Thank you Shane for what you do by making these videos. I'm proud to say that I'm from Lee county Va! My uncle's worked in those mines as well as my grandfather. It's sad to see the condition Lee and other surrounding counties are in. They worked hard and many died making America a better place. Now they are forgotten by the nation that used their blood, sweat and tears for great gain. God bless you and yours my friend!
My grandpa died in the Bonny Blue mine during a cave-in that happened in 46 or 47. He was so far in that he was on the Kentucky side. He almost made it out just needed a few more minutes. His name Marquis Alfonso Edens is on the plaque in Harlan. My dad was 13yrs old and had to step up and be the man of the family. He became dad to five siblings. I wish I could have known the man. Awesome video, thanks for posting
My great-uncle (more of a grandfather) Moss Patterson (wife was John Ella McGee Patterson) worked those coal mines as an Engineer/Electrician. My mother was born in Bonny Blue in 1936 to Floyd (brother to Moss) and Gypsy Patterson. My mom, Anetta (Anita), her cousins (more like brothers) Paul and Earl Patterson played and grew up there until my mom was probably 4-6 years old. I have a few pictures of the area and a few letters John Ella wrote to some people in Bonny Blue after they left. I would have loved to see more of the residential areas, but it was wonderful to see the mining town. Thank you !
I believe my Mother was raised in the house shown at 6:37. Her Father, my GFather is Ambers Willis Engle, and his Father is Wm Henry Engle from Knox county??? If anyone can tell me more about these men, pls Share. Thank you for documenting this area. Watching these and remembering my Mother's stories have really been inspiring to me. Thank you, again.
My Father and his siblings and mother lived and worked in Bonnie Blue before WWII. Their name is Childs, if anyone remembers them and comments it would be nice to hear. Thanks for the video.
My Grandfather, Carter Fields, was raised on the Mountain at Bonnie Blue back in 1874, 12 years after his Father survived a gunshot wound in his side, when he fought in Civil War in 1862; under Captain Samuel Lamer, 25th Cavalry, Company B. They sold their acreage to someone who they thought were farmers, never realized they should have kept their mineral rights to coal. They had no idea in 1894, how rich their land was beneath their feet, when they sold their land….sad!!
Been there more than once over the years and yes, that weather is always what I remember about "coal country" in SW Virginia - it always seemed overcast, drizzly, cold and clammy any time I passed through that neck of the woods (just like the Darrell Scott song describes). It really is sort of depressing to go through those areas now - you can imagine the prosperity and life there at one time in history as you travel through, so the sense of loss is heavy and tangible. Thanks as always my friend, some of us have hung in there with you on this grand venture for a long time now and we always look forward to the next one. You know what you're doing is important; know that many of us out here see that, too. -Ed on the Ridge
It is truly bizarre how I can't remember being in one of these camps on a bright, sunny day. It is always how I picture them - cold and dark in a lot of ways. I can't wait until I get some serious time to stitch together video I have from about 5-6 years ago when I first started. I had money back then lol so I paid a videographer to come with me and you wouldn't believe how many buildings, etc. are gone just in that short amount of time - pretty much a whole street in Keystone, WV. It did make me realize there is value to doing this, even more than I first thought. Thanks for sticking through thick and thin (of which there's been a lot lol)
Thanks for the drive Shane, it is for me fascinating to see coal being dug and transported even if it's at massively reduced levels. I still think Appalachia is a beautiful looking place even in the misty greyness.
Thanks Shane, another great video. So sad to see our beloved coal industry so far gone. Another 100 years and the whole place well be returned back to nature, the old coal camps I mean, a little longer for the tipples and mining structure's. So sad.
You probably dont give a shit but does any of you know a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I somehow lost the password. I love any tricks you can offer me
@Westin Kamari Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im trying it out now. I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
So I came across your channel earlier this week and started watching your videos and became a subscriber. I’ve heard you mention another channel you have so I’ve been looking for it but no luck. What’s the name of your other channel?
I hope you didn't film this today! We've had nothing but ice & more ice! We've been without power since about 6:30 pm! This old house started getting cold pretty quick. Our neighbor came over to check on us & when he found out we had no heat, he had our grandson help him carry a kerosene heater over, full of kerosene! It has just about warmed this whole house but the smell has bothered both my husband & myself. Ive got candles lit to kinda help & a window barely cracked open to help with the smell. But we've been lucky. A lot of the county has been without power way longer than we have & we have awesome neighbors who always check on us, knowing we're both disabled. They have a generator & 2 kerosene heaters they're using. I always pray God will bless them ten times over for all the help they've been to us. I did enjoy this video. I loved seeing into the mine & the area is so pretty. This is the only video I've watched today...trying to save battery on my phone. You please stay safe & may God keep you under His protection while you show us these beautiful areas of our history. I look so forward to these! Thanks so much!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video but man I hate to hear the rough time you're going through. Thankfully it wasnt today. It sounds like you're really blessed with great neighbors. May God bless and take care of y'all during this.
