Mayo River Rail Trail
On a Trail Down by the River
By Rebecca Adcock
From the view of a passerby, the small strip of asphalt that runs along the river in downtown Stuart doesn’t look like much. However, that strip has become woven into the fabric of the community. It is a place where friends and family meet to enjoy the outdoors, find respite from a busy day, improve their health, or have a picnic lunch at one of the provided tables or benches. The Mayo River Rail Trail is in downtown Stuart, VA, just off Commerce Street following the path of the Danville and Western Railway along the Mayo River. This smooth asphalt level surface, 1.8 mile trail is good for walking and bicycling. The trail follows the Mayo River with an additional spur leading to the Landmark Assisted Living Center. The trail is on the former Danville and Western Railbed (fondly called the “Dick and Willie,” less fondly the “Delay and Wait”). The Danville and Western Railway grew out of the Richmond and Danville Railroad. A narrow-gauge line was extended from Danville to Martinsville in 1882, then to Stuart in 1883, where there was a turntable to head the locomotive back to Danville. Initially built to carry wood and agricultural products, passenger service was included. Sadly, better roads and more cars caused the demise of passenger service. Later, the D&W freight business in Patrick dwindled, and the line from Martinsville was abandoned. The iron was removed in 1942 as part of the World War II metal scrap effort.
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Patrick County Magazine / visitpatrickcounty.org