Trains.com

Lynchburg's other claim to fame!

2273 views
14 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,013 posts
Lynchburg's other claim to fame!
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 4:42 AM

At our Purim Party, I had the pleasure of sipping a small quantity of Jack Daniels "Tennesse Honey."  I never tasted any drink so wonderfully delicious in my entire life.  And the bottle clearly stated that Jack Daniels, mostly known for top-quality regular wiskey, is located in Lychburg, VA.  And, yes, all fheir products are Kosher.   True of most USA alchoholic beverages.  But the label had a small "bottled in EU" label attached to the regular label.  Do they send concentrate to Europe where water is added?

When asked how this fine city can possibly retain its name long after Emancipation, I replied that the "Lynch" refers to joining railroad lines and not a form of murder.

Can someone tell me (hopefully confirm) if I was correct?

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,325 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 6:31 AM

daveklepper
When asked how this fine city can possibly retain its name long after Emancipation, I replied that the "Lynch" refers to joining railroad lines and not a form of murder.

Lynchburg is indeed named after someone prominent in transportation, but well before the age of railroads.  John Lynch started a ferry across the James in 1757, and later built a bridge in 1812.  The community was (and is) named for him.

The idea of 'vigilante' justice when established forms of law did not act as some 'local temperament' desired, is roughly contemporary ... and apparently does have roots in Virginia ... but the context at the time (and in controversy after) was highly different from what has become familiar as 'lynching' as murder.

Charles Lynch (in 1780) addressed the issue of a Loyalist uprising by using a variety of extralegal 'vigilante' tactics.  The more famous William Lynch came along somewhat later, perhaps helped in public recognition by an 1836 popularization (in a prominent Southern literary magazine) by Edgar Allan Poe.  But there, too, the emphasis was on extralegal justice, somewhat reminiscent of the nominal 'reasons' for the original Ku Klux Klan, rather than organized threat of torture and death of African-Americans in particular which appears to have developed (or perhaps been recognized) only after the abolition of Reconstruction (more specifically between 1880 and 1882), by the name attributed to either Lynch.  

Where 'lynching' acquired its particular horror was in no small wise as a kind of 'counterpart' to the accelerating 'legal' forms of discrimination and repression that began around that time (as so well characterized by Tourgee) and accelerated dramatically in the years after the Plessey v. Ferguson decision.  By 1900 it was established sufficiently as 'custom' that we could have this Ida Wells discussion, which might be of interest here.

https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/18-industrial-america/ida-b-wells-barnett-lynch-law-in-america-1900/

That 'justice in the absence of operating law' could devolve into societally-sanctioned murder is one of our great national shames.  Fortunately Lynchburg has no such 'taint' in its name, whether or not it might have to share some of the taint as part of its other history...  

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,013 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 6:38 AM

Thanks.  Now will have to do some additional explaining, and accuracy is important.  Anyone else on the Forum also experience "Tennessee Honey?"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,325 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 6:47 AM

daveklepper
Anyone else on the Forum also experience "Tennessee Honey?"

Yes, but I'm far more partial to Johnny Walker Black, as a straight whisk(e)y, or Old Grand-Dad 114 as a bourbon if I want that slightly 'sweeter' experience. 

It is true that Tennessee Honey does a great job of blending liqueur flavor ... but wouldn't it be a fine if sacrilegious thing to start with Black instead of Jack? Wink 

You may be amused to know that only the Tennessee Honey 'made' in Belgium is officially 'kosher' -- the American-made version is specifically not.  I had thought that the 'bottling in EU was strategically related somehow to the European tariff retaliation on American whisk(e)y ... but I don't know and am having trouble finding out.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,568 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 9:41 AM

At the present I'm partial to a local brand called "Virginia Gentleman," located in Fredericksburg VA.  Good stuff, although I usually only drink hard liquor during the cold weather months.  

Typically though I'm not that much of a drinker.  Wine with Italian, beer with burgers, or otherwise if I'm in the mood. 

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,476 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 10:08 AM

daveklepper

At our Purim Party, I had the pleasure of sipping a small quantity of Jack Daniels "Tennesse Honey."  I never tasted any drink so wonderfully delicious in my entire life.  And the bottle clearly stated that Jack Daniels, mostly known for top-quality regular wiskey, is located in Lychburg, VA. 

