What Happened To This Once Thriving Coal Town? | Williamson, WV

[@pioneer_productions]

Edit: There is an East Williamson! It’s where a massive train yard is so I apologize for getting that wrong. Again I’m not from here and only had 1 day so I tried my best to get all the details right but messed a few thing up.. If you're from the area and I got any other details wrong be sure to correct me! I loved spending the day in Williamson and I plan on coming back this fall for a full weekend and renting an ATV to hit the Hatfield and McCoy trails. Thank you for watching!

[@catherinealonso8923]

You did good I was wondering if something happen to it LOL 😆

[@tacoman2939]

Hogan’s Transport, Firestone Service Station, Mac Dale Rhodes Plumbing and a host of small businesses used to be in East End. That’s the part of town I grew up in. The old East Williamson Grade School used to be on Peter Street.

[@tacoman2939]

The YMCA used to be in East End also

[@catherinealonso8923]

@tacoman2939 I went to east end grade school in the 50's I remember Peter street

[@tacoman2939]

I lived on Peter Street from 1971 to about 2003. The old Napier’s Grocery that changed to Matney’s grocery, the apartment right above the old store is where I was raised. Loved that place. Miss how everything used to be.

[@GURLWATTT]

I was born and raised here this place grew me up to be a man Williamson is a great place.

[@gojudude]

Hey young man, excellent job, and don't worry bout any small mistakes. I grew up 9 miles from there in a smaller town of Delbarton. My wife was born in that hospital, I however, was born across the river at the other hospital. My momma worked at the Board of Education for 44 years. Being your dad graduated in 75, hell tell you that back then you couldn't get through that town there were so many folks there. So, your dad can also tell you, that the little mall the built across the river was the downfall of Williamson. All the businesses basically moved over there, and all the folks went over there to shop.

[@pioneer_productions]

Thanks so much! He told me as much as he could but he had to leave and go to a party at the Mountaineer so I did my best but I just don’t know enough about the history and area. I love the town tho and wish I could have seen it back when it was thriving. Can’t wait to go back in October to ride the atv trails. Thanks for sharing your story!

[@windyswaim3832]

Delbarton! My aunt and her husband had a drugstore there. The Lawsons

[@giorgiodifrancesco4590]

My great-grandfather Sam Sene came to live in Williamson around 1914. He died in 1954 in Logan and is buried there. Thank you for showing me the place, since being Italian I never went there. The nature looks great to me. Very green. It's similar to the Alps in Piedmont, Italy, where I live. Unfortunately, the economy doesn't seem to be thriving, at least in that particular region of WV. The only difference between where I live and this area is the buildings: over here, there are churches that are a thousand years old and stone houses, covered with stone. Also, the sheds are in special areas outside the urban center. Instead, there it looks like an urbanistic mess to me. Perhaps the area could have tourism potential, but it should be completely rethought.

[@bw9872]

Williamson holds a special spot in my heart. I lived there when I was little. My parents graduated from WHS in 1966 and my dad was a member of those great basketball teams in 1964-66. Truly sad to see how much is gone.

[@r.pres.4121]

Like other Appalachian towns, Williamson was too dependent on one industry which was coal mining. When the market for coal fell out, mines closed and these communities suffered greatly.

[@stormjacobs5497]

Hello! I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video. My mom's family is from this area, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents when little in Stone Kentucky, they would take me to JUSTICES drive-inn. I love this area so much, and watching it takes me to a place where i would like to return, being 60 now. I really miss it there. Thank you so much for featuring these beautiful mountains and surrounding West Virginia and Kentucky.

[@pioneer_productions]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed!

[@WV-USAF]

2 years later replying, but great video. Grew up there till 18, still have family there. Good people, good memories. And the Williamson High School Wolfpack sports teams were always a draw and well known across the state, especially basketball. Imagine 4000 screaming fans and a pep band when playing local rivals in that field house you drove by.

