Keystone WV
Keystone was originally known as Cassville. It was founded and named for the Keystone Coke and Coal Company in 1892. It is located in the very southern border county of McDowell in the Northeastern part. Today Keystone is 73% African American. During the time of the beginning of major coal production the native labor force was inadequate to meet the needs of the coal company. African Americans were recruited from North and South Carolina and European Immigrants were also recruited. Specifically, Magyars were brought to this part of the Pocahontas Coal Field. Slovaks, Poles and Italians were also inhabitants. One former Keystone resident remembered Italian families in Keystone pooling money to buy a boxcar of grapes to make wine. In 1936 Koppers Coal Co. bought out Keystone. In 1967 Eastern Associated Coal and Pocahontas Empire Coal Co. took control of the mines. Today Keystone is Russian owned belonging to the Mechel Bluestone Coal Company. The Keystone #1 Mine was the oldest mine in the Pocahontas field. It produced for 94 years before being exhausted in 1986.
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Interesting information on Keystone. I had a good friend in college who was from Keystone. His family was all coal miners and he was the first in his extended family to attend college and not work in the mines.
ReplyDelete94 years! That's a lot of coal! Being from an area where minorities are few, it seems unreal that a community in WV has a minority as the majority. Very interestng. I'd love to visit now!
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