It's a shame that some of the old fixtures and mirrors weren't removed before the water and elements ruined some of these pieces. I saw a few light fixtures and some vintage ceramics and metalwork that were just sitting around completely ignored. Some things could be restored for a museum and visitor center in the local area. Restoring that entire Hotel would be a major renovation, but could add commerce to that town again. Very nice of those folks to let you guys inside for a tour. Great video.
My Grandmother worked at the hotel when I was just a little fellow . She cleaned there and a few other places in town . My main memories are of the glass bottle coke machine that was in there . Mullens will always be home to me .
My husband, who actually grew up in the stone house you commented on at 26:54, said "they didn't even go to South Mullens or Mullens Hill!". The people there differentiate South Mullens, West Mullens, and Mullens Hill. Each side of town has their own playground. Nice video
At 52 seconds on the right, the building that says Coal Country, used to be Thomas Snack Shop which my family owned for many years. It had been thru many floods. They also owned Thomas Grocery.
Absolutely excellent video from MY state, West "By God" Virginia.... i am in Parkersburg, my family's hometown ... West Virginian up one side and down the other..... keep up the good work.
Back in 1979 I had a class at the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies with a man who was the basketball coach at Mullens High School. His name was Don Nuckols.
Thank you Melody and Shane for breathing a little life into that building! I could almost feel it coming alive!It's in good hands with the Mayor and that gentleman!
Wow what a surprise to see some place I know. I still have some family close to Mullens off 16. The town was beautiful before the flood came a washed most of the town away, along with the business. My memory is different from what the mayor stated about the hotel but it hadn't been open for years before the flood came. I used to live right over one of the stores on Main St. back in 1975. I moved to Maryland in 1977 but still go back to visit, Covid has kept me away. Thank you for the tour.
Moved from the left coast to WV in 2008 and lived there for 7 years. Sorta stuck in SC for the last 5 years, but I miss West Virginia everyday. These drives you two do remind me of the many times my wife and I would just get up on a Sunday morning and drive to somewhere we haven't been yet. Thanks for the channel.
Whoa, inside the hotel! Filming with the Mayor! We're so fortunate you two are so motivated to document and share haha. Please keep it up, looking forward to more exclusive content like this now that you've got your foot in the door 😉
THANK YOU SOOOOOO much for this video. I adore Mullens and the Wyoming Hotel and have wanted to see inside it FOREVER. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!
Absolutely love this video. My Great Uncle founded this town in Beautiful WV home of all my relatives. I Absolutely love West Virginia! ❤ thanks so much for doing the video!
I forgot to tell y'all my Dad was Billy Butterworth from Sophia & my Mom is Audrey Mullens. Jimmy Butterworth & Vida Viola Butterworth (Wirtz) & Joseph Mullens & Ida Mullens (Runyon were my Gramdma & Grandpa's❤❤
I read the town was founded by one of my ancestors. Of course the name is spelled differently but that was common back then. This is so interesting and especially the inside of the Hotel with all the appliances and just the history of it all. Thank you for the video. I just want you guys to know i have been trying to get the word out about your channel and hopefully more subscribers will be coming. I like the format and how you both compliment each other . Even when you don't compliment each other it's pretty funny and both of your personalities add a lot to the shows. You guys are doing great.
This is an excellent comment from Mr. Mullins. And especially the way Melody and Shane complement each other! I have been trying to say something like that myself. Maybe I did. The way MELODY AND SHANE interact adds to show. Ya'll take care of each other and be safe ❤ Buz! Keep up your food reports!
Mullens brings back memories of me and my family living there back in the early fifties. My father was a electrician for the Virginia Railroad. We finally moved to Princeton and my father drove back and forth to work each day. When the Virginia and Norfork and Western Railroads merged into one my father was laid off in 1960. We moved to Newport News, Virginia because of needed work. It’s a shame the state of West Virginia and the Federal Government didn’t help bring in factories and other type of work for those people when mining coal became to costly. Those agencies could have done a lot more for the Appalachian people. Now, no work and lots of drugs and poor people. They were probably better off before mining coal started. I now live in the Ozarks Mountains as a fly fishing guide.
I don't know if anyone mentioned it or not, but across the street from the hotel is where GC Murphy five and dime store used to sit. It's an empty lot, now.
No one had pointed that out before so really glad you did. I've come to discover those GC Murphy stores were landmarks in a lot of local towns back in their heyday.
My grandfather, Orb James, ran the Mammoth Cave Poolroom out of the basement on that building in 1947. Not sure how long it was open and was sad to see you could not go down there. Would have been nice to see personally. A lot of family stories came out of that bar, good and bad.
Thank you for traveling to my hometown! The owner's mother (who used to own both building mentioned in this video), Mrs. Nelva Webster, was also a teacher at Mullens Grade School at one time.
I was born in Mullens hospital in 1953. And You mentioned Mike D’Antoni. Joe D’Antoni, Mike’s relative, owned and operated a kind of variety store in Rhodell where I grew up.
Thanks for bringing us along with ya. My step dad's from here. They moved to Christiansburg when he was about 7. He's now 84. One of these days I'm going to try and make it up there.
