The Great Falls Line
The Bluemont Branch of the Washington & Old Dominion was not the railroad’s only line. The Great Falls & Old Dominion Railroad arose in 1906 from the vision of two prominent men. Sen. Stephen B. Elkins of West Virginia had prospered through coal, lumber, and railroads in his home state. John R. McLean was involved in several businesses and owned The Washington Post. Elkins and McLean bought land on the Virginia side of the Potomac River at Great Falls. They turned it into a resort, complete with a carousel, dance pavilion, and an electrified trolley line to bring the crowds from Washington. The largely undeveloped land along the line was idea for residential communities, including one named after McLean.
Marker can be reached from North Manchester Street, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
