Mom told me about this when I was a kid, she was 20 at the time of the flood. I go up Buffalo Creek alot for work and I always think about it. Thank u Leo and Heather!
This is one of the best videos you've made and shared with us. Those three unknown children buried together and sharing a space means they are not alone. Maybe not with their families but together to spend eternity, never alone again. Thanks for sharing.
Hello my favorite couple! Mark here from Roanoke, VA. I remember this tragedy like it was yesterday. Senseless ! Those poor souls. We should never forget this and learn from it. But there are still the same risks everywhere.
My first husband worked on C & O Railroad (rip) and was sent to Buffalo Creek to repair RR tracks...He told me about a machine that was removing debris and when the machine scooped up debris, legs of a body dangled down...Also, good elderly friends of ours, that used to live in Lincoln Co., WV moved up there....Mr. Sammy Short and his wife....His wife's mind had deteriorated and she refused to get out of her rocking chair----sooo, He sat down on top of her and held on...Their trailer was carried quite a way, before it stopped and they were both rescued... The waters from that dam caused major damage down the Guyandotte River....The worst was all the lives lost...A sad time for WV....
If the hills and hollers of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee could talk; we would have this kind of story to tell based on true facts. Thank you for all you do to tell other people's stories. So glad I found your channel.
That was a tragic story and yes you are right the big guys at the top never have to pay it's the little guys that have to pay for it all thanks for sharing love you guys
Thank ya'll for keeping the memory of those who were lost alive. I live in central Texas and have been to West Virginia once, beautiful part of the world. The gentleman's story he told brought tears to my eyes.
I worked with a man in the late 90's that lived in Buffalo creek when that happened. His parents brought him and his siblings to Huntington early that morning for an appointment or something and the dam broke while they were away from home. He talk about it 30 years after the flood and the sorrow would overwhelm him. So sad that the industry that has been so many people's living also maimed and killed so many.😭 Bless you guys for telling this story
I have watched three of your videos within the last 24 hours. I must say, I have enjoyed them very much. I never gave it much thought, but I am tied to all these places. Born in Louisville, moved to Huntington in 1958. I drove a delivery truck for a wholesale sundry/tobacco company in 1968. I had a large territory from Chapmanville, Logan, Man, Gilbert, Williamson, War, Welch, Iaeger, Phelps, KY just to name a few. Many more also. I can't tell you how many times I drove up Buffalo Creek. My largest stop was Amherst Coal Company in Lorado or Lundale. I don't remember now, I'm 74 and my memory is not as good at it used to be, I apologize! Such a heart-breaking tragedy! I remember the flood very well. I was 21 at the time. My heart and prayers go out to all the people involved! Great people, honest and hardworking. So very sad! I bought a restaurant business in Man in 1977. Came back to Huntington in 1980 I made a lot of friends in that area when I was there. Super people! Thank you for your great videos!
It is so tragic when these disasters happen. Especially in these states Kentucky seems to get it the worst. Waverly KY. Got a flood 3 maybe 4 years ago . Still in a sad place today. I had heard of this flood. I lived in WzVA a few years. I'm in Tennessee now but I'm from Lee County Virginia. There is a huge dam Wolf Creek damage in KY. My son told me about this dam. God please don't let anything happen. Thanx for a sad but very good video. I always enjoy your videos.❤😊😢
I think my Mamaw and papaw was buried just at the top of the hill at forest lawn where you were standing at! I remember as a kid probably just after it happened, the roads were washed out. We were visiting my Mamaw and papaw in Logan and had to take a detour to get there. Love all the things you do with your channel! You wouldn’t happen to know of any Kinneys or Butchers from Draper Hill by chance?
A most befitting vlog for this weekend. We should never forget this disaster and others that have occurred here in our state of WV. To the man who blamed God, hope he repented! The innocent people always suffer! Thanks for reminding us to remember! That is what Leo and Heather do for us here on utube. They allow us to recall and remember special events!
Very fitting Story for this Memorial Day weekend, and a rainy one at that! Very sad story told by some really caring people. Bless you Leo and Heather 😢
I am watching your videos from Columbus, Ohio. Most of my relatives live in West Virginia. My father graduated from Man High School, my baby sister, grandmother and aunt are buried at Ruffner Cemetery in the Buffalo Creek area. I have lived in Man and Gilbert West Virginia and my grandfather lived at Accoville Holler when that flood happened. I have been following the Hillbilly Files for a while now, and I truly appreciate what you do. This one really hit home for me. You did a wonderful job honoring those who lost their lives. God bless you!
