Renovations Underway at Pocahontas Exhibition Coal Mine in Virginia
Dust fills the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine as employees of Jenmmar continue to make the mine safer. (photo: Eric DiNovo)
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Renovations which will improve access into a exhibition coal mine and add new facilities to its adjoining museum were continuing Thursday in Tazewell County, Va.
The Pocahontas Exhibition Coal Mine is among the Southwest Virginia economic development projects being funded by a grant from the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Pilot program administered by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy and funded by the Federal Power Plus Pilot Program. U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., and Gov. Ralph Northam announced the projects last March.
Public Relations Manager Tarah Kesterson of the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy said the AML Pilot program identifies opportunities to reclaim mine land with an economic development factor to boost Southwest Virginia’s economy. The pilot program received $10 million in 2017 and another $10 million in 2018.
“We funded 10 projects this year and six last year,” Kesterson said Thursday.
Rick Chitwood, the project manager with Thompson & Litton, a Tazewell engineering firm, described the renovations underway at the exhibition mine. One company is improving access inside the mine’s tunnel.
“We’ve actually got two components of it,” he said. “The first contract is being completed by Jennmar. They do roof bolts and stuff like that. They’re installing roof bolts and roof supports so they can take the existing floor jacks out and provide access throughout the mine.”
The improved access will improve handicap accessibility; visitors will be able to ride golf carts through the mine, Chitwood said. Another contract was awarded recently to a company that will work on both the mine’s museum and the mine itself.
“Then there’s another contract that we’ve just opened bids on, and the town’s awarded it to DCI Shires; and what they’re going to do is some work in the museum and they will also be going back into the mine once the work is done and do some electrical upgrades,” he added. “Work has been going on for three or four weeks now, but the actual work in the museum is just getting underway.”
Maggie Asbury, the Northern District member of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, said she can remember when her aunt Margaret Joyce, the principal at Pocahontas Elementary School, would get her and her siblings into a 1956 Crown Victoria and drive them through the mine.
“Number one, it’s to preserve our history,” Asbury said about the project’s purpose. “And we are so grateful to the Department of Mines and Minerals; not just now, but in years past. They always came and did our safety inspections for us and added LED lights, so they have always been very supportive of us and able to get this grant.”
The Pocahontas Exhibition Mine has seen a big influx of new visitors since ATV tourists started arriving in the area.
“The last year it was open for the full year was the most people we’ve had in many years,” Asbury recalled. “Not only tourists, but the ATV riders, too. Sometimes 15 or 25 of them at a time would stop by to see the mine.”
Finding a local company that could do the project’s roof bolting caused some delays, Asbury said. Delegate James W. “Will” Morefield worked with officials in Richmond, Va. and was able to get Jennmar for the job.
Morefield said the mine’s renovation was an exciting project for Pocahontas, Va. which made it a leading example of what coal communities are doing across Southwest Virginia to revive the local economy. He stated that many local leaders have worked hard with few resources to make the town a better place to live.
“I am proud of everyone involved with this project and will continue to support their efforts,” Morefield stated.
Several other Southwest Virginia projects are being funded by the AML pilot program. In Buchanan County, the project Ecotourism in Nature’s Wonderland, a scenic vista to view elk and other wildlife, received a $2,254,750 grant.
“Funding from the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) pilot project has been applied to a variety of economic development purposes, and the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine represents one path. Using AML funds to improve the site will bring in more visitors,” U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va. said. “The project will include the installation of a dining facility at the museum. We anticipate that, because of the lack of dining options in that part of the county, this site might also draw ATV and motorcycle tourists looking for a bite to eat.”
“Increasing options for tourists would be a plus for families, with some family members wanting to ride ATVs and others wanting to learn about our mining heritage in Pocahontas. Such increased tourism will support jobs and revenue in the community,” Griffith said. “Beyond these benefits, a successful use of AML funds in Pocahontas could also provide an example for potential future projects.”
Improving the exhibition mine will help the local economy, especially since ATV trails have done much to increase tourism for the town, Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell said.
“I am thrilled for the town of Pocahontas. The renovations, the upgraded appearance, and the addition of the restaurant to The Pocahontas Exhibition Coal Mine will be an immeasurable asset to the town,” he stated.