Oh my dad‘s people are from Wyoming County. Used to be a lot of them there in Mullins. The guy the painted all those Meryls was named Sarge McGhee. One of the coolest guys in the world. He’d get everyone in town that wanted to to pitch in and paint then come back at night and touch it up. As I recall he was an engineer on the Virginian real room for many years.
I am obsessed by your Appalachian videos and have recently subscribed to your channel. I am originally from Honolulu, Hawaii but live just south of Charlotte, NC. I happen to have a friend that is from Pineville, WV, born in Mullens. Her maiden name is also Simmons. Are you from WV? I have turned her on to your informative and interesting videos….we plan to drive to southern WV sometime this summer so I can visit some of the sites I’ve seen on your channel. I’ve been watching y’all everyday…thank you so much for sharing! 😊💕
Thanks for the personal tour of the landmark hotel. It seems that most of the towns in WV had a large hotel downtown. Be nice to do a video on them exclusively. I went to Virginia Tech and shared some classes with Rick Tolley, he was an unassuming and class guy, one of the best.
What an awesome video and history I didn’t realize Mullins was so big. My thought is if you’ve ever been to the mountain mall in Gatlinburg TN the hotel kinda put me in the mind of that. This place could be filled with antique and other little shops desert shops the possibilities are endless, I could ramble on so I’ll end with this You guys are awesome I’m able to see parts of the state with y’all that I’d never get to see on my own! Thank you Jesse
Thank you so much, Jesse! I think we were both surprised too with the size and activity of Mullens. That’s a great idea for the hotel, too. I really hope they can get it restored! - Melody
I think you would enjoy touring Wheeling, Wva. It was the original state capitol. This city has many historical mansions and grand architecture. It's numerous tourists attractions include several museums, wheeling heritage port amphitheater, Mccollochs leap marker , wheeling festival of lights and much more. It was also known as the gateway to the west.
The family that owned that building should have taken better care to preserve that hotel since it has such rich history. The fact that the relative stated that she just closed it up and let it rot is the main reason that the hotel is in such a bad state of affairs. I understand money was tight but now restoring it will likely NOT happen since West Virginia's economy is so poor. Instead of trying to get the money from the Federal or State govts, the mayor should try to find a billionaire pilanthrolpist who will pick up the tab and donate it to the town.
I understand the flood damaged a lot of the structure but it’s a shame they didn’t bother to keep up with the building to preserve the hotel before the flood but it was amazing seeing inside but sad to see what it’s come to great vlog thanks for sharing with us ❤️
Just thought I should share another story. I was visiting some cousins in Mullins in 1996. One day just about everybody in town came out gathered on the hillside up by the railroad tracks to watch them tear down the old G.c. Murphy Department store building, which might’ve been the second largest building in town natter the hotel. I remember one every little town in southern West Virginia I had a GC Murphy.
my goodness did i enjoy gettin to see the inside of that hotel. mullens seems like such a quaint little town. i hope to get to see it some day in person.
It was a great place to check out. Just down the road is a place called Itmann and it has a fantastic old abandoned company store. Hope to have that video out in a few days.
Mullens was an important place for the Virginian Railway. It was a gathering point for coal from mines up Winding Gulf and the Guyandot River branches. It was also the western end of electrification of the line from there to Roanoke, VA. A sizeable yard was there along with buildings to maintain locomotives. All those buildings are unfortunately gone today.
I hate to hear about historically significant buildings disappearing like that, it is one reason we try to document what is left from the coalfields and railroads.
At 1:41 the boarded up bldg to the right, beside the open fenced area, was a family friend s home and shoe repair business called Modern Shoe Repair. Their daughter, Pauline Chambers, married a railroad man and moved to various places with the C&O but eventually settled here in Brandon,FL (Tampa) with Seaboard Coastline Railroad (Now CSX) .HEr mother ran the shoe shop and her crazy brother lived there when her mother passed and from what I ehar, was not too well liked in the small town. When he died the building was sold for next to nothing. (Business downstairs/aprtment up, basement and land beside on left. On the other side of town my dad's side of the family owned several homes and one large brick home that was beside a grocery store. During the coal boom she rented out rooms to people..large house with walk up attic stairs inside of the back of a closet.Second kitchen upstairs and a sleeping porch as they call them. Full basement plus a garage with apartment in back on 4 lots..only sold for $45K but had that all been here in FL it would have been a million dollar package..
I think the Wyoming Hotel could make great senior/disabled affordable housing using both historical stateand federal historical new market and low income tax credits.Great way of bringing a historical landmark back to life!!
Sorry to say....the hotel will be beyond help before help arrives. Mom and Dad both grad from Marshall.....as did mom's mom. My kids went there and are in the crowd scenes in the 'We are Marshall' film. You must see it before the next video is posted!!!!
We plan to visit again soon! We’ll have to keep that one in mind. Or on second thought maybe I’ll have Shane leave me and come pick me back up 😆 - Melody
How is New Richmond Bottom Road in New Richmond for flooding? Looking at a home down there, certainly a windy drive down there from Beckley. Seems VERY quiet and peaceful though. I really didnt see any stores there except a walmart when getting to Beckley but i really didnt do much research. I passed that hotel going down and back, also some abandoned place that sold stone and some schools too. When was that Hotel abandoned, not sure if she said??
