Gary, WV: Home of the Coaldiggers in McDowell County, Southern West Virginia

Gary High School may no longer be in operation but Coaldigger pride is still alive and well. Many have had to move on to find a better life but they will always feel connected to Southern West Virginia and coal country.
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[@bonitamitchell984]

Thank you for the video. I was standing on the porch in Turnhole Branch Road when you went up the street, I couldn't figure out who you could be LOL. I grew up in McDowell county and so did our children. We have a wealth of memories and received the training that lead to three college degrees for myself, children and relatives who are nurses, bank tellers, correctional workers, musicians, legal assistants, lawyers, professors, and overall productive and nice people. So not only was there coal in these hills but gold in these hills. The golden love, patience, and care for our fellowman. I would not trade being born in Welch and raised in Turnhole for a million dollars. I am a product of the holler aka hollow but a success story. I do not only sigh about the gold old days, I go back there weekly or monthly to help make it a little more beautiful. Please don't feel sorry for those who lived or still live here, I pray you can do as much and as well where you came from and where you are as those of us from West Virginia have and continue to do.

[@bobredd7541]

Hey my friend. This made me a little teary. I miss our old hometown. We may have graduated Golden Knight but we are Bulldogs and Coaldiggers deep within. Hope you're doing well.

[@whitebeardskydaddy6756]

God bless you and yours. If anything will save this country from the current onslaught of evil it faces from many angles, it's that gold you have there in your family, and I have here in mine. There are many others too!

[@Brijh]

@@bobredd7541 Hey Bob! I became emotional watching this video as well. I wasn’t able to find the road I lived on, yet, it was still nostalgic to see the mountains, the trees, the houses, etc.

[@authorlydiagreen1862]

That is so cool

[@authorlydiagreen1862]

@Real Appalachia

[@imurbrother2128]

I work for a company here in North Carolina where we fab structural steel. I personally haul it to the sites along the East Coast and wherever else they send me. It's great to see places like Gary, WV and all throughout Appalachia get noticed and shown to people who wouldn't otherwise even think about them. America wouldn't be a quarter of what it is today if it were not for the families who sacrificed so much for our nation and received so little.

[@realappalachia]

amen to that, great comment

[@loridheath2062]

My father was born and raised in Gary and I spent more time than I can count in Gary growing up.

[@ukiiyo-]

I was born & raised in Gary. My Grandfather and Uncles were miners there in the mines at “Number Two”. I have wonderful memories growing up there in the 50’s & 60’s. Thank you for taking me down memory lane.

[@BrightlikeLight]

Oh wow! My mother was born an lived in thorpe. My grandfather's were coal miners. All my family lived there until they eventually left for the north. I went to Gary elementary and spent my summers with my grandparents. The best part of my childhood was Gary! Family holidays, summer walks, seeing and hearing the trains is my fondess memories. My uncle worked at Gary High...i mean i can go on and on.

[@lesterjohntalde296]

i love this place. im from philippines never been there or America I really wanted to visit that place. i have been watching west Virginia mcdowell videos for quit some time now.

[@jennifervt03]

My grandparents were born and raised in Gary. Italian and Yugoslavian immigrant families. They got married in the Catholic Church there. We had many family events there over the years. Grandparents moved to Welch in the 50s. The diverse ethnicity of McDowell county is really interesting but something very few people know about. The US Steel coal cleaning plant in Gary was the largest coal prep plant in the world at one point. That county helped build America. Great grandparents and other family are buried in the Thorpe cemetery. I grew up hearing my grandmother talk Italian with her siblings and mother and it was a wonderful experience. When my grandmothers oldest sister started school in Gary as a child she couldn’t speak English despite being born there in Gary and growing up there. She ended up speaking English just fine 😊. Rich rich history in those hills. Miracle Mountain is beautiful by the way if you ever get a chance to go up there.

[@moonoggin]

Thank you for giving this fascinating information. There are 2 cemeteries there with no records of the people buried there. I hope someone will go and film them and put them on find a grave.

[@darcee3350]

My parents were raised in Gary and married at the Catholic church there, Our Lady of Victory. They moved to Cincinnati but we used to go there on vacation to visit relatives, and we absolutely loved it! There was a country club close by and my mom would take us swimming there. Those are such good memories!

[@smellysock4260]

I never thought of Appalachia that way, but with immigrants from all over the world as well as different regions of the USA, Gary and McDowell country must have had a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Hearing foreign language, seeing foreign clothing, customs, knowledge, education, and backgrounds of the residents would have enriched the lives of everyone who lived there.

