The B&O Heritage: Velma Station
Coordinates
Velma: N39° 30.843 W89° 13.878 – Leave a comment and let us know if you found it!
A Father’s Legacy on the Rails
Established in the late 1890s, Velma was a unique settlement that grew from the personal vision of local landowner Hiram Shumway. Located in the southwest quarter of Section 5, Locust Township, this village was born from the intersection of family pride and the industrial might of the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad.
Mr. Shumway built the town’s first store and established the post office there, naming the community “Velma” in honor of his daughter. While the store changed hands several times over the years, the name remained a permanent fixture on the Christian County map.
The Rise and Fall of a Railroad Village
In its prime, Velma was a compact but bustling industrial hub. The village featured:
- A dedicated B&O Railroad Station.
- A large Grain Elevator that served as the economic heartbeat for local farmers.
- A Machine Shop and a general store.
For over 70 years, Velma served as a vital loading point between Taylorville and Owaneco. However, the march of progress eventually caught up with the village. When the new highway was constructed to follow the railroad into Taylorville in 1965-66, the state purchased most of the property for a right-of-way. The buildings that once made up Hiram Shumway’s village were razed, leaving only the concrete foundation of the elevator as a silent witness to the town’s history.
The Modern Trail & The Cache
Today, the steam whistles and machine shop hammers have been replaced by the quiet footsteps of travelers on the Lincoln Prairie Trail. As you search for this cache, you are standing on the very land Hiram Shumway once walked, exploring the “ghosts” of a town that was sacrificed for the modern roads we use today.