It would be great if the owners would let some collectors/salvage businesses go in and get those beds, dressers, bath tubs, sinks, etc. to make some money to work on the building, perhaps. My father worked at Wyoming General Hospital in the 1970's and ran The Fountain Roc lunch counter/drug store (without a pharmacy - the hospital had one) and I remember many fun Saturdays and summer days visiting with him in Mullens (we lived in Beckley). People may put small towns like Mullens, Pineville, etc. down but they're the heart and soul of Appalachia.
I'd be living there now except the wife needs to be close to her aging mom. Dad's house was on Hilltop Ave. Even up there, the flood of the early 2000s had then living in a motel for 2 weeks.
I think the folks there wanting to renovate the hotel and other buildings should pay a visit to St. Paul, VA, a town that's actually smaller than Mullens. Lots of inspiration can be found in St. Paul's story. I haven't been to Mullens, but definitely want to pay a visit someday.
@@realappalachia Good to hear. I've done a few stories about St. Paul and when I watched this video I could picture a transformation like St. Paul's happening there in Mullens.
WOW! I have missed you! What have you been up to? Isn't Mullens a bit different than other towns you have visited in WV? The hotel is supposedly "haunted." It is quite historic from what I have been told. Great to see you back to having fun. Great video. Keep up the great work and stay off those thirdary roads. Ha!!
@@realappalachia My goodness! How have I missed you?? I check TH-cam everyday,. Can you please advise as to which videos I have missed if it is not an inconvenience?
I’m really enjoying your videos! By any chance would you be able to do a video on Camp Creek, West Virginia? Mercer County. That would be really awesome! I’m just finding out that my grandfather was from there. There is a family cemetery there where my grandad is buried. I will be visiting West Virginia in July. I’m super excited I cannot wait to look into some of my family history. There is a waterfall on Wolf Creek Road I believe it is near where my grandfather is buried.
Thank you so much, Carol! We’ll put Camp Creek on the list and hopefully can make it there before too long! We should have some great WV content to keep you excited for July! - Melody
I was just in Mullens a few weeks ago. Wonderful town. If I had the connections I'd love to film a zombie movie there so horror fans would go to see the town and give them the much needed tourist traffic.
It's too bad the hotel was damaged by water like it was. I hope the town can gets some grants and other funding to restore the hotel since apparently it's been looked at and experts said it is possible to do so. It's just gonna take a lot of money. Mullins seems to be holding its own. Another interesting tour video. Drive safe on your travels.
That hotel could be restored with the proper funding. One other thing that needs to be done in order to bring the hotel back up to code is that the electrical wiring needs to be completely replaced.
Goast town. Like most all towns in the coal feilds people have packed up moved famoly s. To a better way of living. What remains are people who draw SSI or checks and the rest have left are leaving or die out before that chance at a good life. SE coal people are satisfied with the way if living but some have seem how others outside the mountains live and seen better value of life don't get me wrong I'm one who has stayed without a pension or check having nothing but through God have all my needs meet thank h aman
I want to apologize for my quick judgement of smoking in that building. As I watch the colors of the shits an slacks my humble apologies to you both . Having worked aT C W in Williamsburg and working with many historians and there sites to bring back there history.the great disrespect of a bubba to do this infuriates me as it show complete ignorance and disrespect! I hail from Berkeley co and now living in Maine J
As far as the Mullins / Mullens name goes, the names often were spelled differently way back from the 1700's on. What happened was whenever someone had to be in court for various things (and the Mullins' were in court quite a bit!)... the magistrate or clerk or whomever would often misspell their names. Most of the folks back in those times could not read or write so they would just give their names and the person writing the information down would just guess at how it was spelled. My ggg grandfather Isham Mullins married Candace Osborne in Pike Kentucky in 1838 and the person who wrote the record spelled Mullins four different ways in one paragraph. lol i am sure it happened with a lot of names back then.
Yes. This was a keeper. Did you see any indications of the building being used by homeless people as a place to sleep? I thought some of the beds looked recently used.
