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