BACKGROUND:
The L&N Railroad served as a working line running through
the Vollintine-Evergreen community from before the Civil War to
1980. The route previously extended from downtown Memphis to
Raleigh, and beyond to Nashville and Louisville. In its later
years, the L&N route exclusively served the huge Sears
Distribution Center at Crosstown.
CSX abandoned the L&N Railroad right-of-way in 1980,
including 1.7 miles passing through Vollintine-Evergreen. The City
of Memphis chose not to purchase the land, so the area laid vacant
and unmaintained for years. Dumping, litter, and high weeds became
commonplace, and the area turned into an attractive haven for
crime. Neighborhood residents were afraid to walk the area because
of its "no-man’s land" appearance.
The community received grant funds from the Pew Charitable
Trusts in 1995 to undertake widespread community revitalization.
The Vollintine-Evergreen Community Development Corporation used
some of these funds to purchase the abandoned right-of-way in
November 1996 and subsequently renamed it the V&E Greenline. By 1998,
no additional Pew grant funds were available, and since then
Greenline maintenance has been funded solely with tax-deductible
contributions from neighbors and trail users. Residents began
maintaining the area on a small scale, and later extended the
operation so that volunteers now maintain the entire 1.7 miles of
the V&E Greenline. Today the trail features a community garden,
an arbor, and two pedestrian bridges, and is frequented by exercise
buffs, cyclists, pet walkers, and nature lovers. The Greenline has
been named as a Trail of
the Month by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
THE CACHE:
The final "West End" section of the Greenline lies between
Stonewall and Watkins Street, where the old L&N Railroad
serviced the historic 14-story Sears
Crosstown Building; the now-abandoned building lies just west
of the cache site.
You'll be looking for a camouflaged pill fob hanging in an
obvious spot. Bring your own pen to sign the log. Have fun!
 Kid Friendly  Bicycles
permitted on paths  Rails to Trails
 Beware of Muggles!
 Bring a pen or pencil
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