Mount Hope Historic Walking Tour - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Coal Heritage Park

Coal Heritage Park educates visitors on the history of Mt. Hope. The area that is now Mt. Hope, WV was sparsely populated until the discovery of a coal seam by settlers at Turkey Knob and another at Glen Jean. Coal companies and their employees flooded the town and by 1894, there were several companies in Mt. Hope. The industry’s growth in the area was aided by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway line that was built through the town in 1873. Mt. Hope steadily gained population and was incorporated in 1895. The town was unique as it was not a company owned mining town, as many others in the region were. Because of this independence, Mt. Hope had a much wider variety of businesses and was not limited to a single company owned store. Like many other coal towns, the population and commercial growth of the city has been in decline as the coal industry has become less profitable. The park was created in 1930, just nine years after Mt. Hope was granted a city charter by the West Virginia Legislature. The iconic drinking fountain in the park rests on a concrete foundation with semi-circular arches and keystones of native ashlar stone. Landscaping includes various trees and a planting bed surrounding a large piece of coal mounted on a concrete base. Across the street, an exposed seam of coal is framed by a cut stone arch with the words "Famous New River Smokeless Coal" inscribed above. Both assets are contributing structures in the Mount Hope Historic District. The city of Mt. Hope lies within the National Coal Heritage Area, which spans 13 counties in southern West Virginia. The National Park Service aims to protect the history of coal in the region and educate visitors on the region's history.

2. Coal Heritage Discovery Center

This two-story vernacular commercial building was built in 1920. It was originally operated as the Patteson Garage Co., which was owned by L.C. Patteson. Patteson was the father of former West Virginia Governor Okey Patteson. Governor Patteson worked at the garage as a young man. The business later closed and the building sat idle during Mount Hope’s economic downturn from the departure of the coal industry. The site is now owned by the Coal Heritage Authority; this building will be the location of their office and a welcome center for the Mount Hope rails-to-trails system. The building is also currently being restored for use by the Coal Heritage Discovery Center, a visitor center featuring coal heritage interpretive exhibits.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Mount Hope Historic Walking Tour

Created by Carrie Kidd on February 23rd 2019, 4:20:16 pm.

Loading...

Get a QR Code for this tour

Description

The “Mount Hope Historic Walking Tour” was designed to highlight the architecture reminiscent of the coal fields from the early 1900s through the 1950s. It was the goal of the team to inject energy throughout the area by developing a progressive scheme of incorporating public art with historical awareness. Through a series of artist announcements and community meetings, the team hired several local artists to feature the distinct qualities of the area within their artwork. A large-scale mural featuring a Phoenix perched above the New River Gorge Bridge welcomes visitors to the past of the area while presenting opportunities for future exploration. Strolling through the Heart of Town visitors can view the commissioned artwork which was strategically installed to create a sense of place within the community. A detailed brochure of the walking tour was designed to direct the flow of guests throughout the historic district.

Share