.gif)
Coal House (Williamson, West Virginia)
Encyclopedia
The Coal House in Williamson, West Virginia
is a unique building built of coal
masonry. The bituminous coal
was quarried as blocks and dressed as stone using 65 tons of coal from the nearby Winifrede Seam. At the time of its construction it was the only coal building in West Virginia. The house was designed by architect
Hassell T. Hicks of Welch, West Virginia
and supervised by D.M. Goode. The coal masonry was varnished for weather-resistance. Located adjacent to the Mingo County Courthouse, it houses the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The building's construction in 1933 was organized as a publicity stunt by O.W. Evans of the Norfolk and Western Railway
, who wished to create a symbol of the "Billion Dollar Coalfield" centered on Williamson. While it is known as the "Coal House", it has never been a residence.
West Virginia's second coal house was built in 1959 in Lewisburg, West Virginia
.
On October 11, 2010 the Coal House caught fire. There was extensive damage to the inside of the building and minimal damage to the outside structure. The group that owns the building, the Williamson Convention and Visitors Bureau, says that the building will be rebuilt.
Williamson, West Virginia
Williamson is a city in Mingo County, West Virginia, USA, along the Tug Fork River. The population was 3,414 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mingo County, and is the county's largest and most populous city. Williamson is home to Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College...
is a unique building built of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
masonry. The bituminous coal
Bituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
was quarried as blocks and dressed as stone using 65 tons of coal from the nearby Winifrede Seam. At the time of its construction it was the only coal building in West Virginia. The house was designed by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Hassell T. Hicks of Welch, West Virginia
Welch, West Virginia
Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The population was 2,406 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1893, it is the county seat of McDowell County.-History:...
and supervised by D.M. Goode. The coal masonry was varnished for weather-resistance. Located adjacent to the Mingo County Courthouse, it houses the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The building's construction in 1933 was organized as a publicity stunt by O.W. Evans of the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
, who wished to create a symbol of the "Billion Dollar Coalfield" centered on Williamson. While it is known as the "Coal House", it has never been a residence.
West Virginia's second coal house was built in 1959 in Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,830 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier County.-Geography:Lewisburg is located at ....
.
On October 11, 2010 the Coal House caught fire. There was extensive damage to the inside of the building and minimal damage to the outside structure. The group that owns the building, the Williamson Convention and Visitors Bureau, says that the building will be rebuilt.
External links