Intro
This is the 75th story in the Smallville Series and tells of the 4th settlement along the East Coast Railroad Line that began in Plimoth of story 74. From there the railroad went west to Chattachoo of story 4 and later to Ironwood of story 72. The railroad continued west across the Green Woods and will now cross the main river flowing down from Newport of story 12. That river crosses the river that Riverview Resort of story 17 is on, which is one of the main rivers that had changed its course years ago making riverboat travel difficult. Recent disasters of tornadoes and giant frog invasions plus problems with pirates made it even more necessary for the river boatmen to have a place to meet and spend time with their families. The Wagon Train and Railway in the west greatly improved travel, hopefully the railroad in the east would do the same, offer a means of safer travel, and one day reach Riverview Resort. In order to speed things along, Smallville sent expedition #18 east to help. It was approximately year 70 SVT.
Map seed # 5881311232 Valley One River, Small, Fair, Disasters Off, Easy - 8 families, seeds, animals
Mods activated for this map and load order are:
Map Changing and Starting Mods: Banished UI Maps, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, CC Light Rain, override maps, Kid Tree Replacer X-Light, New Flora Edit, Override Fewer Trees, Family Start
Tweak Mods: Better Fields, Fishing Dock +25%, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative (Voeille), override Christmas Clothes, Rocks Respawn, Tiny Smoke
Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Fenceless Pasture, Nomads (Kid), override Uneducated, Storage Crates, Jinxie Bitty Chicken Coop, Jinxie Festival Park, Kid Abandoned Places SE, Kid Gothic Deco, Kid Hillside Village (new, testing), Kid Tiny, Kid Tiny Downtown, Kid Workplace Village
Supporting Mods: Chicken Coop, Choo Choo, Christmas 2021 (new update, soon-to-be-released), Colorful Little Houses, Greenhouse, Kid Bed & Breakfast, Kid Deco Farm Animals, Kid Deco People, Kid Deco Wreaths, Kid Farmyard, Kid Fruit & Nuts, Kid Houseboat, Kid Market Carts, Kid Nativity Chapel, Kid Stagecoach, Kid Washing Mod, Kid Work Shop, Red Creamery Cows, Sample White Chickens
Mod Note: Thank you
@kid1293 for added a chapel with a cross to Hillside Village for Christmas
So, weary traveler, like you, folks trying to reach Riverview Resort in the winter months were often stranded at the Crossroads for the holidays. We tried to make it pleasant and festive for them. Our town became know as Christmas Crossroads but it didn't start that way.
Due to forum image upload problem I am only posting World Map now. Hopefully others will be posted later and Avatar will be changed.
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This sounds interesting...
Always a joy.
Your work, both
@Abandoned &
@kid1293 , are Banished eye candy. A real delight to follow.
Thanks
@Kristahfer :) Always nice to hear from you. There will be a few less pictures shown until the picture posting problem is fixed, but they are nice big gallery pictures :) Hope problem will be fixed soon. Here is chapter 1
Chapter 1
Yes, my husband, Pillam and I were part of that 18th expedition from Smallville. My name is Shastity. The journey here was longer and rougher than we had thought it would be. We had supply carts, a flock of sheep, 2 milk cows, and some chickens. There were 23 of us, 16 adults and 7 young children. When we saw the mountains and the Green Woods across the river we knew we had reached our destination. Another main river was just north of us, we were at the crossroads. We would settle here and the railroad would come to us. The railroad workers were mostly young singles and our job was to provide food and housing for them while they continued laying tracks from here west.
First we must provide food and housing for ourselves. We were farmers so the first thing we did was to clear land for our fields just west of town. Wheat and potatoes were planted that first year. To the east, closer to the river, land was cleared for a sheep pasture. We hoped the mountain would protected them form the northwest winter wind. An animal shed was built in town for the cows and chickens and a large barn where we were all staying until houses were built. We needed a school first because three of the children were 6 years old already. And we needed a greenhouse like Smallville had to keep our seedlings until we were ready to plant them . It was summer before the first 2 houses were built on the hillside.
