Your ghost town road trip to Westham, Virginia starts at the crumbling 1911 train station sitting abandoned at the intersection of Hermitage and Robin Hood Roads in Richmond. It served passengers for over fifty years before closing in the early 1960s and it’s now a textbook case of demolition by neglect. From here, you can extend your journey to nearby ghost towns like Colchester and Hanover Town — and there’s much more to uncover along the way.
Key Takeaways
- Westham’s ghost town centers on a deteriorating 1911 train station at the intersection of Hermitage and Robin Hood Roads in Richmond, Virginia.
- The former station closed in the early 1960s, later becoming Traveland, a tourist welcome center, before being abandoned and left to decay.
- Preservationists are actively campaigning to restore the Richmond-owned station, which is considered a textbook example of demolition by neglect.
- Extend your road trip by visiting nearby ghost towns like Colchester, Hanover Town, Falling Creek, Bigler’s Mill, and Ca Ira.
- Travel light, move at your own pace, and bring a camera to fully appreciate Virginia’s accessible and historically rich ghost town sites.
Why Westham Ended Up on Virginia’s Ghost Town List
When you think of ghost towns, you probably picture crumbling Western saloons and tumbleweeds, not an abandoned train station sitting at one of Richmond’s busiest intersections. Yet Westham earned its ghost town designation honestly.
Ghost towns aren’t always dusty and distant — sometimes they’re hiding in plain sight at your busiest intersection.
Built in 1911, the West Ham train station served Virginia’s transportation network for over fifty years before closing in the early 1960s. It got a second life as Traveland, Richmond’s official tourist welcome center, but that chapter ended too.
Today, the boarded-up structure sits deteriorating at Hermitage and Robin Hood Roads, next to The Diamond.
Wikipedia lists Westham among Virginia’s officially recognized ghost towns, alongside Jamestown and Colchester. Its historical significance lies in what it represents — a forgotten piece of Richmond’s railroad heritage hiding in plain sight.
The History Behind Westham’s Abandoned Train Station
Built in 1911, the West Ham train station stood as a proud gateway into Richmond, connecting the city to Virginia’s broader railroad network at a time when rail travel defined how Americans moved across the country.
For over fifty years, it hummed with passengers, luggage, and the energy of a city in motion. When it closed in the early 1960s, the story didn’t end there. The building got a second life as Traveland, Richmond’s official tourist welcome center, giving it a new kind of historical significance beyond its railroad roots.
Eventually, though, even that purpose faded. Today, you’ll find the train station sitting abandoned and boarded up near The Diamond, a quiet monument to Virginia’s transportation past that’s slowly losing its fight against time and neglect.
Where to Find Westham’s Ghost Town Station in Richmond
Finding the station is surprisingly straightforward, even if its current state makes it easy to overlook. Head to Richmond’s Hermitage and Robin Hood Roads intersection, right next to The Diamond stadium. You’ll spot the boarded-up building almost immediately — it’s hiding in plain sight at one of the city’s busiest crossroads.
Don’t let its crumbling exterior fool you. This forgotten structure carries ghost stories and local legends rooted in over fifty years of railroad history. You’re standing where passengers once arrived and departed, where a city welcomed visitors before everything went quiet.
Park nearby and walk the perimeter. Study the deteriorating facade and imagine the station’s former life. It’s a raw, unfiltered slice of Virginia’s past that no museum could replicate.
The Crumbling Station You’ll Find at Westham Today
When you pull up to the intersection of Hermitage and Robin Hood Roads, you’ll immediately spot the old Westham station standing in a sorry state of decay — boarded up, crumbling, and impossible to ignore.
The building sits in plain sight at one of Richmond’s busiest intersections, yet its deterioration has gone largely unchecked, a textbook case of demolition by neglect.
If you look closely, you can see how years of abandonment have steadily eaten away at a structure that once welcomed travelers and tourists alike.
Station’s Visible Deterioration
Decades of neglect have taken a visible toll on the Westham station, and what you’ll find today is a hollow shell of what was once a thriving railroad hub.
The deteriorating facade tells the story of years of abandonment, with boarded-up windows and crumbling walls that stand in stark contrast to the building’s historical significance.
You’ll notice the structure sits brazenly at one of Richmond’s busiest intersections, right next to The Diamond, making its decay impossible to ignore.
Preservationists call it demolition by neglect — a slow, calculated erosion that threatens to erase a genuine piece of Virginia’s transportation heritage.
Standing before it, you can almost feel the weight of the trains that once rolled through, now replaced by silence and decay.
Demolition By Neglect
There’s a term preservationists use when a building is left to rot on purpose — “demolition by neglect” — and the Westham station is a textbook example.
You’re looking at urban decay playing out in real time, right at one of Richmond’s busiest intersections. Nobody’s actively swinging a wrecking ball, but the city’s inaction speaks loudly. Boards cover the windows. The structure crumbles steadily. Rain, time, and indifference do the demolition work for free.
What makes this particularly frustrating for advocates is the station’s historical significance. This wasn’t just a random building — it welcomed travelers, connected communities, and anchored Virginia’s transportation history for over fifty years.