[@petegregory517]

The ability to learn English is one of my pet peeves of today. I hear people on TV or on videos say “she can’t speak English” then you learn they’ve been her 20-40 years. I constantly and for years have said to people that the immigrants that came to America early prided themselves on learning it, and quickly. Limited resources available but in little time they had it, fluently,in many cases. Today with all these so called great educational institutions and highly educated educators they’re here sometimes as stated above many years and still “no comprendé Englaysh.” Cranks my engines sideways.

[@YouSUBSCRIBE739]

@pete OMG😜....me too!!!!!!!!! 🙉🤦👏👏

[@shannongarrett4808]

I was raised and grew up in Elkhorn bottom what our family called (the holler) 😄 in McDowell Co. WV . My daddy was the local mechanic he done it out of our back yard. 🤣 Before that he was a coal miner as was my grand daddy. I still have their mining script. Good times and good memories there. I ain't been back to McDowell since the flood, it wiped us out and we relocated to Mercer Co. After my parents passed away I moved to North Carolina and that's where i reside to this day but regardless of where I live McDowell will always be home to me and forever in my heart. ❤

[@alanaroben7566]

I loved this video, my daddy was born in McDowell county in 1934 and I'm a proud coal miner's daughter and grand daughter. My paw paw worked in the mines but also drove a taxicab down in Welch. I'm blessed to have been raised by the love, charm, faith and knowledge of mountain folk. Thank you so much for taking me back to all the precious memories!! God bless and be safe in your travel's

[@user-bx5yx7to2s]

My great grandfather was a forman for WV Coal and Coke died in slate fall accident at Filbert in 1920. Buried at one of the cemeteries there.

[@codythedog61]

hi mate iam born and raised in Australia and i love this vid and hope to watch many more< it shows us parts of USA we would never see without people like you and KZbin. loved it thanks a bunch.👍

[@drock4912]

What a great video and thank God for people like you that do what your doing. There is certainly people out here that appreciate the history.

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much

[@carlbelcherjr6221]

Thanks for the video. My family was from Gary. Last name is Belcher. My father, Carl Sr. was a very proud Coaldigger. I was very young the last time I was there. I wish my Father was still alive to see this video.

[@dougmeade2276]

Great video of my hometown!! The brick school building was Gary Elementary. I went to school there through 6th grade. Great memories!!

[@realappalachia]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it

[@susansmith8298]

My Dad worked for US steel at Gary back in the 60s. Several years ago on a flight from Denver to Chicago a man sat in the seat next to me who was from Gary. He sold mining equipment and travelled throughout southern WV. His Dad had worked for USSteel in the same office my Dad had. We talked all the way to Chicago and discovered we had travelled many of the same roads. It was truly delightful!

[@realappalachia]

that is fantastic

[@annettefabiano3578]

I learned a lot from this video. More people need to know and understand how much these hard working people contributed to making America what it is today. Thank you so much for all the footage, history, and stories of this great region.

[@cathejones3412]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! O FEEL LIKE IM THERE WITH YOU. I LIVE IN OHIO, SMALL TOWN. I USED TO RIDE AROUND ON BACK ROADS WHEN I WAS IN MY TEEN. IM 71 NOW,AND STILL GO FOR COUNTRY RIDES WITH MY DOG. WE HAVE HILLS HERE TOO,NOT AS BIG AS W. VIRGINIA, LOTS OF TREES...THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME WITH YOU !

[@tangoindiamike9189]

My mother was a coal mine's daughter from Gary, West Virginia. She was so proud to be a Gary Coaldigger and was a cheerleader and basketball player at Gary High School. Her father was the safety officer at holler number nine. The hollows (or hollers as they called them) were known by the coal mine number. She used to tell a story about a family trip to Virginia Beach and her brother asked some other kid on the beach, "what holler are you from"? Apparently, he thought everyone was from a coal mining holler. My father is from Welch, West Virginia and he was the first baby born in Grace Hospital in 1924. He is still living and will be 97 years old in March. I was born there in 1959, but my parents moved us to NC when I was two years old. My mother's family mostly hails from Bland, Virginia prior to some of them migrating to Gary. I don't know why your video showed up in my feed, but it was fun watching it. When I was a child, we used to visit family in West Virginia every fall, just after Labor Day. Another interesting town you should visit is War, West Virginia. My uncle and his twin brother were the town barbers. My aunt was a teacher at Big Creek High School. Sorry for rambling.

[@realappalachia]

Not rambling at all, your comment was fantastic because it added a lot of color and detail to it for me and I'm sure others. I love comments like that. I've been to War and am moving that video from my other page over to here soon.