It's so depressing. You know I love you guys but that hotel tour was awful between the holes to the outside and the bad audio it was hard to watch. I was patient though and tried to wait until you left for more scenic areas of Mullens. I know every trip can't be perfect so keep on driving
Shot and Killed His Blind Wife The Post 6/5/1903 Wise County Outlaw Commits Many Crimes Freeling, Va., May 30, 1903 Clifton H Branham, who murdered his wife, Nancy Branham, at Pound, Wise Co., Va., was arrested near Lexington Ky., a short time ago and will be brought to Wise County for trial in a few days. Branham is about 40 yeas of age and his life has been full of interesting events for several years back. In the early eighties he was a terror to the people of Wise and Dickenson Counties, Va., and Pike and Letcher Counties in Kentuckey. His criminal career dates back to the time he waylaid and shot a Mr. Smallwood in Pike County, Ky., while around his fireside with his family not dreaming of danger. Branham slipped to a crack in the house and fired the ball which took effect in Smallwood’s arm, he sank to the floor and Branham, believing him to be dead left. Smallwood recovered but was a cripple the remainder of his life. Next, while Henry Vanover, a farmer of Letcher county, Kentucky, was in the field at work, Branham brutally murdered him. For this crime he was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment for life in the penitentiary; he remained in the pen of fourteen years and six months and was granted a conditional pardon by Gov. Beckham. While in the pen he professed religion and became a minister of the gospel; upon his liberation, he returned to Wise County, Va., and upon his return be found his eldest daughter had married one David Fleming, and trouble arose between Branham and Fleming. Branham immediately pulled his gun and fired at Fleming, the ball cutting a lock of hair from his head; Mrs Branham begged him not to hurt Fleming, whereupon he levelled his gun at her and fired, the ball lodging in her side; she sank to the ground and almost instantly expired. Branham then took up his abode in Kentucky, but the news of his brutal murder followed him and he was taken into custody by the officers of the law. The murdered woman had some time prior to the killing became almost totally blind. Branham has long been noted for his desperateness and upon one occasion is said to have remarked that he would kill a man for a biscuit. His father is living near here and at the advanced age of 90 years and has always been considered an honest, law abiding citizen. From Wise The Post 8/6/1903 Wise, Va., August 1 - The jury in the case of the Commonwealth versus Clifton Branham, charged with the murder of his wife, returned a verdict of murder in the first degree, at 3:30 o’clock this p.m. A motion for a new trial was made and will be argued next week, there being 25 to 35 witnesses for the defense and about the same number for the Commonwealth. The defendant was represented by Judge T M Alderson, John A Hughes, J F Alley, Hon R P Bruce and W H Bend, while W W G Datson, Attorney for the Commonwealth, and O M Vicars looked after the interests of the Commonwealth.
It's a shame that some of the old fixtures and mirrors weren't removed before the water and elements ruined some of these pieces. I saw a few light fixtures and some vintage ceramics and metalwork that were just sitting around completely ignored. Some things could be restored for a museum and visitor center in the local area. Restoring that entire Hotel would be a major renovation, but could add commerce to that town again. Very nice of those folks to let you guys inside for a tour. Great video.
It would be so nice to see that beautiful old hotel brought back to it’s original beauty.
My Grandmother worked at the hotel when I was just a little fellow . She cleaned there and a few other places in town . My main memories are of the glass bottle coke machine that was in there . Mullens will always be home to me .
My husband, who actually grew up in the stone house you commented on at 26:54, said "they didn't even go to South Mullens or Mullens Hill!". The people there differentiate South Mullens, West Mullens, and Mullens Hill. Each side of town has their own playground. Nice video
Thinking of buying a home in mullens
At 52 seconds on the right, the building that says Coal Country, used to be Thomas Snack Shop which my family owned for many years. It had been thru many floods. They also owned Thomas Grocery.
I love when local people comment about what buildings their families once owned in these videos.
Absolutely excellent video from MY state, West "By God" Virginia.... i am in Parkersburg, my family's hometown ... West Virginian up one side and down the other..... keep up the good work.
Amen my fellow West Virginian.
Back in 1979 I had a class at the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies with a man who was the basketball coach at Mullens High School. His name was Don Nuckols.
Thank you Melody and Shane for breathing a little life into that building! I could almost feel it coming alive!It's in good hands with the Mayor and that gentleman!
Thank you, Fred!
Huge fan!!! You guys are awsome. Thank you so much for doing what you do and helping preserve history.
Thank you so much, John! That means the world to us ☺️ - Melody
Was born in the hospital there. Thanks for showing this, would love to go back for a visit to Mullens.
Wow what beautiful town, I would love to see these towns make a comeback, that would be a dream!!!! 🏦🏣🏣🏣💈🏛️
I would like to visit these places.
Wow what a surprise to see some place I know. I still have some family close to Mullens off 16. The town was beautiful before the flood came a washed most of the town away, along with the business. My memory is different from what the mayor stated about the hotel but it hadn't been open for years before the flood came. I used to live right over one of the stores on Main St. back in 1975. I moved to Maryland in 1977 but still go back to visit, Covid has kept me away. Thank you for the tour.
Glad you enjoyed it
What a great tour! Thank you Shane and Melody. So cool to have a tour of the inside. Loved that clawfoot tub too Melody!
I would love to travel and see these old forgotten towns. One of my best friends grew up in Mullens. Moved to Alabama when the coal mines shut down.
Moved from the left coast to WV in 2008 and lived there for 7 years. Sorta stuck in SC for the last 5 years, but I miss West Virginia everyday. These drives you two do remind me of the many times my wife and I would just get up on a Sunday morning and drive to somewhere we haven't been yet. Thanks for the channel.
glad you enjoy it
Whoa, inside the hotel! Filming with the Mayor! We're so fortunate you two are so motivated to document and share haha. Please keep it up, looking forward to more exclusive content like this now that you've got your foot in the door 😉
I am really happy to that Mullens still has quite a lot happening in town.Let us not give up hope for rejuvenation.
Maybe the towns in the valleys need a way to make all of the rainwater run down through one ghaut .
Like What?
I really appreciate the effort you two put into these videos. Thank you!
Thank you!
THANK YOU SOOOOOO much for this video. I adore Mullens and the Wyoming Hotel and have wanted to see inside it FOREVER.
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!
