Pamplin

A main street bereft of any open businesses isn’t a by product of a pandemic, but of the railroad disappearing.

In 1854, a representative of the Norfolk and Western Railroad came to Merriman’s Shop seeking land for a projected rail system. Mr. Pamplin, when approached, donated a large tract of land to the enterprise realizing the potential benefit to the village. In recognition of Mr. Pamplin’s foresight and generosity, he was later honored by having the town named for him.

Situated at the confluence of two major Norfolk & Western rail lines, Pamplin became a 19th century railroad boom town with such promise and expectations that the official name of the community was made "Pamplin City". Hotels, banks, and various types of stores lined Main Street while fashionable homes where built throughout the town. Pamplin, Virginia was originally known as the Pamplin Depot and became Pamplin City in 1865 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. Like many of these locations that I find the town was once a thriving train depot; in 1914 the Norfolk and Western Railroad ran a “belt line” that would connect Pamplin to their main routes.

The Pamplin Pipe Factory, was also known as Merrill and Ford, The Akron Smoking Pipe Factory, and The Pamplin Smoking Pipe and Manufacturing Company at various times in its history, and one of the largest sources of clay pipes in the country. It produced as many as 750,000 pipes annually. Pamplin was also a center for buggy repairs. Repairing a buggy wheel would cost you $4, and when you had that fixed they wanted you to buy a casket too. Those also cost $4. In the 1950s they held street dances on main street. However, with the decline of rail travel, Pamplin's fortunes declined as well.

On a government website for Pamplin this story is told:

Do you have one good story about a Pamplin character?
Yes, Eugene Eaton, was the town drunk. He was a bright, scholarly man and always about town. I had purchased a heavy wood stove in Gordonsville and needed 4 people to lift it and bring it into the house. Several men came to help, including Eugene. I said I would pay them $5 each. After the stove was installed in the house, I got ready to pass out the money as promised. When I got to Eugene, he pointed to the man next to him and said, “Give it to him. He just got laid off by the railroad.”

But today it is another "ghost town" even though its living inhabitants - which in the 2010 census were placed at 219 - might disagree with being identified as apparitions, phantoms, poltergeists, specters, spirits, spooks, or wraiths.

I'm attaching an addendum, a link, for more on the history of this town.
https://www.appomattoxcountyva.gov/visitors/about-appomattox/town-of-pamplin/history?fbclid=IwAR0dYygFpBxpvl51HyqwzFMPbuWHDl9LA3ue2iV0iBdJgQ2fxXnvkqUGD4Q

The store on the left was Brightwell's store. To its right was JWD Canada's store. And beside that was Ligon's General Store. To its right was Terry's Feedstore.

This was Connally's Store/Corner Commissary.

Originally the State Bank of Pamplin, this became a pool hall.

Williams Brothers Hardware & Grocery

The State Bank of Pamplin, which later became the Post Office. Beside that was Baldwin's Barber Shop.

The R&K store named for the owners, Richardson & Kress.

Centered was JWD Canada's Store, between Brightwell’s store, and Ligon’s General Store.

The railroad depot has been restored and serves as a community center.

The depot now serves as a historical library and community center.

This was the Park Hotel catering to the railroad visitors who were staying over.