Society News & Updates
Working Today to Preserve Tomorrow
CWVHS in Action
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Our Story. A small group of us got together and were discussing the need for an organization that could help broaden the story of Coalwood; her past, her present, and where she is headed in the future. There have been books written and movies made which have sparked interest in this little coalmining town and her place in American history. Yet she sits in want for more. Her people are speaking, but it seems their voices fall on deaf ears. We decided it was time to awaken this little town and share her story and the story of her people.
Invitation. We want to take this opportunity to invite you to become a part of our organization. Our mission is to preserve the story of a town devastated- much of its history lost- when the coalmining industry closed. It is our hope to bring back for all to see and enjoy the treasure trove of stories and life experiences Coalwood has to offer. With you, this will become a reality.
With best regards,
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We’ve had a very positive response from our Faces of Coalwood display that was unveiled at the 2010 October Sky Festival. Many have expressed a desire to have access to the history and photos that were exhibited. We have decided it is in the best interest of the people to offer this display and are currently working on putting the entire exhibit on this site for all to see and experience. You will find a new tab “Faces” at the top of each page. This will take the place of the “Queries” tab that is currently not in use. There are five phases beginning with George L. Carter in 1902 and ending with Coalwood Today. There are over 800 photos that will be posted. This is a major undertaking but we believe it will be well worth the efforts. If you have any photos you would like to share, we will be happy to add them too. We thank you for your feedback and enthusiasm about this project.
Trying Times
As you know we have been trying over the past several years to acquire the historic TrueVine Church and refurbish it into a community center. We have a plan and have tried in vain to get the owner of the property to relinquish the building to us. We have run into a wall of silence. Time and Mother Nature are against us. We are joining forces with others to try to save some of these properties before they are lost forever. It is hard to believe this landowner can so blandly ignore the pleas of a town and a state that are trying to save the historically significant heritage of our coal camp town. We are working on a campaign to wake-up those in office to these pressing needs. It might be time for all those that call Coalwood home to let their voices be heard and take a stand. In Steve Dates Coalwood Movie Mrs. Jordan summed it up best. She said, “Once the historic is gone, it’s all gone”. We cannot stand idly by while this happens.
As you know we have been trying over the past several years to acquire the historic TrueVine Church and refurbish it into a community center. We have a plan and have tried in vain to get the owner of the property to relinquish the building to us. We have run into a wall of silence. Time and Mother Nature are against us. We are joining forces with others to try to save some of these properties before they are lost forever. It is hard to believe this landowner can so blandly ignore the pleas of a town and a state that are trying to save the historically significant heritage of our coal camp town. We are working on a campaign to wake-
Cemetery Project
Our cemetery project is still ongoing. We have located the two cemeteries on the Mountain Fork area in Caretta. This year we will return to document and record the graves for submission to the state. There are still two gravesites in the Coalwood area that have yet to be found and documented. One is in the Big Branch area and the other is in the Crane Ridge area. We are hoping to locate and complete them this year. We have cleared and placed American flags at several of the graves of veterans who served our nation. It is our intention to clear and flag the remaining veteran’s burial sites. We will not let these men lay without the honor they so deserve. It is also our aim to clean all the cemeteries on the property before Mother Nature takes over forever. This will be a huge undertaking but it can be done with enough volunteers and time.
Our cemetery project is still ongoing. We have located the two cemeteries on the Mountain Fork area in Caretta. This year we will return to document and record the graves for submission to the state. There are still two gravesites in the Coalwood area that have yet to be found and documented. One is in the Big Branch area and the other is in the Crane Ridge area. We are hoping to locate and complete them this year. We have cleared and placed American flags at several of the graves of veterans who served our nation. It is our intention to clear and flag the remaining veteran’s burial sites. We will not let these men lay without the honor they so deserve. It is also our aim to clean all the cemeteries on the property before Mother Nature takes over forever. This will be a huge undertaking but it can be done with enough volunteers and time.