Ive been to Logan...Welch and all those little coal mining towns but never heard about this. Absolutely horrible and so tragic for so many. Thank you to you both for doing this story.
so heartbreaking no matter whos fault..can you imagine that wall of black water comin at ya and you know there is no place to go?? the runnin and screamin the noise of it?? it had to be the most horrific site GOD REST ALL THEIR SOULS i was only 10 when this happened and knew nothing about it till now..thank you for the reporting sad how much we forget of the past or just are not aware of
Good morning Heather, Leo. Y'all did a great job of telling this story. I may even watch it twice to make certain nothing was missed. Y'all have such a way of telling these stories, it brings things and people back to life. I can't imagine what those folks went through. Thank you both for all that you do to bring these stories to us. God bless y'all for what you do. Stay safe out there on your travels.
I remember when that happened. I heard about it in the bath house at the mine I worked at. I was working for the Pittston Coal Corporation's Clinchfield Division in Virginia. It was hard to watch the news and hear all the horror stores from the Buffalo Creek disaster. So many who lost their lives were so young. May they rest in peace.
What a fascinating but tragic tale. I was only 6 at the time growing up in KY, but I have no recollection of this event at all and that's a shame. Thanks so much for sharing information on this tragedy and honoring and remembering the victims of this terrible event.
Leo and Heather this touched my heart in so many places. Thank you both for this sad but important message and video God bless all that were involved. And God bless you both.
Several years ago The History Channel aired a program about this disaster. The person who narrated that program is an acquaintance of mine. His name is Jack Spadaro. He was the head of the mining academy at Beaver in Raleigh County, West Virginia.
Great Job, both of you. I love the stories. I have stayed in Man several times and that answers the question why there isn't very many historical age homes there. I still need that historical tour we talked about on the atv ride last year when we met you at the grille in Matewan.
I had not heard this before. How devastating and heartbreaking. As a kid during that time and shortly after we didn't pay attention to what our elders talked about. I recognize many last names. We had family we visited in WV. Mercer n summers Co. Rough story but I appreciate it.
So tragic! I vaguely recall as I was about 12 years old living in Putnam county! Horrific facts to hear about this so many decades later 😔🙏🏼 God rest those lost souls and especially the ones never found! 🙏🏼
I vividly remember watching news footage of this sad event on WSAZ news as an 8+ year old boy. It saddened my heart then and still does to this day when reminded of it. I traveled through Man on Route 10 weekly for a few years to work. Often I would see the sign for Buffalo Creek and start the sad feelings for those lost that day.RIP to those poor folks and what they suffered.
I love what leo and co. Are doin,wonderful people,great intertamement for myself,but i born an raised there but so i hope to see lots more of them all, rock on my fellow hillbillies!😊
Oh my goodness, this brought me to tears! It's completely devastating, i remember hearing all about this flood! It was the Buffalo Coal Company! This devastating a very sickening me to think all of all lives that had been lost ! Rest in peace. im sorry for your loss sending prayers to those who lost their love one & Animals loss of their homes loss of everything 🙏 God bless you all oh my I've goosebumps 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐 2nd time watching
Oh lord. Unidentified babies and missing people still. I've heard this story before but never from any 1st hand accounts. This one is a real heartbreaker. Stay safe out there both of you
Had a bad flood and mud slide here where I live in 1995. 117 lives were lost. All major roads gone. It wasn't black water waste. I think that is awful. It was just Mother Nature raging through
Thank you. My dad worked in coal mines. They are so dangerous. You did a great job sharing this and the tragedy. I remember hearing about it, but not in this much detail. I live in WV. I need to go south to see this.
Never heard of this story how awful. Yes 100% agree with Heather about greed and politics whole lot to say there. Yes ordinary every day people pay the price. You did a wonderful job in remembering these people. Sad but needs to be told. R.I.P. to all who passed that day prayers to family and friends left behind. Prayers for the people who survived this awful ordeal God bless them and you all and family.
That is really a sad story- some men's greed kills many others, and no real punishment other then a fine, which their insurance company likely paid up on. No justice for the poor folks who lost lives and homes!
