UPPER POTOMAC FIELD
Although Conley's book "History of the West Virginia Coal Industry" lumps the Upper Potomac coalfield
in with the Elkins coalfield, I am presenting it as a distinct coalfield because it is a low-volatile coalfield centered around the Upper Freeport
seam of coal. There were some isolated blocks of Pittsburgh seam mined around Elk Garden, though. The Western Maryland Railway and the West Virginia Central were the chief means of transporting the coal to market.
1890s view of coal mining operations of the Davis Coal & Coke Company in Thomas, WV. In the background can be seen the company houses. In
the foreground there is a headframe, power plant, tipple, and various shop buildings. There were over 500 beehive coke ovens burning here, also.
This painted brick building is one of the few remnants of the coal mining complex shown above. Of course the yellow paint is not original.
Also, this building and dam across the Blackwater River are still at the site of the Thomas tipple. It is possible they were constructed by the Davis Coal and Coke Co.
Tipple and coke ovens at Coketon, WV, another property of Davis Coal & Coke Co. This and the first picture are from a reprint of an 1899
book titled "West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway Company."
Today many coke oven ruins remain between Thomas and Douglas, along the old railroad right-of-way (now a rail trail). The ovens pictured here are in the best condition of all
of the ovens I saw in the area. Basically, all of the coke ovens in the Thomas area are in poor condition, and none of them have their "fronts" or "doors" on them, only partials of the beehive.
These foundations in Coketon are probably from one of the tipples or coal processing facilities. I could find very little remains of coal heritage in the area. All of the power houses fan houses, and bath houses
have evidently been removed. Overall, the effort to preserve the coal heritage of the area has been very poor. In Pierce, William, and Benbush all that is left is the grasslands of abandoned mine lands, and the search for historical resources in these former coal camps tends to lead to disappointment.
One of the best preserved pieces of coal heritage in the Upper Potomac Coalfield is the Buxton and Landstreet company store between Thomas and Coketon. Buxton and Landstreet was the retail arm of Davis Coal & Coke co.
Frontal view of the Thomas company store, which now houses an establishment that sells items made by WV artisans. However, the interior of the store retains much of the original elements, such as glossy white
brick on the walls, beautiful hardwood floors, and the white industrial ceilings.
Detail over the doorway illustrates the wealth that the Davis Coal & Coke Co./Buxton & Landstreet Co. possessed. Plaques say "A.D." and "1900."
In this picture the company store is on the left, in the center background are a few company houses, and to the right is the Davis Coal & Coke administrative and engineering building.
This duplex coal camp house in Coketon, WV shows the style preferred by the Davis Coal & Coke Co. in the Thomas area.
A few of the company-built houses in Thomas.
Another group of coal camp duplexes in Thomas, showing the various changes and additions made to them since being sold by the coal company to individuals.
This unique residential duplex structure was built by the coal company in the downtown section of Thomas, away from the main coal camp section of the town. There are no others like it, and no one seems to know for sure who the
company constructed it for. My guess is some kind of company official or visiting dignitaries.
Not all of Thomas was a coal camp. Pictured here is part of the downtown section that still has some life left in it. One can imagine how on a Saturday night in the 1910's it probably bore a resemblance to Dodge City. And not all of the houses in Thomas were built by Davis Coal & Coke. Evidently, much of the town burned in 1906 but was rebuilt.
Abandoned company house in Pierce, WV.
There are only a few houses left in Pierce, and none of the coal mining complex is extant.
