Beards Fork is an unincorporated

Unincorporated area

In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...

 census-designated place

Census-designated place

A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...

 in Fayette County

Fayette County, West Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 47,579 people, 18,945 households, and 13,128 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile . There were 21,616 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...

, West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 that was founded as a coal mining company town

Company town

A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...

. As of the 2010 census

United States Census, 2010

The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...

, its population was 199.

Geography

Beards Fork is located at 38.063720°N 81.227329°W (38.063720, -81.227329). Its elevation is 1,253 feet (382 m).

Beards Fork is situated between two mountain ridges in central Fayette County

Fayette County, West Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 47,579 people, 18,945 households, and 13,128 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile . There were 21,616 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...

, and is closest to the unincorporated town of Robson

Robson, West Virginia

Robson is an unincorporated village in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, situated primarily on the banks of Loup Creek. Robson is served by State Highway 61, and is located from Montgomery and to from Oak Hill. Robson's Post Office serves the smaller communities of Beards Fork and...

. The Post Office in Robson handles the mail for Beards Fork.

History

Historically, Beards Fork has been the location of coal mining, and at one point, the longest building in the world under one roof was located in Beards Fork- a coal tipple that spanned the valley; it was 5555 feet (1,693.2 m) in length. Today, there is no mining, but logging persists; a flood in 2001 was exacerbated by the rupture of an illegal dam formed by logging remnants.

Transportation

Beards Fork is served by WV 61 via Beards Fork Road, a paved one-lane road maintained by the state; a creek runs parallel to the road throughout most of the inhabited portion of the valley (known locally as a 'hollow' or 'holler').

Economy

The only entity of any kind to have offices in Beards Fork is the Southern Appalachian Labor School

Southern Appalachian Labor School

The Southern Appalachian Labor School, or SALS as it is abbreviated, is a non-profit organization that serves Fayette County, West Virginia. It was founded in 1977, initially to educate local workers and others about labor law, unions and organization...

's Community Center, a non-profit organization that primarily provides housing services and children's programs to area residents.