Project lead Taylin Allen accepts a check for a $1200 grant from the Martin County Community Foundation

The Martin County Historical Society would like to announce that we have reached a few goal post in our project to honor the 28 soldiers killed in the Willow Valley train wreck during the Civil War.

On September 17th, 1861, a train carrying a portion of the 19th Illinois Volunteer Infantry was passing through Martin County due east when tragedy struck. Approximately 3.5 miles east of Shoals, while passing over Beaver Creek on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, the bridge suddenly collapsed. At least four train cars loaded with soldiers were hurled into the creek killing or mortally wounding twenty-eight soldiers and further wounding over a hundred more. 

To this day there is no sign, marker or monument in Martin County to honor those men who died in the service of our Country. That is something that the Historical Society is working to fix.

Since last June over $2000 of the total $5400 needed for a monument has been raised through donations. You may have seen a booth dedicated to the Willow Valley Train Wreck at the Catfish Festival or Hindostan Days and we can not thank those enough who have donated to help make this a reality.
Through a generous grant of $1200 on December 18th, the Martin County Community Foundation has agreed to fund the purchase of an interpretive panel which will complement the monument by providing historical context. Work has begun on designing the panel and it is our hope that we will see it in person by early summer.

If all goes swimmingly, the Historical Society is hoping to have everything in order by September 13th (a Saturday) of this year to host a dedication ceremony.

If you would like to donate to this cause you can mail a check with “Willow Valley Civil War” on the memo line or cash to the Martin County Historical Society with the address 220 Capital Ave, Shoals, Indiana 47581. If you want to donate or help in some other way, or if you want to know more about the history, contact Society President Bill Greene on Facebook or Project Lead Taylin Allen, also on Facebook or at 812-666-6245.

This article was in collaboration by Mrs. Taylin Allen and the Martin County Community Foundation