Thank you for watching and the sweet comment! We just adored this place as well! - Melody
Thank you for the tour of the town and especially the hotel (some furniture still looks nice). Also the added bonus of the food review!! 😀 😋
Thank you! There was several nice antiques left in the hotel. And that food was sooo good! We highly recommend! - Melody
Thank you so much! My Dad’s (Mullens family) from there. We've all wanted to know what the inside of Wyoming Hotel looked like. ❤️
You’re so welcome! We were dying to see inside ourselves so we’re glad we got to experience it and share it ourselves! - Melody
My Mom's family lived in Soak Creek WV. Joseph Austin Mullens & Ida Bertha (Runyon) Mullens are my Grandparents. Are you related to them?
@@littlema5763 probably. I really don't know.
@@sharon9179 thanks for replying 🙏
As always thank y’all for sharing another great video.
Thank you!!
Hey Folks! LOVED this video! Rockin' down the highway is a Doobie Brothers hit(My FAVORITE group)! Thanks for the ride & tour! LOVE ya!
Thank ya, Julie!
Absolutely love this video. My Great Uncle founded this town in Beautiful WV home of all my relatives. I Absolutely love West Virginia! ❤ thanks so much for doing the video!
So glad you liked it, thank you 😊
I forgot to tell y'all my Dad was Billy Butterworth from Sophia & my Mom is Audrey Mullens. Jimmy Butterworth & Vida Viola Butterworth (Wirtz) & Joseph Mullens & Ida Mullens (Runyon were my Gramdma & Grandpa's❤❤
@@realappalachia you're very welcome & God Bless 🙏
I read the town was founded by one of my ancestors. Of course the name is spelled differently but that was common back then. This is so interesting and especially the inside of the Hotel with all the appliances and just the history of it all. Thank you for the video. I just want you guys to know i have been trying to get the word out about your channel and hopefully more subscribers will be coming. I like the format and how you both compliment each other . Even when you don't compliment each other it's pretty funny and both of your personalities add a lot to the shows. You guys are doing great.
Thank you so much! We really appreciate it! - Melody
This is an excellent comment from Mr. Mullins.
And especially the way Melody and Shane complement each other! I have been trying to say something like that myself. Maybe I did. The way MELODY AND SHANE interact adds to show. Ya'll take care of each other and be safe ❤ Buz!
Keep up your food reports!
thank ya, Buz, that means a lot to us both
It could be one of your ancestors. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that it is called "Mullens" due to a typo.
Yes, there used to be a sign in town, and I have a picture of it somewhere, that explains the mis-spelling of Mullins.
Mullens brings back memories of me and my family living there back in the early fifties. My father was a electrician for the Virginia Railroad. We finally moved to Princeton and my father drove back and forth to work each day. When the Virginia and Norfork and Western Railroads merged into one my father was laid off in 1960. We moved to Newport News, Virginia because of needed work. It’s a shame the state of West Virginia and the Federal Government didn’t help bring in factories and other type of work for those people when mining coal became to costly. Those agencies could have done a lot more for the Appalachian people. Now, no work and lots of drugs and poor people. They were probably better off before mining coal started. I now live in the Ozarks Mountains as a fly fishing guide.
I don't know if anyone mentioned it or not, but across the street from the hotel is where GC Murphy five and dime store used to sit. It's an empty lot, now.
No one had pointed that out before so really glad you did. I've come to discover those GC Murphy stores were landmarks in a lot of local towns back in their heyday.
My grandfather, Orb James, ran the Mammoth Cave Poolroom out of the basement on that building in 1947. Not sure how long it was open and was sad to see you could not go down there. Would have been nice to see personally. A lot of family stories came out of that bar, good and bad.
Thank you for traveling to my hometown! The owner's mother (who used to own both building mentioned in this video), Mrs. Nelva Webster, was also a teacher at Mullens Grade School at one time.
Thanks for watching and for adding the information. Great to know.
I worked quite a bit in Wyoming County at one time mostly around Brenton, Ravencliff, McGraws, Pineville and Kopperston. I never made it to Mullins.
Dang guys you were just down in Mullens would of love to meet ya in Pineville or Mullens
I was born in Mullens hospital in 1953. And You mentioned Mike D’Antoni. Joe D’Antoni, Mike’s relative, owned and operated a kind of variety store in Rhodell where I grew up.
Thanks for bringing us along with ya. My step dad's from here. They moved to Christiansburg when he was about 7. He's now 84. One of these days I'm going to try and make it up there.
It was a fun trip! I think you would enjoy it. Thanks for going along with us! - Melody
Good video of my hometown. It's a shame somebody didn't take you up on Tater Hill where the big cross is! Great view from up there.
Oh yeah we would’ve loved that! Maybe the next trip! Thank you! - Melody
@@realappalachia if you go back, let me know. I have a friend who can ride you up there on their side by side. It would be awesome for you!
@@Tami531 thank you!
Why is that giant cross there? Is it one of the famous Bernard CoffinDaffer 3 crosses that are historic in that part of the country?
Wow, what a treat !
