American Tobacco Trail History

North Carolina

At a Glance

Name: American Tobacco Trail
Length: 22.2 Miles
Trail activities: Bike, Inline Skating, Wheelchair Accessible, Horseback Riding, Walking
Counties: Chatham, Durham, Wake
Surfaces: Asphalt, Crushed Stone
State: North Carolina

A Brief History

The American Tobacco Trail is located on roughly half of the right-of-way of what was a branch once owned by the original Norfolk Southern Railway (NS). But the property predates even the NS, having been developed by a small railroad that hoped to establish a vital transportation artery for the region’s rich tracts of timber. Under NS control, the line reached its full potential when a tobacco plant opened in Durham, bringing untold profits to the railroad. Over the years, freight traffic slowly dried up, and passenger trains stopped using the line during the Great Depression. The formation of Jordan Lake during the 1980s required relocating part of the route, although by that time little freight remained. Just before the 1982 merger that created the new Norfolk Southern Railway, the Durham Branch was abandoned; however, a small section to the south was saved and now operates as a heritage railroad.

The history of this corridor begins in 1904 with the incorporation of the New Hope Valley Railroad by W. Roscoe Bonsal, Samuel Bauersfeld (both civil engineers), and Henry London, already a successful businessman, particularly in the timber industry.  The new railroad’s charter stipulated that the route connect with the Raleigh & Augusta Air Line Railroad (which later became part of the much larger Seaboard Air Line system) at New Hill, North Carolina (later renamed Bonsal), and snake northward to present-day Chapel Hill. Much right-of-way was acquired for the construction of the New Hope Valley, but no tracks were ever laid. Instead, owners chartered a new company on January 20, 1905, known as the Durham & South Carolina Railroad (D&SC). Later that spring, the D&SC acquired the assets of the New Hope Valley.

The new name was intended to reflect the greater ambitions for their railroad, which they hoped would reach into South Carolina—but it never did. After a year of construction, the D&SC opened a 30.3-mile route between Bonsal and Durham in October 1906. The new system moved vast amounts of timber, much of which was used for new railroad ties, as well as a wide variety of other freight, mostly agricultural, such as beans, corn, cotton, and some tobacco. Some trains were “mixed consists,” meaning both passengers and freight comprised one train, serving the small communities along the line such as Seaforth, Farrington, and Burt. During 1911, an additional 10.2 miles was opened between Bonsal and Duncan, where a connection was made with the then Norfolk Southern Railroad, giving the D&SC another interchange partner.  This setup lasted for less than a decade when the NS outright leased the D&SC and later incorporated it as a branch line, officially extending it 40.5 miles.



The original Norfolk Southern was an interesting regional railroad that served the state of North Carolina and reached places such as Charlotte, Raleigh, Fayetteville, and Elizabeth City. It was also able to reach the port of Norfolk, Virginia. The NS traces its roots to 1870 as the Elizabeth City & Norfolk Railroad, where it opened its first line between Berkley, Virginia, and Edenton, North Carolina, about a decade later. Following a number of name changes, mergers, and additions, the system reached its final length during the early 20th century. It was reorganized one final time as the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1942.

The railroad’s Durham Branch hummed along as a secondary route serving its Charlotte-Norfolk main line until the American Tobacco Company constructed a new plant in Durham during the early 1920s. At this time a short spur extended from here to reach the facility in 1924. Allegedly, profits the Norfolk Southern reaped from serving this complex were so high, they paid for the railroad’s entire annual operating expenses. This turned out to be the line’s pinnacle in terms of revenue and traffic.

After 1931, passenger services ended, although the tobacco plant continued to be an important source of freight revenue for a number of years. Severe flooding in the region from the 1945 Homestead hurricane led the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build the New Hope Dam at the junction of the New Hope and Haw rivers. This was part of the larger Jordan Lake Flood Control Project, which inundated part of the railroad. The Corps rebuilt the line in 1974 and officially flooded the original grade at this location during the winter of 1982. By this time there was little rail service remaining on the branch. The Southern Railway, which acquired the Norfolk Southern in 1974, stopped using the line after 1981 and the tobacco plant closed later that decade.

While most of the corridor was subsequently abandoned and the tracks removed, a 6-mile segment between Bonsal and New Hill was acquired from the Southern by the East Carolina Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1982. It is now home to the New Hope Valley Railway, which runs excursion train rides for visitors throughout much of the year. Aside from this, other railroad attractions near the American Tobacco Trail include the popular North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer (home to a large collection of preserved and restored equipment); the National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame in Hamlet (near the beautifully restored Seaboard Air Line depot); the popular Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock and Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City (both based in the mountains of western North Carolina); and the Wilmington Railroad Museum located farther south along the coast.

Do you have Historical Photos of the American Tobacco Trail?
Share with TrailLink!

Nearby Trails

Beaver Creek Greenway

North Carolina - 2.3 miles

Beaver Creek Greenway offers a pleasant, paved route in the community of Apex, a western suburb of Raleigh. Much of the trail is wooded and it...

White Oak Creek Greenway

North Carolina - 7 miles

The White Oak Creek Greenway runs through Cary, a city in North Carolina’s Triangle region that also includes Raleigh and Durham. On the west end the...

NC-55 Street-side Trail

North Carolina - 1 miles

As its name suggests, this well-maintained trail does sit on the side of NC-55, but that's not the whole story. The trail is a space for fitness and...

Accordion

Southbridge Greenway

North Carolina - 0.9 miles

The Southbridge Greenway is a charming neighborhood path in the neighborhood of the same name, on the west side of Cary, North Carolina. On any given...

Batchelor Branch Greenway

North Carolina - 0.8 miles

Batchelor Branch Greenway is a short stretch of trail in northeast Cary. The trail is 0.8 miles long and 10 feet wide, accommodating uses ranging from...

Green Hope School Greenway

North Carolina - 2.6 miles

Green Hope School Greenway is a meandering collection of shared-use paths through Cary's Highcroft neighborhood. While the trail provides space for...

Morris Branch Greenway

North Carolina - 2 miles

The trail starts on Green Level Church Road and then heads west past suburban homes, skirting the north side of Amberly Lake. You will cross Yates...

Panther Creek Greenway

North Carolina - 2.6 miles

The Panther Creek Greenway is a multiuse trail winding through the neighborhoods of Cary Park and Cameron Pond in northwest Cary. The picturesque...

Crabtree Creek Greenway

North Carolina - 19.3 miles

Closure Notice: The Crabtree Creek Greenway is closed between N. Raleigh Blvd. and Crabtree Blvd (miles 5.25-6). Please check with the government of...

Symphony Lake Greenway

North Carolina - 1.8 miles

Walk, bike or roll around Symphony Lake via this 10-foot wide greenway. The trail rings around the lake, providing panoramic views of the tranquil...

Annie Jones Greenway

North Carolina - 1.2 miles

Annie Jones Greenway provides a natural escape in the middle of the city. The trail goes through woods, and past streams for a short, though serene...

Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail

North Carolina - 1.2 miles

The Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail in Cary is over a shared use pathway linking residents of the surrounding neighborhoods to the other trails in...

Explore by City

Explore by City

Explore by Activity

Explore by Activity

Log in to your account to:

  • View trail paths on the map
  • Save trails to your account
  • Add trails, edit descriptions
  • Share photos
  • Add reviews

Log in with Google

Log in with Apple

OR

Register for free!

Join TrailLink (a non-profit) to view more than 40,000 miles of trail maps and more!

Register with Google

Register with Apple

OR

Your account has been deleted.