Search Results

The White Oak Railway was constructed during the early-1900's and came under the control of the New River Company. The short-line railroad was originally incorporated to provide citizens of the area a direct rail-connection between the primary business centers in Beckley, Mount Hope, and Oak Hill.The railroad consisted of two unconnected "pieces" that never were completely finished. The first section consisted of about 7 and ½ miles of track connecting with the C. & O. Railway at Carlisle, running from there through Oak Hill to Stuart. The second section was about 4 to 5 miles in length connecting with the C. & O. Railway at Price Hill Junction, running to a mine located at Price Hill.Under an agreement with the C. & O. Railway, the White Oak Railway operated passenger and freight trains along the tracks of the C. & O.'s White Oak Branch  between Glen Jean and Carlisle. In 1912, the New River Company sold the locomotives and rolling stock of the White Oak Railway and jointly leased operation of the railroad to Virginian and the C. & O.

1. White Oak Railroad, Somewhere in West Virginia

Men stand around the "Whipple Tipple."

2. White Oak Fuel Company Tipple, Whipple, W. Va.

Three men stand beside the tracks while steam pours out of the building's many chimneys.

3. White Oak Fuel Company Facilities, Whipple, W. Va.

Standing at the gate are Mother, Emma and Andy Oschlager.

4. Home of Turkey Knob Company Coal Miner, Turkey Knob, W. Va.

On the left, a man stands at the window of New River Banking & Trust Co. On the right is Mankin Drug Co.

5. Mankin Building, Thurmond, W. Va.

An unidentified man stands at the building's entrance.

6. National Bank of Thurmond, Thurmond, W. Va.

P. H. Kelly and a colleague stand outside of a dog wagon--a small restaurant often specializing in short orders that occupies a converted vehicle or that is built to suggest such a vehicle.

7. Dog Wagon at Depot, Thurmond, W. Va.

The walk way on the right is identified as leading to the Dun Glen Hotel. Wallace Bennett lived in the first house from 1918 to 1922, and the second house from 1925 to 1933.

8. Railroad Section Houses, Thurmond, W. Va.

A group of men are pictured on and beside a locomotive. Subjects unidentified.

9. Round House Crew, Thurmond, W. Va.

The engine used oil headlights. Five men are pictured on and beside the locomotive.

10. C. and O. Enginge No. 254 at Thurmond, W. Va.

Built in 1901, the Dunglen was a towering 4-story, 100-room wooden structure with a wrap-around deck. The Dunglen was known for the many parties it hosted, where huge dances were held in the elegant ballroom and symphonies would play through the night.According to Ripley’s Believe it or Not and the Guinness Book of World Records, the Dunglen housed the longest-running poker game, which stretched on through 14 years.The hotel was burned down by arsonists on July 22, 1930.

11. Dunglen Hotel Under Construction, Thurmond, W. Va.

A group of men are pictured on and beside a train car.  A bridge in the background crosses the New River.

12. Railroad Bridge and Turntable, Thurmond, W. Va.

13. Railroad Station, Thayer, W. Va.

Beside the building and the railroad is a mail crane.

14. Coal Company Club House, Thayer, W. Va.

15. Side View of Company Store, Sun, W. Va.

A man sits behind the wheel of a 1912 Buick model.

16. 1912 Buick Automobile, Sun, W. Va.

The building was later replaced by a brick building after it burned.

17. Summerlee Company Store, Summerlee, W. Va.

View from across the railroad tracks at the store entrance which is obscured by overgrown plants and weeds.

18. Babcock Store and Post Office, Sewell, W. Va.

Omer Plumley is pictured riding a bicycle in the forefront, In the back is the Sewell Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad station.

19. Man Riding Bicycle at C. & O. Station, Sewell, W. Va.

Mangen stands beside his truck on "moving day" in the coal fields. His truck holds a number of personal belongings, including a sewing machine, as well as a cow.

20. Mike Mangen's Moving and Hauling Truck, Scarbro, W. Va.

View overlooking the small town which was located on Route 41 near the New River. The New River Coal Company had mines in Quinnimont.

21. Quinnimont, W. Va.

A group of coal miners are pictured around the by the mine's railway tracks. The mine, Prudence No. 1, was owned by the New River Coal Company.