I really hope and pray that your heat comes on and you get electricity soon wow this makes me so sad the good Lord will take care of it though I know it
@@kindnessworks71 the Good Lord did take care of it! Our neighbor came over to check on us & brought a big kerosene heater already filled. He was back this morning to refill it, bless him! That thing kept our house comfortably warm around 70° all night & morning. Thankfully electricity was restored around noon. But we're supposed to get high winds now that can bring more frozen tree limbs down. So we'll probably hang on to the heater a couple more days!
I live in west virginia and got some videos of some coal camps near me travel up to 30 miles from my house filming sad to see theses town diying out here in mount hope a lot of people have move away being yong its sad to see that so manny people around my age has left the state
the coal bulls are like it's expensive it's going up in price to $210 and I'm like that's bearish cause all it will do is make natural gas more competitive and then eventually solar and wind and batteries. they think cause the price is high the industry isn't dying and I'm like high prices will accelerate the death of what remains of coal.
Thanks for the ride Shane. Yes it does look forlorn and forgotten. What a shame. I am curious, do we know where the name Bonny Blue originated from? I would really like to know. Thanks again.
there are a couple of different theories, I have heard one that it was a reference to a coal official's daughter, which would explain the spelling Bonny...others say it is a nod to the Bonnie Blue Flag of the Confederacy, The fact the company name had Blue in it makes me believe that played a part in it. It is even possible that it was a mash-up reference to a child's name that fit with the Bonnie Blue Flag, as it was much better remembered in those days than now.
Thank you Shane for what you do by making these videos. I'm proud to say that I'm from Lee county Va! My uncle's worked in those mines as well as my grandfather. It's sad to see the condition Lee and other surrounding counties are in. They worked hard and many died making America a better place. Now they are forgotten by the nation that used their blood, sweat and tears for great gain. God bless you and yours my friend!
My grandpa died in the Bonny Blue mine during a cave-in that happened in 46 or 47. He was so far in that he was on the Kentucky side. He almost made it out just needed a few more minutes. His name Marquis Alfonso Edens is on the plaque in Harlan. My dad was 13yrs old and had to step up and be the man of the family. He became dad to five siblings. I wish I could have known the man. Awesome video, thanks for posting
My mother lived in Bonny Blue and Benedict in the 1940's. Thank you for your video.
Really glad you enjoyed it
Do you think she remembered any Pattersons that lived there?
My great-uncle (more of a grandfather) Moss Patterson (wife was John Ella McGee Patterson) worked those coal mines as an Engineer/Electrician. My mother was born in Bonny Blue in 1936 to Floyd (brother to Moss) and Gypsy Patterson. My mom, Anetta (Anita), her cousins (more like brothers) Paul and Earl Patterson played and grew up there until my mom was probably 4-6 years old. I have a few pictures of the area and a few letters John Ella wrote to some people in Bonny Blue after they left. I would have loved to see more of the residential areas, but it was wonderful to see the mining town. Thank you !
I'm sure those photos and letters are precious
@@realappalachia very much so, my mom passed in Jan 2022. She "collected" lots of family stuff...
I believe my Mother was raised in the house shown at 6:37. Her Father, my GFather is Ambers Willis Engle, and his Father is Wm Henry Engle from Knox county??? If anyone can tell me more about these men, pls Share. Thank you for documenting this area. Watching these and remembering my Mother's stories have really been inspiring to me. Thank you, again.
Thank you Shane. I'm glad you took a shot of the sign on the gate. My Grandpaw worked at Darby and Pardee. I remember him talking about it.
They were a couple of the larger mines in the area in their day, very well-known in the mining community.
imagine their living
My Father and his siblings and mother lived and worked in Bonnie Blue before WWII. Their name is Childs, if anyone remembers them and comments it would be nice to hear. Thanks for the video.
Thank you very much for taking me on a ride Shane I really do appreciate it
Thank you for coming along:)
I bet it looks real nice when it's all green. or sprouting in the spring.
My Grandfather, Carter Fields, was raised on the Mountain at Bonnie Blue back in 1874, 12 years after his Father survived a gunshot wound in his side, when he fought in Civil War in 1862; under Captain Samuel Lamer, 25th Cavalry, Company B. They sold their acreage to someone who they thought were farmers, never realized they should have kept their mineral rights to coal. They had no idea in 1894, how rich their land was beneath their feet, when they sold their land….sad!!
Been there more than once over the years and yes, that weather is always what I remember
about "coal country" in SW Virginia - it always seemed overcast, drizzly, cold and clammy
any time I passed through that neck of the woods (just like the Darrell Scott song describes).
It really is sort of depressing to go through those areas now - you can imagine the prosperity and
life there at one time in history as you travel through, so the sense of loss is heavy and tangible.
Thanks as always my friend, some of us have hung in there with you on this grand venture
for a long time now and we always look forward to the next one.
You know what you're doing is important; know that many of us out here see that, too.