The last time I sipped, Mr. Jack's distillery was located in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 10:22 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

 

 
daveklepper

At our Purim Party, I had the pleasure of sipping a small quantity of Jack Daniels "Tennesse Honey."  I never tasted any drink so wonderfully delicious in my entire life.  And the bottle clearly stated that Jack Daniels, mostly known for top-quality regular wiskey, is located in Lychburg, VA. 

 

 

The last time I sipped, Mr. Jack's distillery was located in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

 

Yes, the distillery is located in Tennessee--in a dry county, so you do not get samples if you tour the facility.

The Tennessee city is not quite as famous as the Virginia city, so the mistake in location is understandable.

Johnny

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,013 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 10:37 AM

I'll correct the error for those receiving the explanaition.  But was the Tennessee town named after the same person?

And I must confess that all my participation in this thread is with me as much "under the influende" as I probably get.  Also, not much of a drinker, but one almost has an obligation at Purim.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,325 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 4:00 PM

daveklepper
... was the Tennessee town named after the same person?

I believe the credible consensus is that the Tennessee Lynchburg was named after the Virginia town.

So it's a matter of semantics whether you count it as named 'after' the Virginia Lynch, or even in 'remembrance' of him consciously.

  • Member since
    April 2001
  • From: Roanoke, VA
  • 2,015 posts
Posted by BigJim on Thursday, March 12, 2020 9:02 AM

Probably back in the day, the Union Station in Lynchburg, Va. would be a good place to sit back and sip your "Jack-in-the-Black" while train watching as three RRs passed through there, the N&W, C&O and Sou.

.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,550 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Thursday, March 12, 2020 9:28 AM

I don't know if it's different laws or what, but in London the underground has huge posters advertising Jack Daniels everywhere, pasted on the curved walls of the stations. There's nothing like that here. 

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Georgia USA SW of Atlanta
  • 11,824 posts
Posted by blue streak 1 on Thursday, March 12, 2020 8:28 PM

BigJim

Probably back in the day, the Union Station in Lynchburg, Va. would be a good place to sit back and sip your "Jack-in-the-Black" while train watching as three RRs passed through there, the N&W, C&O and Sou.

 

 
I never understood Lynchburgh.  Knew the SOU - N&W route to Bristol used SOU's Kemper Street station.  However the regular N&Ws Roanoke -  Norfolk went to Union Station.  How it was routed then and is now ?
  • Member since
    April 2001
  • From: Roanoke, VA
  • 2,015 posts
Posted by BigJim on Friday, March 13, 2020 10:04 AM

blue streak 1
I never understood Lynchburgh.  Knew the SOU - N&W route to Bristol used SOU's Kemper Street station.  However the regular N&Ws Roanoke -  Norfolk went to Union Station.  How it was routed then and is now ?


Check out Kipp Teague's web site: http://retroweb.com/wp/lynchburg-rails/

Back when we were running from Lynchburg to Glasgow using CSX trackage rights, we also had to use the old Southern main line from Montview Yard down to the CSX at "Sou Xing".

.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Friday, March 13, 2020 10:34 AM

To compound the confusion at Lynchburg, for a time the trains between Washington and Bristol used the Union station. And, the N&W engine crews ran to/from Monroe, where the engines were changed (Monroe was a division point of the Southern). I am not sure that the train crews changed in Monroe, also. I regret that I did not make certain on this point the time I rode from Washington to Bristol.

Johnny

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,013 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, March 15, 2020 6:40 AM

Now that I know I am completely sober, and with my activities limited by our Prime Minister declaring a real war on Cononavirus, I wonder if in my life I will ever taste Tennessee Honey or anything a delicious as thet beverage again?   No, I am not sick.   All of us have our acdivities limited.  But I am not complaining.  My Dad was a Physician and Surgeon, and our P. M. is just doing what our medical profession is telling him to do.  Well, the restrictions should be gove by next year's Purim, and I'll have an excuse to buy a bottle myself.  Or maybe bring to a wedding or Bar Mitzvah after the restrictions are removed.

If my dream of organizing a vintage steam dinner train between Jerusalem and T. A., via the old slow and scenic route is ever realized, i hope to see it on the menue.

There is talk of finding and buying a type used in during the Mandate and early days of independence from a dealer in Turkey.  Probably a 2-8-0.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy