The Blackville, Alston and Newberry Railroad was a railroad that served South Carolina in the latter part of the 19th century. The original intent of the Blackville, Alston and Newberry was for development of kaolin clay mines in Aiken County. With the Blackville, Alston and Newberry, the white clay, used in the production of porcelain and papermaking, could be transferred at Blackville to the

South Carolina and Georgia Railroad The South Carolina Rail Road Company was a railroad company that operated in South Carolina from 1843 to 1894, when it was succeeded by the Southern Railway. It was formed in 1844 by the merger of the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company (SC ...

, and onto outside markets. Construction started in Blackville about 1886 and a line was completed to Sievern in 1888. While the kaolin mining venture did not pan out immediately, the new railroad lifted the area's turpentine and pine lumber industries. Cotton, asparagus and watermelon growers also did extremely well, with the Blackville, Alston and Newberry helping the region enjoy economic prosperity. In 1891, the

Carolina Midland Railway The Carolina Midland Railway was a railroad that served western South Carolina in the late 19th century. The Carolina Midland was formed in 1891 with the consolidation of the Barnwell Railway and the Blackville, Alston and Newberry's Perry-to-Bla ...

acquired the Blackville, Alston and Newberry's Perry-to-Blackville line, consolidating it with the recently acquired

Barnwell Railway The Barnwell Railway was a shortline railroad that served western South Carolina in the late 19th century. It was built in 1882 and ran from Barnwell, South Carolina, to Blackville, South Carolina, a distance of 9 miles, in Aiken County. It was ow ...

. In 1895, the Blackville, Alston and Newberry declared bankruptcy.South Carolina Railroads, Blackville, Alston & Newberry Railroad

References

Defunct South Carolina railroads Railway companies established in 1886 Railway companies disestablished in 1891 {{SouthCarolina-transport-stub