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| EKRY
check from 1913 |
Driving along E.K.
highway and parts of route 207 through Greenup, Carter, and
Lawrence counties, a person may pass pieces of
history. They are obscured by changes that decades of
time bring about. A pool, tunnels or sink holes, bridges
and bridge parts, and a number of old structures are about all
that the Eastern
Kentucky Railway has left
for us. On occasion a person may see a lock, a
lantern, and several documents that survive to feed our
curiosity. But most important by far, are the teenagers
and children of that era that hide behind decades of life in
surrounding communities today!
Alva Baldridge of Argillite remembers the railway vividly and
still describes it as the grandest ride. To hear him describe
the people that ran it 85 years ago and what it was like to
ride to Riverton puts the listener right next to that eight
year old.
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| 1981
Ashland Daily Independant featuring Alva Baldridge and
The Eastern Kentucky
Railway |
Shirley Gifford told me of her grandfather and how he cooked
for workers along the path. Others as well has contacted me
via e-mail to let me know how they appreciate this site. I
continue to invite you to send me copies of pictures regarding
the EKRY. I have been contacted by individuals that have
various items from EKRY's glory day and wished to let me take
pictures. I apologize, I lost several e-mails over the past
month or so and I would enjoy hearing from you
again.
I would like to take this time and express my gradtitude to
the Eastern
Kentucky Railway Historical
Society. They and their members are responsible for many of
the pictures of which you can view on this site. This reminds
me of two wonderful things that you can do to help. If
you become a member of the
Eastern
Kentucky Railway Historical
Society your $10 fee goes toward EKRY highway markers. If you
have any EKRY items, you can donate them to the Historical
Society and they will be on display at the McConnell House in
Wurtland Kentucky. If interested see
the EK today
link.
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| Eastern Kentucky Railway
Pass |
In recent times the
name Eastern
Kentucky
Railway, Eastern
Kentucky
Railroad, or EKRY has had various resurrections throughout
Eastern
Kentucky.
Author Jesse Stuart made reference to the
Eastern
Kentucky
Railway in a couple of his pieces. Most notable is "A Ride
With Huey The Engineer", which can be ordered through the
Jesse Stuart Foundation. I will include a link to this under
EK today. I remember a couple of softball teams with the name
"EK Railroaders". I understand there are a couple of
Bluegrass bands
that have adopted the EK name. Many today know what they know
concerning the EKRY through newspaper articles, area radio
station (thanks KJ and WUGO for your most helpful comments and
EKRY link on your site), or through stories from others. I
hope this site can in some way promote EKRY history and
the cities along it's long abandoned
path.
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| Jesse
Stuart's A Ride With Hughey The
Engineer |
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Website by Terry Baldridge
 
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