Beckley and Raleigh County

[sonshine]

Hello All,

I am new here and would like to know if there is anyone from Beckley or Raleigh county doing any MDing or treasure hunting in the area. I am learning that there is lots of history here, Civil War, ghost towns, etc.

Thanks,
Sonshine

 

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[corklabus]

I haven't heard of many in your specific area, but there are a few in different areas of the State and a few around Fayette County. Myself am only involved in Civil War research at this time and haven't actually hit any particular sites yet.
If you have any interest in the Civil War, you are amid a wealth of history from in town to clear out around Flattop and south. Hope you enjoy yourself.

 

[sonshine]

History of any kind grabs my interest. I'm not sure of all the civil war history in the area but know a few people who do. If there were not eight inches of snow on the ground I would be out at daylight! I have only hunted on our own property thus far and found all kinds of things, tools, coins and such. My favorite find was my husbands Cub Scout ring he lost when he was 12. Pretty cool, huh?

Thanks,
Sonshine

 

[levis_dad]

Howdy, Sonshine.

I am originally from Fayette Co. (Gauley Bridge to be exact). If you have a boat, you can go to Hawks Nest Park down on the New River (access from Ansted). Go up the river about a mile or so, on either side there are grown over coal mine towns with saloons and the works. I have done a little detecting in this area with very good luck. Also, on the mountain across the river (Kanawa) from Gauley Bridge, there is a Confederate breastworks. My dad did a little detecting there and found some really interesting stuff.

Hope this helps.

Scott

 

[sonshine]

Hey Scott,

As soon as the weather clears, I am in! I would love to see those old coal towns. Don't we have some old towns around here? What about Crow? Didn't that used to be a booming town back in the day? Maybe we will have to check into that.

Sonshine

 

[levis_dad]

I would love to check into those old ghost towns with you, but unfortunately, I am in Tennessee now. I wish you the best of luck with your research. Make sure you post any finds that come from the locales that I have mentioned.

Scott

 

[corklabus]

Point of interest.....You may want to be very careful about detecting coal mining towns on New River because of the National River Park boundaries. I'm sure there are countless places to detect, but be very mindful of those boundaries.
Park Service told me I could drive right down to Nuttalburg (just for fishing) but when I tried it, there was a big old brand new gate across the access road.
As for Civil War at Gauley Bridge.......Man that whole area is purely loaded with history. You can even follow the Civil War right up route 60 all the way to the top of Sewell Mountain to Robert E. Lees' campsite. I've been researching the route for the past two years because they marched right past my front door at least twice.
Then somewhere above the old Stone House on the mountain, there is said to be 13 lost graves of Civil War veterans. I've been looking into locating those graves, so they can be properly marked, but so far, even though they are "officially" known about, there hasn't been any real effort made to confirm they actually do exist or where they could even possibly be.

 

[Kiros32]

WV is full of old abandoned mining towns. One of my favorite and most productive places to hunt is just south of Morgantown on the Mon River. There are a few old miner's cabin foundations and coke ovens. Great spot!

 

[Shady Digger]

I live in Raleigh county (Cool Ridge/Shady Spring to be exact). My dad and I are also looking for new places to detect. I have found info that there was a Civil War instructional camp established somewhere in Shady on Aug. 21, 1862, but the exact location remains unknown. The camp contained 200 men from Raleigh and Fayette Counties. It was set up by Brig. Gen. Alfred Beckley. I also found that Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley (both were later U.S. Presidents) were stationed in Beckley during the winter of 1862. Then in May of 1863 there was a skirmish at the courthouse. Federal artillery rained down on Beckley as Confederate Col. John R. McCausland’s troops were withdrawing through the town after the battle of Fayetteville. Pretty interesting stuff, and I'm positive that there are tons more stuff that we don't know about. The area is rich with history, you just gotta 'dig it up'

 

[WV_Detecting]

Just make sure you are not on Federal park property...metal detecting or digging for arrowheads all the same.... Thursday, August 25 2011


08/24/2011

Fayetteville Man Admits to Unlawful Digging at Park
Staff
Fayetteville



A Fayetteville man pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges he dug up and removed archaeological resources at the New River Gorge national River.

Randy Lee Hamm, 34, admitted to federal charges of unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, alteration, and defacement of archeological resources on public lands without a valid permit.

On April 24, 2010, Hamm was stopped by National Park Service Rangers after they spotted him digging holes at the Indian Rockshelter at the park, which is overseen by the National Park Service.

Hamm said he was looking for arrowheads, pieces of flint and other items related to Native Americans.

Hamm did not have a valid permit to dig in the area.

Artifacts dug up by Hamm were valued at more than $44,000. The restoration and repair to Indian Rockshelter was another $2,000.

Hamm faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine when he is sentenced Nov. 2, 2011.