Stotesbury, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Stotesbury is a former coal mining town in Raleigh County
in the U.S. state
of West Virginia
that flourished during the 1930s. The community was named for Edward T. Stotesbury
, then the president of Beaver Coal Company.
Stotesbury was the home of the late eight-term U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd . Currently there are only a handful of houses left from the once bustling town.
, who was president of Beaver Coal Co. at the time. Mining was in the Beckley seam. In the late 1930s, the Koppers Coal Company took over coal mining operations in Stotesbury, which ended in 1958. In the mid-1960s, Eastern Associated Coal rebuilt the mine and operated in Stotesbury until the mid-1980s. White Mountain LLC rebuilt the mine in 2001, but closed it down one year later, in 2002.
churches, which are still standing today but have fallen into disrepair.
Stotesbury's St. John's Baptist Church will hopefully undergo some changes as a grant is being written to restore the church and the area to its original condition in hopes to be used as a private academy. Permission is being sought by the academy to purchase the area from the owners. The owners of the Stotesbury Coal Camp are still affiliated with Beaver Coal Company in 2006.
This is a forlorn-looking church in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where the inside is perhaps more interesting than the outside. The cornerstone of this church was laid in 1918 - the pastor at the time was Rev. Patterson - who is listed on the cornerstone. There is a second story above the nave. The upstairs is in better condition than the downstairs as I ventured up there in Dec. 2006. The roof is collapsed but the basic structure seems sound. This church is outside the town, on an ATV dirt trail road marked with a sign that says “Stotesbury Camp.” According to the West Virginia Department of Culture and History, they indicate that this building is one of West Virginia's most endangered historical sites. Their department states, "This two-and-a-half story church was constructed by the E.E. White Coal Company in 1918 to serve the African-American population in and around Stotesbury in Raleigh County. The construction of the church was reportedly funded by local coal companies as well as local residents. The church was reported to be in use until the early 1980s, when its congregation moved to Beckley
. At present, the church is abandoned."
There is a cemetery outside the church that dates back to individuals who are buried there from 1912 until 1969. The last name on one of the headstones is "Tench".
The church roof collapsed during the summer of 2010
Mark Twain High School burned down in 1977 or 1978. This school was K - 8 at the time.
Raleigh County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,220 people, 31,793 households, and 22,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 130 people per square mile . There were 35,678 housing units at an average density of 59 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
that flourished during the 1930s. The community was named for Edward T. Stotesbury
Edward T. Stotesbury
Edward Townsend "Ned" Stotesbury was a prominent investment banker, a partner in Drexel & Co. and its New York affiliate J. P. Morgan & Co. for over fifty-five years....
, then the president of Beaver Coal Company.
Stotesbury was the home of the late eight-term U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd . Currently there are only a handful of houses left from the once bustling town.
Mining
The Stotesbury mining camp is located on Winding Gulf Creek. It was originally operated by the E.E. White Coal Co. and named for Edward T. StotesburyEdward T. Stotesbury
Edward Townsend "Ned" Stotesbury was a prominent investment banker, a partner in Drexel & Co. and its New York affiliate J. P. Morgan & Co. for over fifty-five years....
, who was president of Beaver Coal Co. at the time. Mining was in the Beckley seam. In the late 1930s, the Koppers Coal Company took over coal mining operations in Stotesbury, which ended in 1958. In the mid-1960s, Eastern Associated Coal rebuilt the mine and operated in Stotesbury until the mid-1980s. White Mountain LLC rebuilt the mine in 2001, but closed it down one year later, in 2002.
Other buildings
Stotesbury's high school, Mark Twain High School, is now closed. The town had two segregatedRacial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
churches, which are still standing today but have fallen into disrepair.
Stotesbury's St. John's Baptist Church will hopefully undergo some changes as a grant is being written to restore the church and the area to its original condition in hopes to be used as a private academy. Permission is being sought by the academy to purchase the area from the owners. The owners of the Stotesbury Coal Camp are still affiliated with Beaver Coal Company in 2006.
This is a forlorn-looking church in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where the inside is perhaps more interesting than the outside. The cornerstone of this church was laid in 1918 - the pastor at the time was Rev. Patterson - who is listed on the cornerstone. There is a second story above the nave. The upstairs is in better condition than the downstairs as I ventured up there in Dec. 2006. The roof is collapsed but the basic structure seems sound. This church is outside the town, on an ATV dirt trail road marked with a sign that says “Stotesbury Camp.” According to the West Virginia Department of Culture and History, they indicate that this building is one of West Virginia's most endangered historical sites. Their department states, "This two-and-a-half story church was constructed by the E.E. White Coal Company in 1918 to serve the African-American population in and around Stotesbury in Raleigh County. The construction of the church was reportedly funded by local coal companies as well as local residents. The church was reported to be in use until the early 1980s, when its congregation moved to Beckley
Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, which was founded on April 4, 1838. The 2008 population was estimated to be 16,832 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Early in its history, the town was known as Beckleyville and Raleigh Court House...
. At present, the church is abandoned."
There is a cemetery outside the church that dates back to individuals who are buried there from 1912 until 1969. The last name on one of the headstones is "Tench".
The church roof collapsed during the summer of 2010
Mark Twain High School burned down in 1977 or 1978. This school was K - 8 at the time.