Some Famous people stayed at the Wyoming Hotel fora sure! Awesome Video ! Thank You. :-)
Thank you!
i'll have to send my mum this video! she has a house in Mullens and would probably love to see this
Oh my dad‘s people are from Wyoming County. Used to be a lot of them there in Mullins. The guy the painted all those Meryls was named Sarge McGhee. One of the coolest guys in the world. He’d get everyone in town that wanted to to pitch in and paint then come back at night and touch it up. As I recall he was an engineer on the Virginian real room for many years.
What awesome detail, thanks for sharing
Went to Mullens many times as a kid. We would visit relatives in Pierpoint and then go to Mullens to a pizza place.
Love the content guys keep the videos coming.The bell ring eveytime you guys post
Thank ya so much, Paul
I am obsessed by your Appalachian videos and have recently subscribed to your channel. I am originally from Honolulu, Hawaii but live just south of Charlotte, NC. I happen to have a friend that is from Pineville, WV, born in Mullens. Her maiden name is also Simmons. Are you from WV? I have turned her on to your informative and interesting videos….we plan to drive to southern WV sometime this summer so I can visit some of the sites I’ve seen on your channel. I’ve been watching y’all everyday…thank you so much for sharing! 😊💕
No, I'm not from WV but just across the mountain in Virginia. Thanks so much for watching and for subscribing, welcome to the family here
Thanks for the personal tour of the landmark hotel. It seems that most of the towns in WV had a large hotel downtown. Be nice to do a video on them exclusively. I went to Virginia Tech and shared some classes with Rick Tolley, he was an unassuming and class guy, one of the best.
A shame his life was taken so soon
What an awesome video and history I didn’t realize Mullins was so big. My thought is if you’ve ever been to the mountain mall in Gatlinburg TN the hotel kinda put me in the mind of that. This place could be filled with antique and other little shops desert shops the possibilities are endless, I could ramble on so I’ll end with this You guys are awesome I’m able to see parts of the state with y’all that I’d never get to see on my own!
Thank you Jesse
Thank you so much, Jesse! I think we were both surprised too with the size and activity of Mullens. That’s a great idea for the hotel, too. I really hope they can get it restored! - Melody
Looking good
Shane, you sound much better! God Bless you and Melody.
Thanks so much, God bless you too, Mia
I did love it! Great job friends! Glad the barbecue was good! I love good barbecue! Enjoy everything today!! Very sad about the Wyoming.
That barbecue was FANtastic! Thanks, Buz!! - Melody
Excellent I've always wanted to see inside the hotel.
Thank you! We wouldn’t have been happy had we not got to go in! - Melody
Fantastic!
I think you would enjoy touring Wheeling, Wva. It was the original state capitol. This city has many historical mansions and grand architecture. It's numerous tourists attractions include several museums, wheeling heritage port amphitheater, Mccollochs leap marker , wheeling festival of lights and much more. It was also known as the gateway to the west.
Love this
The family that owned that building should have taken better care to preserve that hotel since it has such rich history. The fact that the relative stated that she just closed it up and let it rot is the main reason that the hotel is in such a bad state of affairs. I understand money was tight but now restoring it will likely NOT happen since West Virginia's economy is so poor. Instead of trying to get the money from the Federal or State govts, the mayor should try to find a billionaire pilanthrolpist who will pick up the tab and donate it to the town.
I understand the flood damaged a lot of the structure but it’s a shame they didn’t bother to keep up with the building to preserve the hotel before the flood but it was amazing seeing inside but sad to see what it’s come to great vlog thanks for sharing with us ❤️
Thanks, Lorie!
Just thought I should share another story. I was visiting some cousins in Mullins in 1996. One day just about everybody in town came out gathered on the hillside up by the railroad tracks to watch them tear down the old G.c. Murphy Department store building, which might’ve been the second largest building in town natter the hotel. I remember one every little town in southern West Virginia I had a GC Murphy.
I've seen that G.C. Murphy name time and time again now that you mention it
awesome, thanks ....
my goodness did i enjoy gettin to see the inside of that hotel.
mullens seems like such a quaint little town. i hope to get to see it some day in person.
It was a great place to check out. Just down the road is a place called Itmann and it has a fantastic old abandoned company store. Hope to have that video out in a few days.
@@realappalachia oh man i cant wait! 🙂
Mullens was an important place for the Virginian Railway. It was a gathering point for coal from mines up Winding Gulf and the Guyandot River branches. It was also the western end of electrification of the line from there to Roanoke, VA. A sizeable yard was there along with buildings to maintain locomotives. All those buildings are unfortunately gone today.
I hate to hear about historically significant buildings disappearing like that, it is one reason we try to document what is left from the coalfields and railroads.
Glad you all are doing this.
My hometown . No place like it !
At 1:41 the boarded up bldg to the right, beside the open fenced area, was a family friend
s home and shoe repair business called Modern Shoe Repair. Their daughter, Pauline Chambers, married a railroad man and moved to various places with the C&O but eventually settled here in Brandon,FL (Tampa) with Seaboard Coastline Railroad (Now CSX) .HEr mother ran the shoe shop and her crazy brother lived there when her mother passed and from what I ehar, was not too well liked in the small town. When he died the building was sold for next to nothing. (Business downstairs/aprtment up, basement and land beside on left. On the other side of town my dad's side of the family owned several homes and one large brick home that was beside a grocery store. During the coal boom she rented out rooms to people..large house with walk up attic stairs inside of the back of a closet.Second kitchen upstairs and a sleeping porch as they call them. Full basement plus a garage with apartment in back on 4 lots..only sold for $45K but had that all been here in FL it would have been a million dollar package..
