Unforseen Obstacles
The Pierson Farm--

"Taylor's brigade fumbles and wallowed across the waterlogged plan. Mud caked on shoes and trousers, weighing down the already heavily encumbered troops. The ragged line tumbles through several ditches and gullies which further disrupted the formation."

"A Terrible Slaughter in Our Ranks"
Ground covered by General Meade's Pennsylvanians--

"Shells ripped through the packed ranks, and the attack faltered. A Confederate shell snapped the flagstaff of the 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves in two. One of Pelham's rounds wiped out seven members o the 121st Pennsylvania in a single flash. Another shot tore a soldier in two."

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. "
Anatole France

Today we are taking a trip both in distance and in time. Our destination is the town of Gordonsville in Orange County.

The town began in 1794 with a tavern established by one Nathaniel Gordon at the crossroads of what are now the Rockingham and Blue Ridge Turnpikes. By 1813 the area had grown enough for the appointment of a Postmaster who was none other that Mr. Gordon and the town took on the name of Gordonsville. Soon the railroads arrived. The Orange & Alexandria Railroad running north/south and later the Central Virginia Railroad running east/west from Richmond to Staunton. During the Civil War the town was a major supply point for the Confederacy and also was the site of a major military hospital. Later a new rail line through Barboursville bypassed Gordonsville and its role as a major center in the region began to decline. In 1916 a fire devastated the downtown. Today there still exists evidence of its past prominence.

Thanks to a little on line research you will get a glimpse of both Gordonsville's past as well as its present............

Not Much Remains
Most of the original station buildings are gone. When CSX took over the rail line what remained of the station seen here was to be demolished. CSX agreed to leave the building as long as it was moved away from the rail lines. Efforts have been made to stabilize the building and it has been placed on a new foundation. It has obviously seen better days. Its future is unknown.

Some Things Remain Relatively Unchanged
The rail switch house looks much as it did in the old photo above.

The Water Tower Today

Downtown Gordonsville Today

Gordonsville, Post 1916 A Close-up
A store on main street. What intrigued me about this building are the buttresses on the side of the building, the front moldings, and the painted advertising.

Of Bygone Days
These buildings were part of the Gordonsville Milling Company opened in 1910. Its second owner renamed it Rocklands Milling Co. in 1917. Southern States are said to have used the buildings later on. They have not been used in decades.