Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe, one of the small towns along the New River, grew out of mining and quarrying industries shaped by the surrounding mountains and river and by America’s drive for progress. Area mines produced limestone, low-grade iron ores, and carbide that were shipped nationwide. At one time, Ivanhoe had an opera house, several hotels, and an iron furnace company, drawing speculators and entrepreneurs seeking opportunity and fortune. Carbide from local limestone deposits was used for many years in mining lamps, headlights, and household uses because mixing it with water produced acetylene gas for small light sources, but advances in technology and electricity eventually ended its use as a lighting fuel. The rail station along the Norfolk and Southern’s North Carolina Branch near Austinville handled the drop-off and pickup of materials, dry goods, and agricultural supplies. Although the mining industries have disappeared, descendants of Ivanhoe’s early settlers still live in the area.

Ivanhoe, Virginia · United States