West Virginia Cabin Vacations

West Virginia Family vacations can include a visit to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine where visitors can explore underground in man-cars, and through an old company store turned museum. The history of Coal Mining is West Virginia is not just a history of digging fuel from the earth.  It is the history of the industrial revolution, the beginnings of unions in our country and the battle for worker safety. 

The story of coal is the story of mechanical and technological progress early in our country's history. Coal ovens, specifically, were designed and redesigned to continually increase efficiency.  The evolution of their design was a series of mechanical and brick revolutions that lead to greater effectiveness of heating systems, and coke production.  (Coke is the solid fuel material derived from the distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal.)  

To explore the effect of coal in West Virginia, its people and its history is to do more than just visit this state, it is to understand part of what makes West Virginia special. Within an hour from our New River lodging and Hawk's Nest lodging is a chance to walk into WV coal mining history.