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RED JACKET, WV
Small truck mine coal loader between Red Jacket and Matewan.
A coal camp named Red Jacket, built by the Red Jacket Consolidated Coal & Coke Co. and later owned by the mighty Island Creek
Coal Co.
These homes in Red Jacket were probably constructed for officials of the company, and are similar to the ones
the company built in Wyoming, WV.
Former Red Jacket school.
Men working the picking tables in Red Jacket Consolidated Coal & Coke Company's tipple at
Delorme, WV.
Sue Shields Ratliff recalled her childhood memories from Red Jacket to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph:
"In 'the camp,' children played from dawn to dusk in the summer time, (and sometimes later).
We had the run of the streets and alleys and as traffic was almost nonexistent and the few cars that
did travel the camp watched diligently for playing children. Between the four-room houses and the five-room houses was a
'V' alley where there was enough room for a makeshift baseball diamond and where you could always find a softball game
in progress. With no formal recreation areas the people in the camp made do with what was available to them. We had box
suppers, talent shows and other community gatherings in the union hall in the upper end of the camp.
"There was the big company
store for food, clothing, furniture
and all the necessities of life, a
post office, a community church,
(Baptist one Sunday, Methodist
the next), and a doctor’s office.
"Dr. J.C. Moore, who watched
over all the medical needs of the
community, had his office near
the company store. When anyone
came down with a cold or the flu
or chicken pox etc., Dr. Moore
was there to see to our needs. Dr.
Moore’s nurse, Mrs. Arnold, was
always there and about as good
at doctoring as Dr. Moore was.
His office consisted of two examining
rooms, a back storage room
for medicine and such, and a
waiting room. There was no
receptionist or appointments. Dr.
Moore would just open the door
of one of the examination rooms
and call out, 'Next.' After treating
you he took you into the back
storage area (which was also his
office) where there were shelves
full of pills and liquids of all sizes
shapes and colors. Dr. Moore
would select the right medicine,
put a handful of pills in a small
white envelope, lick it to seal and
write the directions on the front
of the envelope and send you on
your way.
"Many of the woman of that day
had what they called 'nerve problems.'
This could consist of any thing from a argument with their
husband to tragedy in the family
to mid-life crises, or menopause.
Dr. Moore was famous for his
green nerve medicine that he dispensed
regularly to these ladies.
No one ever knew or cared what
it was or what was in it but it
worked and was in great demand.
All medical care was free
(including the green nerve medicine),
if you worked for the company
and paid into the 'doctor
bill fund.'
...
Rarely a day goes by that I don’t
think of the wonderful days growing
up in the camp. Families in
the camp were close. Everyone
knew everyone else, what house
they lived in, the names of all the
family members and even family
members who did not live in the
camp but came to visit.
Life was simpler then but life
was also rich, rich in family,
friends and neighbors. Rich in
the great education both formal
and informal that was gained by
being a part of that community.
Rich in the simple fact that you
were from 'down in the camp.'
I never knew of anyone who
lived in the camp being financially
rich when I was growing up.
Some had a little more than others
but in the camp it did not
matter. Many valuable lessons
were learned by growing up in
the camp and many life-long
friendships were made. Many of
us have moved on, some have
moved away, some have even
made their final move, but today I
feel richer because I grew up in
'the camp,' a place I will never
forget and people I will always
remember and love."
History of coal mining. History of West Virginia. History of Mingo County West Virginia. History of Wayne County
West Virginia. History of Raleigh County. History
of McDowell County. History of Williamson WV. Coal Seam geology. Historic Pictures. Historic Photographs.
Historic books. Historic Maps and geography. Matewan History. Beckley history publications. History. Polish immigrants. Slovak immigrants. Italian immigrants.
West Virginia immigrants. Appalachian music. Appalachian culture.
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Sep. 2001 image by author
Sep. 2001 image by author
Dec. 2006 image by author
Dec. 2006 image by author
Circa 1916 Coal Age image via Google Books
SOUTHERN WV COALFIELDS