COAL CAMPS OF WEST VIRGINIA By Smriti Chand 1, Winnie Mungai 2, April Polyandroitis 3 and Nicole Vallencourt 4 Kennesaw State University Chastain Rd, Kennesaw, GA ,3,4 Indiana State University North Seventh Street, Terre Haute, Indiana Special thanks to Dr. Kenneth Martis of West Virginia University, Mr. Brownie Stewart of Patriot Mining Company, and the Staff and Students of Kennesaw State University and Indiana State University associated with 2009 Field Methods in Appalachia. SUMMARY A one day field trip to various places in northern West Virginia. The field trip begun with a trip to an active open coal pit mine in Pursglove followed by a stop at the Humphrey coal processing plant. After, there was a stop at Osage town and finally ended at the power plant of the city of Morgantown. This educated the students on the history of the coal mining industry. It gave a better understanding of what happened to the coal towns during the years. ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS After the discovery of the coal mines in 1742, the coal companies took over the mining business, with the sole intention of earning profit by introducing coal camps within the region. A study of the coal camps is initiated in the hope of understanding the socio- economic changes that have taken place over the years. INTRODUCTION METHOD Coal was first discovered in West Virginia in 1742 by John Peter Salley (State of West Virginia). With the development of commercial mining in the early 1800's, the coal camps came in to existence. The Coal Camps were built by the coal companies for the coal miners. The goal of these camps was to concentrate the labor force, to work and live on these company owned properties, so that the companies would benefit from the profit of all the different expenses that the miners would incur while living there. (Corbin, 1981) One- storey, box like houses were built on post foundation in a row along the railway track. (Vuranch, Karen) The settlements in the coal camps are still evident today in most parts of the state of West Virginia. For the most part, not many modifications have been made to alter the look that they had during the early coal camp period. Located in close proximity to Morgantown, Osage, one of the early coal camps, still remains one of the poorest towns in the nation. Osage has a long way to go before it can embrace and be at per with the development of Morgantown. Hopefully, as Morgantown continues to develop, it will be able to restore Osage town and other nearby coal towns back to where they used to be. REFERENCES Osage was a historical coal camp. With the closure of coal mines and coal processing plant this town was on the verge of being abandoned. The houses seen around this town were mostly from the early coal camp period. They still retained the one- storey box like look with little to no modifications. The coal camps were usually located on the crest of mountain, far from the regular towns. (Vuranch, Karen). STUDY AREA Osage happened to be one of the poorest communities close to Morgan Town. They still had the same housing structures from the coal camp period with very little remodeling done on them. There were plenty of abandoned houses coupled with a large number of unemployed people still living in poverty within this community. One of the last sand media plants in the nations, Humphrey coal processing plant, was shut down in December (Northern West Virginia Coalfields) This was an example of some of the coal processing plants that were shut down in the area. The miners in the coal camps would purchase all their basic necessities at the company store where they would use scrips to purchase the items. (Corbin, 1981) 1.American Coal Foundation (2007). Lesson Plans: Coal Camps and Coal Camps. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from American Coal Foundation Web site: Goode, J ( ). Introduction to Coal Camp Database. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from Kentucky Coal Education Web site: Northern West Virginia Coalfields. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from Coalfields of the Appalachian Mountains Web site: 4.Long/ Owen/ Goldman/ Boyle, Steve/ Andrew/ Neal/ Rory (December 2003). River Of Earth. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from Kentucky Coal Camps Web site: Philpot, Roger ( ). Coal Miners: Where They Worked and Lived. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from Roger Philpot Web site: 6.Vuranch, Karen. Community Life in A Historic Coal Camp. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from Coal Camp Memories Web site: 7. State of West Virginia.(07/09/2008 ). West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training. Retrieved July 28, 2009, from WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINING FACTS Web site: Mosher, Anne (1995)."Something Better than the Best": Industrial Restructuring, George McMurtry and the Creation of the Model Industrial Town Of Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 85(1), Corbin, D, A (1981). Life, Work and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: The Southern West Virginia Miners Chicago, Illinois: University of Illinois Press Images 1, 2 and 3 are courtesy of the Library of Congress. Osage West Virginia. Image 1 Courtesy of the Library of Congress Image 2 Courtesy of the Library of Congress Image 3 Courtesy of the Library of Congress Osage Town Image Courtesy of Smriti ChandPursglove Open Pit Coal Mine Image Courtesy of Smriti Chand City of Morgantown Power Plant Image Courtesy of Smriti ChandCity of Morgantown Image Courtesy of Smriti Chand Image Courtesy of Smriti Chand Image Courtsey of Smriti Chand Q. What happened to the coal camps? Map showing Morgantown City, Osage town and Pursglove coal mine Image Courtesy of April Polyandroitis