22. Mine Facilities, Prudence, W. Va.

Store manager W. M. Pifer stands in front of the store entrance while his five employees sit on the stairs. An African-American man is pictured in a horse-drawn carriage to the left.

23. Prudence Coal Company Store, Prudence, W. Va.

Those killed as a result of the accident were William Blankenship, Homer Cart, Thomas W. Craft, James Hunter, Eddie Huelett, Steve Kozma, Everett Leach, John Long, William J. Maynus, Henry McMillian, J. L. "Pat" Murphy, Delmar Oxley, Jesse Persinger, S. L. Runyon, Ray Tartar, William Turner, and Jerome Walters. In addition to those who lost their lives, 43 or 46 were injured.  A Chesapeake and Ohio derrick car works to clear the wreckage.

24. Work Train Explosion in Powellton Hollow, McDunn, W. Va.

Bank manager Mr. Jeff Tyree is pictured sitting behind a desk inside the bank building.

25. Bank of Pax, Pax, W. Va.

Cars are parked outside of the building where a crowd is gathered.

26. Loup Creek Colliery Company Store, Page, W. Va.

A group of men wearing hats are pictured beside and inside what appears to be a street train, but is likely an automobile and wagon disguised as a train. Red Devil Post 59 is likely a group within the American Legion.

27. Red Devil Post No. 59, Oak Hill, W. Va.

Several feet of snow cover the sidewalks and street.

28. Snow-Covered Main Street, Oak Hill, W. Va.

Men and women sit outside store entrances on benches and in parked automobiles. Subjects unidentified.

29. Main Street, Oak Hill, W. Va.

Merchant's & Miners Bank Building pictured on the right.

30. Mine Street, Oak Hill, W. Va.

The town is situated on the Fayette County-Raleigh County line. In the rear is the Hatfield Saloon. A barber shop and restaurant are also pictured. Winfred Sheppard was the owner of one of these establishments and is also pictured.

31. Need-More Saloon, Cirtsville, W. Va.

A group of men with bottles are pictured in front of the saloon entrance.

32. Need-more Saloon, Cirtsville, W. Va.

Men and children stand in front of the remains of the First National Bank building. Large swaths of town were destroyed during the fire.

33. First National Bank, Mount Hope, W. Va.

Horse-drawn carriages are loaded with crates outside of the bakery building, which advertises wholesale goods.

34. Mount Hope Bakery, Mount Hope, W. Va.

View looking down Main Street in the town of Mount Hope.

35. Main Street, Mount Hope, W. Va.

Photograph of the school building, which served as both an elementary school and a high school.

36. Mount Hope High and Elementary School, Mount Hope, W. Va.

A horse-drawn carriage is pictured outside of the building's entrance. The saloon sits next to a barber shop, pool parlor, and lunch diner.

37. Scott's Saloon, Mount Hope, W. Va.

A number of automobiles are parked along the street. Visible signs include 'Hardware & Furniture,' an advertisement for Wrigley's gum, an advertisement for a play or movie called 'Baby Mine,' Ford and Chevrolet, and Frigidaire.

38. Main Street, Mount Hope, W. Va.

"Mt Hope W. Va. after the conflagration March 24th, 1910"  The majority of the buildings in town have been destroyed.  A number of brick chimneys are left standing after the wooden buildings burned.

39. Aftermath of Fire, Mount Hope, W. Va.

View of the town's main street which is situated next to railroad tracks.  The train station is visible at the far left, while businesses line the street.

40. Montgomery, W. Va.

Charley, sitting in the center behind the cake, grew up to be a nationally known person in the entertainment field. This is either his sixth or seventh birthday party.

41. Charley McCoy's Birthday Party, Minden, W. Va.

Men and women are pictured outside of the store entrance.

42. Loup Creek Colliery Company Store, Page, W. Va.

The "Improved Order of Red Men" are pictured in the forefront of the photograph wearing sashes. The pastor of this church was J. W. Legg.

43. Improved Order of Red Men at Laural Grove Baptist Church, Livley, W. Va.

A man leads a horse along the road. Four men stand at the saloon window.

44. Lige Lee's Saloon, Mount Hope, Fayette County, W. Va.

Afterman of Passenger No. 47 wreck.

45. Passenger Train Wreck at Hawk's Nest, W. Va.

A group of men, women, and children are pictured loitering in front of the store entrance.

