and the stove had the room nice and toasty. If you look at the enlarged
version, you can make out C&O embossed on the door.(2001 photos)
This is the office for the Trevilian Depot. It seems quite large, suggesting (to me at least)
that Trevilian was once a very busy place. (2013 photo)
This is the interior of the freight room. This is one of my favorite photos
that I’ve ever taken. Something about the location of the elements and the
lighting really speaks to me. (2013 photo)
This freight scale is located in the freight room of the station. Surprisingly, it
still functions.(2001 photo)
This is the east end of the Trevilian siding. What’s left
of it served the lumber yard visible in the right-hand photo. The last
time I visited, it looked as though the siding was being removed, but
as of August 1999, it’s still there. (1999 photos)
Apparently, during World War II there was a series of tanker ships named
for Civil War battles. One of them — as can be seen here — memorialized Trevilian. (From the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
Map
This map was prepared from U.S.G.S. topological maps, C&O track charts dated 1963, C&O Side
Track Records dated 1937, a copy of the Side Track Records updated through the 1990’s, and
C&O Valuation maps, also updated through the 1990’s.
Please note that, due to a huge volume of spam coming in on my email account, I’ve had to change my email address.
The new address is lzdaily@nospam.piedmontsub.com (but remove the nospam and the dot before piedmontsub.com).
All materials on this Web site are protected by United States
copyright law. This includes, but is not limited to, articles and graphics. Unless
otherwise indicated, these materials are the property of Larry Z. Daily and may not
be used without prior written permission of Larry Z. Daily
