What was life like one hundred years ago for coal mining families in Tucker County, West Virginia?

You can find out on Saturday, November 2 at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge at a free, family-friendly program! Come one, come all!

In 1967, a 26-year-old history student at West Virginia University named John Stealey tape-recorded interviews with more than seventy retired coal miners and their families in North Central West Virginia. The miners had worked during the pick-and-shovel “handloading era” --roughly 1880 to 1930. The recordings have been stored in an archive for nearly sixty years, but now they are being brought to life.

On Saturday, November 2, 2024, the public is invited to a free program at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge to hear and honor these “Early Mining Voices.” We will listen to and discuss actual interview excerpts and dramatic readings and scholars will discuss this exciting new historical source material.

Space is limited – admission is free, but to ensure your place, please register today using the above form.

For questions, comments, and suggestions contact Tom Rodd at Friends of Blackwater at 304-541-4494 or thomasrodd@gmail.com.