The hillside houses required quite a bit of stone so work stopped often while we gathered more. It was autumn and harvest time before work resumed on another hillside house. A farm family of 5 moved in as soon as it was finished. By then a 3rd field was ready to be planted with cabbage the following year. We hoped the rest of the families would have houses long before then.
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Chapter 2
The family who would tend the sheep were next to get their house, they wanted one on the hillside overlooking the pasture. Erne, the herdsman, was my husband's brother. Most of our group were farmers who originally came from south of Smallville, an area know for flooding especially in spring. Those folks preferred the hillside house. Some of us, like the teacher, wanted their houses built at ground level. A ground level house was built next to the school which had 2 students. By then it was snowing and the greenhouse had been built and a woodcutter's tiny chopping block was set up next to the stockpile. Another hillside house was built on the hill behind the barn and the family was very happy to be out of the barn and into a nice warm house.
It was early spring before another house was finished. We were always short of stone. It had been a cold snowing winter and gathering stone was no fun. Our house was finished in summer and by then Phill and I had our first child. We had a lovely view of the river. All too soon it was autumn and the first snow had fallen. Our sheep shed was finished quickly and Phill began sheering the younger sheep that were a bit skittish about being sheered out in the pasture with the other sheep. I would be working in our newly built woolen mill. The river currant would turn the wheel that spun the wool that would be made into warm winter woolies.
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Chapter 3
It took a bit more wool to make winter woolies than the tradition wool or warm coats but the woolies were well worth it. There were sweaters, scarves, hats, socks, and warm woolen mittens, and of course Long Johns for the men. We women called our's snuggies. We immediately posted a sign by the big barn in town to let folks know there were now woolies to be had.
The need for warmer clothes made us realize we would soon need more tools too. A smith was built next to the main stockpile in town. A tunnel was built through the mountain to the area by the river behind our house. There was a lot of stone and surface iron to be had, our stone supply was still critically low especially after building the Town Hall on the hillside. Fronia living next door would keep the town records. Crossroad's population was 33, 16 adults, 2 students, and 15 young children.
In spring of year 3 our population grew by 16, 12 adults and 4 children. Two large paddle boats came down the river, we did not expect help so soon. The small boat brought a descendant of the Baron who started the railroad in Plimoth years ago. He too was a baron and with him was his young bride and her 2 siblings. He brought workers to help prepare the town for the railroad worker's arrival. We were a bit concerned about what we may be in for when he built a large manor house not far from the river and tunnel. He build a house for his house staff and planted a small vineyard and spice garden. We later learned the vineyard was a family tradition that started back in the Old Country, clippings from those first grape vines had been passed down from generation to generation. Our concerns were further put to rest in autumn when the Baron's winter woolies were out on the line for everyone to see just like everybody else's.
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Chapter 4
That year and the next were busy ones. Two of the families the Baron brought with him would live in hillhouses on the far side of the hill by the crop fields. They would hunt and cut and plant trees, our seedlings were doing well. We found a hedgerow with an old apple and chestnut tree while clearing the path for a road back to that area. Another family would live in the ground level house across from the farmyard we planted behind the animal shed to grow corn to feed the cows and chickens. That family would tend those crops and some of the chickens. The Baron let it be known to the river boatmen that he would be interested in more livestock and he planned to build a trading post on our river.
The Baron had been traveling when he got word from family in Plimoth that it was time he come here to supervise the next phase of the railroad project. He was way up north in the mountains, a place called Morningside. He had the paddle boats built there and traveled down one of the smaller rivers to Newport and from there to here. He had quite a few plans for Crossroads that he learned in Morningside. One of them was the greenhouse he had his people build for the coffee plant seedlings he brought with him. The beans when brewed would make a delicious hot beverage that was especially good in the morning with breakfast and bakery.
There we were one step ahead, we had just started building a hillside mill when the Baron arrived. It was being built on the hillside just past the farm fields where the wind coming over the hills would catch the blades to turned the mill wheel that would grind the wheat. After the Baron arrived and his hunter got to work, my sister-in-law Edmonique said she could make warm coats from wool and hides in a tailor workshop while I made the winter woolies in the woolen mill. A tailor workshop was built by the pasture not far from her house.