Thank you Danny for another great video, I can't imagine what it would have been like to have worked in a mine 😢, RIP to the men who lost their lives that day. Again thank you
some of the leadership should have been jailed over this ignoring safety regulations there no call for that these people didnt deserve what happened to them
The Buffalo Creek 1972 disaster was from building 3 dams out of coal refuse from mining, with rocks generally an inch across and smaller. The Martin County Kentucky 2000 slurry pond failure was from deep mining too close to the bottom of the pond, so the pond water fell under the dam with no dam failure. Since 1972 coal mine dams have to be built from large rocks that huge rainstorms are very unlikely to cause a dam failure. The 1972 disaster also led to new national coal mine laws in 1977.
Ahhh my hometown of Logan WV. You got my dads grave in your video. At 33:46 my dads grave is the one with the flag waving. I always visit the baby trio
Fayetteville public library book club reading " Strange as this Weather Has Been " by Ann Pancake this month...which is a historical fiction of this tragedy...very worth the read.
Very gripping story. I have heard about this many years ago when I was still living in Europe. The peanut butter/cool aid story makes a person think and I can not imagine what this fellow went through when he found out... I am following your stories for some time now and really enjoy them as well as the dedication you put into your research and all the background information. Good for you! Without your work, a lot of history would be soon forgotten and/or overgrown forever... One more thing... I like Leo's camo-Jacket with the American Flag... Where can I get one of those?
My mom's family..... mom had just got married and moved out of her family home to delbarton with my dad. My uncle on dad's side had moved from there 1 week prior. I have about 16 family members on my mom's side and that's all. Why? The rest died in Buffalo creek. The flood almost wiped out a whole bloodline. Difficult to think about. Who was left told about a car blowing it's horn speeding out of the hollow screaming to everyon at the top of his lungs to get out. That car was the only warning folks got. They remember their mom saying, "O Lord have mercy on us , the Dams broke. Someone said "get in the car." Someone else said. "Ain't no time I see it coming". They recalled rather than trying to out run the water that they'd go straight up the hill on high, climbing and pulling themselves by the trees higher and higher up the hill with the black water swirling with debris and chemicals licking at their heels. They survived. Neighbors and friends did not. The worst part was the aftermath. Having to dig through the muck to find their kin. My uncle who had just moved from there went back to search and identify. One man wa found hanging from a stop sign. Some didn't have faces because the debris tore them off. The victims and yes they were victims were held at the school there turned into a make shift morgue. My uncle recalls the little girl about 6 hrs old that lived next door to him being there. He said she had the prettiest blonde curly hair and she always wore a bow in it. He said he sat next to her and cried, her hair streaked black and her face hastily washed just enough to identify her. People round those parts talked about the Dam all the time. A rain would come and everyone was on alert for it to break loose. The rainy days the tension was high. But for years, someone would cry out the Dams about to break. And people would speed out the hollow only to find the Dam held. That carried on for years. Almost like the boy who cried wolf. The day it did break id say some didn't believe the warning. Imagine a wall of nasty water stuck to flow in a tight hollow between two mountain sides wiping out about 150 houses. Mom was asked to go identify bodies. I remember her telling me how she cried and was too nervous and scared to do it .... I would be too. My name is Melissa Newsome I'm on Facebook and tik tok. Message me if anyone needs more info. But if you stop by the memorial and see my family's names say a prayer for them. It's not fair how they lost their lives.
Did the people who lost family members, homes & businesses ever get a settlement from the mine company? State ? Or government? There is no value that can be placed on a human life. But they were surely owed something. I've read about & heard some stories of this disaster. The loss is unbelievable. If your wife & I were to get into a discussion about how this states government has done the people that live here I have no doubt it would be an interesting one.
Where did you get the footage of the memorial church service? My wife's family was visible in several shots and she would like to see it in it's entirety.
I have a picture of my parents taken by one of the dam's before that disaster, If I can find it I'll share it with you, if you look close you can see the tip of a telephone pole in the water behind them.
What a real bad disaster an really sickening how the mining Company blames it on God! It was their Fault ! Look at all those lives was lost a the people that has Survived will never be the same. Sending prayers for them all families God bless them All! Thank Heather and Leo for doing this Video I’ve never heard of this! God bless. Breaks my heart! Thank you for doing this in loving memory of them.My They all Rest In Peace To them all ✝️🙏
What a heartbreaking story! God Bless Y'all for shining a light on the folks lost that fateful day!
