How old is the coal in West Virginia?
Coal is reported to have been mined as early as 1810 when a mine was operated near Wheeling, in the northern panhandle. The growth of the salt industry led to the opening of mines to supply furnace fuel during the 1820’s and 1830’s. The other coal fields in the state began to develop in the following two decades.
How many coal mines are still open in West Virginia?
In West Virginia 99% of the generated electricity comes from coal. There are currently 14 coal fired electric generating facilities located in West Virginia.
What was the first extractive resource in WV?
In 1742, Explorer John Peter Salley first discovered bituminous coal in what would later become Boone County. Although forest extraction was the first major industry in the region, large-scale coal mining began in Boone County in the 1880s.
Does West Virginia still mine coal?
While West Virginia is not the first largest producer of coal in the United States, it nevertheless remains one of the largest producers in the United States, only surpassed by Wyoming. In 2020, Wyoming produced 218.6 million short tons of coal, and West Virginia produced some 67.3 million short tons.
When was coal discovered in West Virginia?
1742
In 1742, John Peter Salley took an exploratory trip across the Allegheny Mountains and reported an outcropping of coal along a tributary of the Kanawha River. He and his companions named this tributary the Coal River, and his report became the first reference to coal in what is today West Virginia.
Where does coal come from in West Virginia?
Coal from the Northern Appalachian region, which includes northern West Virginia, has relatively high sulfur contents. West Virginia is among the top three states in the nation in recoverable coal reserves at producing mines. Most of West Virginia’s coal production and reserves are found in underground mines.
When was coal first discovered in West Virginia?
When did they start mining for coal?
Pre-industrial Use of Coal English settlers discovered coal in Eastern North America in 1673, but commercial coal mining did not begin until the 1740s. It remained a small industry until the early 1800s, as American settlers preferred to use the plentiful supplies of wood.
When did coal mining stop in West Virginia?
Although coal was known to occur throughout much of West Virginia, no extensive mining took place until the mid-1800s.
Where are the coal trains in West Virginia?
The famed “Pocahontas” line of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (formerly Norfolk Western) runs along Route 52 past the Inn. The Landgraff Mine coal tipple was located a short distance from the Inn. Coal trains continue to rumble through the heart of the area on Norfolk Southern Railway’s (former Norfolk and Western Railway) Pocahontas Division.
When did the coal mine in Maitland West Virginia close?
Maitland was once the site of a large coal mine, which closed in the mid 1900’s. Maitland was almost demolished in 2001 and 2002 when horrific flood levels of the Elkorn River destroyed more than half of the community. In recent years, more than six houses have been torn down; with some more on the way.
When did McDowell County West Virginia lose its steel mines?
As United States steel production declined, however, McDowell County suffered further losses. In 1986, the closure of the US Steel mines in nearby Gary, led to an immediate loss of more than 1,200 jobs. In the following year alone, personal income in McDowell County decreased dramatically by two-thirds.
What was the population of Landgraff WV in the 1960s?
The population of Landgraff in the 1960s was approx. 700. The Empire Coal and Coke Company Miner’s Clubhouse, built-in 1922 of brick to replace a wooden structure that had burned down, is on the West Virginia “Coal Heritage Trail” (America’s Byways).