Crewe

History

Crewe was founded in 1888 as a central location to house steam locomotive repair shops for the Norfolk & Western Railroad (now called Norfolk Southern) which has a rail yard there for east–west trains carrying Appalachian coal to Hampton Roads for export abroad, and the street pattern was laid out at that time. It was named after the railway town of Crewe in Cheshire, England. The railroad repair facility's importance diminished sharply in the 1950s, as the switch to diesel-electric locomotives required less labor and equipment. Crewe has a small railroad museum. Lottie Moon, a noted Baptist missionary to China, is buried in the town cemetery. A chicken festival is held annually on the third Wednesday in June, as well as the town Homecoming Celebration on the third weekend in May. The Battle of Sayler's Creek, the last major Civil War engagement before the Army of Northern Virginia's surrender at Appomattox Court House, took place nearby. The Southside Electric Cooperative, Piedmont Geriatric Hospital, and Nottoway Correctional Center are located in Burkeville. Millbrook and Mountain Hall are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Screenwriter and short story writer Robert Buckner was born in the town.

Geography

Crewe is located at (37.179316, −78.127549). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2), all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,820
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  2,679
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,514
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,448
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,243
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,021
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,939
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,795

Most recent

• M 2.96 — 2025-05-06
  8 km S of Dillwyn, Virginia
• M 2.77 — 2025-01-14
  1 km NNE of Wyndham, Virginia
• M 2.66 — 2020-02-03
  10 km S of Louisa, Virginia
• M 2.51 — 2019-09-23
  3 km WNW of Wyndham, Virginia
• M 2.6 — 2017-03-13
  6 km ENE of Goochland, Virginia
• M 2.67 — 2015-11-04
  3 km NE of Dillwyn, Virginia