Port Walthall, which stood on the banks of the Appomattox River several miles to the south, was a major shipping and passenger embarkation point prior to the Civil War. The railroad tracks leading to the port were melted down to manufacture Confederate cannon.
The Battle of Port Walthall Junction took place on May 6 - 7, 1864. During this battle, Union forces severed the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, a major supply route to Richmond. The line leading to Port Walthall was never rebuilt after the war.