BUS TOUR - PART TWO

This is the second post of my bus tour.

After leaving Pocahontas, VA,

we arrive at Bramwell, WV.

Bramwell was once the richest town

in the US for its size.....

with as many as 14 millionaires.

The town was settled in 1885

by the largest holder of coal lands in the

Pocahontas Coalfield.

The town was named to the

National Register of Historic Places

in February 1983.

The current population is around 400.

Our tour guide was the mayor of Bramwell...

Louise "Lou" Dawson Stoker.

Our first stop was at the Bank of Bramwell.

The bank building is made of stone.

This is the bank vault door.

A glistening chandelier.

A beautiful floor.

Woodwork of walnut and mahogany...
all hand carved...... magnificent!

Those are only a few of the awesome carvings.

After the bank tour, it was lunch time.

We went to The Bramwell Cafe.

There was even a sign to welcome us.

Lunch was very tasty and filling.
To top off the lunch, we walked to the Corner
Shop and were served a homemade waffle cone
with one scoop of ice cream....just marvelous!

This shop stands where the former
Bryant and Newbold Pharmacy was....
the interior remains almost the same as it was in 1910.
It is reported that it was the third drugstore
in the US to carry Chanel No. 5.

Part three to follow.

BUS TOUR - PART ONE

I signed up for a one day bus tour

with my church.

This was my first bus tour,

and I was excited.

In this post, I will show pics
of our first stop at
Pocahontas Exhibition Mine,
a National Historic Landmark
in Pocahontas, VA.

It was the first mine in the
Pocahontas coalfield,
opened in 1882.
The mine operated for 73 years
and produced 44 million tons of coal.

Below, we are entering the mine.

Here, you can see that the coal vane is over 10 ft. high.

The next pic is of a section of the roof,
showing what I think are called roof bolts.

Shown here is machinery that was used in the mine.

This is another section of the roof.

At about center of the pic, is what the guide

said to be a fossil of a fish.

Can you see it?

Below is a loaded coal car.

This is one of the hand tools used to drill holes.

It was a very interesting tour of the historic

Pocahontas Exhibition Mine.

Below, we are loading up to move to our next stop.

After loading up, the driver drove us around a part of
the town showing buildings that are in the process of
being restored on the outside to look like they
originally did in the 1800's.
From there, we headed for Bramwell, WV.

Watch for my next post.

SPRING FISHING VACATION

We had a very good fishing vacation

at Cabwaylingo State Forest in

Wayne County, WV.

John caught 60 trout.

We ate trout, gave trout away,

and brought trout home.

I didn't fish as much as John did.

I mostly enjoyed the cabin...

reading, napping, walking,

and enjoying nature.

It was truly relaxing for me.

The weather was the way I like it...

not hot and not too cold.

I loved the fireplace and

I was so thankful that the weather

was cool enough for it.

This is our cabin.

Chopping firewood.

My fire.

Missy all snug in her blankie.

At night, we played dominoes on the table.

This is the cabin road where Missy and I walked.

See her in the lower right corner?

I had to keep a leash on her.

I just love the dense forest,

but was a little wary because we were

told that there had been coyotes sited in the forest.

I just prayed while I walked.

Twelve Pole Creek  is on one side of the road.

Lots and lots of ferns along the road.

May Apple.

Star Flower or Fire on the Mountain?

Wild Rose Bush.

?

Don't know what this tree is called...

but they have very large leaves and

very large white blooms.

These blooms were on the road...

I don't know which tree they came from,

but I thought they were very pretty.

One day we drove up to the top of the

mountain where one of the campgrounds is.

Look who's swinging.

On the way up the mountain, I saw this...

I've seen these before and always wondered just

what they are.....so we stopped on the way

back down the mountain and I read the 

poster on the tree....interesting.

Click and you can read it also.

Before I close this post, I must show off a day's catch.

Doesn't he look proud?

I did catch a few of those that day.

That's it for our spring fishing vacation pictures.

I really like those rustic vacations and will

look forward to the next one.

A FISHING WE WILL GO. . . .

A fishing we will go...

A fishing we will go...

To Cabwaylingo we will go....

To Cabwaylingo we will go....

Leaving tomorrow for a week of fishing,

walking, reading, relaxing, enjoying nature.

I'll be back with pictures.