Rainelle West Virginia: Home of World's BIGGEST Sawmill!

[@MountainRoots]

Love hearing from y'all in the comments! Anyone been to Babcock State Park?!

[@davidhypes5228]

Babcock is about 20 mins from my house. When I was in high school, I worked at the boat docks at the lake renting paddle boats. The grist mill is one of the most photographed mills in the world.

[@richvest7212]

Been there Originally from Beckley

[@Lou-oy2eh]

Can you do a video of Tiprell TN please?

[@MountainRoots]

@@Lou-oy2eh I'll look into it... have you seen my episodes on Cumberland Gap?

[@Lou-oy2eh]

@@MountainRoots Yes I have seen it. My Grandparents (Newton and Molly Ann Ellison) built a big house that is still there in which they raised 9 kids in Tiprell. I spent lots of time both in Cumberland Gap and Tiprell when I was growing up but I would like to know more about Tiprell. Thank you!

[@ShelleyBumgarner]

My family have owned a sawmill and timber cutting operation since 1867 in NC. It has been passed down from my greatgreat grandpa and his brothers to 6 generations. Ny daddy was one of the owners until 2017. He passed in 2018. Sawmilling and cutting timber is one of the hardest and dangerous jobs ever. I used to drive the skidder, run knuckle boom and debarker. I was hacking lunber at 6. I learned how to drive in 68 ford tandum log truck. Everyone was amazed that a girl was out working in the woods and sawmill like i was. My great uncle is 96 years old. He still drives to themill and works everyday. Nothing like the smell of fresh cut trees. Im so thankful for my heritage of hard workers.

[@liamfirebird6922]

Great channel. Im a WV native. Born in Mullens, Raised in Matoaka, and still have family in Beckley, Princeton, and Bluefield. Those mountains will always be home to me. Love the content. Thank you Josh for all your hard work on these videos. Looking forward to more.

[@brookscarney]

❤WV! ❤Appalachia. I believe in Rainelle, it’s on the comeback. Not boasting, esp if y’all know Rainelle..but it’s West V gold to me.

[@johnhargis4566]

I'm thankful to have lived my whole life in the Southern Appalachians known as the Great Smoky Moutains 😊 ❤

[@lewiemcneely9143]

I've been in the Blue Ridge except for a year in Kansas. Put a hillbilly out there and see how interesting it gets! It DID!

[@davidhypes5228]

Rainelle has been my hometown for 50+ years. This is an awesome video! Thank you for showcasing our little town!

[@MountainRoots]

You're welcome!

[@kdugg]

My great grandpa was Calvin Reed from Rainelle. I grew up over in Dawson

[@jma00a1]

My Grandmother was from Rainelle. Her family’s name is Foe. She was born in Rainelle in 1912.

[@joannelwatson5066]

My Daddy William Gery Smith was born and raised in Rainelle. His parents moved the family to the Charlottesville area in the 1960s, as Papaw said to keep his sons out of the mines. Although I was not born in Rainelle, it was always like coming home when we visited.

[@fredholley6248]

Ah, Rainelle. My grandparents (mom's side) lived there. He worked at the garage (Crookshank's??) and she worked at the sewing plant. This was back in the 60's and early 70's. They lived on the 2nd floor over an auto parts place, directly across from the motel. I spent MANY a night watching out the window at the snow falling. It seemed to snow almost daily from Nov thru March there. I can remember hearing the locomotive and other heavy equipment running at the lumber place. After grandfather passed, she met a gentleman from Quinwood several years later and they lived there thru early 2000's until he passed away. Quinwood was like Rainelle on steroids as far as snow went lol.

[@AFluidRealiTea]

My mom's family lived up the mountain a little but Rainelle was basically home for a good part of their time until round-about 1956ish when they moved to Michigan for automotive industry. My great grandmother was Emily Crookshanks. So the name would've been right! My great grandfather (Simms) was killed felling a tree in the 20s I think, most likely for the lumber co but Emily went on and married another Simms, didn't need to change names. Heh. Still have some family around there but my mom's cousin last his whole, big property and home when the most recent huge flood came through. Was too old to rebuild and moved out. I hope to see it all myself. I've been to WV but not to Rainelle or "Simms Mountain" since my people are all Simms/Sims depending on how they spell it.

[@scootmandoo]

My father was born in Pageton, West Virginia in 1938. Never really knew him and living in Los Angeles my entire life I'm getting a real feel for the differences we grew up in. Thank you for sharing Appalachia with me, makes me want to travel over and see it myself. Love you work.

[@MountainRoots]

I really appreciate you sharing...if ever you get the chance, do it 😊

[@deaneddie873]

Yes make the trip I went to Welch WV. Over the New YEAR. I lived there until I was 10 years old and we moved to Virginia 1965.thanks for the great story of the mill

[@dalegooch4616]

Josh another great episode looking forward to more.

