This is a coal camp in western Mercer County where the American Coal Co. operated the Crane Creek mine in a 72" section of the world famous Pocahontas No. 3 seam. Unlike other coal camps, multiple coal companies mined coal simultaneously at McComas. The Thomas Coal Company had a mine there, and also the Pocahontas Fuel Company owned the Sagamore mine in the Pocahontas No. 11 seam. Pocahontas Fuel Company was eventually bought by CONSOL, and they were still mining coal in McComas as late as 1981. Coal mining in McComas has now ceased, however, and the preparation plant was demolished during 1991-94. Also visit this McComas Website for more information.
Image courtesy VT ImageBase, housed and operated by Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries; scanning by Digital Imaging, Learning Technologies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
An interesting style of coal camp housing at McComas. Above shows the camp when it was new, below shows the camp today.
May 2001 image by author
The same coal camp houses in the 21st Century.
May 2001 image by author
One of the few things that remain from the mines at McComas is this electric shop.
Mar. 2004 image by author
As people have moved away from McComas, the Methodist Church has been abandoned and fallen into disrepair.
Aug. 2012 WV SHPO image
These garages were built by the coal company for the Crane Creek residents who owned automobiles.
Circa 1991 WV SHPO image
The Crane Creek coal preparation plant a few years before it was demolished.