I think the Wyoming Hotel could make great senior/disabled affordable housing using both historical stateand federal historical new market and low income tax credits.Great way of bringing a historical landmark back to life!!
you must have made that a day or 2 ago since we are covered with snow today...great vid
Sorry to say....the hotel will be beyond help before help arrives.
Mom and Dad both grad from Marshall.....as did mom's mom. My kids went there and are in the crowd scenes in the 'We are Marshall' film. You must see it before the next video is posted!!!!
It is on the to do list now
The climber fell more than one time, my goodness . This place is interesting.
Good job guys! Did you see the local grocery store? It used to be called "Wayne's Market" Is it still there?
If you’re still near Wyoming county you should go check out the actual curviest road ever - Stephenson Basin Road!! Lol
We plan to visit again soon! We’ll have to keep that one in mind. Or on second thought maybe I’ll have Shane leave me and come pick me back up 😆 - Melody
@@realappalachia I grew up in the Mullens/Herndon areas, but live in NC now. Be careful you might get lost! Lol
Went through there when going to Beckley… near the place where our parents car was towed to a repair shop due to rock inside the gas tank
I wish y’all would come to Madison in Boone county
Lots of interesting history
We’ll look into it Rhonda! Thanks! - Melody
How is New Richmond Bottom Road in New Richmond for flooding? Looking at a home down there, certainly a windy drive down there from Beckley. Seems VERY quiet and peaceful though. I really didnt see any stores there except a walmart when getting to Beckley but i really didnt do much research. I passed that hotel going down and back, also some abandoned place that sold stone and some schools too.
When was that Hotel abandoned, not sure if she said??
Great video
It would be great if the owners would let some collectors/salvage businesses go in and get those beds, dressers, bath tubs, sinks, etc. to make some money to work on the building, perhaps. My father worked at Wyoming General Hospital in the 1970's and ran The Fountain Roc lunch counter/drug store (without a pharmacy - the hospital had one) and I remember many fun Saturdays and summer days visiting with him in Mullens (we lived in Beckley). People may put small towns like Mullens, Pineville, etc. down but they're the heart and soul of Appalachia.
I'd be living there now except the wife needs to be close to her aging mom. Dad's house was on Hilltop Ave. Even up there, the flood of the early 2000s had then living in a motel for 2 weeks.
I think the folks there wanting to renovate the hotel and other buildings should pay a visit to St. Paul, VA, a town that's actually smaller than Mullens. Lots of inspiration can be found in St. Paul's story. I haven't been to Mullens, but definitely want to pay a visit someday.
They are wanting to check out St. Paul actually! We agree that’s a great idea! - Melody
@@realappalachia Good to hear. I've done a few stories about St. Paul and when I watched this video I could picture a transformation like St. Paul's happening there in Mullens.
WOW! I have missed you! What have you been up to? Isn't Mullens a bit different than other towns you have visited in WV? The hotel is supposedly "haunted." It is quite historic from what I have been told. Great to see you back to having fun. Great video. Keep up the great work and stay off those thirdary roads. Ha!!
we've missed you too, been looking for you on our last few videos because we miss the thirdiary references lol. Welcome back, Judy!
@@realappalachia My goodness! How have I missed you?? I check TH-cam everyday,. Can you please advise as to which videos I have missed if it is not an inconvenience?
I’m really enjoying your videos! By any chance would you be able to do a video on Camp Creek, West Virginia? Mercer County. That would be really awesome! I’m just finding out that my grandfather was from there. There is a family cemetery there where my grandad is buried. I will be visiting West Virginia in July. I’m super excited I cannot wait to look into some of my family history. There is a waterfall on Wolf Creek Road I believe it is near where my grandfather is buried.
Thank you so much, Carol! We’ll put Camp Creek on the list and hopefully can make it there before too long! We should have some great WV content to keep you excited for July! - Melody
Id be willing to bet that a few Virginian RR crews stayed there back in the day. Maybe some NW and NS crews, too.
I was just in Mullens a few weeks ago. Wonderful town. If I had the connections I'd love to film a zombie movie there so horror fans would go to see the town and give them the much needed tourist traffic.
I would love to have some of that furniture in the hotel ❤❤❤
There's some great stuff in there
It's too bad the hotel was damaged by water like it was. I hope the town can gets some grants and other funding to restore the hotel since apparently it's been looked at and experts said it is possible to do so. It's just gonna take a lot of money. Mullins seems to be holding its own. Another interesting tour video. Drive safe on your travels.
Thank you, Michael! We hope it gets restored too and we’ll be right back there to video the changes! - Melody
Love the videos,. Some people are real but head's
The city and state where I was born!
If I had the money,, I would bring it back to it's former glory.
Home of Mike and Dan D'Antoni...my grandfather mined with their cousin..my grandfathers name is Tommy Hornbuckle
That hotel could be restored with the proper funding. One other thing that needs to be done in order to bring the hotel back up to code is that the electrical wiring needs to be completely replaced.
