The Coal Camp

The Coal Camp. . , Coal companies built entire towns from the ground up to provide for their workers. Schools, churches, stores, theaters, and residential structures were constructed for miners and their families. Coal camps in Southern West Virginia generally date from the 1880s through the 1930s. Authentic structures have been moved from actual coal camps and rebuilt at the New River Park. Here a superintendent's house, typical miner's house, bachelor shanty, coal town schoolhouse, and the coal camp church just ahead, are waiting to be explored., Interpreters at the buildings will tell you about life in the coal camps and gladly answer questions that you may have., (Captions):, Marbles for the young and old. Photo courtesy of Mary Stevenson, Coal Towns of West Virginia, Vol. II., Interior of Shibley, Shibley and Kannon Store. Photo courtesy of Mary Stevenson, Coal Towns of West Virginia, Vol. II., Baseball was a popular pastime, and teams from other coal camps competed against each other. Photo courtesy of West Virginia State Archives, Charleston., No. 4 Mine, 1909. Blue Jay Lumber Company, Blue Jay, W. Va. Photo courtesy of E. R. Reynolds Collection, Mary Stevenson, Coal Towns of West Virginia, Volume II.