The trading post was built not far from our house and Phill and I were pleased when the Baron had a stone wall built that would separate us from the port area. Everyone was impressed that he had our wall built before work began on his own. I was very pleased not to have people cutting through our yard and seeing our winter woolies hanging out on the line.
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Chapter 5
The Baron discussed the railroad plans with us. The tunnel would come through the mountain far south of town across the river and tracks would be laid straight across to the west mountain where another tunnel would be built. There would be no turn around here. The train would take passengers west and the return train would take much needed food and resources back east to Ironwood and Chattachoo. We needed to increase our food supply and build housing for the workers.
A gatherer's workplace was set up in the hunting and forester's valley. A herbalist healer was built not far from the mill. Some of the collected herbs would be used by the baker for herb bread. Later there would be jelly buns and spice cake. We needed workers.
The first river boatman came to port in spring of year 5. It was Billis the livestock merchant. He wanted to know just what livestock the Baron wanted. Billis would get what he could and would gladly take seedlings, tools, or clothing in trade. He asked about the woolies he saw on the lines, he would sure like some of those for the winter river run. He would let it be known we were in need of workers. Yosella, the resource merchant, said much the same when he came a short time later. By then the town had a beautiful chapel built with a walled cemetery to match.
By late summer a bridge was built across the river. Workers would have a long way to go to build the tunnel and tracks. A road led straight west from the bridge to where a rooming house was built for the workers. The main storage barn was straight north from there. We just had to wait for the workers to get here.
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Chapter 6
In spring of year 6, 13 workers with 3 young children came over the mountains from the east. They came from Ironwood as soon as they heard we were settled and had housing. The tracks were laid across the Green Woods and work on the tunnel through our mountain had begun. They would start laying tracks on this side. The 2 families with children said they would like hillhouses on the other side of the river, they would stay with us here, only the young singles would continue laying tracks to the west.
The workers got busy building a trestle bridge across the river and clearing land, collection resources, and digging roads on the other side of the river. The road going south on this side of the river was being extended and resources gathered too. The railroad would take a lot of logs and iron to build.
By autumn a fishing pier had been built across the river and we all helped gather branches and wild foods. The 2nd Hillside house was completed and the family settled. They and the rest of the workers really appreciated our winter woolies as the temperature dropped and the snow began to fall.
Two merchants came to port earlier in the year, Garald the general goods merchant and Llewel the food merchant. Both expressed an interest in our production of woolies and we were surprised to hear they would be willing to give us 20 units of trade goods in exchange.
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Chapter 7
We should have traded for food and firewood when we had the chance, we struggled with both. By spring both supplies were low and we spent a lot of time gathering, time that could have been spent helping to clear land for the railroad tracks. However, the workers did find more fruit and nut trees, some were transplanted and some seedlings went into the greenhouse. We moved a large plum tree and some hazel nut bushes over near the bakery. Two chestnut trees and some spice plants were discovered behind the worker's rooming house. We built a snack stand there on the corner. There would be baked potatoes until closer to Christmas when chestnuts would be roasted. Another chestnut tree and apple tree were found there too when wood was cut to built the new stone cutter's house. He would tend the cemetery and the new potato field that was just cleared.
In spring 13 more workers with 4 young children arrived. The rooming house and the Baron's large houseboat were full. The small houseboat was being used for storage. It was good to have more workers and by late spring track laying began in earnest. Tracks were being laid on both sides of the trestle bridge. Living conditions were crowded and again the food supply was low. Darrylee, the fisherman, said he could catch more fish if he spent less time going back and forth from the rooming house. When he was working on the tracks his wife was doing the fishing. The distance was hard on her and the children. He built a house and bait shop, hoping others might want to help with the fishing. He and his family would be staying in Crossroads when the track laying was done.
