The rise of coal in Virginia in the early 1900s was propelled by the expansion of railroads and the increasing demand from industrializing cities. This era saw the development of many new coal mines in the Appalachian region, transforming local economies and shaping the landscape of communities in southwestern Virginia.
Author: Sherman Cahal
Deep within a secluded valley in West Virginia lies an intriguing sight—a forgotten repository of cars.
Tunnel No. 1 is located along the defunct Norfolk & Western Railway Pocahontas Branch near Pocahontas, Virginia.
The presence of two abandoned houses in a rural area of West Virginia has piqued curiosity and left some wondering about their history. The reason for their abandonment remains a mystery, but nevertheless, these houses stand as a testament to the region’s past.
During a hike near the stunning Moon Rocks in Tucker County, West Virginia, we unexpectedly came across an old Honda motorbike that had been abandoned for a long time.
I joined Jeffrey Jakucyk on a photography excursion where we had the opportunity to explore the remains of the Miami & Erie Canal. Our journey took us from Cincinnati all the way to Miamisburg, Ohio.
I visited two former Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad branch lines in eastern Kentucky that have been transformed into rail trails on a pleasant spring afternoon.
West Virginia may be regarded as a state centered around the coal industry, but it was the oil and gas industry that provided the state’s first economic boom and drove the development of the north-central part of the state.
As I drove through the winding backroads of southern Ohio, I stumbled upon an unexpected sight—a group of long abandoned fire trucks resting in the weeds at the site of a forgotten gasoline station.
In the isolated hills of West Virginia stands the forgotten and dilapidated Dusk Camp Methodist Church.
The bleakness of the winter landscape in south-central West Virginia was a constant reminder of the season’s harshness. It was a perfect time to visit some abandoned bridges and churches.
The warm spring weather of April 2022 was perfect for a hike along the former South Side Branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway.
Abandoned Kentucky is the perfect “coffee table” book that allows anyone to peer through a looking glass into the past, providing an evocative and detailed glimpse into the bygone era of the Bluegrass State.
On a cold and rainy day, we encountered a charming house nestled along the Dry Fork of the Cheat River in West Virginia.
Many of the abandoned “beehive” coke ovens of the Davis Coal & Coke Company are still visible today in the company town of Coketon, West Virginia.
The Maybrook Line of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad provided a crucial east-west freight transportation route between Maybrook, New York, and Derby, Connecticut. After a fire damaged the Hudson River crossing, much of the line was abandoned. Portions of the Maybrook Line now serve as a rail-to-trail.
The O.H. Hutchings Electric Generating Station, located in Ohio, was once a prominent example of the United States’ reliance on coal power plants.
Last month, news emerged about the planned transformation of the closed Merchants Ice and Cold Storage tower in Louisville, Kentucky, into an office building.
I stumbled upon a circa 1970-71 Chevrolet Corvette Stringray, abandoned on the side of a road in Kentucky.