Coal camps
From the 1880s, railroads opened West Virginia's coal fields, and companies built hundreds of camps in the narrow hollows of the southern counties: McDowell, Mingo, Logan, Raleigh, Fayette, Wyoming and others. Each camp had rows of company houses, a company store, a tipple and often a church and school. Real photo postcards of camps, tipples, miners and company stores are among the most sought-after West Virginia cards.
Mine disasters and the mine wars
The Monongah disaster of 1907, the deadliest mine disaster in American history, and many others were photographed. The labor conflicts known as the mine wars, including the Paint Creek and Cabin Creek strike of 1912 and 1913 and the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921, are historically significant subjects. Real photos of these events are collected by labor historians.
Logging
West Virginia's mountain forests were logged heavily in the early twentieth century, with logging railroads using geared Shay locomotives to climb steep grades. Cass, a company town built for the lumber mill, appears on cards. Real photos of logging camps, crews and railroads are popular with occupational and railroad collectors.
Railroads
The Chesapeake and Ohio, the Norfolk and Western, the Baltimore and Ohio and the Virginian railways hauled coal out of the mountains. Railroad towns such as Huntington, Bluefield, Hinton, Grafton and Thurmond appear on cards. Thurmond, a busy rail town along the New River, is a popular subject. Depot and railroad real photos are collected.
Rivers and industry
The Ohio and Kanawha rivers carried steamboats and barges, and towns such as Wheeling, Parkersburg, Point Pleasant, Charleston and Huntington appear on cards. Wheeling had steel mills, nail factories and glass works. The northern panhandle and central West Virginia had many glass factories, and real photos of glass workers are collected.
Springs resorts
White Sulphur Springs, home of the Greenbrier, and Berkeley Springs were famous resorts. Early views of the hotels and grounds are collected, though common printed views are plentiful.
Places and subjects to look for
- The southern coal fields: McDowell, Logan, Mingo and Raleigh county camps.
- The New River Gorge: Thurmond and the coal towns along the river.
- The northern fields: Fairmont, Monongah and Clarksburg.
- Logging country: Cass and the mountain lumber towns.
- River towns: Wheeling, Parkersburg, Charleston and Huntington.
- Resorts: White Sulphur Springs and Berkeley Springs.
- Harpers Ferry: the town, the river and the railroad.
Real photos versus printed views
The capitol, resort hotels and Harpers Ferry were printed in quantity. Real photos of coal camps, logging, railroad towns and river scenes carry most of the value in a West Virginia collection.
What is common
Printed views of the capitol, the Greenbrier and later chrome scenic and highway cards are plentiful.
Why coal camp cards matter
Most West Virginia coal camps were built quickly, existed for a few decades and were sold off, abandoned or torn down when mines closed. Families moved away, often to Ohio, Michigan and beyond. Real photo postcards made by local photographers are often the only images of these camps as working communities. Descendants of mining families, historians and collectors look for them, which is why even a plain real photo of a camp can matter.
If your family has roots in a West Virginia coal camp or rail town, a card like that can mean a great deal more than its price. I'm glad to tell you what I can about where and when a card was made, whether or not you decide to sell, and I'll always be straight with you about which cards collectors chase and which are common.
Questions about West Virginia postcards
Are West Virginia coal camp postcards valuable? Real photos of camps, tipples and miners are among the most collectible.
Are mine disaster postcards collectible? Yes, real photos of disasters such as Monongah are historically significant.
Are logging railroad postcards worth anything? Real photos of Shay locomotives, camps and Cass are popular.
Do you buy West Virginia collections? Yes, complete collections from anywhere in the state, by mail.