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Chapter 8
We were all sad when early the following year Darrylee's wife, Belene, died during childbirth. Darrylee was grief-stricken but was glad to be released from track laying duties to take over the fishing and be close to home to care for the 2 children. The neighbors helped out whenever they could. Another hillside house and small storage barn were built nearby.
Over by the rooming house a food store was built to save some travel time for the workers. Overcrowding was relieved somewhat when a colorful two level two family house was built next to it. The Baron who liked the hillside houses was impressed with this style of house too. He had never been to Smallville so had not seen this two level house before.
Even though the harvest was good, we collected a lot of wild foods and firewood on all sides of town so everyone had a good selection of foods. Resource gathering had to be done again too, we were short of iron and stone. Despite the shortages, work on the tracks progressed nicely. The tracks almost reached the east mountain now.
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Chapter 9
I sympathized with the fisherman and other families on the other side of the river having long distances to travel everyday. It was not easy with 3 children even with the sheep pasture, shed, and woolen mill close by. Only 1 of our 3 children was in school. I mentioned that to the Baron when we were talking about the houses in Smallville. Crossroads population was 105, there were 16 students and 34 young children. The children across the river would have a long way to go to school. The Baron agreed and immediately had a tiny school built across the river. He did not stop there, he also had an animal shed built so the children there would have enough milk and eggs. Billis, the livestock merchant, still had not returned to port.
What did come to port was 2 houseboats of families from the north wanting to go south where it was warmer. After hearing stories of giant frogs and pirates they were having 2nd thoughts, they wanted to go west. We invited them to stay with us. There were 10 adults with 2 young children. One family built a house and put up a Boat Rental sign thinking to rent or sell the houseboats.
Another group of workers came from Ironwood but they would not stay with us. They were headed west and would do what we had done, start a settlement and have food and housing for the track layers when they arrived. They may not have too long to prepare, the tracks now reached the east mountain and a tunnel had been dug to connect to the Green Woods tracks. A materials export station had been built not far from the tunnel. The tracks to the west were fast approaching the west mountain.
What was also fast approaching was Christmas and it was time we start giving it some thought.
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Chapter 10
As soon as the snow melted in early spring of year 10, Christmas preparations had begun. A shop that had song booklets was built on Chapel Road near the school. Each day the school children spent an hour in the Chapel learning Christmas Carols. By summer some wreaths and Christmas lights began appearing around town.
Billis, the livestock merchant, finally returned to port and he had 6 farm animals with him that the Baron was really waiting for. He saw them up north at a Hobbit festival and really wanted to have some. I suppose we shouldn't have been surprised when he built a pasture in his own back yard for the pigs. In his front yard he decorated one of the big pine trees for Christmas.
More trees, wreaths, and lights began appearing around town. Children were outside building snowmen and playing with their sleds. The greenhouse had a small trimmed tree and a snowman. On the other side of the storage barn, the baker had an outdoor oven built special for baking gingerbread men cookies. It was beginning to look like Christmas.
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Chapter 11
By early spring of year 11 the railroad tracks and tunnel to the west were almost finished. We had no train but we were already having a lot of visitors in town. Another group came through the east tunnel from Ironwood to help with the west tunnel and tracks, and the town on the other side. Some travelers were going north where it was cooler and some were going south where it was warmer. A few families came from the north and south to make their way west to Riverview Resort. Several river boatmen left their boats by the rental pier, went to the Resort to visit family, then returned to continue their riverboat runs.
We did not have enough rooms but most visitors did not stay long, some just over night. We had a new coffee shop that became quite popular. It was next to the booklet store that, by then, had a tree trimmed with Christmas decorations outside. Almost everyone would ask about the winter woolies they saw on the washlines around town. We built a gift shop down the road from the food store and tried to keep it stocked with woolies. A candle shop was built next to it, it was also a popular stop for visitors. Some also stopped at the baker for gingerbread cookies. The baker was running short of spices so a spice greenhouse was built nearby. Another hillside house was built too, there were now young couples wanting homes.
