Minutes of the Crewe Town Council

This historic collection showcases the inner workings of local government in a small Southern Virginia town. The Town of Crewe was founded in 1888 and named for the large railroad town of Crewe, England. Crewe was originally pre-planned and built by Norfolk and Western to support operations as a divisional halfway point between Norfolk and Roanoke, Virginia. The Town's importance as a railroad repair facility diminished sharply in the 1950's as the switch to diesel-electric locomotives required less labor and equipment. But Crewe's history is not limited to the railroad. William Hodges Mann, the 46th Governor of Virginia was president of the Bank of Crewe. Baptist missionary Lottie Moon found her final resting place in the Crewe cemetery. From reconstruction to World War II to today, Crewe has had its share of events and eccentricities. Throughout it all, Crewe has maintained continuous government operations with a population under 3,000.

Historians, political scientists, public administration scholars, and researchers interested in both the logistics and the behaviors of rural local government will find a wealth of information in this collection. Readers can get first-hand accounts of how iconic moments in Virginia history, like reconstruction, desegregation, and two world wars changed local culture; how discussion unfolded over Mayor's courts and state-vs-local authority, the roll of governance in economic development, and the role of 21st century technology in government; or how, despite nearly a century-and-a-half of debate, some issues like loose dogs and backyard chickens still draw the most citizen engagement. This collection provides context to understanding how one municipal government operated and survived some of the nation's most turbulent historical and cultural times.