Coal camp of Standard, Kanawha County, on Paint Creek. The operator was Standard Splint & Gas Coal Company.
There is not much more than this sign left at Milburn, Fayette County. This coal mining town dates at least back to the 1920s, and at that time was a concern of the Milburn By-Products Coal Co (mining the Powellton seam). When this sign was erected, Milburn Collieries (probably a subsidiary of Imperial Collieries) was mining the No. 2 Gas seam. Operations ceased in the 1980s.
"Bhalv" writes, "Does anyone have information on Milburn By Products Coal Company Fayette Country West Virginia? I would love to know the very beginning; I was born and raised there in 1935 my parents Vester..., wife Beulah..., sister Helen.., and Sister Nancy ... Nancy and I were born there, Helen was born in Alabama. If anyone has any thing to share mail me please: Post Office Box 1106, McDonough, GA. 30253"
The Imperial Collieries company store at Burnwell, WV. This was the last company store to close in WV. It was still being operated by the Christian Brothers of Lynchburg, Virginia - owners of Imperial Collieries - as late as the late 1980s.
Now, though, nothing remains of the town but memories.
LAST COMPANY STORES TO CLOSE IN SOUTHERN WV
1969-New River Company - Scarbro and Skelton stores
1970s-New River Company - McDonald (Mt. Hope) store
Mid or late 1970s-Westmoreland Coal Company - Eccles and McAlpin stores
1980s-Island Creek Coal Company - Oceana store
Late 1980s - Peabody Coal Company - Edwight store
Circa 1990 - Imperial Colleries - Burnwell store
The now-vanished coal camp of Burnwell. The above two pictures are borrowed from the book "Kanawha County Images, A Bicentennial History 1788-1988" by Stan Cohen. There is also a volume 2 to this series.
Thanks to Sal C. for this photo of the prep plant at Kingston, Fayette County. A whole mining camp was once here, operated by Semet-Solvay. However, the town is gone, the railroad has been removed, and all that's left is this mine, owned by Pioneer Resources.