Classroom

Mountain Mama Moonshine Distillery was established on June 17, 2015 and is located in a small town called Man, home to about&nbsp;nine hundred residents. Moonshine has been produced in Logan County for generations, but prior to the establishment of the distillery, no one could legally sell it. That changed when local residents&nbsp;Christopher Trent, Bill Copley, and Kevin Brown obtained a license to operate a distillery.&nbsp; Supporters of the plan to create a distillery hope that it will create jobs and an attraction that could attract visitors to the small town.&nbsp;Man is a located along the popular&nbsp;Hatfield and McCoy trails and&nbsp;the moonshine distillery has attracted numerous daytrippers along those trails.&nbsp;The distillery was built for people to tour the building, taste the liquor, and buy their products being made. Some religious residents opposed the creation of the distillery, but shortly after its creation, most residents have welcomed the business to their town and hope that it could spur new industries in an area facing economic transition as coal mining continues to decline owing to market forces and regulatory action. For many, Man's future and that of the region lies in attracting tourists and small businesses like this distillery.&nbsp;

A set up of some products in the distillery for advertisement. 

Two of the owners of the moonshine distillery.

This is a picture of inside of the distillery.

Click the link below to learn more about this topic with the book, Moonshine: A Cultural History of America's Infamous Liquor

Spirits of Just Men: Mountaineers, Liquor Bosses, and Lawmen in the Moonshine Capital of the World-click the links below to learn more about the history of moonshine.

More Info

This is a video that was on 13 News about the people of Man disagreeing with the distillery.

Video

Moonshine: A Cultural History of America's Infamous Liquor

Book

Spirits of Just Men: Mountaineers, Liquor Bosses, and Lawmen in the Moonshine Capital of the World 

Mountain Mama Moonshine was established on June 17, 2015 in the small West Virginia community of Man. The distillery is the first legal moonshine distillery in Logan County, licensed to owners Bill Copley, Christopher Trent, and Kevin Brown. The idea to create a distillery led to a wide variety of reactions among locals, from opposition to support. To learn more about this distillery, or the history of moonshine in this region, please click on the links below. 

Mountain Mama Moonshine 

This driving tour of Man starts at the Buffalo Creek Disaster Memorial and winds its way south to the trail-head of the Hatfield and McCoy Trail. 

The Piston Coal Company and its subsidiary, The Buffalo Mining Company, claimed that the devastating events that unfolded on that day were nothing more than an act of God. This claim was intended to remove liability from the company and was supported by Governor Arch Moore. Despite the claims the flood was an act of God, three separate commissions would find that Piston Coal Company disregarded several safety violations. The total damage exceeded 100 million dollars. The Piston Coal Company contributed only one million dollars to the clean-up and recovery efforts. The remaining costs were paid by local residents and taxpayers, and most of the property that was destroyed was never rebuilt.Reports by mine inspectors prior to the disaster confirm that the leaders of the Piston Coal Company were aware of the unstable condition of the dam as a result of two minor cracks that had resulted in in a series of small spills. Tragically, these small spills resulted in several false reports that the dam had burst. As a result, many residents believed that the warning they received that cold February morning was just another exaggerated story. The initial disbelief contributed to the high death and injury toll.The disaster led to new government regulations. A year after the disaster, the Dam Control Act of 1973 placed stricter regulations on the construction and maintenance of dams. Five years after the Buffalo Creek Disaster, President Carter signed the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), establishing federal standards for coal slurry impoundments and for the reclamation of strip-mined land. This is a key piece of legislation that helps to prevent another such tragedy from occurring.The Buffalo Creek Disaster Memorial Committee saw two major accomplishments in 1973, the dedication of the Buffalo Creek Memorial Library and the creation of The Buffalo Creek Flood Memorial. The committee locally raised 20,000 dollars to purchase the land and create a memorial park consisting of a small wooden picnic shelter, benches, as well as a podium with a door that when opened contains a Bible and visitor register. The memorial sits a male from the town of Man and just across the Buffalo Creek Memorial Highway (formerly Hwy 16) from the Buffalo Creek.The Buffalo Creek Flood Memorial was expanded on the 25th anniversary of the Buffalo Creek Disaster and the 20th anniversary of the Surface Mining Reclamation Act to include a granite memorial resembling a tombstone with the names of the 125 people killed or still missing. The monument was dedicated during a wreath laying ceremony in August of 1997. The honorary wreath laying event was attended by the regions representative to the United States House, and community members. That event was co-sponsored by the West Virginia Organizing Project and the Citizens Coal Council, a group that actively serves as a coal industry watch dog. During the summer of 2005 the official historic marker was placed very close to the community memorial. The marker was placed by the West Virginia Division of Archives and History as part of the WV Celebration of 2000. The steel plaque titled, “Buffalo Creek Disaster” reads,<blockquote>“One of (the) worst disasters in (the) US occurred here 26 February 1972, when Buffalo Mining Co. impoundment dam for mine waste broke, releasing over 130 million gallons of Black waste water: killed 125; property losses over 50 million; and thousands left homeless. The commissions placed blame on ignored safety practices. Led to 1973 Dam Control Act and $13.5 million class action legal settlement in 1974.”.</blockquote> In 2009 state delegates who represented Logan County introduced special legislation. The legislature changed the name of Hwy 16 from "Buffalo Creek Road" to "Buffalo Creek Memorial Highway". The highway spans 17 miles. The two signs on the furthest point of the highway mark the beginning and end of the tragic flood. Following the dedication of the highway in 2014, artist Kevin Ledo was brought in from Montreal, Canada. He is responsible for painting, “Buffalo Creek Memorial” a mural on one of the few buildings the survived the flood.

