Railroads in Lake View, South Carolina

In collaboration with Dillon County Theatre Association in South Carolina, teacher Liz Herlong's broadcast journalism student Emma King produced this story about the history of the railroad in Lake View. Lake View High School aired a different segment about the area each Wednesday morning on the Gator TV Morning News broadcast as part of a series called, "Way Back Wednesdays." It was created for Museum on Main Street's Stories: YES program.

Emma King: In years past, the railroad was essential to lots of people in Lake View, South Carolina.

Speaker 2: [0:10] I was a little girl back then, so you know, that's been a year or so ago, but I can remember that it went through Lakeview and there was a train station. And I think that it's where that store is there across from Dollar General that used to be there. I don't know if that's there or not. But the train went through and it went to Fair Bluff, I can remember it going that far. And it almost came by my house the railroad track came, and we used to walk to Marietta down the railroad track. And I can just remember people talking about it.

Emma King: [0:57] The railroad was originally built as the Carolina Northern railroad. The line was charted to extend from Lumberton to Marion, South Carolina. The railroad began construction in 1899 and opened in the 1900s. The Raleigh and Charleston railroad also intersected with the SAL.

Speaker 2: [1:14] Oh, okay. And the train came twice a day. I'd say once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I do not know where, I know it came from Florence and I think it went to Wilmington, which was a long way at that time. I can remember people talking about it. But also, Raleigh had the train station down there with, oh what is it? The store. There used to be a warehouse, a tobacco warehouse. And I can remember that more than I can the train. But the people used to talk about the train a lot.

Emma King: [2:02] The railroad ran in the morning and in the afternoon. The kids normally rode the train in the morning to get to school, and rode the train in the afternoon to get back home from school. But, that all ended when the approximate 23 miles between Wilmington and Lakeview, South Carolina was abandoned in 1933. The remaining section, 23 miles from Lakeview to Marion, was abandoned effective June 30th, 1941.

Emma King: [2:32] The Raleigh and Charleston was listed as abandoned during the early 1940s reorganization, proceeding of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. The Raleigh and Charleston did not exist as an entity after the 1945 reorganization of SAL. [2:50] Although the railroad no longer exists, we still travel its paths today, as South Carolina Highway 41 was built over the tracks which once ran from Lakeview to Marion. So even though the tracks are not there, the railroad still holds a major place in Lakeview history.

Asset ID: 8553
Themes: Crossroads, small towns, history, memories, travel, journeys
Date recorded: 2019
Length of recording: 3:13 m
Related traveling exhibition: Crossroads: Change in Rural America
Sponsor or affiliated organization: Dillon County Theatre Association, Dillon, South Carolina
More information: https://museumonmainstreet.org/blog-node/south-carolina-students-kickstart-conversation-around-change