The Lumber King of AppalachiaThe Lumber King of Appalachia
William McClellan Ritter didn’t just cut down trees, he built an empire. In this week’s episode, we tell his story, from Pennsylvania farm boy to head of one of the
Category: The 1910’s
March 29, 1913: When Floodwaters Overtook AppalachiaMarch 29, 1913: When Floodwaters Overtook Appalachia
The Great Flood of 1913 was one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history. Between March 23 and 26, relentless rainfall overwhelmed rivers across the central and eastern
The Unconventional Life and Tragic End of Bill EadsThe Unconventional Life and Tragic End of Bill Eads
On March 5, 1920, William H. Eads, better known as Bill Eads, passed away in Marion, Virginia. His final days were spent at the asylum for the insane, a tragic
The Layland Mine Disaster – March 2, 1915The Layland Mine Disaster – March 2, 1915
On the morning of March 2, 1915, a catastrophic explosion tore through the No. 3 Mine in Layland, West Virginia, operated by the New River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company.
Feb. 13, 1913: Mother Jones’ Arrested in the Aftermath of the Attack at Paint CreekFeb. 13, 1913: Mother Jones’ Arrested in the Aftermath of the Attack at Paint Creek
On February 13, 1913, in the midst of the West Virginia Mine Wars, labor leader Mother Jones stood before a mass meeting in Smithers. She, along with two striking coal
Blood on the Tracks: The Holly Grove AttackBlood on the Tracks: The Holly Grove Attack
On February 7, 1913, a brutal act of violence occurred that sparked the beginning of the West Virginia Mine Wars, a conflict between the coal barons and the miners in
The 1915 Carlisle Mine TragedyThe 1915 Carlisle Mine Tragedy
On the morning of February 6, 1915, life in Carlisle, West Virginia, began as usual. One hundred and seventy-three coal miners gathered at the mouth of the Carlisle Mine in
The Himlerville Experiment: Appalachia’s Only Miner-Owned Coal TownThe Himlerville Experiment: Appalachia’s Only Miner-Owned Coal Town
There was once a coal company in Appalachia that was owned not by wealthy investors but by its employees, in a cooperative enterprise. And the houses in the company’s coal
Pop Kramer: The Appalachian Daredevil on Two WheelsPop Kramer: The Appalachian Daredevil on Two Wheels
Harry “Pop” Kramer, was a vaudeville trick cyclist whose story is filled with circus flair, daring feats, and personal tragedy. Born in 1875 in Alexandria, Virginia, Harry’s journey from a