Documentary - What about Now! Steeped in History, Pocahontas Virginia, was the headquarters for the coal mining operations that helped make the industrial revolution possible. Mine workers from many foreign countries made their homes here, and their diversity is evident in the variety of churches scattered about town. Equipped with its own Opera House, the town was ahead of its time in form and fashion, with power generated early in its history by efforts at the nearby mine. Beautiful metal facades brought from St. Louis, Missouri, dot the downtown streets and have stood the test of time with dignified grace. A great many buildings date to the late 1800’s, and although many have suffered damage over the years, the bones of the once elegant structures are evident and their extraordinary beauty is present in the details. This website is dedicated to the fundraising efforts to film the documentary about the town of Pocahontas, Virginia. There are three things you can do to help. 1. Do you have any of the following?; photos, stories, and/or any old film footage of the town. 2. Support the effort by passing along this information to people who care about the town, past, present and future. Provide them with contact information, so they may share their stories and experiences of being in Pocahontas. 3. Visit Pocahontas, Virginia. Update, Nov 07 Met with the board and members of Historic Pocahontas. Established dates to film Oral History of residents, and people of interest to the story of Pocahontas. Nov 26th 2007 Press generated by Congressman Rick Boucher press release The Bluefield Daily Telegraph Article WJZ TV Baltimore WBDJ7 TV 8 News Richmond VA NBC 29 Charlottesville VA Examiner.com National News Hampton, VA WSLS Roanoke, VA We continue to schedule Oral Histories, please participate if you are able and tell your unique story of Pocahontas, VA. The tentative schedule for the next filming is February 2008. You may e-mail me or contact Amy Flick, who said residents can call her at (276) 945-9417, or Nancy Barbour at (276) 945-9002 Contact dmccoig@mac.com Nov 25th 2007 List of Participants in footage already obtained and Oral Histories. Upon completion the complete records will be transferred to and available through Historic Pocahontas. Amy Flick Diana Miller Congressman Boucher Nov 29 & 30 Some small highlights from conversations. Russell Garrett Longtime Pocahontas Fuel Company employee shares his memory of the company store in Pocahontas and the other 34 stores operated by the company. He also digs into his 43 years of employment memory to recall the President of Pocahontas Fuel Mr. Alexander and his affection for the nature in and around the coal fields. He tells us why the building, that once housed the headquarters for the vast coal company was built with a 30 by 40 foot cut out in the back. (to keep from removing a tree) Hubert Asbury Memories of Pocahontas in the early 1940s, father Crockett and mother Georgia Davidson Asbury, first car at 13 years old a T-Model truck.Worked for US Steel for 25 years. Reflections of the town's crowded streets and many saloons and of working as an electrician and mechanic in a "punch mine" 1951 graduate of Pocahontas High School. Dr. Tom Butt 1953 graduate of Pocahontas High School, a dentist from Wytheville, VA shares memories of his family connection, the first child born in Pocahontas was his ancestor, several memories of childhood are shared, and also about his fathers store, a family friend who owned monkeys, and his 10 th birthday present which was a live Crow, speaks of the Cricket, pool playing, camping, fun with his brothers and tomato wars with C.I. Gilmore. Memories of the town doctor coming to his house to treat him, the Dr. named Ballard whistled on his walk and folks would hear him coming. Talks of the frequent road trip over to his grandmothers in Wytheville. Talks of his education after High School, his military career and music career. Billy E. Hylton Sr. Shares memories about father and mother Harry and Corey Myrtle Shepard Hylton. His father worked in the "Hand loading" and pick and shovel days of the 1930s. Born and raised in Pocahontas, Va Mr. Hylton shares his memories of Coal Houses, Mule and Horsed used at the mine, working in several mines himself through many decades, Memories of being a volunteer mine tour guide at the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine, remembers cars driving through in the 30s, the history of the bath house and the power house. Shares some information about his sisters whereabouts. Grady D. Hedrick & Nancy J. Cox Brother and sister recall memories of growing up , Alabama Joe, Horses being ridden into Saloons, taking turns coming to town on Saturday to shop at the Company Store. Discuss family names such as Uncle Bud Davidson, a Methodist Circuit Riding preacher, they talk about childhood, Pumkinfest, speak of Hungarian family living close by with