History of the Ghost Town at Union Level, Virginia with Jimmy O. Thompson (Recorded July 2023)

In this video -- a first of its kind on my channel -- a very special oral history presented by James O. (Jimmy) Thompson, who grew up in Union Level and owns several of the historic buildings that now make up the Union Level ghost town. When visiting abandoned places, especially ghost towns like Union Level in Virginia, it's easy to wonder about the mysterious and evocative ruins while forgetting that real people once occupied these places. I first photographed the ghost town at Union Level in 2022. In 2023 I returned to record an extensive spoken history from a man who was raised there and currently owns much of the abandoned downtown. In this hour-long video we hear directly from James O. (Jimmy) Thompson, whose family was integral to the community when it was still thriving, with his vivid accounts painting an intimate portrait of life in this small rural railroad town. Perhaps the last keeper of the town's history, Thompson shares his memories of family, friends, and acquaintances in Union Level. "Around South Hill" history book with photographs by John Caknipe Jr.: https://amzn.to/3QO7mI7 My original Union Level video:    • The Ghost Town at Union Level, Virginia (P...   #photography #abandoned #unionlevel 00:00 Thank you to Debra and Jimmy Thompson 00:04 Introduction 02:10 Jimmy Thompson with 1938 Newspaper Clipping 08:59 Historic Photographs (C.P. Jones and others) 18:13 Around South Hill by John Caknipe Jr. 36:00 L.W. Lett Store 36:55 The House Where Jimmy was Raised 37:35 When Electricity Came to Union Level 39:00 Two Telephones in Town 41:00 Matthew Wells and the Origin of the Union Level Ghost Town Story 42:21 Simmons & Drumwright Store 44:48 The Old Post Office 48:10 The Dance Hall 50:20 Two-Story Hotel Site 51:35 Archie Ferguson's Store 57:09 Old Garage and Machine Shop 01:00:34 Tent Shows 01:02:10 A Horse in the Dance Hall 01:04:35 Aunt Margaret's Millinery Shop Music by Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/p19899 Join my new Discord Channel:   / discord   Help support this channel: Make a one-time donation: https://ko-fi.com/keithdotson Subscribe on Patreon:   / keithdotson   Buy a fine art print: https://keithdotson.com Buy a copy of my book: https://amzn.to/3jFnxqv Follow my blog: https://icatchshadows.com/ My Gear:* Sony A7RIV: https://amzn.to/3yd8t75 Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Lens: https://amzn.to/3klmpqT Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens: https://amzn.to/3myOddU Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM: https://amzn.to/3kmqhrx Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS: https://amzn.to/3gwGoBD Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro: https://amzn.to/3BdGdmT Sigma Mount Converter MC-11 for Sigma Mounts to Sony E Cameras: https://amzn.to/3jcu2Aj Hasselblad X1D Hasselblad XCD 4/45P lens Video: DJI Osmo Action Camera: https://amzn.to/3Dg4iuP Sony ZV-E10: https://amzn.to/3EdhPpU Panasonic Lumix GH5 Camera: https://amzn.to/3DsmPVD Røde Video Micro: https://amzn.to/3zgRemO Audio: Shure SM7B: https://amzn.to/3Leqycx Behringer U-Phoria UMC22: https://amzn.to/3BfWE3n Mic Preamps: https://amzn.to/3GvctUH *Contains Amazon Affiliate links. I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases