Woodford, Virginia Explained

Official Name:Woodford, Virginia
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Pushpin Map:Virginia#USA
Pushpin Label:Woodford
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Virginia
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Caroline
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:125
Coordinates:38.1131°N -77.4089°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:22580
Area Code:804
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:1500344

Woodford is an unincorporated community in Caroline County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located primarily along Route 626 northwest of Bowling Green.

History

Downer's Crossing was a place to cross the Mattaponi River when the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad arrived in October 1836. By 1837, the town was named Woodford's Lane. Passengers who wanted to board the train would wave a handkerchief during the day or wave a light at night. The train did not usually stop at Woodford. With the general store, post office and train, the town began to grow from 30 citizens in the first decade of the 1900s to over a hundred by 1925. A main reason was the mill to produce excelsior, a product made from soft pines to pack furniture and fragile items for shipping, to stuff cushions for automobiles, and to reinforce gypsum wall boards.[1] A post office called Woodford has been in operation since 1874.[2] The community was named for William Woodford, an American Revolutionary War general.[3] It was a stop on the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, which was replaced by CSXT.

Edge Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Notes and References

  1. Fisher, Terri L., and Kirsten Sparenborg. Lost Communities of Virginia. Earlysville, Va: Albemarle Books, 2011. Pages196-198.
  2. Web site: Caroline County . Jim Forte Postal History . 3 May 2015.
  3. News: History and legend unlock origins of unusual names . The Free Lance-Star . July 20, 2003 . 3 May 2015 . Dyson, Cathy . A7.