Mom told me about this when I was a kid, she was 20 at the time of the flood. I go up Buffalo Creek alot for work and I always think about it. Thank u Leo and Heather!
This is one of the best videos you've made and shared with us. Those three unknown children buried together and sharing a space means they are not alone. Maybe not with their families but together to spend eternity, never alone again. Thanks for sharing.
Hello my favorite couple! Mark here from Roanoke, VA. I remember this tragedy like it was yesterday. Senseless ! Those poor souls. We should never forget this and learn from it. But there are still the same risks everywhere.
Leo, I went to community college with Gail Amburgey in Logan. She was the sweetest young girl. She always loved her poetry. Suzy
My first husband worked on C & O Railroad (rip) and was sent to Buffalo Creek to repair RR tracks...He told me about a machine that was removing debris and when the machine scooped up debris, legs of a body dangled down...Also, good elderly friends of ours, that used to live in Lincoln Co., WV moved up there....Mr. Sammy Short and his wife....His wife's mind had deteriorated and she refused to get out of her rocking chair----sooo, He sat down on top of her and held on...Their trailer was carried quite a way, before it stopped and they were both rescued... The waters from that dam caused major damage down the Guyandotte River....The worst was all the lives lost...A sad time for WV....
If the hills and hollers of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee could talk; we would have this kind of story to tell based on true facts. Thank you for all you do to tell other people's stories. So glad I found your channel.
The video is about WV.
@@davidjanson7982 yes I meant W VA not Va typo sorry
Beautifully done story. Thank you two, for all your hard work and compassion for those who are lost. Much love from Iowa ❤❤❤
That was a tragic story and yes you are right the big guys at the top never have to pay it's the little guys that have to pay for it all thanks for sharing love you guys
Thank ya'll for keeping the memory of those who were lost alive. I live in central Texas and have been to West Virginia once, beautiful part of the world. The gentleman's story he told brought tears to my eyes.
I worked with a man in the late 90's that lived in Buffalo creek when that happened. His parents brought him and his siblings to Huntington early that morning for an appointment or something and the dam broke while they were away from home. He talk about it 30 years after the flood and the sorrow would overwhelm him. So sad that the industry that has been so many people's living also maimed and killed so many.😭 Bless you guys for telling this story
O.m.g. the story about the man finding his sister was crazy. My jaw dropped when you told that. I couldn't imagine going through that. Wow!!!!
I have watched three of your videos within the last 24 hours. I must say, I have enjoyed them very much. I never gave it much thought, but I am tied to all these places. Born in Louisville, moved to Huntington in 1958. I drove a delivery truck for a wholesale sundry/tobacco company in 1968. I had a large territory from Chapmanville, Logan, Man, Gilbert, Williamson, War, Welch, Iaeger, Phelps, KY just to name a few. Many more also. I can't tell you how many times I drove up Buffalo Creek. My largest stop was Amherst Coal Company in Lorado or Lundale. I don't remember now, I'm 74 and my memory is not as good at it used to be, I apologize! Such a heart-breaking tragedy! I remember the flood very well. I was 21 at the time. My heart and prayers go out to all the people involved! Great people, honest and hardworking. So very sad! I bought a restaurant business in Man in 1977. Came back to Huntington in 1980 I made a lot of friends in that area when I was there. Super people! Thank you for your great videos!
It is so tragic when these disasters happen. Especially in these states Kentucky seems to get it the worst. Waverly KY. Got a flood 3 maybe 4 years ago . Still in a sad place today. I had heard of this flood. I lived in WzVA a few years. I'm in Tennessee now but I'm from Lee County Virginia. There is a huge dam Wolf Creek damage in KY. My son told me about this dam. God please don't let anything happen. Thanx for a sad but very good video. I always enjoy your videos.❤😊😢
I think my Mamaw and papaw was buried just at the top of the hill at forest lawn where you were standing at! I remember as a kid probably just after it happened, the roads were washed out. We were visiting my Mamaw and papaw in Logan and had to take a detour to get there. Love all the things you do with your channel! You wouldn’t happen to know of any Kinneys or Butchers from Draper Hill by chance?
Not that I can think of right off the bat.