[@tangoindiamike9189]

@@realappalachia Well alright then. I'll ramble some more. I forgot to mention, at the back of the barber shop, there was a small room where my cousins gave shoe shines to the men after or before their hair cuts. There was a large wooden seat and foot rest, built specifically for shoe shining. My cousins also had their own cash register back there. It was as old as Methusela and had the round metal buttons with the numbers on them, and the "total" display would pop up in a window in the upper back portion. That thing was very ornate and looked like it weighed a ton. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. They (my cousins) also delivered newspapers by bicycle. Whenever we made our annual visit to War, we would ride along with them on their paper routes and they let us throw the papers, but we had to learn the techniques, and land the papers where the customers preferred them. One time, my cousin, sent me to the doors on collection day, to collect for the papers. Everyone thought I was some shyster kid, trying to get one over. I had to explain, "no, I'm his cousin, visiting from NC. He is right over there." They would respond, "well, why didn't you say so? You boys want some tea? Are you thirsty"? My uncle and his twin brother who ran the town barber shop, were Navy Seabees during World War II. (the Seabess are the Naval Construction Battalions. They were created in 1941 to build our way to victory across the Pacific Islands. They worked and fought straight through the Japanese ships shelling them and Japanese amphibious assaults. I too, joined the Navy Seabees and made a 20 year and 29 days career of it). After the War, my uncles ironically returned to "War" and spent the rest of their days cutting hair. My aunt retired from teaching at Big Creek High School and eventually, she passed also. Her youngest son had returned to War after many years in the Air Force. He lived with his mother on the mountain side before she passed away, just above the railroad tracks. He took up where he left off with her, always gardening and canning vegetables. He took up teaching, like his mother and became a strong advocate against mountain top removal mining practices. The things he loved most were God, his mother, the West Virginia mountains, his coon dogs, and his music. His all time favorite song was "Country Roads" by John Denver. He had learned to play piano by ear when he was a child. His mother also played piano, something they both loved. He went on to learn many stringed instruments and played in numerous country and bluegrass bands through out the years. A few years ago, I went back to War after many many years away. My cousin had died in his sleep from a heart infection. I got to see my other cousins again, and we gathered at the family house on the mountain, one last time before they put it on the market for sale. We reminisced about "the good 'ol days". Things are different now and time moves on, but the old timers say, the mountains never forget.

[@realappalachia]

@@tangoindiamike9189 youd never see shoe shines like that or paper routes these days. I remember them too and am not sure when they disappeared. I'm sure it was a great but emotional final visit with family that day. Great stuff, thanks for sharing.

[@MrButch-ls8vl]

Tango India Mike ... God bless your soon-to-be 97 year old Dad!

[@hikerx9366]

@@tangoindiamike9189 Wow...I'm a Canadian but your story was incredible. You should write a book about it. I don't know why but I've always been drawn to West Virginia for some reason and I've never been there. I find myself always looking for documentaries and stuff on the old Appalachian families and well anything I can get my hands on. You know every one of your states has so many countys with so many memories, I've always wondered why Canada was broken into such huge Provinces with almost no possible way to find a small tract of land to live on or rental properties you can afford. We might have a higher minimum wage but our rents are so high you need 3 renters in one house to make the payments. A one bedroom apartment runs anywhere from $1400.- $3600. and I live in a small town not a big city anyway keep on writing you have a great talent for it. God Bless

[@pafarmgirl9519]

I was raised in SW PA and this looks just like home. Family either worked in the mines or for the railroads. Hardworking people. Thank you for sharing this

[@realappalachia]

glad you enjoyed it

[@BrightlikeLight]

Is Gary Elementary right behind the baptist church. Sooooooo many memories. my grandmother and uncle funerals were here😢 I will ALWAYS ❤ you Gary, WV. Houses gone or weathered away an all! You are beautiful in my eyes⭐️🌈

[@dalepxp8963]

Hi, my Father was born in April 1931 and he graduated from Gary HS 1948. He walked to H School in Gary from his family home which was in Wilcoe WV. He was drafted in 1950 and they sent him to Texas. That is where l was born. He never took us there for a visit. We wished he would have.

[@mamasguide8408]

I grew up in Gary, and this video brings back so many memories! The school was Gary Elementary School back then (the 1970s), and I was a student there from kindergarten through 6th grade. Thank you!

[@realappalachia]

Really glad you enjoyed it :)

[@bobredd7541]

Where my dad and brothers went to high school and I went to elementary school there from 1970-76.

[@user-fj2le3wj3n]

My Dad's brother-Law. Was Constable of Gary back in the 1940's .This brings back memories. Thanks for the memories.

