In my last post, I mentioned one of the highlights of 2025 — a “Wizard of Oz” moment —was visiting the NC Transportation Museum, located right across from my grandfather Shepherd’s old watchmaking school. He passed 25 years ago to the day, yet there I was, feeling the connection between the generations.
Those closest to me know I have a fascination and deep passion for Belmont, NC, history, and especially when it connects to my family.
History of the North Carolina Transportation Museum
The North Carolina Transportation Museum, located in Spencer, North Carolina, preserves and celebrates the state’s rich transportation heritage, with a special emphasis on rail history. Today’s museum sits on what was once the Southern Railway’s largest steam locomotive repair facility in the Southeast—known as Spencer Shops, which opened in 1896 to support the growing railroad network between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Georgia.
Because of its strategic location, Spencer Shops became a major hub for the maintenance and repair of steam locomotives, employing nearly 3,000 workers at its peak and serving as a critical economic engine for the town of Spencer and surrounding communities.
With the rise of diesel locomotives in the mid-20th century, the facility declined, and the repair shops closed in 1960. By the late 1970s, most operations had ceased, leaving the historic site at risk. In 1977, Southern Railway donated four acres, including three historic buildings, to the state of North Carolina. Two years later, additional land and structures were added, laying the foundation for what would become the North Carolina Transportation Museum.
Today, the museum sits on a 60-acre site that offers hands-on exhibits, historic train rides, special events like The Polar Express™, and educational experiences that bring transportation history to life for visitors of all ages.
In the Bob Julian Roadhouse at the museum, they have some stuff on display. The lady, “Sue,” at the counter said the light in the case was out. I thought it was humerous bc my grandparents (Shepherd’s) lived on Sue Dr. in Belmont.
God Winks are everywhere. 🙂
