When was coalwood founded?

1905
Coalwood was founded by George Lafayette Carter 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 more.

When was the major flood in Coalwood?

Many of the homes along this road were torn down after the major flood in May 2, 2002. This is downtown Coalwood. General Superintendent’s House. “The only mansion in Coalwood.”

Does coalwood exist?

The town’s coal mine reached its peak in the 1960s and finally shut down in the 1980s. Coalwood High School, later called Coalwood Elementary, was built in the 1920s. In 1985, Caretta Elementary was merged with Coalwood, and then Coalwood was closed in 1986, according to Detwitz Photography.

Who founded Coalwood in 1887?

George L. Carter, the founder of Coalwood, came in on the back of a mule in 1887, finding nothing but wilderness and, after he dug a little, one of the richest seams of bituminous coal in the world. Seeking his fortune, Mr. Carter bought the land from its absentee owners and began construction of a mine.

What is Coalwood known for?

Coalwood is a small McDowell County town. Needless to say, it owes its name and very existence to the mineral that lies underneath it, but the coal mine closed in 1982. Like many coal towns of Southern West Virginia, Coalwood is “down in the holler”— surrounded by steep hills on all sides.

What is the name of the mine in Coalwood?

The Coalwood mine was connected to the adjoining Caretta mine in 1956, which was also owned by Olga Coal. By the end of the decade, all coal was shipped via the tipple and processing plant at Caretta, and operations at Coalwood were closed.

What is Cape Coalwood?

Cape Coalwood located in Coalwood, West Virginia, was the launch site for a group of teenagers made famous by the book Rocket Boys and later the movie October Sky. At this site, Homer Hickam Jr. and his friends tested their rockets and used the date they collected to improve their rocket building abilities.

What happened to Coalwood?

Olga Coal was purchased by the LTV Corporation in 1980 and the Coalwood mine was closed in 1986. At that time, the houses and businesses were still company-owned, one of the last instances of its type in the United States, and were sold to the respective residents and business owners.

How did Cape Coalwood come to be?

When a younger Hickam, known then by his nickname Sonny, set out to build rockets with his friends, they needed a place to test their creations. This leads to the creation of Cape Coalwood, their rocket-testing ”range.

WHO launched Sputnik in October Sky?

the USSR
It is October 1957 and the USSR has launched Sputnik 1, the first satellite. In a small town in West Virginia a 17-year-old boy, Homer Hickam, is fascinated by this development and is determined to build and launch his own rocket.

When was the big flood in West Virginia?

On June 23, 2016, a flood hit areas of the U.S. state of West Virginia and nearby parts of Virginia, resulting in 23 deaths. The flooding was the result of 8 to 10 inches (200 to 250 mm) of rain falling over a period of 12 hours, resulting in a flood that was among the deadliest in West Virginia history.

Who launched the first man made satellite and when?

On Oct. 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 successfully launched and entered Earth’s orbit. Thus, began the space age. The successful launch shocked the world, giving the former Soviet Union the distinction of putting the first human-made object into space.

Why is it called October Sky?

Title. October Sky is an anagram of Rocket Boys, the title of the 1998 memoir upon which the film is based. It is also used in a period radio broadcast describing Sputnik 1 as it crossed the “October Sky”.

What is the history of Coalwood?

This would be on the present-day site of Coalwood. (Source: National Archives, Post office records.) 1902 Earliest recorded use of the name Coalwood.

What happened to Cape Coalwood?

Cape Coalwood Sign on Flog Level Row pointing towards Cape Coalwood. The road to Cape Coalwood. A reproduction of the blockhouse at Cape Coalwood. This is what’s left of the slate dump where the Rocket Boys shot off their rockets. Years ago, most of the slate was removed, and the forest is taking over the site. This was Cape Coalwood.

When was the first shaft coal mine opened at Coalwood?

The first shaft coal mine opened at Coalwood in 1914. When Consolidated Coal went into default on March 16, 1933, 1 3 6 Carter regained control of the Caretta operations. After Carter died in 1936, his son, James, took over operations.

What is this postcard of Coalwood main by Schust?

This is an old postcard of Coalwood Main. According to Alex P. Schust, “the postcard is before Consolidation took over. The large white building on the left was the General Manager’s residence. The smaller white building next to it was the original club house.”