[@realappalachia]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@thomasdenoyelles1784]

Thank you so much for sharing all of this historic information. Makes me proud to know that others out there love the history and the truth about our country. Please keep up the great work. This keeps our Nation strong through history and love, Honor and the truth as to what happened in our past to bring us up to where we are today. Should never turn our backs on history!

[@realappalachia]

Thanks so much, your comment makes my day

[@zyx7478]

One of my biggest wishes is that before I die I can visit West Virginia. I just find it to be a fascinating place

[@nanjones7655]

My husband and mother. And father in law worked for us steel. Lived in gary.

[@brainerdboy1177]

Thank you for sharing this video with us. The lives of the people of McDowell County have touched me very deeply, especially those in Gary, War and Welch. I call them my "salt of the earth" people, and I like to think of them as my family in the Lord. I love these people very much, and I pray for them on a daily basis.

[@realappalachia]

that is awesome, the world needs more people like you

[@whitebeardskydaddy6756]

Amen

[@susanstromp8276]

My husband and I taught in War, W. VA. I look back at those days as the most precious days of my life. The people there are amazing, kind, loving, and so welcoming.

[@tonimactavish9937]

I love your message about racism. I am from the far north of the United States and I do so appreciate the hard work and sacrifice the citizens of this part of the country gave and I certainly wish more would be done in support of them. I love your videos, they are a education to me, and I do have much to learn.

[@melissaszuch1560]

I love West Virginia. Thank you for the video

[@buck546]

Hillbilly's are absolutely the best. We love our God, families, Country, state and guns.

[@MrButch-ls8vl]

I appreciate your statement, but would like to add that loving God includes be tolerant of those who have different beliefs and religions, that different types of families deserve respect, and other states and countries are recognized and not hated.

[@markminter3960]

Mountaineers Not Hillbillies, name after William Anderson Hatfield, Bec it's Yankee propaganda, not true toour Roots,slang,Is ok just know the truth,bec it deserves Respect. It's not a joke, outsiders need to know the facts, about it. Take your shoes off set a spell...

[@markminter3960]

Why does something I reply on only say 1 REPLY, when there's actually 3????????¿

[@mjohnston8313]

why would you love a gun? Sounds like a mental condition.

[@buck546]

@@mjohnston8313 People like you will never understand. It's not the tool you love it's the way of life. For hundreds of years country people have owned guns to put food on the table, to control pest animals, and self defense. How dare you call me mental because I believe in the freedoms that we Americans have enjoyed for hundreds of years. You don't like guns don't own one that you right but don't put me down because I do.

[@mountainfolk2000]

Thanks Shane, another great video from Our Great State of WV. I truly do love those Mountains.

[@TheAppalachianProject]

Thanks so much, I love these mountains too. They get in your blood :)

[@markminter3960]

Thanks for taking the time to do this, it's so important.

[@realappalachia]

My pleasure!

[@cjpiper2420]

The sign Atv retreat, it’s a old school house that a msn named jack turned it in to a bed and breakfast, really a nice place , and very acknowledged about Gary WV

[@fats6582]

I love your video, It looks like a place where real people live ! The history is fantastic.

[@hikerx9366]

What a great way to visit places in the heart.💘 Thanks for sharing such a close up look at real life and real people who made a difference in the world.

[@realappalachia]

I really appreciate these comments, thank you

[@dlmullins9054]

My Daddy was a coal miner in the forties fifties and sixties. We lived in Big Rock, Buchanan county , Virginia. We had to move North in 1964 on my twelfth birthday, because Daddy couldn't make a living due to striking all the time. He had six kids and a wife to feed. I am 68 now and i still miss the mountains. Growing up there was the best time in my life. We made a lot of trips to Gary when my cousin lived there. His Daddy was a miner too. His name was Denny Mullins. Thanks for these videos.

[@realappalachia]

glad ypu're enjoying them. I posted a video of following a coal truck from Paw Paw into Big Rock not too long ago

[@markminter3960]

My family paternal side is Adair, however my maternal is Mullins. Your Name is all.in the roster for the 34th VA battalion of cavalry CSA. Extremely interesting battalion, Received a Flag a Gettysburg,small example. Jim Vance was a trooper.in it too, check Company C, Virginia archives.

[@MrButch-ls8vl]

Interesting that you use the expression "coal camps" to describe an area or collection of company built houses for coal miners and their families. Here in Pennsylvania, where I live, these places were called "coal patches" or "patch towns." I agree this was an important part of American history. This is the story of hard working men, close families, and small towns struggling to survive.

