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| NEW FOR 2012 |
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The whistle on old
Frisco 1529 will
sound the opening
and closing of
the festival! |
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New BNSF
locomotive will
be on display! |
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"Train Ride is
good medicine
for special boy"
A Monroe Journal
story by
Colleen Conger
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Amory is the perfect site for a railroad festival,
because Amory's very
existence
is due to the railroad. The town was established by the
K.C.M.&B. Railroad (Kansas City, Memphis
 & Birmingham) at the
halfway point between Memphis and Birmingham and named for
railroad magnate, Harcourt Amory. The K.C.M.&B. eventually
became the Frisco,
which in turn was purchased by the Burlington Northern in the
1970's. The BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
Railway in 1995, resulting in the current BNSF Railway.
The town of Amory was plotted and the first lots were sold at auction in
November 1887. Incorporation followed in 1888. People
rushed in
to buy
 property and the new railroad town was on its way!
Then, along came the Mississippian Railway, which still operates daily.
It is a
25-mile short line railroad operating between
Fulton and
Amory, where it connects with the BNSF. The 
Mississippian, which
is operated by Homan Industries, was presented the Golden Box
Car Award for its achivement as being one of the best managed short line railroads
in the nation. Steeped in history, the Mississippian was built
during the early 1920's and continues today as a viable, cost-effective means of transportation for
Homan as well as
other industries.
The Amory Railroad Festival was begun in 1979 and has been held every
year
since. It has been a huge success! The event
attracts upwards of 60,000 visitors each year and has been cited by the
Southeast
Tourism Society as one of the Region's Top 29
events.
The festival takes place in aptly named Frisco Park, located
directly in front of City Hall, which was once the Frisco
building. By the way, an
Amory city ordinance prohibits the presence of pets in
Frisco Park. The Amory Railroad Festival Committee plans to
stage the very best festival ever, featuring outstanding
entertainment, delectable food and quality arts and crafts.
It's a real railroad
festival, including real hobos at a campfire! This year, BNSF
Railway will display a brand spanking new locomotive! Bring the whole family and plan to spend at least
one full
day in Amory.
Ya'll come! Ya heah?
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| Click on above thumbnails to view them full
size. |
Railroad Festival T-shirts
are for sale at local banks, Amory Housing
Authority,
Amory Regional Musem and Tire City.
Shirts are $15; $20
for 2x& 3x
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*Copyright
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Zazzle.com • Used with permission
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