The Dick and Willie Trail runs 4.5 miles along part of the former Danville and Western Railroad track, a line once part of the Norfolk Southern Railroad and affectionately nicknamed the Dick and Willie. Local residents who wanted a modern connection between Danville and Stuart raised construction funds through the sale of subscriptions, and the line to Stuart was completed in 1884. Before railroads came to the Dan River Valley, goods moved mainly along the rivers in double-ended flat boats called batteaux, but by the late 19th century that era had ended as railroads opened an age of mass transportation. Today, this portion of the Dick and Willie still links communities as a multi-use trail used by walkers, joggers, and cyclists.