You can feel the weight of that loss standing there, watching something irreplaceable disappear through deliberate inaction.
The Fight to Save Westham From Demolition by Neglect
If you’re moved by what you see at Westham, you’re not alone—preservationists are actively fighting to rescue the station from what experts call demolition by neglect.
The city of Richmond owns the property, and that ownership has sparked heated debate about who bears responsibility for its fate.
You can follow the campaign through WTVR CBS 6’s video coverage, which documents locals pushing back against the slow, deliberate erasure of this piece of Virginia’s transportation history.
Preservationists Rally Against Neglect
While Westham’s crumbling station sits in plain sight at one of Richmond’s busiest intersections, a determined group of preservationists is fighting to pull it back from the brink.
They’re rallying around the station’s historical significance, arguing that letting it rot erases a crucial piece of Virginia’s transportation heritage.
WTVR CBS 6 has documented their campaign, amplifying community engagement and putting pressure on the city, which currently owns the structure.
Preservationists call the situation a classic case of demolition by neglect — a slow, deliberate erasure disguised as inaction.
Train enthusiasts and history advocates alike are pushing for restoration before the building passes the point of no return.
If you believe in protecting places that shaped a region’s identity, this fight deserves your attention.
City Ownership Sparks Debate
The city of Richmond owns the Westham station, and that fact alone has turned a crumbling building into a political flashpoint. When government holds the deed, accountability follows — and residents aren’t letting officials off the hook.
You’ll find passionate voices demanding transparency, asking why a city invested in revitalization lets a historic landmark rot at one of its busiest intersections. Community involvement has become the engine driving this debate forward.
Neighbors, preservationists, and history enthusiasts are pressuring Richmond to act rather than stall. Some push for restoration, others fear the city’s silence signals a quiet path toward demolition.
If you value history worth fighting for, Westham forces you to confront a hard question: who really controls the past when the government holds the keys?
Abandoned Rail Sites and Ghost Towns Near Westham Worth Exploring
Once you’ve soaked in Westham’s crumbling legacy, Virginia’s broader landscape of abandoned railways and ghost towns makes for a compelling extended road trip.
Virginia’s ghostly landscapes stretch far beyond Richmond, offering you raw, unfiltered history at every turn. Head to Colchester, an 18th-century trading hub swallowed by time along the Potomac.
Explore Hanover Town, once a thriving river port now reclaimed by nature. Jamestown’s haunting remnants remind you how quickly civilization surrenders to neglect.
Bigler’s Mill in York County and Ca Ira in Cumberland County both reward curious travelers willing to venture off the beaten path.
Each site adds another layer to Virginia’s forgotten transportation and settlement story, turning your Westham visit into a full-scale adventure through the Commonwealth’s most intriguing disappearing places.
How to Visit Westham and Plan the Wider Ghost Town Circuit
Planning your route to Westham sets the whole ghost town circuit in motion. Head to Richmond’s Hermitage and Robin Hood Roads intersection, where the crumbling 1911 station sits beside The Diamond.
You can’t miss it — it’s abandonment in plain sight, a powerful snapshot of railroad history quietly dissolving at a busy corner.
From Westham, extend your ghost town tourism adventure across Virginia by swinging through Colchester, Falling Creek, and Hanover Town. Each site adds texture to the story of Virginia’s forgotten communities.
Ca Ira in Cumberland County and Bigler’s Mill in York County reward those willing to venture further.
Travel light, stay curious, and move at your own pace. Virginia’s ghost towns aren’t fenced off — they’re yours to discover, photograph, and remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Westham Safe to Visit With Young Children or Elderly Travelers?
Westham’s crumbling, abandoned structure isn’t ideal for young children or elderly travelers. You’ll want to take safety precautions, observing from a distance. It lacks family friendly activities, but it’s still a fascinating, historically rich stop worth exploring carefully.
Are There Guided Ghost Town Tours Available in the Richmond Area?
Like Roman explorers mapping new worlds, you’ll find no official guided tours covering ghost town history in Richmond yet, but local preservation groups actively organize informal tours — so search Facebook for upcoming Westham guided tours!
What Is the Best Time of Year to Visit Westham?
Visit Westham in fall when you’ll experience stunning fall foliage framing the crumbling station’s haunting beauty. You’ll also catch local festivals nearby, making autumn your perfect season for exploring this forgotten Richmond treasure.
Is Street Parking Available Near the Westham Station Intersection?
You’ll likely find street parking near the Westham Station intersection, but check local parking regulations before you leave your car. The area sits at a busy Richmond crossroads, so scout spots carefully and explore freely!
Can Visitors Legally Enter or Photograph the Abandoned Westham Building?
Snap that Kodak moment from the sidewalk! You can freely photograph Westham’s exterior, but don’t enter the boarded-up building. Urban exploration inside isn’t legally permitted, though its historical significance makes exterior visits absolutely worthwhile.
References
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXYZn7ePzQc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIBTz8Vl-OQ
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_Virginia
- https://www.caseybarber.com/thurmond-wv/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO1ghWDx_VY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahyvHOA12OM
