September 30, 2023 - The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum and the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society have joined forces to honor the 150th anniversary of the first coal shipment from the New River Gorge in 1873. This milestone marked a significant moment in the industrialization of West Virginia’s coal mining industry.

The story begins in 1870 when John Nuttall, an English-born coal miner, noticed a tavern in Winona burning coal instead of wood. Intrigued, Nuttall discovered the high-quality coal came from the Sewell seam found in the Fayette County hills. Recognizing the potential wealth in this region, Nuttall awaited the completion of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad in 1873, as it would provide a cost-effective way to export the coal.

Joseph Lawton Beury, the first industrialist to export coal from the New River Gorge, played a pivotal role in the development of the coal industry in West Virginia. Beury, a former captain in the Union army, brought his coal mining expertise from Pennsylvania to establish the town of Quinnimont in West Virginia. Once the railroad was completed, Beury’s mine became the first in the area to export coal by rail.

Beury’s coal empire expanded, and he opened mines in other locations such as Fire Creek, Hawks Nest, and Ansted. He also became a major coal operator in the state and built a mansion in the New River Gorge. The population grew alongside the New River Coalfield, attracting diverse workers from different backgrounds to the mining towns.

To commemorate this historic event, the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum and the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society aim to educate the public about the significance of the coal industry in West Virginia’s history. Through exhibitions and archive collections, they seek to highlight the impact of coal mining on the state’s labor and industrial development.