Coalwood, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Coalwood is an unincorporated
coal mining
town in McDowell County
, West Virginia
, USA. As of the 1990 Census, the population was 900. The coal mine in Coalwood reached its peak in the 1960s and finally shut down production on October 1, 1982. The town is the setting of the best-selling memoir Rocket Boys
by Homer Hickam
and the movie October Sky
based on the book.
in 1905. He came on the back of a mule and eventually found rich seams of coal
, and bought 20,000 acres (80 km²). He constructed a mine, calling it the Carter Coal Company and built offices, houses, a schoolhouse, the Carter Coal Company Store
, a church and many more. Carter hired a dentist and doctor to provide service to his miners.
In 1922 Carter sold the mine and properties within the town to the Consolidation Coal Company. The company rebuilt the community and recruited new employees to work in the mines, but Carter regained the company when Consolidation Coal defaulted on its payments in 1933. Carter died in 1936, and the company was then taken over by his son James, who in 1947 sold it to a group of industrialists who changed the company name to the Olga Coal Company. In 1956 the Coalwood mine was connected underground to the nearby Caretta
mine, which was also owned by Olga, and in 1959 Olga ceased bringing coal to the surface via Coalwood. This prompted the Norfolk and Western Railway
to begin pulling up the tracks leading to and from Coalwood.
The Coalwood-Caretta mine continued to be productive through most of the 20th century, though, producing on average one million tons annually until the mine was finally closed.
At its peak, Coalwood had a population of over 2,000.
In 1980, the Olga Coal Company was bought by the LTV Corporation, which closed Coalwood's mine in 1965. People still live in Coalwood, but have to depend on other jobs to make ends meet. The Big Store in Coalwood was torn down on March 29, 2008, by the owners of the historic Coalwood properties, Alawest. The tipple has been dismantled and the site of the old abandoned mine is now fenced in with a car wash
adjacent to it and a convenience store
across the highway.
festival in honor of the accomplishments of the Rocket Boys
. Many scientists and astronauts attend and Homer Hickam
always makes an appearance. The 2007 festival also represented the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite
to go into orbit around the earth. Commemorating both events, an actor from the movie October Sky, Scott Miles, attended the festival to sign autographs.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
town in McDowell County
McDowell County, West Virginia
McDowell County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The land that became McDowell was originally part of Tazewell County, Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,113. Its county seat is Welch. McDowell county is the southern-most county in the state, geographically...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA. As of the 1990 Census, the population was 900. The coal mine in Coalwood reached its peak in the 1960s and finally shut down production on October 1, 1982. The town is the setting of the best-selling memoir Rocket Boys
Rocket Boys
Rocket Boys is the first memoir in a series of three, by Homer Hickam, Jr. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boy's pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. It won the in 1998, the year of its release. Today, it is one of the most often picked community/library reads in...
by Homer Hickam
Homer Hickam
Homer Hadley Hickam, Jr. is an American author, Vietnam veteran, and a former NASA engineer. His autobiographical novel Rocket Boys: A Memoir, was a #1 New York Times Best Seller, is studied in many American and international school systems, and was the basis for the popular film October Sky...
and the movie October Sky
October Sky
October Sky is a 1999 American biographical film directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. It is based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 to take up rocketry against his father's wishes, and who...
based on the book.
History
Coalwood was founded by George Lafayette CarterGeorge Lafayette Carter
-Biography:George L. Carter was born near Hillsville, Virginia on January 10, 1857. He owned land in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. For instance, he owned the land on which East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee was later built, and land in Bristol, Tennessee....
in 1905. He came on the back of a mule and eventually found rich seams of coal
Bituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
, and bought 20,000 acres (80 km²). He constructed a mine, calling it the Carter Coal Company and built offices, houses, a schoolhouse, the Carter Coal Company Store
Carter Coal Company Store (Coalwood, West Virginia)
The Carter Coal Company Store was a historic company store building located at Coalwood, McDowell County, West Virginia. It was built about 1912, and remodeled in 1922. The one-story brick building housed a store, company offices, and a post office....
, a church and many more. Carter hired a dentist and doctor to provide service to his miners.
In 1922 Carter sold the mine and properties within the town to the Consolidation Coal Company. The company rebuilt the community and recruited new employees to work in the mines, but Carter regained the company when Consolidation Coal defaulted on its payments in 1933. Carter died in 1936, and the company was then taken over by his son James, who in 1947 sold it to a group of industrialists who changed the company name to the Olga Coal Company. In 1956 the Coalwood mine was connected underground to the nearby Caretta
Caretta, West Virginia
Caretta is an unincorporated community located in McDowell County, West Virginia, USA. Caretta was named for the transposed syllables in the name of Mrs. Etta Carter, the wife of George Lafayette Carter...
mine, which was also owned by Olga, and in 1959 Olga ceased bringing coal to the surface via Coalwood. This prompted the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
to begin pulling up the tracks leading to and from Coalwood.
The Coalwood-Caretta mine continued to be productive through most of the 20th century, though, producing on average one million tons annually until the mine was finally closed.
At its peak, Coalwood had a population of over 2,000.
In 1980, the Olga Coal Company was bought by the LTV Corporation, which closed Coalwood's mine in 1965. People still live in Coalwood, but have to depend on other jobs to make ends meet. The Big Store in Coalwood was torn down on March 29, 2008, by the owners of the historic Coalwood properties, Alawest. The tipple has been dismantled and the site of the old abandoned mine is now fenced in with a car wash
Car wash
A car wash or auto wash is a facility used to clean the exterior and, in some cases, the interior of motor vehicles.- Categories :...
adjacent to it and a convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
across the highway.
October Sky Festival
Once a year, in October, Coalwood hosts an October SkyOctober Sky
October Sky is a 1999 American biographical film directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. It is based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 to take up rocketry against his father's wishes, and who...
festival in honor of the accomplishments of the Rocket Boys
Rocket Boys
Rocket Boys is the first memoir in a series of three, by Homer Hickam, Jr. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boy's pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. It won the in 1998, the year of its release. Today, it is one of the most often picked community/library reads in...
. Many scientists and astronauts attend and Homer Hickam
Homer Hickam
Homer Hadley Hickam, Jr. is an American author, Vietnam veteran, and a former NASA engineer. His autobiographical novel Rocket Boys: A Memoir, was a #1 New York Times Best Seller, is studied in many American and international school systems, and was the basis for the popular film October Sky...
always makes an appearance. The 2007 festival also represented the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
to go into orbit around the earth. Commemorating both events, an actor from the movie October Sky, Scott Miles, attended the festival to sign autographs.