In 1865, General Lee retreated toward Appomattox with the strategy of capturing Union supply trains, but Sheridan's cavalry forced back the advance of the Confederate guard and foiled Lee's plan. Appomattox continued to develop as a trade and business center built around the railroad, but the 1960s and '70s saw its decline due to competition from shopping centers located next to arterial highways. In October 1973, the Historic Appomattox Railroad Festival was first held to attempt to reverse that decline and foster renewal and restoration of Appomattox's downtown. Centered on the railroad theme, today the festival attracts a crowd of over 25,000.
Documentation includes photographs and a report tracing the history of the festival.