A most befitting vlog for this weekend. We should never forget this disaster and others that have occurred here in our state of WV. To the man who blamed God, hope he repented! The innocent people always suffer! Thanks for reminding us to remember! That is what Leo and Heather do for us here on utube. They allow us to recall and remember special events!
Great content as usual. Another thought came to mind, did you ever find Asa Harmond grave?
Leo your laugh is infectious♡
Never heard of this story, but I’ll always remember it. Thank you for sharing.
Very fitting Story for this Memorial Day weekend, and a rainy one at that! Very sad story told by some really caring people. Bless you Leo and Heather 😢
I am watching your videos from Columbus, Ohio. Most of my relatives live in West Virginia. My father graduated from Man High School, my baby sister, grandmother and aunt are buried at Ruffner Cemetery in the Buffalo Creek area. I have lived in Man and Gilbert West Virginia and my grandfather lived at Accoville Holler when that flood happened. I have been following the Hillbilly Files for a while now, and I truly appreciate what you do. This one really hit home for me. You did a wonderful job honoring those who lost their lives. God bless you!
This was the hardest one that you have brought to us to watch. thanks for sharing.
Ive been to Logan...Welch and all those little coal mining towns but never heard about this.
Absolutely horrible and so tragic for so many.
Thank you to you both for doing this story.
Thank you for helping us remember, especially folks like me who didn't know in the first place.
Hello Heather and Leo...Such a sad day..The family's and their losses had to be so Horrible to deal with...
Hi Leo and Heather from Boone County WV 👋 Thank You for this video about the Buffalo Creek Flood disaster. I love watching your videos.
We pay the price to make them richer while we live check to check
so heartbreaking no matter whos fault..can you imagine that wall of black water comin at ya and you know there is no place to go?? the runnin and screamin the noise of it?? it had to be the most horrific site GOD REST ALL THEIR SOULS i was only 10 when this happened and knew nothing about it till now..thank you for the reporting sad how much we forget of the past or just are not aware of
Good morning Heather, Leo. Y'all did a great job of telling this story. I may even watch it twice to make certain nothing was missed.
Y'all have such a way of telling these stories, it brings things and people back to life.
I can't imagine what those folks went through.
Thank you both for all that you do to bring these stories to us.
God bless y'all for what you do. Stay safe out there on your travels.
Great story, sad but interesting and a great tribute to the lost and the survivors!
I remember when that happened. I heard about it in the bath house at the mine I worked at. I was working for the Pittston Coal Corporation's Clinchfield Division in Virginia. It was hard to watch the news and hear all the horror stores from the Buffalo Creek disaster. So many who lost their lives were so young. May they rest in peace.
I am so so sorry. I will never forget this story ❤
What a fascinating but tragic tale. I was only 6 at the time growing up in KY, but I have no recollection of this event at all and that's a shame. Thanks so much for sharing information on this tragedy and honoring and remembering the victims of this terrible event.
Beautifully done for such a tragic event! Thanks for sharing!
Heart breaking
Thank you for bringing this story. God bless you both
🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤ ...
Thank you guys so much and , " God Bless ".
So sad. Prayers to all the families. I had never heard about this. Breaks my heart so many lost their lives, homes 😢
That beginning was so powerful! Thanks for presenting this!
Leo and Heather this touched my heart in so many places. Thank you both for this sad but important message and video God bless all that were involved. And God bless you both.
Several years ago The History Channel aired a program about this disaster. The person who narrated that program is an acquaintance of mine. His name is Jack Spadaro. He was the head of the mining academy at Beaver in Raleigh County, West Virginia.
I had never heard of this story. Needless to say it was abhorrent horrible event. I will never forget it, thank you for sharing.
Great Job, both of you. I love the stories. I have stayed in Man several times and that answers the question why there isn't very many historical age homes there. I still need that historical tour we talked about on the atv ride last year when we met you at the grille in Matewan.
Thank you Heather and Leo for the video along with this tragedy I will remember them as well as the military. 😢❤️❤️.
Thank you for reminding us ❤
You two are national treasures.
Very sad story. May all the victims rest in peace 🙏 Thank you very much Leo and Heather, for telling this story, so that we do not forget.
Take care.
Thank you both for sharing this heartfelt story- such a lovely place now…time heals all 😔🙏🏼
I had not heard this before. How devastating and heartbreaking. As a kid during that time and shortly after we didn't pay attention to what our elders talked about. I recognize many last names. We had family we visited in WV. Mercer n summers Co. Rough story but I appreciate it.
