Construction began in 1907 and the line was later abandoned in 1931. The purpose of the line was to connect the Richmond & Danville in Elkin, NC, with the Norfolk and Western line at Jefferson, NC, 60 miles away. Only 18 miles of track were ever laid. Although the E & A was very profitible the first 10 years, the building of US Hwy 21 from Elkin to Sparta made the line obsolete. The line was never completed to Jefferson.
The old line can be made out in the woods N of Elkin. A local student named Dan Bray did his term paper on the line in 1979. It is avaliable at the Elkin Public Library. Catalog number: NC 385.
Towns on the line N of Elkin are Adsit, Klondike, "State Road", Parks, Thurmond, Doughton and into Veneer.