connections to the Double Cola bottling plant. Comment on the streets being so busy and crowded. Many "watering Holes" and Pocahontas being a good place to grow up. Margaret (Adams) Davidson Originally from Bluestone Virginia, recollections of Father and Uncle coming to the area to work for the railroad in the 1930 s Speaks of mother and father, siblings. Bramwell High School graduate, married din 1945 to a Pocahontas resident and came to live there. Husband worked in the mines in Pocahontas, Boissevain, Jenkin Jones number 4 and 6. Speaks of the enjoyment of mining and the fun her husband would tell her about. Pocahontas was a wonderful place to live, buying dry goods at the company store, shopping at Ellis Grocery, No car, speaks of train trips and the "Short Dog". Thankful for the time in Pocahontas Virginia Patsy Crockett Valach Family moved to Pocahontas in 1908, Grandfather. She moved to Pocahontas at one month old from Wytheville, Va. 1950 Graduate of Pocahontas High School. Recalls tree lined streets, green shutters on houses. Memories of visiting the company store with her grandfather and he would buy her beautiful dresses. A heartfelt plea for the Historic Preservation of the town. Witnesses "New Urbanism" all over the USA and sees the small town life she experienced in Pocahonatas as the life people are seeking today. Believes in the town. Fred Powers Teacher and storyteller primarily from McDowell County, but connected to Pocahontas as a member of the Catholic Church for a while and numerous visits. Speaks of 20 year career in the mines, equipment, mining conditions and safety. Talks about his fathers loyalty to the United Mine Workers Union and that he never crossed a picket line. Talks about the life of a miner and the daily routine as well as memories of himself and brother helping his father when he would get home from the mines. There is a miner killed every year and a lot of funerals to attend. Oliver & George Knouff Brothers George and Oliver share the memories of Pocahontas, the Cemetery, Family History, WWII re-union, Family names of Baker and Knouff, Memories of the exhibition mine, copperhead snakes in the cemetery, the mine explosion related to the mass grave, the demise and clean up of the cemetery. Visits to the company store as children, driving a 1938 Chevrolet through the mine, the Keystone mine, Pennsylvania, and Beckley. George is a 1941 graduate from Princeton High School and Oliver graduated in 1934. Both served in the military during WWII and both disliked the food,. Stated that with the new improved roads in the area , more people are seeing the beauty of the mountains. Lillian Lovelace Brooks Holt Many photos of Family dating to 1886, Maxwell, Smith, Wilson, Hampton and more. Photos of coal miners in a meeting, Reads poems written about Company Store and Coal mining. Speaks of racial and ethnic harmony "We were one, we had love for one another " Jerry Gravley Walter Bailey Sarah Bailey Arthur Scott Thomas Rider Duke White Herman Schrader Fred Monroe Powers Dr. Tom Childress Saturday March 15th We returned to Pocahontas and interviewed some wonderful ladies at the apartment in town and Greg at the Town Hall. We were able to re-shoot an interview with Amy Flick at the Mine. Janet took some photos (see below) It is our intention to shoot a couple of more small pieces to the story and begin the editing process. We hope to have the project completed by the end of summer 2008. As we work through the lengthy process of collecting all of the material and conversations there will be opportunities in the future for companies and organizations to underwrite, with credit of course, Items such as production of the film, production of the DVDs, and Closed Captioning costs. If you know of any organizations willing to assist in these areas please have them contact dmccoig@mac.com for details. April 22 2008 We hope to have the project completed by the end of the summer 2008. http://www.bdtonline.com/local/local_story_329231022.htmlhttp://wjz.com/virginiawire/22.0.html?type=local&state=VA&category=n&filename=VA--CoalDocumentary.xmlhttp://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?s=7409045http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?s=7409045http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?s=7409045http://www.examiner.com/a-1068700~Film_crew_seeking_recollections_of_Virginia_coal_town.htmlhttp://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=7409045http://www.wsls.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSLS%2FMGArticle%2FSLS_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173353629641&path=!news!localnewsmailto:dmccoig@mac.commailto:dmccoig@mac.comshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2shapeimage_1_link_3shapeimage_1_link_4shapeimage_1_link_5shapeimage_1_link_6shapeimage_1_link_7shapeimage_1_link_8shapeimage_1_link_9
Pocahontas Documentary Blog
Saturday, December 8, 2007