-Ed on the Ridge
It is truly bizarre how I can't remember being in one of these camps on a bright, sunny day. It is always how I picture them - cold and dark in a lot of ways. I can't wait until I get some serious time to stitch together video I have from about 5-6 years ago when I first started. I had money back then lol so I paid a videographer to come with me and you wouldn't believe how many buildings, etc. are gone just in that short amount of time - pretty much a whole street in Keystone, WV. It did make me realize there is value to doing this, even more than I first thought. Thanks for sticking through thick and thin (of which there's been a lot lol)
@@realappalachia That would be AWESOME to see. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for the drive Shane, it is for me fascinating to see coal being dug and transported even if it's at massively reduced levels. I still think Appalachia is a beautiful looking place even in the misty greyness.
there is a certain beauty in those shadows to me too, can't explain why but it captures the experience well.
I still have property in St Charles..
Thanks Shane, another great video. So sad to see our beloved coal industry so far gone. Another 100 years and the whole place well be returned back to nature, the old coal camps I mean, a little longer for the tipples and mining structure's. So sad.
you nailed it, very sad to see a whole way of life I was raised up around is just vanishing before my eyes
You probably dont give a shit but does any of you know a trick to log back into an instagram account..?
I somehow lost the password. I love any tricks you can offer me
@Boston Kane Instablaster =)
@Westin Kamari Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im trying it out now.
I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
So I came across your channel earlier this week and started watching your videos and became a subscriber. I’ve heard you mention another channel you have so I’ve been looking for it but no luck. What’s the name of your other channel?
Shane, I'm new to your channel - truly enjoy it. Grew up in NEPA mountains and your video is like a ride home.
I can definitely see the correlation between the areas, really glad to have you watching
Nice to see it's still in business. I love coal and wish we'd experience a huge resurgence. We have so much energy in this country. We should use it.
My grand father was born there in 1933. My Great grandfather died there in the 40's from black lung
I hope you didn't film this today! We've had nothing but ice & more ice! We've been without power since about 6:30 pm! This old house started getting cold pretty quick. Our neighbor came over to check on us & when he found out we had no heat, he had our grandson help him carry a kerosene heater over, full of kerosene! It has just about warmed this whole house but the smell has bothered both my husband & myself. Ive got candles lit to kinda help & a window barely cracked open to help with the smell. But we've been lucky. A lot of the county has been without power way longer than we have & we have awesome neighbors who always check on us, knowing we're both disabled. They have a generator & 2 kerosene heaters they're using. I always pray God will bless them ten times over for all the help they've been to us. I did enjoy this video. I loved seeing into the mine & the area is so pretty. This is the only video I've watched today...trying to save battery on my phone. You please stay safe & may God keep you under His protection while you show us these beautiful areas of our history. I look so forward to these! Thanks so much!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video but man I hate to hear the rough time you're going through. Thankfully it wasnt today. It sounds like you're really blessed with great neighbors. May God bless and take care of y'all during this.
I really hope and pray that your heat comes on and you get electricity soon wow this makes me so sad the good Lord will take care of it though I know it
@@kindnessworks71 the Good Lord did take care of it! Our neighbor came over to check on us & brought a big kerosene heater already filled. He was back this morning to refill it, bless him! That thing kept our house comfortably warm around 70° all night & morning. Thankfully electricity was restored around noon. But we're supposed to get high winds now that can bring more frozen tree limbs down. So we'll probably hang on to the heater a couple more days!
That s what mountains folks do. Help each other
@@gayeyount7948 you're absolutely right, sweetheart. My daddy did that & taught me that's how you lived. God bless!
I live in west virginia and got some videos of some coal camps near me travel up to 30 miles from my house filming sad to see theses town diying out here in mount hope a lot of people have move away being yong its sad to see that so manny people around my age has left the state
I'd love to see them
Looks like there is still an active mine a few klicks NE of St. Charles, over the ridge, east of Bonny Blue.
there was a little bit of a rebound in coal in the area for a couple of years
the coal bulls are like it's expensive it's going up in price to $210 and I'm like that's bearish cause all it will do is make natural gas more competitive and then eventually solar and wind and batteries. they think cause the price is high the industry isn't dying and I'm like high prices will accelerate the death of what remains of coal.
I'm wondering about the roadside debris seemingly piling up at 4:07. Is there a city or county trash service with a plan to cart those materials away?
Good question, I'm not aware of anyone in the area that does that but I hope I'm wrong
Thanks for the ride Shane. Yes it does look forlorn and forgotten. What a shame. I am curious, do we know where the name Bonny Blue originated from? I would really like to know. Thanks again.
there are a couple of different theories, I have heard one that it was a reference to a coal official's daughter, which would explain the spelling Bonny...others say it is a nod to the Bonnie Blue Flag of the Confederacy, The fact the company name had Blue in it makes me believe that played a part in it. It is even possible that it was a mash-up reference to a child's name that fit with the Bonnie Blue Flag, as it was much better remembered in those days than now.
@@realappalachia Ok Shane, I appreciate the information. Either theory is very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to explain.
nice video
🎵 Here's some BackRoads Travelin Music you may or may-not Like:
Artist: Shenandoah
Song: If Only
I'd never heard that one before, fantastic. I even saw Shenandoah in concert several years ago and really like Marty Raybon, seems like a great guy.
@@realappalachia
🤗 Happy Trails
Have a Great Day🪄
🚂 Going but not Fogotten