[@realappalachia]

I have heard of coal patches but not patch towns. Strange how close we are yet the terminology on a lot of things is different. You're dead on with your description.

[@spaceflight1019]

@@realappalachia , Marianna, Pennsylvania is an excellent example here. Once home to Bethlehem Energy's #58 mine, today it's almost gone.

[@kindnessworks71]

Gary is a very beautiful town all the mountains and the colors of the trees I would love to live there it looks like a very beautiful small town and that's exactly what I need I would love to get a house out there every morning drinking coffee and looking at the beautiful mountains you can't beat that thank you so much for doing these videos I've had some pretty serious health issues and have not been able to watch a lot of your videos but tonight I'm going to Bing watch

[@amydotson2544]

I went to elem jr high there. Before I went to Mt view. I loved gary. Wishbmy kids could go there

[@billrobbins5874]

When we grew up we heated our house with coal. Never did know what a holler was til today. Even after hearing Loretta Lynns song Coal Miners Daughter from way back in the 70's. Progress doesn't always seem like progress at times. Thank you, interesting video from your area. ♥️🇺🇸♥️

[@realappalachia]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching

[@deborahsharpe9429]

Thorpe WV. My home town. Born in Welch, WV. Lived there until I was 10. Dad was sick of the mine strikes. Moved us to Spencer,VA. I have great memories from there. Thank you very much for showing the video ❣️

[@LOVE92031]

Thank you. I was raised there, such Peace. I attended the church & I attended that school, until the 1st grade, when they switched us to Gary Elem-K-8. Gary's schools were integrated, by the time I came along; Black & white.

[@realappalachia]

really glad you enjoyed watching the video

[@dogmom2023]

My paternal grandmother is from Gary. I have traveled all over west Virginia and love the states beautiful scenery. Spent the weekend in the hollars of WV mcdowell county.. in Dec. I feel at home watching your videos.

[@billwallace7294]

My Mom grew up in Switchback, just over the hill from Gary. That was Pocahontas Coal Co. country. Her Mom, my grandmother ran the clothes section of the company store. According to my Mom, she used to go New York and Chicago fashion shows, once a year for each city and buy up patterns for dresses, take them back to the company store then order material for the ladys who would use the patterns to make their own clothes.

[@realappalachia]

That's great info, I had never heard how that worked before. Thanks so much.

[@billwallace7294]

@@realappalachia Switchback was a flag stop on the rail line that ran through town. When my Grandmother would go to the fashion shows, a flag would be set out on the tracks so the train knew to stop to pick someone up. Otherwise the trains would just go on through.

[@realappalachia]

@@billwallace7294 that makes perfect sense but I'd never heard that before

[@markminter3960]

My mom came outta Bartley holler looking like Marilyn Monroe. Shirley A Addair.

[@wabisabijb]

I remember the company store. I lived in Gary only a short time 1969-1972. I'd love to see a photo of the store, I haven't been able to find one online anywhere. I remember the clothing section upstairs. It was a beautiful little world unto itself.

[@dogmom2023]

I always feel warm and fuzzy after watching your videos. Thank you.

[@julianawhitt277]

18:07 was the Main Office building for US steel. I lived on Red Cross Street. Those 2 big buildings there are new, I didn't know they were there. Graduated from Gary HS in 1976. It was a booming city back then. Good to see you driving through. It was so nice back in the good ole days.

[@realappalachia]

thanks so much for the info

[@daveperryman291]

Thanks. I live a few miles West of Gary, Indiana, near lake Michigan, home of U.S. Steel. Never knew there was a Gary, W. Virginia, named for the same reason. I worked at Inland Steel un E. Chicago, IN. I watch hundreds of tons of coal roll in on the trains every day. Good to know steelworkers and coal miners kept each other busy for years.

[@jaysantos536]

Too bad neither had enough "book learnin" education to get better jobs.

[@jdallison6198]

Home of Steve Harvey

[@wabisabijb]

They used to say they mined the coal in Gary, WV to make the steel in Gary, IN.

[@amijoroberts2560]

@Jay Santos iv got a feeling they both had enuff real education to whip ur trolling, shit starting, busy-body punk ass

[@cassyb1936]

It’s so nice to see the place where I grew up on this platform. It looks different from the years I spent there, slightly but it’ll always be home to me. There are so many neighborhoods that were missed in the tour. Many of the small towns have names that correlate with the coal mines (#2,#4, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10) and so on. There’s another school that wasn’t shown. My father at one point owned the old Gary District High School and had plans to transform it into an entrepreneurial site for small businesses before he passed away. Floods and the close of mines led to great decline there. I can remember when the coal lift you showed used to light up the night sky as you drove by. It was a great place to grow up in. We fished in the Tug River, used to watch beavers build damns on the “back bridge” in Gary Bottom, and walked the railroad tracks from Gary Bottom to #6 to visit friends. We rode four wheelers and explored the mountains. We even spent time at Miracle Mountain which gave us a great view from the mountain top.