Goast town. Like most all towns in the coal feilds people have packed up moved famoly s. To a better way of living. What remains are people who draw SSI or checks and the rest have left are leaving or die out before that chance at a good life. SE coal people are satisfied with the way if living but some have seem how others outside the mountains live and seen better value of life don't get me wrong I'm one who has stayed without a pension or check having nothing but through God have all my needs meet thank h aman
Imagine the haints in that old hotel
got nice video of the itman company store on my old youtube that I got lock out of sad to see what people do to these old buildings
We went to itmann that day too for a video, I'll go check yours out. Thanks for the heads up
I graduated from there in 71
you should check out Mcfarlan West Virginia
I want to apologize for my quick judgement of smoking in that building. As I watch the colors of the shits an slacks my humble apologies to you both . Having worked aT C W in Williamsburg and working with many historians and there sites to bring back there history.the great disrespect of a bubba to do this infuriates me as it show complete ignorance and disrespect! I hail from Berkeley co and now living in Maine
J
Are you two married to each other or friends from the Community. Enjoy looking at these older Cities and there history!!!!
our town also had several hospitals
Beautiful place what about the hospital
Did you go thru Clifton Forge?
you film just in time we got so much snow here now live not to fare from mullens
Yeah we just beat it, thankfully. I remember watching your walking through town video from there a while back
As far as the Mullins / Mullens name goes, the names often were spelled differently way back from the 1700's on. What happened was whenever someone had to be in court for various things (and the Mullins' were in court quite a bit!)... the magistrate or clerk or whomever would often misspell their names. Most of the folks back in those times could not read or write so they would just give their names and the person writing the information down would just guess at how it was spelled. My ggg grandfather Isham Mullins married Candace Osborne in Pike Kentucky in 1838 and the person who wrote the record spelled Mullins four different ways in one paragraph. lol i am sure it happened with a lot of names back then.
I'd hate to even ask how you can spell that last name 4 different ways lol
@@realappalachia Mullins, Mullens, Mullin and Mullen is the way it was spelled on that marriage license... i think! lol
Dr Gerhardt was a prominent dr there in this town .
Check out Langnau Kentucky
Yes. This was a keeper. Did you see any indications of the building being used by homeless people as a place to sleep? I thought some of the beds looked recently used.
Didnt seem to be any activity like that but it's kinda surprising really
It's so depressing. You know I love you guys but that hotel tour was awful between the holes to the outside and the bad audio it was hard to watch. I was patient though and tried to wait until you left for more scenic areas of Mullens. I know every trip can't be perfect so keep on driving
I was born there
Shot and Killed His Blind Wife The Post 6/5/1903
Wise County Outlaw Commits Many Crimes
Freeling, Va., May 30, 1903
Clifton H Branham, who murdered his wife, Nancy Branham, at Pound, Wise Co., Va., was arrested near
Lexington Ky., a short time ago and will be brought to Wise County for trial in a few days. Branham is
about 40 yeas of age and his life has been full of interesting events for several years back. In the early
eighties he was a terror to the people of Wise and Dickenson Counties, Va., and Pike and Letcher
Counties in Kentuckey. His criminal career dates back to the time he waylaid and shot a Mr. Smallwood
in Pike County, Ky., while around his fireside with his family not dreaming of danger. Branham slipped to
a crack in the house and fired the ball which took effect in Smallwood’s arm, he sank to the floor and
Branham, believing him to be dead left. Smallwood recovered but was a cripple the remainder of his life.
Next, while Henry Vanover, a farmer of Letcher county, Kentucky, was in the field at work, Branham
brutally murdered him. For this crime he was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment for life
in the penitentiary; he remained in the pen of fourteen years and six months and was granted a
conditional pardon by Gov. Beckham.
While in the pen he professed religion and became a minister of the gospel; upon his liberation, he
returned to Wise County, Va., and upon his return be found his eldest daughter had married one David
Fleming, and trouble arose between Branham and Fleming. Branham immediately pulled his gun and
fired at Fleming, the ball cutting a lock of hair from his head; Mrs Branham begged him not to hurt
Fleming, whereupon he levelled his gun at her and fired, the ball lodging in her side; she sank to the
ground and almost instantly expired. Branham then took up his abode in Kentucky, but the news of his
brutal murder followed him and he was taken into custody by the officers of the law. The murdered
woman had some time prior to the killing became almost totally blind. Branham has long been noted for
his desperateness and upon one occasion is said to have remarked that he would kill a man for a biscuit.
His father is living near here and at the advanced age of 90 years and has always been considered an
honest, law abiding citizen.
From Wise The Post 8/6/1903
Wise, Va., August 1 - The jury in the case of the Commonwealth versus Clifton Branham, charged with
the murder of his wife, returned a verdict of murder in the first degree, at 3:30 o’clock this p.m. A
motion for a new trial was made and will be argued next week, there being 25 to 35 witnesses for the
defense and about the same number for the Commonwealth. The defendant was represented by Judge
T M Alderson, John A Hughes, J F Alley, Hon R P Bruce and W H Bend, while W W G Datson, Attorney for
the Commonwealth, and O M Vicars looked after the interests of the Commonwealth.