Coal House (Williamson, West Virginia)
The Coal House is a distinctive 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 Hassel T. Hicks, who was supervised by David 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.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_House_(Williamson,_West_Virginia)
Williamson, West Virginia is a small town located on the Tug Fork (directly across from Kentucky) in the southwest of the state. It serves as the seat of Mingo County.
Coal House (Williamson, West Virginia)
The Coal House is a distinctive 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 Hassel T. Hicks, who was supervised by David 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.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_House_(Williamson,_West_Virginia)
Williamson, West Virginia is a small town located on the Tug Fork (directly across from Kentucky) in the southwest of the state. It serves as the seat of Mingo County.