Only two photographers in the United States have their own museums. One belongs to noted landscape photographer Ansel Adams. The other is O. Winston Link. A commercial photographer, Link was fascinated with steam locomotives and made a pilgrimage to record the last of these on the Norfolk & Western in the late 1950s. These photographs are now on display at the O Winston Link Museum.
Choices
The museum is housed in the former Norfolk & Western passenger station in downtown Roanoke. The station was the departure point for many of the trains Link photographed, making it an excellent departure point for a world of Link’s photography. More than 300 of Link’s photographs are on display. The museum includes interactive exhibits, Link’s photography equipment, and his railroad sound recordings. Be sure to watch the documentary film on Link’s life. It’s an excellent look at the man and his work through his voice and those of many others.
When to go
The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays. Fall and spring in the Blue Ridge Mountains are magnificent and wonderful times to explore the area.
Good to know
Famous for his nighttime scenes that record the passing railroad as well as slices of rural life, Link took many photos of the region in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. For years, Link’s work languished, but in the 1980s, his career rebounded as the art world discovered his genius of capturing steam at night in (mostly) black and white.
Worth doing
The museum offers guided tours to groups of all ages in which docents discuss the historic passenger station, the history of the N&W, and Link’s photography. Call ahead to book a tour.
Don’t miss
The former station is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of several renovated railroad buildings in the area. Another is the Virginia Museum of Transportation, which is a short walk away. The two museums offer combined admission.
Getting there
Roanoke is about 190 miles west of Richmond and near West Virginia and North Carolina. To reach the museum from I-81, take I-581 south and exit at Williamson Road, and turn right on Shenandoah Avenue.
Location: 101 Shenandoah Avenue NE, Roanoke, VA
Phone: 540-982-5465
Website: roanokehistory.org
E-mail: info@vahistorymuseum.org
