Carysbrook, Virginia

Carysbrook is an unincorporated community in Fluvanna County, in the U.S. state of Virginia located about two miles northwest of Dixie and three miles southeast of Palmyra on U.S, Route 15 (James Madison Highway).

The Virginia Air Line Railway ran through Carysbrook. The train traveled from Strathmore Yard on the James River, to Cohasset, Carysbrook, Palmyra, Troy and on to Gordonsville or Charlottesville. There was a stone quarry near Carysbrook that quarried the granite for the railroad's bridges. There are the remains of rather larger stone piers that supported the railroad bridge tressel over the Rivanna River near Carysbrook. The railroad was completed and began operating in October 1908. However, rail service was reduced to one daily train by 1927 and ended in 1954. The growing adoption of automobiles, trucks and airplanes had been taking business away from railroads since the 1930s. On October 26, 1971, the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors unsuccessfully sued the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad to keep the railway in operation; it was abandoned in November 1975. At one point there were a few small businesses surrounding the railroad tracks in Carysbrook to include a station, grocery store and post office. A few manufacturing plants opened in Carysbrook in the 1960's and 70's but have since ceased operations.

The original Fluvanna County High School was built at Carysbrook about 1932. The high school moved next to Abrams High School in 1976. Today the former F.C.H.S. campus and playing fields are used by the county parks & rec and other community organizations. Carysbrook Elementary School (formerly Fluvanna Middle School) is located on U.S. Route 15 across the old railroad tracks from the old F.C.H.S. football/baseball stadium.

References

• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Carysbrook, Virginia

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