Mining Historical Riches on the Coal Heritage Trail

Historic Main Street in Bramwell (WV) [1]

History along the Coal Heritage Trail reaches deeper than the mines for which the byway was named. Tunnel into the byway’s rich culture by taking part in local events, visiting historic sites and learning about the people who made their home along the Coal Heritage Trail.

From the byway’s south end, about a mile from the West Virginia-Virginia border, you’ll pass through Bluefield, a historic town that became a corporate hub for the region’s coal-mining industry during the Industrial Revolution. During this Industrial Age, the demand for the region’s coal brought fortune for many individuals.

A Millionaire's Mansion, the Goodwill House in Bramwell (WV) [2]

Just nine miles west of Bluefield is the town of Bramwell, which was once home to more millionaires than any other town in the country. More than a dozen lived there at one time! See something of these millionaires’ extravagant lifestyles by checking out their private mansions. Twice a year, take in more of the wealthy homes than their elegant facades during the Bramwell Tour of Homes. In the spring and around the holiday season, costumed enactors guide you through private mansions and share fascinating facts about Bramwell, its millionaires, and the coal industry during the 1700s and 1800s. Also in Bramwell, you can discover even more about coal heritage and the lifestyle of the coal workers and miners at the Nick J. Rayhall Coal Heritage Trail Interpretive Center.

For more coal heritage-related events and education, take the Coal Heritage Trail 32 miles west from Bramwell to Coalwood. Visit this town the first Saturday in October for the October Sky Festival. Adapted from the memoir, “Rocket Boys,” by Homer Hickam, the film "October Sky" is about growing up in a coal-mining town in the 1930s. At this fun-filled festival, you can meet the "rocket boys," watch rockets shoot off from the original launch site, and enjoy book signings, displays, and country cooking.

Inside the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Visitor Center (WV) [3]

From Coalwood, head two hours north on the Trail, and delve into treasure troves of West Virginia history at the town of Beckley. Grab a jacket and make your way down into the cool, dark chambers of the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. Accompanied by a knowledgeable coal miner, you will ride “man cars” 1,500 feet below ground and learn about the industry, methods, and history of coal mining all along the way. When your underground explorations have ended, stop in the renovated company store, gift shop, and museum to take in all that the exhibition mine site has to offer.

A distinct culture, a rich history, and a slew of fun events make the Coal Heritage Trail a splendid showcase of southern West Virginia and the region’s coal history. Unearth historical riches of the past from Bluefield to Beckley all along the Coal Heritage Trail.