HOME>SOUTHERN WV>KANAWHA COALFIELD>KINGSTON
KINGSTON, WV
A whole mining camp with a population of 2,5000 was once
at Kingston, opened in 1911 by the Solvay Collieries Co., which was probably a coal mining arm of Semet-Solvay Co. (aka Solvay Process Co.), a coke by-products firm similar to
Koppers Co., and who also operated mines at Harewood in another part of the Kanawha Coalfield. Anyway, in 1920 there were two YMCAs, a theatre, and bowling alley at Kingston. From 1923 until 1947
the name of the operator was the Kingston Pocahontas Coal Co., which was the new name of Semet-Solvay's coal mining subsidiary. (The "Pocahontas" part of the name came from their mines in McDowell and Mercer
Counties.) In 1947 the name was changed to simply the Semet Solvay Co., Inc., and mining ended several years after that, before new Kingston mines opened around 2000. However, at some point the town of Kingston
was completely removed except for the school. Kingston, WV really does not exist anymore. Kingston
was the end of the line for the Paint Creek Branch of the C&O Railroad. The last train rolled down the track in January 1988, and now the track has been removed.
Old photo of Kingston coal camp. This must have been taken when
Kingston was new, because the simple company store in the picture was later replaced by an elaborate cut stone store.
One of the few things remaining from the town of Kingston, WV is this school building, which was reported to have been closed in 1960. It was later downgraded
to a junior high school, then an elementary school.
The school gymnasium is extant in the 21st Century.
Inside the gymnasium, which was constructed in 1941.
Also remaining at Kingston is the coal mine power house.
The Kingston tipple after the mines closed.
Another view of the abandoned Kingston tipple.
One of the last (abandoned) coal camp houses at Kingston.
Another empty company house at Kingston in the 1960's. This style of home was seen at many West Virginia coal camps, and probably was one of the
pre-fabricated company houses that came in on the train for the creation of an instant town.
The town of Kingston is gone, but an active coal mine was located there many years later. This is the Kingston prep plant
that was operated by Pioneer Fuel and Foundation Coal, among others. The coal was either trucked down the WV Turnpike to barges in the Kanawha River, or put on the train at a loadout
at Pax built in the 2000's.
WV Geological Survey image via Google Books
Circa 2010 image by Doug Farley
2015 WV SHPO image
2015 WV SHPO image
2015 WV SHPO image
1967 image courtesy WV State Archives
1967 image courtesy WV State Archives
1967 image courtesy WV State Archives
1967 image courtesy WV State Archives
2001 image courtesy of Sal C.