THAYER

Thayer was a big coal camp built in 1902 by the Ephriam Creek Coal and Coke Company. Their Buffalo-Slater mine was in the Fire Creek seam. In the 1960s many smaller companies, such as Pugh Mining and Branch Fuel Co., worked the Thayer mines. The theatre and bowling alleys are long gone, but there's still some of the camp left. It's located on the New River between Prince and Thurmond, and was one of the few coal towns in the New River Gorge that did not feature coke ovens.

Thayer as it was (Photo courtesy of W. Caldwell)

Downtown Thayer. The asphalt seen here is the only section of paved road in the town (or for about a four mile radius for that matter).

Another part of the coal camp further up the mountain

This structure could have been the superintendent's house, or even a school. There's no one in it to ask.

McKendree Road as it winds through Thayer

This company store that used to be at Thayer is gone now. The picture seems to have been taken from a train. (Photo courtesy of W. Caldwell)

Debbie contributes this photo and writes, "This is the possible remains of the belt line as it went to the tipple."

This photo is also from Debbie. She says, "I believe this is the remains of the power house and machine shop for Thayer."

Another picture of the Thayer power house or machine shop.

Inside the ruins of the Thayer power house.

In a final photo from Debbie the initials for the Ephriam Creek Coal and Coke Company is inscribed in the cornerstone of the power house.

Danny writes, "I was raised as a kid at Thayer and Sandplant, and my grandfather was a night watchman for 45 years for C/O.He walked from Stonecliff to McKendree back and forth looking for slides. There's a lot of history on that part of the river and I would be glad to share it with you. That house in Thayer used to be the main post office for Thayer. It was owned by the Kaylors and one of the boys still lives there in an old bus, up from the house. I lived both at Thayer and Sandplant and went to school there at Thayer."