Elbert, WV (Gary No. 7 & 8)

This was actually the No. 7 and 8 Works for United States Coal and Coke Co. (one of the coal mining arms of U.S. Steel, H.C. Frick Coal and Coke in Pa. being the other). It was named for Judge Elbert Gary, the chairman of U.S. Steel. Coal and coke operations at Elbert began in 1904. Mining conditions were very favorable: over 6' thick Pocahontas No. 4 seam rated at over 15,000 btu in both mines, although the mine roof was poor at times. The coke ovens went cold in 1921, but the coal mines continued to produce. No. 8 mine closed in 1938, although its coal reserves continued to be extracted through No. 9 mine at Filbert. No. 7 mine closed in 1944.

Elbert H. Gary
Mar. 2004 image by authorLooking down the main drag in Elbert.
Mar. 2004 image by authorA closer look at the different styles of housing in Elbert.
Mar. 2004 image by authorYet another house design that U.S.C. & C. Co. built at Elbert.
Mar. 2004 image by authorThis one story company-built house is noteworthy because so much of it's original architecture is still intact.
Mar. 2004 image by authorThe train cars are full of coal from Black Wolf Mining Company's mine in Elbert.
Dec. 2006 image by authorRemains of U.S. Coal and Coke Company's No. 8 coke works in Elbert.
Mar. 2004 image by authorVisable in this photograph are some of the houses in Elbert on the right, some of the gondola cars Black Wolf has loaded in the center, and ruins of the beehive coke ovens to the left.
Mar. 2004 image by authorBlack Wolf Mining Company's coal mine at Elbert loads a train.
Mar. 2004 image by authorThis mine loads coal the old fashioned way, with a man standing on and between the two cars operating the hand brake. He then rolls the car down the grade and moves the next car up under the chute. This is the last car they will load for this particular train.
Apr. 2020 image by authorMany years later I returned to Elbert and the loadout was extant but not active.
Apr. 2020 image by authorA retaining wall at this loadout made out of underground coal cars. There is another loadout in the upper section of Elbert that is also inactive in 2020.
Apr. 2020 image by authorLookout out over the coal conveyor at Elbert.
Apr. 2020 image by authorThis was the A.M.E. Zion Church, Kyle Chapel.
Apr. 2020 image by authorThe former Elbert clubhouse was once abandoned and dilapidated. But new owners have restored it into lodging for ATV trail riders.
Apr. 2020 image by authorA playground grown quiet. There was once a large company store here.
Apr. 2020 image by authorA small structure up No. 8 hollow, past all of the coke oven ruins, that may have served as a pump house or some other mining function.
Apr. 2020 image by authorThis modern coal mine near the site of the old No. 7 mine was very active on this day, and one could hear the sounds of industrial activity in the distance while in the residential section of Elbert. God bless these coal miners and equipment operators who are bringing this coal out so that someone's iron and steel can be manufactured. Can't have iron without carbon.

Source(s):

Schust, Alex P. Billion Dollar Coalfield: West Virginias McDowell County and the Industrialization of America. Two Mule Pub., 2010.

Dobson, Sone, and Valente West Virginia Historic Property Inventory Form. 20 February 1991.