|
 |
SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE
|
|
Coal Town Christmas
|
Coal barons like Samuel Dixon envisioned their dreams of having beautiful coal towns. Samuel Dixon would like to smile down upon the town of Beckley for perserving at least one of his old coal town mansions. This three story structure from Skelton, West Virginia was constructed for the mine superintendent to make his home. In 1906 it was called just that; the "super's home". However, all indications that Dixon had it built more as a small mansion, resembling those from the countryside of England where he was born. In fact he named this coal mining town in Raleigh County, West Virginia, after his birthplace Skelton, England. The Skelton structure is one-of-a-kind, one of the rare mine superintendent's homes left around.
The City of Beckley has dismantled the old house and moved it from Skelton, West Virginia, to the mine site of the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, where it has been restored. The first floor consist of a formal living room, dining room, kitchen and super's office. The second floor consist of the master bedroom and nursery. Also on the second floor is a reproduction of the company's doctors office, barbershop and company store post office.
Come see what it was like living in the coal camps of WV;looking through the eyes of the labor force and management of the coal industry.
|
|
