Introductory notes | Photos 1 | Photos 2 | Photos 3 | Photos 4

 

The men were coming from the #5 mine. The trestle is still there, and they are still funning coal, from a mountaintop removal mine. There may have been as many as 1000 miners at the Omar mines. All of the work was done by hand before the motors came along.

“Coal miners going home from work. Omar, WV”
Marion Post Wolcott, September 1938
LC-USF33-030113-M4

 

The kids are by the stables at Pine Creek.

“Untitled”
Marion Post Wolcott, September 1938
LC-USF33-030115-M5

 

These men were coming out of Pine Creek. The building on the left was a church, then it was used for first and second grade, and later for other activities. Behind it is 400 hill, which was behind the big office and the doctor’s office. On the left is the car bridge to Pine Creek, with the clubhouse behind.

“Coal miner going home with friend after work. Many miners are lame. Omar, WV”
Marion Post Wolcott, September 1938
LC-USF33-030114-M1

 

The shoe shop was under the theater, then a library was put in. The steps lead up to the theater. The Junior Mercantile is in the background. It had anything you could buy out of town, like custom made suits, the best cuts of meat, lines of groceries. Children had different sets of clothes for school, church, and work or play.

“Coal miners going home from work. Omar, WV”
Marion Post Wolcott, September 1938
LC-USF33-030113-M3

 

This photograph was actually taken at Stirrat, down the road from Omar. There were miners from three mines - #19, 18, and 15 – going into the pay office at Stirrat. The car at the right has a sign for Maytag. A lot of companies did business on credit. A collection guy would come to collect from the people who owed them. There was a Y where the passenger train turned around at Stirrat when there were steam engines. When diesels came in they could run back and forth and didn’t need a turnaround.

“Payday, coal mining town. Omar, WV”
Marion Post Wolcott, September 1938
LC-USF33-030117-M5