[@OfficialChadsMoneyMinutes]

I’ve been there! I worked a hospital out there Tug Valley regional on the Kentucky side of the border. Very scenic highways to get there out of Pikeville where I was staying! Great video

[@pioneer_productions]

No way man that's awesome small world! I love that stretch from Pikeville to Williamson. Basically no traffic which is rare on highways. Thanks for watching and supporting over here man really appreciate it! Working hard to make this channel high quality!

[@baisden77]

Much like most towns in Southern WV, Williamson is a shadow of its former self but it still has its charm! This was the first town that captured the eye of my young eyes. Great vid!

[@bobantoniuk3953]

Lived in Williamson from 11/82 to 5/83 while working for WBTH/WXCC. For a city boy from NJ it was a real eye opener. I remember shopping at the Piggly Wiggly, A&P and the Williamson Sundry Store. Used to broadcast basketball games at the fieldhouse. Great atmosphere. That was the era of Mark Cline.

[@lrn_news9171]

WV is just incredibly beautiful wow

[@pioneer_productions]

I agree!

[@vincentsmith6859]

Very well done! I enjoyed this a lot thanks for sharing Mark

[@pioneer_productions]

Thanks so much Vincent!

[@leahjalexander203]

Starters is the place to go, whenever we're in town!! And the mountaineer is always great!! We usually stayed at a bed and breakfast right down the street right beside the post office it's not there anymore We loved it so sad

[@tineslamb]

This was awesome to watch! I love this so much. I was born and raised here. I moved away 25 years ago but all my family still live there so I visit often.

[@jamesseraph8813]

I am from there, well the area. I lived in Williamson during my senior year and graduated that closed highschool you showed earlier. This brings back a lot of memories.

[@CodyWilliamson-e9d]

Love the video I am a Williamson and my dad always told me our family started that town never been there but always wanted to visit now I kinda feel like I have thanks

[@karensanders2221]

Home sweet home. You're Dad probably remembers my cousin Vanessa Maynard from WHS. I went to Matewab high. As a kid we all got dressed up to go to town... ie Williamson

[@pioneer_productions]

I’ll ask him if he knows Vanessa! I really enjoyed my time in William pjs and can’t wait to go back. It’s a nice small town and I hope it can grow and improve overtime so it’s like it used to be

[@Jay-kc1ql]

Hi! My mom is a Maynard from Williamson, although a lot older. She left in the late 1950's. I can still remember visiting my grandparents just before the flood.

[@katw3070]

The name Vanessa Maynard sounds familiar. Do you know Carol Jean Maynard?

[@amyggg79]

Your dad probably knows my family! My grandpa taught at WHS and all of my moms family went there. It was still great in the 80s but I cried when I went back in 2006. Still only place that feels like home to me.

[@pioneer_productions]

I’m sure my dad would know your grandpa! He remembers everyone from back then still to this day. I really wish I had gotten a chance to see it in its glory days. Now sadly can only see that through pictures

[@richarddrum9970]

Great drive through and commentary Mark. A few notes.....First the double stack container train you mentioned is part of Norfolk Southern's Heartland Corridor from Chicago, IL to Norfolk, VA and runs several intermodal trains each week. Second, there is an East Williamson, Williamson CBD, West Williamson, Fairview (beyond West Williamson) all in West Virginia and a South Williamson in Kentucky. The floodwalls were constructed by the Corps of Engineers as a result of the April 1977 flood and got started in West Williamson in 1982. You didn't point these out but there are some interesting graphics cast into the floodwalls in the West Williamson (swimming pool and baseball players) and South Williamson (horse race) sections (go see Matewan, WV). Also at the 21:05 mark of the video there is a large brown house on the left that happened to be the first of several hundred homes raised (floodproofing program) in the Tug Fork Valley between 1985 and 1994. I was honored to be on that project team during those years and spent many days in Williamson, South Williamson and Matewan working on the floodproofing program and designing graphics for the floodwalls. Thanks for showing this video.

