At one time Raleigh was the second largest town in Raleigh County. The mine and camp were opened in 1909 by the Raleigh Coal and Coke Co. The name brand for their coal, taken from the Beckley Seam, was "Black Knight." According to local historian Jim Wood, a total of 128 miners died in the Raleigh mines. The C&O located their train yard for the area here.

The Raleigh coal camp back in "the day" (courtesy of "Tribute to the Coal Miner Vol. 4," with permission)

Some of the company built houses are still there today. (November 2004 photo)

Part of the coal camp (February 2001 photo)

Another part of the coal camp with company-built two-story houses (October 1998 photo)

Though they are somewhat common in Pennsylvania, these are the only "saltbox" coal camp houses in Raleigh County. (November 2004 photo)

In contrast to the miner's homes in the "bottom" of Raleigh, this house higher up on the hill belonged to the mine engineer. Typically the homes of the company officials were more elaborate and substantial than the homes the coal companies provided for the miners' families.(June 2005)

Detail of the foundation on the engineer's house. According to the owner it is original. (June 2005 photo)

Staircase ascends out of the living room. (June 2005 photo)

Detail of the parquet floor on the second level of the engineer's house (June 2005 photo)

Many coal miner's homes didn't have closets. The residents usually owned a wardrobe. But this view of a bedroom in the engineer's house shows a closet (with a more than adequate capacity) and the ornate style of window found thorughout the house. (June 2005 photo)

The company store as it looks in modern times (February 2001 photo)

The company store as it looked in the 1940s (courtesy of "Raleigh County - A Century of Pictures," with permission)

The swastikas on this power station have nothing to do with Nazi Germany, since it was built before World War II. (February 2001 photo)

It's amazing that the mule stable at Raleigh has survived. (June 2005 photo)

The door of the mule stable (June 2005 photo)

In addition to the coal camp, Raleigh features this small rail yard built by the C&O and now operated by CSX. On the left is the depot and on the right is the coaling tower dating from the era of steam locomotives. The Raleigh train yard was of great significance until the 1980s, as all of the coal that C&O brought out of the Gulf, from the spur through Skelton to Cranberry, and from the branch through Mabscott, Eccles, and on to Maple Meadows mine came through here. Now with almost all of the operations closed, the yard is of decreased importance. It's current purpose appears to be the base of maintenance operations for the Piney Creek subdivision of CSX, as rail operations are now based out of Quinnimont.

The historic depot at the Raleigh train yard (June 2005 photo)

End view of the depot (June 2005 photo)

Detail of door to the yardmaster's office (June 2005 photo)

The coaling tower held many tons of fuel for the steam engines that powered C&O trains until the 1950s. (June 2005 photo)

CSX stockpile of spare parts in the Raleigh yard. (June 2005 photo)

Supply warehouse in the Raleigh yard (June 2005 photo)

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