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much! We kind of learn as we go too but hope to get back to a lot of places after some time. Show changes and add more that we learn. Thanks for the memories! We love to hear them!! - Melody

[@karmaisreal7586]

Beautiful, thank you for sharing this. American history . 👍✌

[@wythetrumpet6419]

I worked for U.S. Steel Gary Coal District for ten years and sadly had to leave in August of 1987 after all the mines and the Alpheus Coal Preparation Plant were closed permanently. It's hard for me to believe that has been 35 years ago. I had the pleasure of working with some of the finest people in the world. These were hard working individuals. Before it was torn down the Alpheus Coal Preparation Plant was the largest in the world. Every evening a 120 car unit train would leave with coal for our many steel mills. I lived in the blue house behind the Catholic Church that you drove by. If the mines had not closed I would have retired there. Today the City of Gary is made up of several small towns: Main Gary, Venus, Thorpe, No. 6, Elbert, Filbert, Alpheus and Wilcoe. Thank you for the great video!

[@realappalachia]

thank you for all the info, that was fantastic

[@doubletap6236]

The first town you came through is Thorpe W.V. my Grandparents lived there. Where you turned around at the City Hall was the U.S. Steele supply depo I remember my Dad going there to get his mining supplies like boots and such. The little building with the truck that had the hood up was the city hall when I was a young boy. I attended Gary Elementary School, was also Jr. High School High School was Mountain View High School. Just a little insight

[@ChickyBazooka]

Gary CoalDiggers was a powerhouse football team way back when. They were the rivals of everybody, but especially the Welch Maroon Wave. Each year on Veterans Day, the two teams played the game of the year and whoever won the game got to keep 'the Barrel' until the next year's game. The Barrel was just that - a barrel, with the teams listed and the winner's score. It was a major County battle.

[@realappalachia]

I bet those were some great days

[@andrewlaubenthal6408]

My father in law Joe Adams was on those Gary teams. He played center in football, catcher in baseball. I’ve heard many stories of the bucket. Played in 1956-59 give or take.

[@debbieepperly3821]

Checking out the chicks, were ya, Shane?! I had to laugh at your "Lovers Lane" comment! Lol! I REALLY enjoyed this longer drive! Reminded me of some of the roads my hubby & I would get "lost" on, just taking a side road here or there. Im still catching up on some of your videos & they are really helping tonite! Bless you! Be safe!

[@michellemlmille8171]

I really enjoyed your documentary and thank you for making it and bringing awareness to our heritage!❤️

[@realappalachia]

Thank you so much :)

[@seanberthiaume6909]

I live in Leroy, WV (Roane County) on 23 acres and LOVE it me and my hound retired military an awesome place to retire!

[@deborahnewell2989]

Thank you for the video. I was born and raised in Mc Dowell country.

[@jasongartin8546]

My teacher In nursing school, Sandra Rutledge was from Gary!!! She was my mrs Riley, in relation to the movie October sky… lol I would not have made it through school If it wasn’t for her…

[@ChrisB-zz8dh]

I loved growing up in West Virginia. Had such a great childhood. Everybody knew each other. Took care of each other. Seems like times have changed since then. But will always love West Virginia. When I was a kid it was heaven! Also I have never seen a coal mine in my life. So not everyone in WV is a coal miner. Big misconceptions!

[@thomasmann3804]

I appreciate your prospective Shane. Nice and thoughtful video.

[@realappalachia]

thank you so much, Thomas

[@amoskowitz0103]

On a lighter note, a little humor... Question: How do you drive a West Virginia driver crazy? Answer: Put them on a straight stretch of road.

[@realappalachia]

I can see that lol

[@deaj8450]

For real though, I went driving west to Indiana and thought I was going to go brain dead on those roads.

[@terrenceking5855]

That is the stretch west of Princeton, WV just past Bluewell. I hit 104 mph back in 1971!

[@ktrudy1]

Haha yes same for eastern Ky. Curvy lol

[@whitebeardskydaddy6756]

If you can successfully drive here, you can drive anywhere!

[@ajwalker6175]

My family is from McDowell County. I love WV Born & Raised wouldn't change it for anything!! My dad & uncle's probably cousins worked in the coal mines. Thank You for sharing this video with us!! Just be careful out there!!!

