The ‘Gauge Dock’ and Buchanan’s rich history
Editor:
The proposed restoration of the gauge dock in the Town Park is a golden opportunity for the Town of Buchanan to celebrate its amazing history and promote its future prosperity. The gauge dock has essential connections with many aspects of the town’s history, and its restoration can be an effective component of ongoing efforts to promote the community’s economic progress.
The 19th Century development of Buchanan as the economic hub of Botetourt County was greatly dependent upon the extension of the James River and Kanawha Canal (hereafter “Canal”) to the town by 1851. From the mid-18th Century, Looney’s Ferry and Pattonsburg had positioned these environs for growth. Likewise, the 19th Century development of operational iron furnaces in Botetourt County, including Cloverdale #1, Roaring Run, Grace and Aetna, among others, created potential for local industrial development. (For those interested in the history of pig iron production in 19th Century Botetourt, I highly recommend Jeffrey C. Turner’s thesis, “Cloverdale Furnace: A Century of Iron Manufacture In Botetourt County, Virginia, 1789-1889,” available in a PDF file from the Virginia Tech Library.)
In order to remain competitive, the owners of Botetourt County furnaces such as Cloverdale #2, which included the Anderson family, required efficient, low cost transportation to Richmond to supply the Tredegar and other iron foundries. The arrival of the Canal enabled these businesses to remain in operation from the mid-1840s until the end of the Civil War. Of further importance for Botetourt history is the fact that the owner of Richmond’s Tredegar Iron Works, Botetourt native General Joseph Anderson, regarded the pig iron from Cloverdale #2 as the best “gun metal” for use in forging cannons for the armies of the Confederate States. (See, “Ironmaker to the Confederacy, Charles B. Dew,” pgs. 48-49.)
But it was this crucial dependence by the Tredegar upon Botetourt County pig iron, shipped from Buchanan to Richmond, which led the Civil War to the doorsteps of Buchanan residences. One of the principal objectives of Union General David Hunter’s raid in June 1864, from Staunton through Lexington and then to the streets of Buchanan, was to severely damage or destroy the Canal and as much of the pig iron production in the county as possible. The Union troops were successful in severely damaging both the Cloverdale #2 and Grace Furnaces. Although both furnaces would be rebuilt, they were unable to resume production at the level which the Confederate government critically needed in the final year of the Civil War.
Therefore, our gauge dock, the only surviving gauge dock from the original construction of the Canal, offers a unique opportunity to provide a concrete connection with numerous aspects of Buchanan and Botetourt’s history. I am confident that plans being developed by citizens of Buchanan, and others interested in the remarkable history of the town, can be a significant catalyst for the continued growth and economic progress of the community.
These plans offer a real possibility for cooperation with other history-minded organizations. The Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke currently has no exhibits regarding our Commonwealth’s significant canal history. In conversations with that museum’s former director, interest has been expressed in supporting the town’s efforts in restoring the gauge dock. Likewise, discussions with officials with the newly expanded American Civil War Museum (ACWM), located in what housed the Tredegar foundry buildings in Richmond, has indicated the potential for cooperation with Buchanan. You may recall that ACWM’s museum located at Appomattox displays the “Botetourt Dragoons” flag that was restored a few years ago.
Being proud of its past, but looking confidently to the future, Buchanan has great opportunities for a prosperous future. Good things are happening in the town. The stylish restoration of the historic “Anchorage House” into a stunning B&B is just one example. I can personally vouch for the current popularity of Twin Rivers Outfitters with my children and grandchildren.
My family has been involved in the business, educational and political functions in the Town of Buchanan for almost two centuries. I intend to financially support the plans for the restoration of the gauge dock. If the citizens of Buchanan are willing to think boldly and confidently about its future, then a great future awaits this beautiful, historic part of our Commonwealth.
Joe Obenshain
Fincastle
