TRAVELING SOUTH through West Virginia

                                                                                Friday, October 15th,  heading through the mountain in West Virginia.  On our way!!  Our first stop is at Tamarak for two nights.   It's such a nice stop and no cost!!  On Saturday we had made plans to go with our high school classmate, Sandy and her friend, Billie for a Mexican lunch and then on an underground tour of the restored Phillips Family Coal Mine that operated from 1890 to 1910 beneath the hillsides of  New River Park and the Museum in Beckley. 

 

In the touring train, we are ready to go - - -
Audrey, Gary and Sandy

Near the Museum are the restored Coal Company House, the Superintendent's Home, the Pemberton Coal Camp Church, a Miner's Shanty (not much more than the size of a very small bedroom), and the Helen Coal Camp School.  It all was a wonderful representation of early 20th century coal camp life.  This was all so meaningful to Gary, who's father was a coal miner before they moved from a more northern area in W VA  to Salem, Ohio.

We went through the Museum Buildings first. They were moved here from other locations for Museum purposes.  

Mine Superintendent's Home

  

Helen Coal Camp School. 
Look at the storm rolling in that day
of our tour. 

Desk in the School House -
Friends, Dick and Jane note the reader
on the school desk!!

Coal Company House

Story of the miner's housing.
Though Gary's father did not
live in such.  In fact, he did
not live at the mine that he
worked in. He lived with
his family.

Audrey checking inside
the Bachelor's Shanty.

Just inside the door.

To the right of the door.
All one would need!!

  

Pemberton Coal Camp Church

   

Now the Museum Tour

Sandy and Audrey ready for the Museum
then our tour ride on into the Mine.

     

    I was impressed by this piece of art in the       Museum.  It looked so true to the day!! 

Called "Silent Campanion"
by  W. C. Hart

 

Tour guides are experienced veteran coal miners who explain in detail, throughout the tour, the history of coal mining from the hand loading days into the modern era of mechanization. The stories that our guide told were very interesting, and included stories of such hard, hard work.  He also told the story of a miner who made a tool in his back yard to make his job and that of co-workers easier and more productive. 

Unfortunately, he did not patent the tool.  After he retired, a man in the company who ran this coal mine, got the patent in his own name.  And you can guess who made the fortune from this patent!!  So sad!!

Our tour guide, Dorsel, a retired miner. 

Tools sitting idle now, along the tour route. 

The miners got paid
by the coal cars filled
to specifications.

Some of the miners even took their children along with them, at times.  I just can't imagine that and all of the risk that was involved.

Our guide told of the risk of methane gas that the canaries could detect, until they made a mechanical method of detection.  The rats in the tunnel were indicative of any problems by their behavior also. It was such an interesting narration!!!  

We went back to Sandy's house for more visiting.  Another day well spent!!

Our next stop will be near Lexington, South Carolina to visit with friends that we met in our first stop in that area in 2008, our first year on the road. 

I will probably do that Blog tomorrow afternoon.  In the morning we will attend the Baptist Church just up the road from our resort park. It has become our winter church.  Tonight we are to have a campfire here in the park.  I wonder if the weather will hold out for us. Hope so!  We will see some people that we have not seen since arriving at this/ our winter location.  We have been living this week within their quarentine guidelines, since coming in from other states.  Stay tuned.