[@realappalachia]

Thank you, very glad you enjoyed it

[@joyconstantine6067]

My Mom graduated from Gary High School. 1937. I have her class ring

[@jennnacide-jenn-psychic-medium]

Thank u ty ty for bringing back memories of my early childhood.. my family on both sides came from this area. I am in fact the modern-day " coal miners daughters my dad and uncle all worked the mines for a living ..

[@johnjasper5221]

My name is John Jasper. I was born in 1959 and grew up in that white house on the top of the hill across that steel bridge at the end of the video. I fished for chubs and horney head fish under that bridge. My dad worked at the USS coal cleaning plant in Gary. That was the long conveyor that took the slate from the plant and dumped it in the mountain. I have fond memories growing up in Thorpe. So many I would like to tell. It was a wonderful life. I now live in Meridian, Idaho.

[@whitebeardskydaddy6756]

I live at Chapmanville. My last job in marketing had all the southern WV territory assigned to me, and I really enjoyed the adventure of trekking into these old towns tucked into the hollers of our rolling hills. I was assigned a data collection task at Bradshaw a few years back. You probably know that's a few ridgelines over from Gary. Maps sent me down a decent paved road that it apparently did not know had been closed for years. I know that if some production outfit wanted to film a horror movie on a low budget, the ghost town I ended up passing through would be a perfect setting! Buildings buildings everywhere, but not a soul in sight. I've looked on Maps here at home, but I can't pinpoint exactly where I deviated from Rt 80. It is on the southern side of Panther State Forest. Very profound and enlightening experience. Surely wouldn't want to run out of fuel or break down over in there! Great video. Safe journeys.

[@realappalachia]

thanks so much for the kind words and comment. Yes, some of those empty towns are scary to drive through and no gps or cell service makes it even scarier sometimes.

[@navydogsadventures3500]

Thanks for the great tour!

[@jessedavis7670]

Miracle Mountain is a very beautiful place I had friend lived in Gary that took me up there very beautiful place. It’s been a while since I was up that way I’m not sure if you can still get up to the park they have

[@JustinTyme1966]

I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Thank you

[@lorettabrail7806]

Our family history is of West Virginia and Virginia ... my grandmother on mom’s side of the family was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. We are related to the Morgan’s that towns and cities there were named after.. the history is so rich there! Great video! Thanks!

[@georgeburke7215]

Thank you for getting back with me so fast. Stay safe. Maybe I will see you in my travels.

[@realappalachia]

That would be great, thank you

[@dellatyl3598]

I just wanted to say thank you for what you're doing. I really enjoy your channel.

[@realappalachia]

Glad you enjoy it! thank you, Della

[@marius278]

thanks, very interesting

[@sallyapplegate4591]

I love your videos!!!! I’m in California and I love seeing more of the country. My grandma was from Pennsylvania and I’d love to visit one day.

[@realappalachia]

really glad you enjoy the channel, hope you get the opportunity to get here someday

[@Moggzilla76]

My mother was Born, Raised in Little Venus (Number 10) and Graduated from Gary in 1960. My Aunt who died as a Baby is buried in Thorpe cemetery. I was Fortunate Enough to grow up in Elbert, Number 7 and was a Coaldigger Myself!!! In fact we Still have the Hagerman family reunion every year on Miracle Mt. The "Coaldiggers" K through 12 school is in Elbert in the Valley headed to Miracle Mt. I loved Everyone and Everything about being the Son of a Coal Miner!!! GOD Bless the Coalfields!!!

[@wolfy1987]

Our industrial revolution was fueled by coal, and our homes powered by it for a very long time. Love how colorful some of these towns are. Took a church trip to West Virginia in the early 2000s and its one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. And the people there were some of the friendliest. Been looking for an excuse to go back.

[@realappalachia]

you really can't beat most of the people in these towns, the real people

[@jtq69]

As you said I very much appreciate my coal heritage and saddens me to see it demonized. Gary looks a lot like the town where my Dad grew up. Great video Shane.

[@TheAppalachianProject]

Thank you, it sounds like we have a lot in common

[@danielcoleman4807]

Born in Welch. Left when Dad retired in 1969. I went back recently to have a look. It's heartbreaking but everything changes. Family went to Gary High. Go Coaldiggers !

[@donnavaughn5393]

Thanks you my friend enjoyed the drive love wv my home

[@janicecampbell6478]

Really enjoyed this video,love seeing different places l know l will never see in real life, hope there will be more.Enjoyed very very much!