[@pioneer_productions]

Thank you for sharing that information! This was I think only the 3rd or 4th time I’ve been to Williamson and the first in at least 10 years. I love going there tho I think it really is such a charming place. My dad grew up there in the 60s and I love hearing the stories he has to share

[@drewjosh]

Just watched this, wonderful video...totally agree this is a wonderful place and can't wait to visit again.

[@pioneer_productions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@QuickBoomerang]

Williamson is in West Virginia, South Williamson (crossing the Tug River) leads you into Kentucky. But Downtown Williamson is the County Seat of Mingo County of WV

[@pioneer_productions]

My dad spent most of his time growing up living in south Williamson so in KY and my mom grew up around downtown! I love visiting Williamson

[@michaelarnold9445]

Percy is beautiful I don't have any children a beautiful diverse community and a wholesome Community raising their children again to be honest Brave and thankful

[@jimdavis9315]

My mother and older sister went to Belfry High school

[@jaynemorris3895]

Born in that hospital! And attended the ‘old’ school with entrance for males and another for females, cool wood floors before switching to the newly built school which was so high tech. Thank you for sharing

[@SumTingWong70]

I'm from South Williamson, Ky. I was 7 years old when the flood of 77 happened. It wiped out Williamson and South Williamson and was considered the worse flood to hit the Tug River. We lived in Leckieville, but one of the few fortunate ones to live on a hill. We had so many people staying with us I can't even begin to remember the exact number. But, it was a 2 story house and we had people staying through out the house and basement as well. The train derailed and was barely hanging to the tracks and had it fallen into the river, even us safe on the hills would have had to flee into the mountains. I remember like it was yesterday, how scared everyone was, but seeing our neighbor's houses floating at the bottom of our hill was so heartbreaking. We moved in 1980 from there to another part of Ky and moved out of state in 1986. I was in first grade at South Williamson but we couldn't finish our school year there and was bused to Turkey Creek. Right before the flooding, my mom was at the ARH getting a cast off her leg and they barely got her to our house before she could have been stranded. Now, in regards to my memory..There are things I can't remember about everything I did just days or weeks before, but I don't think I will ever forget the flood of 77. So, yes that floodwall was very much needed and appreciated by the people who still live there. Different parts of the area still floods, last year..Belfry (where I went to highschool) flooded. But, it was nothing in comparison.

[@chauncey5962]

My family lost everything in that flood nobody died or nothing but we fled to to the mountains where there were people over there but they had family besides us who they had to keep. Most of the kids stayed there when the flood was over we cleaned what we could keep the there was mud 4 in thick on the floor we shoveled out. Horrible time caused a lot of mental issues with my family and others there

[@SumTingWong70]

@@chauncey5962 I bet!! I still remember, we had a huge picture window that overlooked the hill and the valley of Leckieville to the tracks..Seeing people's houses float at the bottom of our hill where we rode bicycles. There was a train track behind the river-the one derailed, but there was another one just at the bottom of our hill. I can't remember, if it was still active, but we played there. The water got almost midway of our hill. My 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Hall lived at the house on the left-as you go up the hill. We were bused to Turkey Creek for the remaining year, I think. I was in 1st grade. I don't remember going back til 2nd grade..Mrs. Runyon was our teacher. I still have fond memories of her and Mrs. Hall. We moved when I was 10, but I stayed with Mrs. Hall a day or 2 after.

[@MagicCactus01]

Hey great video don’t worry about any of the small mistakes Keep up the vids 👍

[@pioneer_productions]

Thanks man!

[@kirk7261]

born in Pikeville but ended up in south Williamson short street before I was given away

[@lazarusmesserian8186]

Hey i really loved your drone shots, fantastic view. I am impressed that you hiked up the old way to Death Rock the way we use to. I always took a canteen and my Kodak camera to capture the view. I am not going to pile on about East Williamson but I would say that Williamson was a railroad town not a coal town.

