Chessie's 90th Birthday Celebration to Take Place in Clifton Forge

Train rides entertain visitors of all ages at the C&O Railway Heritage CenterPhoto byC&O Historical Society

CLIFTON FORGE, VA (RAILFAN JOURNAL) - Those young and old will make their way to Clifton Forge, Virginia on Saturday to celebrate 90 years of Chessie the Railroad Kitten.

The Chessie 90th Birthday Celebration will take place at the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge on Saturday, September 8th, beginning at 10 AM.

Admission into the event is $5 per person with free admission for those age three and under. Chessie will be celebrated with birthday cake, punch, and free gifts... yes free!

There will also be commemorative Chessie items for sale in the Depot Gift Shop and a Chessie basket raffle (over $300.00 retail value) with the price being $10.00 per ticket.

That's not all! There will be tours of the museum and rolling stock and rides on the "Little C&O" which goes around the property at the heritage center.

For those looking for their very own Chessie are in luck as the Alleghany Humane Society will be on site with several kitties that need FURRRever homes.

Chessie the Railroad Kitten is a well-known advertising mascot that was used by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), as well as its successor, the Chessie System, from the 1930s to the 1970s. Chessie was originally introduced as part of an advertising campaign to promote passenger rail travel on the C&O Railway.

The character of Chessie was depicted as a cute, anthropomorphic kitten sleeping on a plush bed with the slogan "Sleep Like a Kitten" or "Sleep Like a Kitten on the C&O." This advertising campaign aimed to highlight the comfort and relaxation that passengers could experience while traveling on C&O trains.

The C&O Railway Heritage Center is located at 705 Main St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422.

To read more stories like this, be sure to check out the Railfan Journal.