Southern Railway in Gibsonville can trace its roots to the 1830s. This bright red caboose in the heart of downtown, is open to the public and young children delight in walking through it. In 2016, a plaque was placed in front of the caboose, informing readers that the town is named after plantation owner, Joseph Gibson, who had the area graded, making it possible for trains to travel from Charlotte to Morehead City. Once the railroad came through, Gibsonville industrialized, with textile mills being a key industry. 

It is hard to remember how much North Carolina used to depend on rail transport, how much North Carolina depended on cotton mills, on how much things have changed with cars, cell phones, computers, iWatches, Uber, virtual office headquarters, and all. Fortunately, in Guilford County, we have cozy little communities like Gibsonville, with artifacts like this little red caboose to keep history alive. If you want to see more, head to Gibsonville’s “Lighting of the Greens” next Friday from 6-8pm. For now, celebrate Friday, the start of a weekend, and the beauty of our part of the country- then, and now!