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

Beautiful country. Beautiful place. Nice little town. Love the video.

[@drummersagainstitk]

What you're doing is important. The production is great because you don't over due the commentary. You let the sights tell the story.

[@MountainRoots]

Thank you very much for the encouragement!

[@sandydeel-xw4fn]

Thanks for sharing another great video. Since you have a history of owning your own sawmill, it was really neat that you got to visit Rainelle. The people of the Great Appalachias have so much to be proud of. I think your videos have shed light on that many times over. I can't wait to see where you take us next. Thanks for letting us come along. Keep the great videos coming!

[@devanelkins4468]

How do you not have like a million subs as a West Virginian I love the content keep it up

[@MountainRoots]

Much appreciated! I have a larger following on Facebook, but between this and my show on PBS now I'm spread out...but I keep rolling!

[@alanwilliamson9350]

I spent a few weeks or so in Rainelle back in the winter of 1997. Had been sent there to do storm work for a tree service I worked for then. I absolutely loved the town and the people there.

[@JacobRiley1999]

Great episode as always, Josh! Looking forward to the next one!

[@waltobringer2928]

Thanks!

[@owenpowers1695]

Love watching your vids! Cant wait to go back to the mountains...

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Thanks! I had an Uncle and son with families go to Rainelle from here in W.NC to log. I'm glad the battle was cancelled because of rain. Unc and Jr. said that it rained there all the time so they just put on the rain gear and rubber boots and went on. They got an old green steel butterfly hooded DM Mack ex coal hauler for a log truck and the place there where they bought all their fuel, the station's owners wife knitted a pair of britches for the bulldog on the radiator to keep it warm in the winter. A resident there by the name of Gayle Reed drove it and moved back here when they came home. He moved back there after he stayed here for a while and had a NICE 9000 Ford dump. Ira Robinson and J.C. Galloway were logging up there too and also came back here and I got a chance to work with both of them. This was in the 70's and I was in the Army and going to see them when I was in Va. but they beat me back here before I got out. They really liked it up there but made their fortune here in trucking and crushing rock. Maybe some of yall know someone I was talking about. Lots of fine folks there that I didn't get a chance to meet. Thanks and God Bless

[@gregdelaney119]

In addition to the excellent video and narration, Josh, I found the musical selections of this episode to be especially poignant and well-matched to the scenes shown. What seemed to me to be the longest song was particularly noteworthy to me - mournful, yet full of wisdom and hope. I've never heard it before. I hope Rainelle and those who live there have a strong sense of hope!

[@MountainRoots]

Really appreciate it Greg! I believe the song you're referencing is called "Million Things I'd Rather Do" by Binkley :)

[@gregdelaney119]

@@MountainRoots Nick Binkley? Oh, and I love the name Rainelle - great name for a female person!

[@joannelwatson5066]

My father was born and raised in Rainelle. His father was descended from the early pioneers of the area (the Fleshmans, the Osbornes, the Browns). His mother's side was involved in logging and had connections with the Raine brothers. My Papaw said that East Rainelle was once called Planktown before the Raine brothers came, due to the wooden planks that lined the roads.

[@kendeel7474]

Good episode! Looking forward to the newly featured state in your next adventure.

[@2b_unique_d]

Just discovered the channel and I’m really enjoying.

[@MountainRoots]

@@2b_unique_d glad to hear it! Thanks for watching!!

[@johnderenge]

Rainelle, WV was the closest town to my grandfather’s home in Quinwood, WV. My parents were married in Roman Catholic Church in Rainelle, WV. Along the Midland Trail near Rainelle is the farm where General Robert E. Lee purchase his famous horse Traveller.

[@brookscarney]

Where my manners? Josh, Appalachian brother, the series is awesome, such great work. Really happy for all your successes, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[@MountainRoots]

Haha, really appreciate it and thanks so much for watching - it's a GREAT encouragement this kind of work is so valuable to others!

[@FalconRiverArtemisArchery]

My grandfather was a moonshiner with a still along the meadow river. Used to help him deliver his wares all through the mountains using waagon roads and rail tracks laid down by the Meadow River Lumber Co I still have family there..

[@meglange3595]

Great video Josh 👍. Babcock is just "beautiful". Thanks for stopping off there. Rainelle has that "look" of things to come. It would be awesome to see update videos down the road on some of these towns that have made big comebacks. Maybe a compilation video of before and afters. Just a thought 😊. I have to echo what others here said about the videography and music. Makes me smile. Well done. Blessings to you!! 🥰

[@donnadurham288]

My hometown has been ruined by the drug epidemic

[@larrybuckner8619]

I’m thankful that you are making these videos. I want to live in the applications so bad it’s crazy.

[@bhager1945]

Great show Josh!! Been away from your channel for a while.. glad to be back.

[@jackgill2501]

Yes, I have been to Babcock many times.

