Significant People
Person
Joseph F. Renard
Engineer — Western & Atlantic Railroad
Joseph F. “Uncle Joe” Renard was born on April 1, 1837, in Charleston, South Carolina, and he always wanted to be a train engineer. He was a “pioneer engineer” on the Western & Atlantic…
Person
William Allen Fuller
Conductor — Western & Atlantic Railroad
William Allen Fuller (April 15, 1836-December 28, 1905) was born in 1836 in Morrow Station, south of Atlanta in Henry County. He entered service as a conductor on the Western & Atlantic Railroad on…
Significant Places
Place
Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel (1850)
Railroad Tunnel · Existing
The Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel formally opened for traffic on May 9, 1850.
Place
Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel (1928)
Railroad Tunnel · Existing
After nearly two years of construction, the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway opened a new tunnel at Tunnel Hill, Georgia.
Place
Clarksville L&N Train Station
Train Station · Existing
The current Clarksville depot dates to 1881, when the Louisville & Nashville Railroad selected a site near Bradley's Brickyard for a new passenger station.
Place
Cumberland River Bridge
Railroad Bridge · Existing
Completed in 1860 by the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad, the Cumberland River Bridge was the engineering centerpiece of Clarksville’s first railroad.
Significant Happenings
Happening
December 25, 1830
First Best Friend of Charleston Run
The Best Friend of Charleston locomotive ran for the first time in Charleston, South Carolina.
Happening
December 24, 1842
First Locomotive Operates on the Western & Atlantic
The first locomotive intended for the Western & Atlantic Railroad arrived in Georgia in 1845 after being hauled by wagon approximately 60 miles from Madison.…
Happening
April 12, 1862
Great Locomotive Chase
The Great Locomotive Chase was a Civil War raid carried out on April 12, 1862, when Union volunteers stole the locomotive General in an attempt…
Happening
September 15, 1830
Liverpool and Manchester Railway Opens
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway became the world’s first inter-city railway when it opened on Sept. 15, 1830.