The Baron thought it was time we built what he had seen and was impressed with in Morningside, a Bed and Breakfast hostel and a Breakfast Nook. There was room for both on this side of the bridge that led to the boat rental. Visitors could spend the night at the hostel and have a good hearty oatmeal breakfast at the Nook. There would be bacon and eggs once a butcher shop was built. Before going to bed, visitors could have a hot apple cider at the Night Cap brewing barrel.
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I love the design of the building in the last capture in Chapter 11. I can only imagine the amount of work it took to put that piece of art together. Thank you
@Abandoned and
@kid1293
I like the buildings in Chapter 10 very much, they look very elegant, thank you for the great ideas and hard work on this mod
@Abandoned and @ kid 1293. Greetings ;D ;D ;D
Thank you both. :) That last picture in chapter 11 is buildings from Kid Bed & Breakfast mod. Most of the buildings in chapter 10 are from the new Kid Hillside Village Mod. The colored building in the story are from Christmas Mod and Kid Tiny Downtown. There are a few of RK's Two Story Little Houses thrown in. I was a bit concerned at first how these mods would combine together into one story with RK Railroad but I am thinking it turned out okay.
Chapter 12
We needed to do a bit more for the children; those that arrived late in the year were worried that Santa would not find them. We built a post office next to the coffee shop where children could drop off letters to Santa and let him know where they were. Parents began leaving messages for friends and family who might also be passing through our Crossroads. A Bake Shop was built by the Bed & Breakfast so mothers could more easily pick up gingerbread cookies for the children.
Our food supply always dropped quite low before the harvest, we did quite a bit of gathering. We needed more meat and proteins. Another chestnut tree was found not far from the others by the worker's Rooms and another hunter got to work south of there by the railroad tracks and west tunnel. Not only would 2 hunters provide more meat for the town but they would keep the tracks clear of the large deer herds in that area. There was still no word when a train would arrive or if the turnaround on the other side of the mountain had been built.
Knowing we were expected to supply Ironwood and Chattachoo with materials they were short of was causing us some concern. We were often short of materials ourselves. There was still plenty of surface stone to be had but very little iron. Our log supply was often low and after a long cold winter our firewood supply was low too. We collected a lot of branches. We dug a tiny mine near the east tunnel to mine for iron and we built a forester workplace across the tracks from the material station. A tiny chopper by the station's stockpile would increase our firewood supply. The family in the new hillside house by the mine was happy they would not have so far to go for firewood.
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Chapter 13
In late spring of year 13, the Fresian cows the Baron ordered arrived. We had 3 animal sheds by then but the Baron was sure that the cows would multiply faster in a pasture than in a shed. The pigs were doing quite well and now producing pork and leather. A butcher shop was now being built out back behind the breakfast nook. The cows would be pastured by the farm fields where a new farmhouse had just been built. There were a number of young couples now that wanted places of their own. The first snow of the season had fallen by the time the cows were moved from the port to the pasture.
The butcher shop was finished and was making bacon from the pork. Being close by, my family was one of the first to sample this new meat product. It was delicious. It was just as good served for dinner with potatoes as it was served for breakfast with eggs.
By early winter another hillside house was built by the mine and workers were again busy gathering branches for firewood.
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Chapter 14
In spring of year 14 the first choo choo came to town. It stopped first at the material station and detached the material car. The engine and passenger car then continued on across the river to the passenger station. Most of the passengers would stay on the train to the end of the line, a few of the passengers came to Crossroads to visit their sons who were railroad workers that they had not seen for many years They would return home when the train made the return trip. We had no idea when that would be not knowing if the turnaround was finished on the other side of the mountain. When the train returned it would use the short bypass track around the material car left at the other station, it would pull ahead and then stop and back up to reattach the car that hopefully would be loaded with materials to take to Ironwood and Chattachoo.
Meanwhile, near the worker's Rooms we built a cocoa greenhouse to raise the cocoa beans the Baron got from one of the river boatmen. The beans would make a hot chocolate milk drink that the Baron said the children would love. We had plenty of milk now that we had the pasture of milk cows. By the time the first snowfall arrived we had built a hot cocoa stand and a festive park across from the cocoa greenhouse. The Baron was right, the children loved the hot drink and so did everyone else who tasted it. There were more sweet treats to be had at the new candy store that was built next to the candle shop. Children were only taken to the new shop if they ate all their vegetables.
