Buford's Gap
Encyclopedia
Buford's Gap is a wind gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains
in Bedford County, Virginia
. Buford's Gap was the original crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains for the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
, later the Norfolk and Western Railway
, a precursor of today's Norfolk Southern Railway
system. It was the site of a battle in 1864 during the American Civil War
. U.S. Route 460
also passes through the gap.
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
in Bedford County, Virginia
Bedford County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
. Buford's Gap was the original crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains for the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway...
, later the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
, a precursor of today's Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
system. It was the site of a battle in 1864 during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. U.S. Route 460
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia runs east–west through the southern part of the state. It has two separate pieces in Virginia, joined by a relatively short section in West Virginia...
also passes through the gap.