Lynn on West Virginia

“Although coal mining was dark, dirty, and dangerous work, many miners enjoyed the unique chore. Some old-timers still reminisce about the close sense of community which united the inhabitants of more than 500 small company towns that were once situated along the Coal Heritage Trail. The road winds past company stores, miners' houses, massive railroad yards, and company towns. Visitors can experience the coal society and heritage that still exists and gain remarkable insight into a unique part of American history.”

“Coal may have once been king in the Mountaineer State, but tourists are now treated like royalty in West Virginia. Tourism is the second largest industry (behind chemicals) and the fastest-growing segment, as new and old visitors explore the state. Convenient interstate routes in West Virginia make access easier than many driver assume. The exploration possibilities are extensive, but all are within a one-day drive of half the population in the United States. The state's beauty is definitely worth the drive. From friendly cities to rugged mountains, West Virginia is a welcome change. Each region offers its own outdoor and indoor pleasures, but the entire state definitely deserves the nickname, "Almost Heaven."”

“Ask anyone who's been there about West Virginia. It just takes one visit to fall in love with this wild and wonderful state. I fell in love with West Virginia on my first visit and I've been back more than a hundred times. If I don't end up moving there, I'll get back there as often as possible. My father's side of the family has West Virginia roots and I can feel it in my blood every time I cross the state border from my home in Virginia. The West Virginia mountains and the proud people get in your blood and it's a very warm feeling. The number of West Virginia lovers is growing quickly as word spreads about what the state has to offer. Visitors are drawn to incredible natural beauty, a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities, many historical attractions, an excellent state park system, friendly people, and a simpler and slower-paced way of life.”

“Coal- called by ancient Greeks "the rock that burns"- powered the modernization of America. Rich coal-bearing regions like southern West Virginia were transformed in the late nineteenth century into teeming industrial civilizations. The completion of the Chesapeake & Ohio in 1873 and the Norfolk & Western in 1883 opened up the southern West Virginia coalfields. Soon, thousands of coal miners and their families crowded into the rugged river valleys where independent coal operators boldly opened mining ventures. West Virginia's sturdy coal miners came from all over the world. Black Americans from the Deep South joined Eastern European immigrants seeking a better life and poured into the sprawling coal camps which housed the workers. More than 100,000 miners toiled underground in the industry's glory years, laboriously hand loading the "black diamonds" that transformed the United States from a rural nation into an international industrial power. Five billion tons of the world's finest industrial fuel flowed out along the smoothly grated roadbeds of the N&W and the C&O, hauled by the most powerful steam locomotives ever designed.”