The Blue Ridge Stemwinder, or "The Stemwinder" as it is more commonly known, is the twice-yearly journal created for the ET&WNC Railroad Historical Society by originator John Waite and Chris Ford. "The Stemwinder" is one of the better railroad historical society publications in the country. It got the historical society started and now helps hold it together, and also provides the best information about the ET&WNC that is available.

"The Stemwinder" was started in late summer of1989 as a 4 page, photocopied newsletter by John Waite. John was trying to get up interest in an ET&WNC historical society, and to provide and receive new information and photos about the ET&WNC/LRRy. Being a graphic artist/designer, I thought the newsletter could be made into a nicely printed magazine, so I stepped in and volunteered to be the art director/production artist for the publication. After one more issue, "The Stemwinder" was a slick printed, 16-page magazine with photos and stories that had never been printed or seen before. What started with a distribution list of less than 100, is now mailed out to about 500 paid members. John writes/edits the stories and obtains the photos. These are sent to me. I design the publication and do the production art for it along with any maps or drawings, have it printed, and send the finished magazine back to John for mailing. The Stemwinder has recently been converted from a 16 page quarterly to a twice-a-year, 24 page journal.

John and I, with help from various others, have been producing this journal for the historical society for over 15 years now. "The Stemwinder" contains excellent stories, never-before-seen photos, detailed railroad maps (my specialty), scale drawings (mine and other artist's) of railroad equipment and structures, reproductions of historical documents, and news about anything associated with the ET&WNC, the historical society and its members. You won't find a much better railroad historical society publication anywhere.

Two 24-page issues of "The Stemwinder" are included in a one-year membership in the East Tennessee And Western North Carolina Railroad Historical Society. Contact John Waite for more information.

 

These are ET&WNC related stories acquired by John R. Waite.
They are of interest to ET&WNC fans, but are deemed slightly off
topic or too long to be printed in the Stemwinder.