46. New River Company Store, Harvey, W. Va.

Three men and a young boy are pictured behind the bar. In the background, Magnolia Whiskey is shelved and advertised.

47. Interior of a Saloon, Glen Jean, W. Va.

The man on the left points a gun at the man on the right, who is also reaching for his gun.  Subjects unidentified.

48. Man Points Gun in Saloon, Glen Jean, W. Va.

A group of men are pictured outside the building on a snowy day.  Several of the men hold rifles and other firearms.

49. Charley Ash's Saloon, Glen Jean, W. Va.

View looking over the pumping station and onto the road.

50. Partial View of Glen Jean, W. Va.

A poster erected beside the building advertises for a July showing of "Franc's Minstrels," a "New York company under white management."

51. Opera House, Glen Jean, W. Va.

Three men are pictured at the store's entrance.

52. Davis and Gray Store, Glen Jean, W. Va.

A woman and two men are pictured at the building's entrance.

53. Glen Jean Cleaning and Dyeing Works, Glen Jean, W. Va.

A man in a police uniform sits on top of a horse while holding a gun.

54. Police Officer on Horse, Glen Jean, W. Va.

Sam Japser, right, and his associate Ty Cobb, center, stand beside gasoline pumps.

55. Sam Jasper at Glen Jean Supply Co. Station, Fayette County, W. Va.

Men and horses are gathered in front of the buildings. James L. Long, Attorney at Law and Notary Public, advertises fire, life, and accident insurance.  The Photograph Gallery advertises frames and art novelties for low prices.

56. Justice of the Peace Office and Photo Gallery, Glen Jean, W. Va.

A group of men wait by a car parked beside the Kanawha & Michigan Railroad station. The station was built in 1893.

57. K. & M. Station, Gauley Bridge, W. Va.

A woman walks by the building entrance, located at the intersection of Court Street and Maple Avenue in Fayetteville.

58. Wendell Brothers Building, Fayetteville, W. Va.

A crowd of men are pictured outside of the Fayette County National Bank on Maple Avenue.

59. Maple Avenue, Fayetteville, W. Va.

Cars are parked along the sidewalk where men and women walk about. The courthouse is visible to the left.

60. Court Street, Fayetteville, W. Va.

Bank building in Fayetteville, Fayette County, W. Va., on the corner of Maple and Court Streets.

61. Bank, Fayetteville, W. Va.

Mrs. Barney Evans Gore, left, and Dr. A. L. Hunter, right, are pictured inside the store.

62. Evans Store, Pax, W. Va.

Photograph from the early 1900's, showing a group of men that are standing on the saloon porch.

63. Saloon, Derryhale, W. Va.

A group of men sit outside of the store's entrance.

64. Clifftop Company Store, Clifftop, Fayette County, W. Va.

Smoke rises from a coal facility in Carbondale, W. Va., which is located in the valley between the mountains.

65. Carbondale, W. Va.

A group of men and boys are lined up on the store's porch. Mr. B. Killy is identified as the superintendent.

66. Boomer Supply Company Store, Boomer, W. Va.

Men belonging to the Kilsyth baseball team gather together for a team photo. The team ended their 1932 season with 22 wins, 22 losses, and one tie.

67. Kilsyth Baseball Team, Kilsyth, Fayette County, W. Va.

A group of school children pose outside of the school building with their teachers. Subjects unidentified.

68. Glendale School, Backus Mountain, Fayette County, W. Va.

Engineer C. V. Berry, left, and brakeman Walter Bennett, right, are pictured with the coal company's railway engine.

69. Glendale Colliery Company Engine, Backus, W. Va.

A group of men are pictured on the porch of the building. Subjects unidentified.

70. Glendale Colliery Company Store, Backus, W. Va.

Mr. Ennis, the school teacher, stands outside of the old school building. The photograph was taken in the early 1900's.

71. Early School House on Backus Mountain, Fayette County, W. Va.

72. Train Carts on Tracks in Front of Hotel Thurmond, Thurmond, W. Va.

Part of the White Oak Fuel Company.

73. Carlisle Coal Tipple, Near Scarbro, W. Va.

74. Price Hill Coal Company Operations, Price Hill, W. Va.

Large building housing the power source for a mining operation.

75. Number Two Power House, Boomer, W. Va.