Over by the cow pasture another farmhouse was built for a young couple who would take care of the white leghorn chickens the Baron got from the livestock merchant. With enough milk and eggs we could make eggnog.
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Chapter 15
In spring a few of those leghorns were moved along with some of the other chickens into a chicken coop next to the butcher over by the Breakfast Nook. The nook was now serving bacon, eggs, and coffee for breakfast. Across from the chicken coop a Nog Nook was built. Eggs, milk, and spices made a delicious eggnog. Across from the Nog Nook we built a Holiday Inn. More and more travelers were coming to Crossroads and the Bed & Breakfast rooms were often full. Some of the young singles had moved from the workers Rooms to continue laying tracks but those empty rooms were often filled too.
The train returned from the east, this time bringing 15 immigrants and their 4 children all the way from Plimoth. Some of them wanted to continue west on the train but a few wanted to go either north or south from here. Three couples wanted to stay right where they were here with us.
We need more housing and we needed more food and firewood.
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Chapter 16
A gift shop was built down the road from the coffee shop, the shop keeper and family would live above the shop. A sign to let people know there were woolies available there was promptly put up outside. A tiny house was built across the road by the park. Another tiny house was built over by the lighthouse, and a fishing pier was built there too. It wasn't long before another houseboat was spotted coming down the river.
The new arrivals did not want to stay but they had just missed the train. They like others wanted to know if we had carts and supplies available. In fact some travelers arrived with carts and even with horses to pull them. A tiny stable was built next to the Bed & Breakfast for those just passing through. Our blacksmith started making carts. We would have to carefully check our inventory to see what supplies we could spare.
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Chapter 17
We had wheat but not enough flour, the baker was always waiting for it. The baker began making herb bread which took less flour so there would be more flour for the gingerbread baker. We thought perhaps the mill was too far away so we built a second mill close to the barn where much of the wheat was stored. We made sure that both wheat fields had 2 farmers. The farmers were out in the fields right on time to start planting and our harvests were good but our food supply was always low before the next harvest. Some parts of town did not have a good variety of foods available so we made sure to gather wild foods on all sides of town. We did the same with branches so everyone would have enough firewood. We assigned another fisherman to both fishing piers.
We needed more housing. We had 73 families but only 51 homes. Many young people, including our son and our two daughters, wanted places of their own. The previous fall we dug a tiny stone quarry over by the materials station so in year 17 we had a nice supply of stone to build more hillside houses with. We needed logs for more wood houses too. The smith said the shortage of logs was the reason our tool supply was getting low. We built another forester on the west side of town near the railroad tunnel. A small maple grove was discovered when the first hillhouse was built on Bridge Road. Workers started collecting sap and a small sap boiler was built. There would be maple syrup for breakfast.
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Chapter 18
The train arrived late that year, there had been trees down on the tracks in the Green Woods that had to be cleared away before the train could proceed. The snow arrived early that year, the engineer said the way it was blowing and drifting made it too risky to go any farther. He and the passengers would have to stay in Crossroads until spring. It was a long way from the station to the town but everyone made it to what housing was available. The passengers didn't mind being stranded too much, the shops were busy and woolies were selling good. Our school children got a few days off from their studies and all the children were enjoying playing out in the snow. They liked the little gingerbread house that was built so they could store away their toys and sleds when they were done playing. The sound of the children's laughter carried through town on the cold crisp winter air. It reminded us that Christmas was only a week away.
In early spring of year 18 the train was again on its way with its passengers, many of which had a good pancake breakfast at the new Pancake House before boarding. Some said it would be easier just to meet their river boatmen here for Christmas than going all the way to Riverview Resort at this time of year.
By summer 2 more colorful little houses had been built and a second Bed & Breakfast near the Pancake House. A tiny house had been built by the new tiny iron mine and a gatherer's workplace was set up next to the forester not far from the west tunnel.