So tragic! I vaguely recall as I was about 12 years old living in Putnam county! Horrific facts to hear about this so many decades later 😔🙏🏼
God rest those lost souls and especially the ones never found! 🙏🏼
Thanks for sharing this historical event ! Sad.
Thanks for sharing this sad story.
I vividly remember watching news footage of this sad event on WSAZ news as an 8+ year old boy. It saddened my heart then and still does to this day when reminded of it. I traveled through Man on Route 10 weekly for a few years to work. Often I would see the sign for Buffalo Creek and start the sad feelings for those lost that day.RIP to those poor folks and what they suffered.
By the way, thanks again to you two for another fine job of getting the story out there especially to those who had never heard it before.
I love what leo and co. Are doin,wonderful people,great intertamement for myself,but i born an raised there but so i hope to see lots more of them all, rock on my fellow hillbillies!😊
Wow! RIP to the victims of the Buffalo creek flood
I SHARED YOUR CHANNEL WITH FRIENDS TODAY. LOVE YOU GUYS THANKS FOR BRINGING THESE STORIES WITH US. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you for remembering the people that this impacted.
Sad part of history. Phenomenally done video.
You did a tremendous job on this video! Thank you for all your hard work.
Oh my goodness, this brought me to tears! It's completely devastating, i remember hearing all about this flood! It was the Buffalo Coal Company! This devastating a very sickening me to think all of all lives that had been lost ! Rest in peace. im sorry for your loss sending prayers to those who lost their love one & Animals loss of their homes loss of everything 🙏 God bless you all oh my I've goosebumps 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐 2nd time watching
Oh lord. Unidentified babies and missing people still. I've heard this story before but never from any 1st hand accounts. This one is a real heartbreaker. Stay safe out there both of you
Had a bad flood and mud slide here where I live in 1995. 117 lives were lost. All major roads gone. It wasn't black water waste. I think that is awful. It was just Mother Nature raging through
Thank you. My dad worked in coal mines. They are so dangerous. You did a great job sharing this and the tragedy. I remember hearing about it, but not in this much detail. I live in WV. I need to go south to see this.
My dad was one of the army members that was up there after the floods...broke his heart all his life...he never would talk about it...
Great video, guys
To the elite rich people, we are replaceable...smh...RIP people!!
Never heard of this story how awful. Yes 100% agree with Heather about greed and politics whole lot to say there. Yes ordinary every day people pay the price. You did a wonderful job in remembering these people. Sad but needs to be told. R.I.P. to all who passed that day prayers to family and friends left behind. Prayers for the people who survived this awful ordeal God bless them and you all and family.
That is really a sad story- some men's greed kills many others, and no real punishment other then a fine, which their insurance company likely paid up on. No justice for the poor folks who lost lives and homes!
Thank you Danny for another great video, I can't imagine what it would have been like to have worked in a mine 😢, RIP to the men who lost their lives that day. Again thank you
No, not God’s fault. Man’s fault.
I'm so very sorry to hear. Of the lose of life
some of the leadership should have been jailed over this ignoring safety regulations there no call for that these people didnt deserve what happened to them
The Buffalo Creek 1972 disaster was from building 3 dams out of coal refuse from mining, with rocks generally an inch across and smaller. The Martin County Kentucky 2000 slurry pond failure was from deep mining too close to the bottom of the pond, so the pond water fell under the dam with no dam failure. Since 1972 coal mine dams have to be built from large rocks that huge rainstorms are very unlikely to cause a dam failure. The 1972 disaster also led to new national coal mine laws in 1977.
gulp so sadi choked up im 82 seen a lot wow bless wv people va man out ==
Ahhh my hometown of Logan WV. You got my dads grave in your video. At 33:46 my dads grave is the one with the flag waving. I always visit the baby trio
Fayetteville public library book club reading " Strange as this Weather Has Been " by Ann Pancake this month...which is a historical fiction of this tragedy...very worth the read.
My mommy and daddy are buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Break's my 💓 Australian. I really feel connected to WV . Rip dear people and children.
Thank you ❤👍🙏
I lost relatives in this disaster.
It was devastating.
Very gripping story. I have heard about this many years ago when I was still living in Europe.
The peanut butter/cool aid story makes a person think and I can not imagine what this fellow went through when he found out...