[@rickwidlund3512]

Fantastic video, great knowledge gain. Thank you.

[@missrita1826]

Another great adventure.😊

[@thomasfields2082]

Babcock is currently my favorite vacation spot.

[@MountainRoots]

I can see why!

[@dianamoody7251]

I grew up in Danese. Was in Rainelle many times. Murphys is where we shopped a lot.

[@hikerx9366]

Loved it, Virginia is the State of States .. Happy New Year my friend & God Bless.🙏🏼

[@kdugg]

This isn’t Virginia. This is West Virginia

[@jugg1492]

Welcome back!!!!

[@bennetts-revenge_2]

I just love this series so I had to subscribe to your channel!

[@MountainRoots]

Welcome aboard!

[@BiGDeE3]

great vids man .. good work .. kudos to you .. Ptnum CTY wVga here

[@MountainRoots]

Thanks for the feedback! Glad you're enjoying them!

[@CoolHandLuke01]

Great video.

[@michaelhager2846]

I'm comin' to WV, thank you 😊

[@zxtenn]

Interesting, i live and work in NC but i have a nice hideaway in Quinwood right up Rt 20 by Crighton school, Rainelle maybe 10 miles away, its SO quiet where my house is!!!!!

[@zxtenn]

My house in Quinwood needed a partial exterior refresh in a few areas and my neighbor did it in Hickory from a sawmill i think he said in Smoot?

[@spiritualstrategy]

I recently discovered my biological grandfather was from Beckley, WV. This is so close, it’s helpful in getting a feel for roots I didn’t know I had. Kenneth Martin, in case anyone who might pass by this comment knows the name. Long shot, he’d be in his 90s now, but we don’t know where he went after re-enlisting in the Korean War.

[@yeahnothx-e9l]

I was just there last week!

[@mrsmith8436]

Josh you missed a very important and historically significant location that boarders Babcock state park. Camp Washington Carver. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the early 1940s. Camp Washington Carver opened in 1942 as the first 4-H camp in the country that was for the African-American youth. Today, Heritage Arts Camp, the Appalachian String Band Festival, and the Great Chestnut Lodge, the largest log structure of its kind in the world, make this site a favorite place for festivities. I know this was a Rainelle episode but I would consider Camp Carver even more significant historically to Appalachia and its culture than even Babcock both of which were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It would be worth an edit to this episode to visit Camp Carver now park of the National parks. Thanks for all you’re doing and keep it up. People need to know how rich and rooted and historically significant the Appalachian culture is.

[@MountainRoots]

Thanks for the information! No need to edit this episode...perhaps that's one that deserves its own look 😉

[@foxtrapgaming1036]

New subscriber

[@foxtrapgaming1036]

I actually live in Rainelle.

[@johnderenge]

According to family lore, my parental grandfather tried his hand at being a lumberjack after surviving the Eccles Mine Disaster and Layland Mine Disaster. After his youngest brother was decapitated in a lumberyard's boiler explosion, he decided that working in the coal mines was safer. His brother's body was laid to rest in the Roman Catholic Church Cemetary in Springdale, WV. My grandfather then decided to Go Out West to try his hand at Oil Rigging and being a Cowboy. While in the Western US, he joined the US ARMY Medical Corp at the outbreak of World War I and The Spanish Flu Epidemic.

[@MountainRoots]

Sounds like a script for a feature film, thanks for sharing!

[@arthurhiggins1532]

There's a lot of cole mining in that area would you know anything about that?

[@RedneckHillbilly-ho9md]

I was hoping this place was a little closer to me up here in PA but that's way down there, down pretty close to where the Whitaker's live.

[@GORT70]

I don’t have a major problem with most sawmills. I have a MAJOR problem shredding forests to make room for solar panels.

[@Diddley-js6lf]

They Cut US Trees in Virginia then Take the Wood to The Ports, load the Lumber Into The Container Ships, then The Ships take it To Vietnam so they can Make Furniture to load onto the Ships To be brought right back to the US forUs To Buy. Vietnam Doesn’t have Any Hard Woods to make Furniture so we supply them.

im james kyle kessler 2 my grandmother lived there, 31 years ago i stayed there 3 months i met dino from moundsville, bill yellow rooter n ginsang dude mike mitchel my best friend i love you man they knew me by kyle i came back one time 2 years later great place good people they had a hardees back then. the idle hour was kickin danny was bar tender ,donna welch i bought a 71 dodge dart from the pharmacy ,jacob jones am radio dj slash radio kid he was a good boy ,i hired him to help me shingle 2 roofs it was a good time

[@garyford2039]

Is there a Museum?

[@MountainRoots]

No, just a local municipal building that has a few relics & pictures.

[@ellisrowe363]

Videos are great, please cut the music. Thanks!

[@MountainRoots]

Nah, music stays. Thanks for watching!

[@ellisrowe363]

@@MountainRoots I'll unsubscribe, have a good one!