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Chapter 19
Construction of new homes continued through the rest of year 18 and year 19. A colorful little house was built by the new mill and a hillside house was built in the nearby forest area. A colorful little house for 2 families was built over by the Baron's estate. When a tiny wood house was built behind our, I was hoping our oldest daughter, Caris, would move into it but another young couple got it before her. Our firstborn son, Cleonard, was living with his family in the top level that was added to the colorful little house over by the pancake house on the other side of town. Phill and I thought Christmas would be even more fun this year with a 1 year old son, 1 year old granddaughter, and a newborn grandson. There were plenty of winter woolies to be had in all the right sizes.
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And what would Christmas be without Christmas candy and toys? Earlier in the year a sugar house was built next to the cocoa house. Everyone's favorite Christmas sugar plum candy was best when made with sugar instead of honey. A plum tree had already been planted where the new candy store was being built across from the new Bed & Breakfast. Other candies could be made during the year but sugar plums would have to be made for Christmas. Visitor's coming and going through Crossroads sure liked our woolies and our Christmas candy. A toy store was built next to the Holiday Inn on Chapel Road.
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By now residents and visitors alike were calling our town Christmas Crossroads and Santa Claus would be coming soon in a Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYO8mrsgw9g
Chapter 20
Winter came early again and again the train had been delayed. The leaves were still on the trees when the temperature dropped and the first heavy snowfall came. Folks thought it best to stay with us rather than travel on by train, boat, or on foot. Even during the best weather it was a distance to go from the boat dock to the train or from the train to the boat dock. The Baron had a solution; he would have stagecoaches built like they had back in Plimoth. We would need horses.
The river boatmen had no idea where to get horses other than at the Animal Refuge, or maybe East Port. Plimoth and Ironwood only had a few horses; oxen and donkeys were mostly used to pull the trader carts. The Animal Refuge took in some old plow horses and horses from the wagon trains that could no longer make the long journey cross country pulling heavy wagons up hill and down and across the rivers. Oxen were mainly used there too. A stagecoach was not nearly as heavy and the journey from port to train and back was a short one in comparison. The refuge was always looking for good homes for the animal. The livestock merchant said he would see what he could find.
In the meantime a small pasture area was fences in and a livery stable built near the passenger station. An anvil was set up for a smith who began making tools and some wagon parts. Our tool supply could use a boost. Construction of the first stagecoach began. The livestock merchant brought 3 sturdy horses from the Animal Refuge, it was not easy. He was glad to unload them and rearrange his boat to have some elbow room again. He would bring a few more horses before the end of the year; his family was coming here for a visit before Christmas while the train was still running. It was a hot humid 87F degree day when those horses were delivered, an awning was built in the pasture to give them some shade. A feed store was built next to the livery. A second stagecoach was being built later in the year when Billis returned with 3 more horses.
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Chapter 21
Billis' wife and daughter were the only 2 passengers to get off the train in late autumn. The other passengers would not have a chance to get off and shop, the engineer wanted to make it to the rail's end and back before the winter weather arrived. Billis was at the station to meet his family and the stagecoach was waiting to take them to the Bed & Breakfast by the dock. The first snowflakes of the season started to fall but would not amount to much. The train would make it back as scheduled.
The stagecoach route was quite simple. The stagecoaches went from the passenger station north to Bridge Road where they turned east going past the shops to leave passengers off at the small stable at the corner by the B&B. The coaches turned there and headed north to Chapel Road where they would leave other passengers off at the Holiday Inn before continuing to the chapel crossroads where they turned south to head back to the station. The coaches made a shopping run twice a day. The horses had plenty of time to rest in between runs. On very hot or cold day there was no shopping run, one other days the spare team took their turn for the next run.
It wasn't long before we had 2 Stage Offices built, one in town and one by the railroad passenger station. Visitors could leave their baggage to be picked up later after they shopped. They could check stagecoach and train schedules there and they could sit inside to wait for the next coach or train to arrive or depart.
