Location
Railroad History
The Cartersville & Van Wert Railroad was chartered in 1866 in 1887 and built a rail line between Cartersville and the Selma, Rome & Dalton Railroad at Prior, Georgia, near the Georgia/Alabama state line. By 1870 the railroad had 14 miles of five-foot gauge track connecting Cartersville to Taylorsville, Georgia. However, further growth was seemingly stymied by deceitful financial dealings by then Georgia Governor Rufus Bullock, Hanniball Kimball and others. In October 1870, the Cherokee Iron Company purchased the railroad and reorganized it as the Cherokee Railroad.