[@realappalachia]

thanks a ton, Janice, glad you enjoyed it

[@selmazopinion]

Beautiful video. Thank you, much appreciated now that I’m unable to travel 👍

[@realappalachia]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Zoubirking-1970]

Hi Selma may I ask where you from 🙂

[@candyparker189]

I spent many childhood summers in Gary and Welch, WV, in the late 60’s/early 70’s with my maternal grandparents. They lived on Wall Street in Gary near the General Store we’d walk to as kids. I’ll always remember asking what the number was over the little bridge near the general store and was told it was the # of days since someone had died in the mines.

[@realappalachia]

That # story is a sobering reminder of how dangerous it was

[@rayleeeastlick3989]

This was Awesome.I was born in Happy Camp,CA on a Rez.This area reminds me of home.I in Klamath falls Oregon now....

[@pollyannadavis7965]

My father's family is from there and most are buried in Gary. The family last name is Jarrett. I'm the daughter of Oscar Wiley Jarrett.

[@packingten]

I went to school in Indiana with a boy named James Jarrett I remember he had big blue eyes it was the first thing you saw when you met him. That was 1963/66.

[@pollyannadavis7965]

Most of our family on the Jarrett side has brite blue eyes Including myself.

[@Vanillablooos]

I appreciate you posting this video!! There are the end of the video, you started traveling down a street there at the post office in Thorpe. My dad was born there in Thorpe and lived on the street...about a mile back there though. That would have been #4 holler!

[@realappalachia]

So glad you enjoyed it and it brought back some good memories for you

[@krishnenduadhvaryu7140]

It is great video. My aunt leaves there and from India, I went and visited West Virginia, 3 years back.

[@juanitawest976]

TFS. Enjoyed.

[@bethwiegand2957]

Thank you for this video. What you're doing is so important to the future of our country. Have you ever thought of compiling all of uour videos into a documentary 🤔 you have a great passion for this that reflects in your project...Appalachia is an integral part of our heritage that goes beyond cornbread and collards. You illustrate that.

[@lamonthale9755]

Thanks for the video!

[@realappalachia]

Glad you enjoyed it, Lamont

[@milanomaker]

I enjoy your videos. The scenery reminds me of Western Pennsylvania, which also has a long history of coal mining. My grandfather & Uncles were coal miners in W. Pa. Thanks for posting

[@jeffreyanthony7348]

Thanks for the video. I'm from worth wv the other side of the mountain. Outside of the town Northfork.

[@eviemn1]

Just ran across your videos today. Love the beauty. I live in flat land SD.

[@theresakerins4563]

My Dad was from Bluefield, but his Mother was from Gary. My Great-grandfather was a miner at (I believe) Gary #1. My Grandmother actually worked at the Company Store after graduating. The family name was Lester

[@realappalachia]

Sounds like your roots run deep in the area

[@markminter3960]

My Granny's maiden name is Lester.

[@markminter3960]

Also I learned the other day, back when it was Tazewell county VA two Lester Brothers owned most of the county in acreage. One named Abner back in 1763. Howdy cuz.

[@theresakerins4563]

My Great Grandfather was Thomas Lester. Being a Navy Brat, we only got home every few years, so I, unfortunately do not remember too many of the Lesters. My Grandmother was Lillian Lester Gregory. I was planning to visit the area last summer to check county records, but as we know, COVID. Maybe this summer or fall.

[@michaelbragg6903]

Gary was where the author Homer Hickam’s parents were from. They graduated from Gary High School.

[@kosta9135]

Shane, love all of your vidios.

[@robkoedam914]

coal is West-Virginia was a slogan in the eighties. I still owe a badge with this slogan

[@karenreichenbaugh856]

Nice scenery. I love it you guys go out on the road.

[@realappalachia]

Thanks so much, Karen, we appreciate you

[@robertwilloughby3371]

i was born and raised in hobart indiana the friendly city . i live next gary indiana the not so friendly city , i worked in u s steel plant in gary indiana works for many years im so glad you are showing gary wv they take care of their city. come take a visit to democrat ran city of gary indiana

[@dannyworrell5396]

Love the old cars & trucks

[@Ingavabch]

Thanks so much for your videos. My great grandparents lived in Gary. Do you have a video of Hartwell, lower and upper camp in McDowell County.

[@zxtenn]

You have a great channel for interested people. I have a friend in Beckley and was there and in Helen looking around at homes, buy a decent/livable house in Beckley for about 40-50 grand. People now don't realize how easy life is for them, in those days daily life meant doing physical work for heating, etc. My parents born in the early 1900's and life was difficult

[@realappalachia]

Thank ya, Jim

[@DeeDee-dl7sl]

Love these longer videos!

[@realappalachia]

Thank you