I am following your stories for some time now and really enjoy them as well as the dedication you put into your research and all the background information.
Good for you!
Without your work, a lot of history would be soon forgotten and/or overgrown forever...
One more thing...
I like Leo's camo-Jacket with the American Flag...
Where can I get one of those?
I think I know the one you're talking about. It's a heated jacket from a company called dewbu.
@@thehillbillyfiles Thank you! I will have a look online... Keep up the great work!
God bless you
I glad you remembered there pets.
Hello 👋 👋👋
I now live on Buffalo Creek. My sister’s husband lost his sister and two kids. It still haunts him. 7:33 7:36
@jalenmaker. I live on Buffalo Creek today. My brother-in-law lost his sister and her two kids. Still haunts him today. 10:46
johnstown pa flood in pa was like that leo look it up do a story on it love your vids thank you
Could not imagine 😢
I remember it well
That was a very bad disaster I just bearly remember i was only 5 years.old
My mom's family..... mom had just got married and moved out of her family home to delbarton with my dad. My uncle on dad's side had moved from there 1 week prior. I have about 16 family members on my mom's side and that's all. Why? The rest died in Buffalo creek. The flood almost wiped out a whole bloodline. Difficult to think about. Who was left told about a car blowing it's horn speeding out of the hollow screaming to everyon at the top of his lungs to get out. That car was the only warning folks got. They remember their mom saying, "O Lord have mercy on us , the Dams broke. Someone said "get in the car." Someone else said. "Ain't no time I see it coming". They recalled rather than trying to out run the water that they'd go straight up the hill on high, climbing and pulling themselves by the trees higher and higher up the hill with the black water swirling with debris and chemicals licking at their heels. They survived. Neighbors and friends did not. The worst part was the aftermath. Having to dig through the muck to find their kin. My uncle who had just moved from there went back to search and identify. One man wa found hanging from a stop sign. Some didn't have faces because the debris tore them off. The victims and yes they were victims were held at the school there turned into a make shift morgue. My uncle recalls the little girl about 6 hrs old that lived next door to him being there. He said she had the prettiest blonde curly hair and she always wore a bow in it. He said he sat next to her and cried, her hair streaked black and her face hastily washed just enough to identify her. People round those parts talked about the Dam all the time. A rain would come and everyone was on alert for it to break loose. The rainy days the tension was high. But for years, someone would cry out the Dams about to break. And people would speed out the hollow only to find the Dam held. That carried on for years. Almost like the boy who cried wolf. The day it did break id say some didn't believe the warning. Imagine a wall of nasty water stuck to flow in a tight hollow between two mountain sides wiping out about 150 houses. Mom was asked to go identify bodies. I remember her telling me how she cried and was too nervous and scared to do it .... I would be too. My name is Melissa Newsome I'm on Facebook and tik tok. Message me if anyone needs more info. But if you stop by the memorial and see my family's names say a prayer for them. It's not fair how they lost their lives.
Never forget!
I have a lot of relatives buried in that cemetery
Did the people who lost family members, homes & businesses ever get a settlement from the mine company? State ? Or government? There is no value that can be placed on a human life. But they were surely owed something.
I've read about & heard some stories of this disaster. The loss is unbelievable. If your wife & I were to get into a discussion about how this states government has done the people that live here I have no doubt it would be an interesting one.
Yes, each family was compensated for their losses by Pittston Coal Company.
I hope that young woman became a writer.
Where did you get the footage of the memorial church service? My wife's family was visible in several shots and she would like to see it in it's entirety.
I don't remember the exact page, but the clip was from youtube. Just search "Buffalo Creek Disaster". You should be able to find that, and maybe more.
I have a picture of my parents taken by one of the dam's before that disaster, If I can find it I'll share it with you, if you look close you can see the tip of a telephone pole in the water behind them.
It wouldn't let me send to you.. but I tried lol
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What a real bad disaster an really sickening how the mining Company blames it on God! It was their Fault ! Look at all those lives was lost a the people that has Survived will never be the same. Sending prayers for them all families God bless them All! Thank Heather and Leo for doing this Video I’ve never heard of this! God bless. Breaks my heart! Thank you for doing this in loving memory of them.My They all Rest In Peace To them all ✝️🙏
Has anyone ever covered the Cheat River flash flood disaster? I think around 83-84'