[@pioneer_productions]

Thank you! I actually preferred the hike because my dad would always tell me about how he would hike it as a kid so I felt like I was walking in his footsteps. I still haven’t gotten a chance to go back for a follow up video but it’s definitely on my list to do. Need some justice for east Williamson!

[@bananashapedorange]

Hey i live here! Just across the street from the old hospital, in the little brick house !! 😊 nice video man

[@pioneer_productions]

Thank you! Man I love Williamson. Great small town hope. Dad and I are trying to plan a trip back up for a few nights this fall!

[@tribecca626]

Great video !

[@pioneer_productions]

Thank you!

[@amyhisle5485]

Great video Mark!!! I really enjoyed watching it. Little towns are becoming extinct.

[@pioneer_productions]

Thanks Amy! It’s sad to see. This town was thriving back in the early/mid 1900s but has been going downhill for awhile now. The flood in 1977 was devastating and the town has never fully recovered from that.

[@tourist7557]

Beautiful city thank you!

[@pioneer_productions]

It really is!

[@jimdavis9315]

My cousin is the Mayor of Williamson, I was born there in 1955, now live in Kingsport

[@retiredsignalman5865]

JFK stayed at the Mountaineer back in the day when coal was king and all the little towns on the railroad were thriving ....

[@leahjalexander203]

I grew up there...my mom and sisters are from there...but we're really from NC/VA

[@sammysawyers2849]

Did you check out the old coal house museum. Used to be the chamber of commerce

[@pioneer_productions]

I didn’t go inside but I got some shots from the outside!

[@demonxmoo99]

Hey I live there

[@beatricesiaw8776]

What are they doing with the old high school building?

[@pioneer_productions]

I don't think there are any plans for the building as of now

[@AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHs]

i’m pretty sure they’re just letting it sit

[@davidvallejo5867]

What drone do you use ? I’ve been getting better myself I’ve already crashed one lol

[@pioneer_productions]

Oh damn that sucks! I’m using a DJI Mavic 3 that I just got. This was only my 3rd or 4th time flying it so still figuring out how to fly it well myself haha

[@davidvallejo5867]

Oh nice ! I Yea definitely do not try to fly with trees around. I was trying to get an epic shot in Oregon by a waterfall. Lol

[@pioneer_productions]

😂 yeah I get super nervous every time I fly it. The shot under the bridge I was going so slow and cautious

[@catherinealonso8923]

I was raised on east 4th Ave the east end of Williamson he said there was no east end what happen to it

[@pioneer_productions]

I was wrong there is an East Williamson I mentioned that in the pinned comment. My dads from here and I’ve only been here a few times so tried my best to get things right but of course I made a couple mistakes

[@catherinealonso8923]

Oh no you did better then me and I was raised there ...I just wonder if something happen to east end❤😊

[@jimdavis9315]

Oh the coal house

[@leahjalexander203]

Ask your dad if he knows any Hairstons.....Elbert or Vivian should have been around his age..or my Grandmother Zada Hairston

[@babytsexton4581]

Can you give me permission if I give you credit to use a couple of your video clippings! #thankyou

[@pioneer_productions]

Yes!

[@leahjalexander203]

I have a house on Mulberry St

[@Perfectly-Imperfect]

Without the coal mining jobs, there’s no money & it affects everything. That old hospital really is haunted.

[@jimdavis9315]

It's Hillbilly Heaven

[@ClaraBBrown]

The downtown area don't look to bad, it looks pretty good.

[@pioneer_productions]

Downtown is great! It used to look a lot different but there are still plenty of businesses and stores going strong

[@jackorourke2368]

Worked for HUD setting up mobile homes after the flood of 77 in Williamson many other areas from Kermit to Bluefield , beautiful area good people !

[@pioneer_productions]

That's amazing thanks for sharing!