ZIPPO: The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society from Clifton Forge, Va., reached out to tell us about a partnership they were pretty excited about — a Zippo rechargeable candle lighter featuring artwork from the heyday of the C&O Railway.

It was important to the society to stay Made in America, and Zippo certainly fit the bill. Describing the lighter, the society noted, “Reflecting the railroad’s route whose planning and origins paralleled George Washington’s vision for a completed thoroughfare connecting the new country from east to west, the inscription reads, ‘George Washington’s Railroad’ above ‘Chesapeake and Ohio Railway’ in the typeface used in the original public relations campaign. Because of Washington’s title of president with the James River Company, the C&O Railway frequently called itself ‘George Washington’s Railroad,’” the society tells us.

Society President Mark Totten commented on the first-time partnership, “Regardless of cultural changes over the decades, Zippo is an American classic. For this modernization of the classic 175th anniversary C&O Railway lighter, we are excited to have partnered with the original manufacturer to reproduce the 1960 image of George Washington for this high-tech and stylish rechargeable candle lighter. In parallel, this collaboration gives us a wonderful opportunity to discuss the generations of transportation history that led up to the creation of ‘George Washington’s Railroad’ that still exists today as part of CSX Transportation’s modern network.”

Alyssa McGrew, business development manager for Zippo, expressed her support for their partnership with the C&O Historical Society, “In 2022, Zippo celebrated its 90th anniversary. It has become evident over the decades that our iconic windproof lighters are more than a source of flame. They are mementos that mark history.”

The custom-designed “George Washington’s Railroad” rechargeable lighters from Zippo are available on the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society’s retail website, ChessieShop.com.