Coal Mining & Mine Wars from Appalachian Book Company

Author Lon Savage's extensive research has given us one of the most complete and compelling histories of the West Virginia mine war of 1920-21. Complete with photographs of such central characters as Sid Hatfield, C. C. Testerman, and Don Chafin, this book tells the story of a clash between workers and industry that continues today. The West Virginia mine war of… Read more about this item

A little-known coal mining district emerged in Putnam County (WV) at the close of the Civil War. By the mid-1940s, this district's large-scale underground mining operations had ceased forever. Among the early coal villages that sprang up along the northern bank of the Kanawha River during this time was a coal camp named Plymouth. Presented by Todd A. Hanson, author of… Read more about this item

The 1912 –1913 mine war was centered on Paint Creek and Cabin Creek. During the struggle for union recognition and better working and living conditions many lives were lost on both sides, but the exact number will never be known. Miner's families were evicted from their homes and many were brutalized or killed by the armed guards employed by the… Read more about this item

From before the dawn of the twentieth century until the arrival of the New Deal, one of the most protracted and deadly labor struggles in American history was waged in West Virginia. On one side were powerful corporations and millionaire industrialists who bought political influence and paid for armed guards for their company towns. On the other side were 50,000 mine workers,… Read more about this item

This book offers a visual glimpse into the past – a documentation of the people, places and activities of a way of life that is gone and a culture that has changed. This project is a tribute, honoring those working people of Campbell's Creek, who gave so much of their lives to the industrial development of the Kanawha Valley and… Read more about this item

Former Attorney General Howard B. Lee sets forth the fascinating story of West Virginia's mine wars, and examines the role that coal has played in the state's economic and social history. Lee tells of battles on Paint Creek, armed Baldwin-Felts agents, and violence against the miners. He also tells of the East coast millionaires who bilked West Virginia land owners… Read more about this item

Author Lon Savage's extensive research has given us one of the most complete and compelling histories of the West Virginia mine war of 1920-21. Complete with photographs of such central characters as Sid Hatfield, C. C. Testerman, and Don Chafin, this book tells the story of a clash between workers and industry that continues today. The West Virginia mine war of… Read more about this item

Stevenson's most recent work, chronicles–through photographs—the history of many of West Virginia's southern coal mining towns. For a time coal was king in West Virginia. Today, most of the mines have closed, and many of the towns are gone. To tell the story of generations of hard working West Virginians—both coal miners and enterprising businessmen—we have mainly fading memories and old… Read more about this item

A marvelous group of historical photographs, which document the history and way of life in numerous coal camps. Back when "Coal was King," new towns sprang up, and fortunes were earned almost overnight. Almost as quickly, many of the mines closed down and the towns either disappeared without a trace or became ghost towns. Counties represented are Fayette, Raleigh, Wyoming, Boone,… Read more about this item

A wonderfully researched, well-written history of Henry Gassaway Davis' central West Virginia coal line completed in 1905 and merged into the B&O in 1917. This tremendously detailed account provides a great history of interest to railfans, those interested in coal mining, West Virginia mountain railroading and regional history. Information on the Coal and Coke was scarce and photos virtually unknown. This… Read more about this item

This fifth volume in the WV Railroads series is a general history of the geared Shay, Climax, and Heisler type locomotives that were so prevalent during the West Virginia logging operations in the era from 1890s until the 1950s. Included are overview histories of each type of engine followed by chapters showing photos of the engines as they were being… Read more about this item

This fifth volume in the WV Railroads series is a general history of the geared Shay, Climax, and Heisler type locomotives that were so prevalent during the West Virginia logging operations in the era from 1890s until the 1950s. Included are overview histories of each type of engine followed by chapters showing photos of the engines as they were being… Read more about this item

This is the third of the West Virginia Railroads series and deals with one of the state's major railroads: the Baltimore & Ohio. Extended to what is now West Virginia at Harpers Ferry in 1837, its lines had reached Wheeling by 1852, and parkersburg in 1857. Eventually northern and central West Virginia was honeycombed with B&O lines tapping rich coal… Read more about this item

This is second in a series of books on railroads in West Virginia. The first volume, published in 2009, gives an overview of all railroads in the state, while this volume deals exclusively with the C & O. The era is Mid-20th Century (1935-1965), and the story is told not only with words and photos but with many maps and… Read more about this item

This book outlines the history of railroading in West Virginia from the earliest entry of Baltimore & Ohio into what was then western Virginia up to the 1860s. In addition to B&O, Chesapeake & Ohio, Western Maryland, Norfolk & Western, and Virginian have major chapters. Smaller sections cover the New York Central, short lines, logging railroads, and others that had only… Read more about this item

This book details the cycle of coal transportation, originating at the market and tells how the railroads of the Appalachian region developed and served this important trade. It concentrates on the Norfolk and Western, Virginian, and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways, but also deals with some of the other lines that hauled coal, including the Baltimore & Ohio, and the Louisville… Read more about this item

King Coal is a well-illustrated overview of coal mining in the Mountain State. This book discusses and illustrates the basics of mining methods and operations, the geology of the state, life in a coal town, the unrest in the coalfields and more. King Coal describes the living conditions of the miners, and some of the state's worst mining disasters. You'll… Read more about this item

The "suspenseful and completely absorbing story" (San Francisco Chronicle) of how survivors of the worst coal-mining disaster in history triumphed over corporate irresponsibility—written by the young lawyer who took on their case and won. One Saturday morning in February 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the Pittston Coal Company burst, sending a 130 million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water,… Read more about this item

Buffalo Creek: Valley of Death is a reprint of a classic title by Dennis Dietz and Carlene Mowery. It tells the story of a cold day in February 1972, when 125 people lost their lives to a 25-foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris running through narrow, 17-mile Buffalo Creek Valley. The wave was released when an impoundment dam-owned… Read more about this item

The Flood and The Blood by Dennis Deitz Paperback, 287 pages The Mountain State of West Virginia has experienced more than its share of devastating floods. Rugged terrain and severe weather make for a dangerous combination. Even a brief torrential rain can inundate narrow hollows and turn rippling creeks into raging deluges in minutes. This occurred in dramatic fashion southeast of Charleston… Read more about this item