The Buffalo Creek Disaster Memorial, located in Kistler, WV, stands as a reminder of one of the darkest hours in West Virginia history. The Buffalo Creek Flood Disaster occurred on the cold rainy Saturday morning of February 26, 1972, when a coal slurry dam failed. This failure, predicted by inspector results, caused a domino effect by causing the failure of two other dams. The release of 132 million gallons of coal slurry devastated sixteen small communities that are collectively known as Buffalo Creek. The failure of the dam claimed the lives of 125, injured 1,100, and displaced an additional 4,000. The resulting loss of property exceeded fifty million dollars and the cleanup cost residents and taxpayers an additional fifty million dollars. Despite clear evidence of negligence, the Piston Coal Company paid only $1 million in damages. 

Buffalo Creek Flood Memorial

Man Appalachian Regional Hospital was built in 1954 with the help of the Miners Memorial Hospital Association. The hospital opened with&nbsp;82 beds in the building was one of the largest in the region prior to its demolition in 2012. The community hoped to prevent the closure of the hospital when&nbsp;Appalachian Regional Hospitals announced their intention to close the facility in 2000, but the hospital was unable to remain profitable following the closure of many area mines and the gradual population decline that followed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The hospital and its staff saved many lives during the Buffalo Creek Disaster in 1972. In 2009, area officials determined that the building should be demolished.

Man Appalachian Regional Hospital was built in 1954 by the Miners Memorial Hospital Association. This hospital provided essential services for residents of southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky but was unable to remain in business as the community faced out-migration. The local miners were joined by area residents who hoped to keep the hospital staffed but the hospital closed in 2001 and the building was demolished in 2012. 

Man Appalachian Regional Hospital (1954-2001)

The tiny town of Man did not take long to grow in the twentieth
century with the bustling onset of the coal industry.&nbsp; In the beginning, Man was just a small
commercial town. From 1904 to 1929, the coal industry in the county boomed. The
coal boom added to the population of Man. Around 1910, the Chesapeake &amp;
Ohio Railroad planned an extension of their line into the town. With the arrival of the
railroad, the area began to expand quickly. Before the modern Man High School, the
first type of school in the area was established in 1880. In the year 1916,
planning was in session for a newer facility. Triadelphia District High School would come before Man High School.&nbsp;

Along with population, a landmark case in the United
States Supreme Court would bring the need to the town of Man for a new school. In
Brown v. Board of Education, the
Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was
unconstitutional. With desegregation looming over the state and nation, the
town had to create a new structure for a massive student body. A new school
would be developed in in the location that it stands in today. Desegregation
would bring the new structure to its current location. &nbsp;

Tragedy struck the town of Man in the form of the
Buffalo Creek flood on February 26, 1972. A coal waste dam of the Buffalo Coal
Company collapsed on the Middle Fork of Buffalo Creek. Buffalo Coal Company was
a division of the Pittston Company. &nbsp;The
burst dam was constructed to hold coal waste and water from a preparation
plant. Prior to the destruction, residents had showed concerns over the dams
having potential dangers to the community. 

The dam collapse released 132 million gallons of water
along with coal waste into the area. Major waters hit many areas such as Accoville,
Crown, Kistler, Robinette, Lorado, Lundale, Becco, and many other areas. During
the Buffalo Creek flood disaster, the modern Man High School was used for a
temporary hospital and morgue by the American Red Cross. Two hearings were also
held at the school to gather the testimony of witnesses from the disaster. 

In the disaster, 125 people were killed. Entire
families were killed in the massive flood waters. More than 500 homes were
destroyed in the disaster. At the minimum, 4,000 residents of Buffalo Creek were left
homeless. After the flood, families filed a suit against The Pittston Company. The
state of West Virginia also filed a suit against them, asking for $100 million
in compensation for the damages to residents and state property. Even though
the state sued for $100 million, Governor Arch Moore accepted a settlement for
just $1 million. The Buffalo Creek flood was deemed an “act of God.” 

Today, the school is in the same location as it was during the Buffalo Creek flood. The school
mascot is the Hillbilly. &nbsp;Man High School
is still in operation by Logan County Schools.

In the Southern part of Logan County, West Virginia, sits the town of Man, originally known as Buffalo City. The town stands along the banks of the Guyandotte River. Prior to the arrival of settlers, the area was very pleasant teemed with wildlife and nature surrounding it. Today, the town of Man is known for its sense of community and tragedy. 

Man High School

The Burgess family has owned Mcneely's since 1921 and is currently operated by Gilman Burgess. The store has remained in the same location since opening which eventually became part of the Mountain Mart Village.&nbsp;

Established in 1921, McNeely's hardware store is the oldest continuously-operating business in Man, West Virginia.

McNeely's Hardware

The Colonial Motel dates back to 1954 and while most area motels have struggled to stay in business, the Colonial has grown a reputation for accommodating many&nbsp;trail riders of the Hatfield and McCoy trails. The hotel served the local community by offering accommodations to displaced residents after the&nbsp;Buffalo Creek Disaster of 1973.&nbsp;&nbsp; Today, the Colonial Motel has twenty-two rooms and is located along the Guyandotte River in Man and the motel is only an hour and a half from Charleston and Beckley. The area offers a variety of attractions such as the Larry Joe Harless recreational center, golf, river rafting,&nbsp;hiking trails, Chief Logan State Park.

The Colonial Motel is one of the oldest businesses in the region and has accommodated overnight guests since opening in 1954. 

Driving Tour of Man West Virginia

Mountain Mama Moonshine

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information