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Chapter 22
As hoped, our railroad in the east greatly improved travel just like the railway in the west had done. Passengers could now easily and safely travel from Plimoth on the east coast west to the rail's end across from Riverview Resort. The stagecoach greatly improved travel around Christmas Crossroads for visitors from east, west, north, and south. Some came by train and others came on foot or by boat. Some came only for Christmas while others came to catch the train to go east or west. Some passengers arrived in town by train just to shop, they then reboarded the train to continue their journey. By year 22 there were 2 trains on the line, one for passengers and one for materials. There was no more connecting and disconnecting the material car at the other station. The bypass was extended at the material station and another was added to bypass the passenger station. Both new trains had cabooses for the engineers and their families.
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Two taverns were added to Christmas Crossroads. Christmas Spirits in town would serve berry cider in summer and hot apple cider in fall and winter. A special wine from the Baron's grapes was mulled at Christmastime. The Yule Tap was built by the Baron's vineyard. It would serve ale in summer and mulled wine made from the Baron's grapes in winter. The hot cocoa was made all winter but the eggnog only for Christmas. The Breakfast Nook and coffee shop served coffee all year long. Many of the Christmas decorations around town were now being left up year round. Christmas Crossroads was a great place to visit and to live. By winter of year 23 Crossroads' population of permanent residents was 311; 166 adults, 54 students, and 91 young children. There were 82 homes for 98 families.
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Chapter 23
Visitors were impressed with our town no matter what time of year they came. They could not help but notice the hillside houses across the river when they first came to town by train or by boat. The Baron's Manor and more hillside houses on this side of the river were also quite noticeable. Through the tunnel was the smith and main storage barn as well as the village school and the Town Hall back on the hill. The Chapel and cemetery were on the crossroads that led in one direction to the passenger station and in the other back to the storage barn. The village baker and the Christmas baker were next to the barn. The farm fields and cow pasture were next to the bakers and behind them were the flour mills.
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The bakers made delicious jelly buns, spice cakes, plum cakes, and gingerbread cookies. There were chestnuts roasting at the Christmas snack stand and there was hot cocoa, eggnog, and mulled winter wine, and of course Christmas sugar plum candy. But our Christmas town was most noted for our winter woolies. Visitors often wanted to see our sheep shed and woolen mill. I don't think anyone ever left town without a warm woolen sweater, scarf, pair of mittens; our warm winter woolies were quite popular, no matter what time of year it was.
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Thank you
@Abandoned for the nice Christmas present.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year
:) The same is wished to you
@Kristahfer There is a bit more of the story yet to come and another to follow. :) Merry Christmas
Chapter 24
Of course, weary traveler, winter time and Christmas time are the best times at Christmas Crossroads. The greenhouse has trimmed trees and wreaths for anyone who still wants to decorate. The Christmas street lights are lit early on snowy days. There are sleigh rides around town to see the lights and decorations with stops to shop and to have hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies. Groups of school children take turns signing Christmas carols in front of the chapel.
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On Christmas Eve while the youngest children are being tucked into bed, the sleighs ride around town loudly ring the sleigh bells for the little ones to hear so they fall asleep knowing Saint Nicholas soon would be there. The older children and adults put on their winter woolies and walk or ride those sleighs over to our sheep pasture. Yes, the sheep pasture. It was afterall us farmers and shepherds that came here with our sheep to settle our Christmas town. We build a special Christmas angel along side the pasture and on Christmas Eve the Christmas Story is read there.
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The best part of the story for us was when an angel appeared to the shepherds who were watching their sheep and the angel said " Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord". Yes, most definitely our favorite part of the Story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UTN9dMidZ4
Chapter 25
Good morning, weary traveler. Merry Christmas. I hope you slept well and had a good breakfast. You know you are at the Crossroads and must decide soon which way you want to go from here. I wouldn't advise you to go south, there are pirates and other unsavory characters down there. And it is so hot. No need for winter woolies down there. Your best bet might be to take the next train west to Rail's End. It won't take long to get there. The End is near. Have a safe trip, weary traveler, and have a Merry Christmas.
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The End