High Bridge (Appomattox River)

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High Bridge in Prince Edward County, Virginia is a historic former railroad bridge across the Appomattox River valley about 6 miles east ( downstream) from the town of Farmville. Part of the South Side Railroad between Petersburg and Lynchburg, it was the longest in the world when completed in 1852.

The High Bridge played a significant role during Lee's retreat in the final days of the American Civil War, and was the site of the Battle of High Bridge in April 1865. Rebuilt after the Civil War, the 21-span structure is 2400 feet long and towers 160 feet above the Appomattox River Valley.

[edit] Construction

In the 1850s, the South Side Railroad between Petersburg and Lynchburg was built through Farmville between Burkeville and Pamplin City. The route, which was subsidized by a contribution from Farmville, required an expensive crossing of the Appomattox River valley and flood plain slightly downstream which became known as the High Bridge. The High Bridge's twenty piers contained almost four million bricks, and supported a wooden superstructure. It was believed to be the longest in the world when completed in 1852. The South Side Railroad itself was completed in 1854.

[edit] American Civil War

The South Side Railroad was heavily damaged during the American Civil War. The High Bridge played a key role during Confederate General Robert E. Lee's final retreat from Petersburg in the last days of the War. The Battle of High Bridge took place there on April 6-7, 1865. Fleeing Union troops, the Confederates set the bridge afire after crossing it, but failed to destroy it. Union troops were able to use it and continued the chase, which ended several days later at Appomattox Courthouse, where Lee's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant took place on April 9, 1865.

For more details on this topic, see Battle of High Bridge.

[edit] Post-bellum, AM&O, N&W

High Bridge over the Appomattox River near Farmville, Virginia. Photographed in 1865 by Timothy H. O'Sullivan during repairs following its burning during the war.

After the Civil War, under the leadership of former Confederate General William "Billy" Mahone, the South Side Railroad was rebuilt, and in 1870, was combined with the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad to form Mahone's Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad (AM&O), which stretched 400 miles across the southern tier of Virginia from Norfolk on Hampton Roads to Bristol. After the Financial Panic of 1873, the AM&O fell into default on its debt, and was purchased in the early 1880s by new owners who renamed it the Norfolk and Western (N&W). In 1982, it became part of the current Norfolk Southern Railway system.

[edit] Abandonment by railroad, future use

Partially due to the high cost of maintaining the High Bridge over the Appomattox River valley, the NS railroad line through Farmville was downgraded and eventually abandoned, in favor of the "Low-grade Line" between Burkeville and Pamplin. The low-grade line, completed in 1916, contained more favorable grades for westbound trains. The South Side Railroad had originally envisioned using the low-grade route until persuaded by the citizens of Farmville, VA to bring the line through their town.

In 2006, there were plans under discussion regarding turning the High Bridge into a portion of a rail trail or part of a linear state park. [1] This became High Bridge Trail State Park.