www.vacreepertrail.us

Building the Virginia Creeper Trail

Much of the physical labor in building the Creeper Trail was done by Jobs Corps students from both
Jacobs Creek and Flatwoods. Many of the young men were city dwellers and adapted well to the outdoors,
with one exception. "They were afraid of cattle," recalls Al Bradley. "The supervisors convinced them that
if they banged two blocks of wood together, the cows would stay away. So these tough city guys
would walk around all day with two blocks of wood, banging them together."

The Town of Abingdon donated machinery and crew.	A town truck is used as a platform.
In many places the old railroad bed was covered.	In other places it had disappeared.
Job Corps members put down new lumber on an old trestle.	Spiking the ties.

The lumber for decking the trestles was purchased by the Town
largely through a grant supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

A new flooring on the trestle, waiting for railing.

See the related article, "The Creation of the Virginia Creeper Trail."

Home