<p>This week in 1903… The wreck of the Old 97 inspired a popular ballad. For nearly a century, country crooners from Woody Guthrie to Johnny Cash have sang about the wreck of the Old 97. But what was the Old 97? And what happened to it?</p>

This week in 1903… The wreck of the Old 97 inspired a popular ballad. For nearly a century, country crooners from Woody Guthrie to Johnny Cash have sang about the wreck of the Old 97. But what was the Old 97? And what happened to it?

Week of September 29: The Wreck of Old 97

Sure, Virginia history includes big moments, big battles, and big names. But the richer history is full of smaller events occurring in the fullness of time. The disenfranchised, the nonconformists, and just regular people making Virginia history. Week in, week out. This Week in Virginia History explores those stories, curated by Nathan Moore and culled from the vast archives at Encyclopedia Virginia.

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Week of September 29: The Wreck of Old 97

Week of September 29: The Wreck of Old 97