Jewell Valley

Jewell Valley, Virginia is a former coal camp constructed by the Clinchfield Coal Company in the Buchanan coal field.







Jewell Valley was constructed as a company town by the Clinchfield Coal Company circa 1930. 1

The first railroad to serve the region was a line built by an earlier lumber company, which snaked up Mudlick Creek from Richlands to Whitewood and west to Loggy Bottom School. This was replaced by a Norfolk & Western Railroad (N&W) branch in 1931, which followed the Levisa Fork and Dismal Creek east to Whitewood and then Jewell Valley.

The first underground bituminous coal mines opened at Jewell Valley shortly after the railroad’s completion, which was exhausted by the 1960s. Smaller strip mine operations continued until the 1980s when most of the region’s facilities were abandoned.


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Sources

  1. DellaMea, Christopher. “Buchanan Field.” Appalachian Coalfields. N.p., 2011. Web. 14 March 2011. Article.

12 Comments

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The last house photo with the white gable roof was my aunt and uncle’s home. Last name Goodwin. Maiden name White.

I would like to know more history on the Jewell surname that this valley was named after. My maiden name is Jewell and I know from early family records that my Jewell genealogy migrated through Virginia, across the Appalachians into Kentucky where they eventually settled around what is now Spencer county KY. Would appreciate any direction of info that I can obtain. Thank you.

My mamawe was born and raised there and her name was Mary D. Jewell before she married daddy and became Mary York if you tell me your parents or grandparents name I might be able to find out if you’re related and get more information about it 

Hi, my Mother’s 3 Brother’s and there families lived there until, I believe 70’s. No one lived in those houses after that. Except the Sole occupied house, that still remains and my Aunt an my Cousin are still there as far as I know. Hackworth was last name James, Ronnie an Bob. I’ve family that are still in that Area. My Father’s Family lived atop Chicken Ridge (Keen). There are only a couple of the original Miners still alive. Looking at these Old Photos bring back the good/bad times. I had been in at least 3 of those homes growing up. It’s very eerie.

Does anyone remember the Compton family? My mother was Barbara Compton daughter of Mary Compton / Clark. (Garden Creek). George Howard Compton was my grandfather.

do you remember the allen family father otis mother georgia siblings robert hebert velma and me

we moved in 1952 i was just a year old at that time

Hi I was wondering if anyone remembered the Hale family. We moved from there in 48 . Father Harrison ..mother Edith….sister Clauda Fay and Lela May. I remember mostly of the families in the upper camp……..

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