Thank you for featuring our town on your channel. I was born and raised here an still live here. It’s hard to believe how it used to look an how it looks now. Great video 😊
My whole family is from there! My Aunt Pat still lives there. We played in that building as kids. My Dad was born in a house on the hill behind it. Played in that slate dump there, too. Tipple Hollow is behind it
I was born and lived with my grandmother here. My grandfather, father and uncles worked in the mines. I remember going to the Company Store with my grandmother.
The blood, sweat, tears, lives and souls that were given for the growth and prosperity of our nation must never be forgotten. To all the descendants of these men and women, a very special thank you to your ancestors.
Great Channel. I’ve really been getting deeper into history and the discoveries / abandoned places of past generations that most of us barely acknowledge even once in our lifetimes. So much captivating stuff you can dig up on human history. I was studying Europe for quite some time but lately have been really interested in the US South / Appalachia & Great Lakes regions of Canada (specifically Niagara, Ontario, where I reside)
Do you have any links you can guide me to, regarding those 1940s/1960s Appalachian documentaries sort of videos that you haven’t posted? I’ve watched about 4-5 on your channel
My granddaddy help build the church next door to the union hall. He worked the mine till he retired. We lived about a half mile on up the road into Abby's Valley
My Nana was born and raised here, about a decade after the explosion. She was told stories about it. Dear God, there are some horrific stories about the mines and the towns around them. Her grandmother had a relative who died in the explosion, and he had beautiful red hair. At his funeral, they were able to fix him up enough to have a viewing, and she brushed her hand over his head for the last time. She was horrified when his scalp started pulling away.
It really had to have been. Almost every man in my family died in the mines. During WWI, you statistically had a better chance of surviving the front lines than a WV coal mine.
Thanks for another educational video. I never get tired of your videos and all the history in your area. Hope y'all are well up your way. Keep on doing what you're doing.
Mike and mason shupe was my grandfathers brothers that passed away in the mine explosion. My great grandmother lost three children that week. A day or so after the mine explosion she lost a daughter to pneumonia. I have the long story of course but I wouldn’t wanna bore anyone with details.
To tell the whole story, the fact is what would become my Grandmother's house,Rachael (Rosie) Mae (Lawson) Johnson was her name, was the first structure built in Boissevain, pronounced by us as BOZ-UH-VAIN, and it was the original company store/post office/company office, later even a doctors office. It was 189 years old when it burnt down! It is a shame that this building was left to decay. It was boarded up finally because the vandalism was done long ago and the inside is no longer safe. The town's name comes from the Dutch.
You always manage to find the neatest and coolest places to visit. I must admit that even the name of this little coal town is different. You have shared with your audience a wonder historical video. Thank you Shane and Melody. By the way Shane, Simmons is not a bad last name.
@@carmenburgos1616 Hola, Sí, lo único que nos importa es la decencia. No somos una sociedad racista en absoluto. Espero que estés bien después de las tormentas. Viví en Isla Verde hace un tiempo como 25 años. Mantente a salvo y mis mejores deseos, mi amigo.
My mom is from here. My Great paw- paw was killed in this explosion along with his brother. We use to play in this old company store. Glad to see some progress being made with utv trails. Very good people in these parts.
Mike and mason shupe was my (great uncles) grandfathers brothers. My grandfather told his sons which are my uncles the explosion was so violent it actually split parts of the mountain. According to them different places on the mountain the cracks was so wide you could almost fall in.
So sad about the mine explosion. Beautiful area...nature always reclaims everything eventually. Love the beautiful goldenrod and the sound of the crickets...thanks guys ....appreciate y'all..God bless...🙏❤
There's not much information on this very small, unincorporated town in VA but I did find it had a population of 1197 in 1950 and, as of 2020, is down to 457. Considering the disaster that happened there, you'd think there'd be more recognition of the place.
Amazing you could find so much historical footage and pictures on that building. It would be neat if it cd be restored and made into perhaps a museum and memorial to the 1932 disaster.
Nice video. I suggest you keep a bottle of Windex and some rags in the car so you can keep your windshield clean and not have to record through so much dirt.
Loving these videos with the old photos! So sad about the explosion tho. I didn't even know there was a place in Virginia that had this name. Y'all stay safe and be careful! Hugs from VA!
Such a shame for such a beautiful little area. Another example of the mentality of the “man” putting it to the small town who sacrificed it all for them.
It sure brought back a lot of bad memories. My uncle was blown to pieces in the Farmington Mine in West Virginia in 1968. There was a mine explosion.There wasn’t much left of him. They identified him by the dog tags that he had on. I think that there were like 78 that lost their lives and it got so bad that they couldn’t go down any deeper into the mine to look for the other bodies of the miners. There were a lot of them left in the mine. They sealed it up. The mine was never opened back up.
Another fun video from you fine folks ! Wasn’t there a Pocahontas above Big Stone coming from Kingsport that is maybe between Big Stone and Appalachia or Appalachia and Coburn I also remember a company town and a bunch of company houses and a company store was it in Exeter ?? They later moved to Dufffield to keep his boys out of the coal mines he was parade Marshall and a Fourth of July parade there in Coburn he was in world war one he worked in a timber in coal mines his whole life in Virginia
I didn't grow up around mines, but always liked miners.While in WV, I purchased a CD of Carl Rutherford, a musician who had worked as a miner. He got the black lung. A lot of his songs were about mining. The song 'Little Annie' was on that CD. I listened to it over and over. It is a hauntingly beautiful piece of music, yet at the same time one of the saddest I have heard. If you haven't heard it, you need to! It was about Bartley #1 blowing and killing all 91 men. While looking in my atlas to see the location of Boissevain, I noticed Wolf Creek Indian Village not too far away. Have ya'll done a video on it yet?
The name of that town is a Dutch name and not German. This was verified on Google Translate where I input the name into the text box with the language set for auto-detect and it came up Dutch. Neither of the pronunciations according to Google translate and its text to voice function.
The more I watch, the more I learn. I was thinking that I knew a fair amount about labor history in coal country in the early 20th century. (Had a good friend who was born and raised (her parents too) there and she talked and wrote about it.) But more and more I realize that I know less and less. (Isn't that the way most of life goes?) I'm picking up on the idea that the relationship between miners and the company they worked for was a lot more complicated than people (like me) understand. At the same time that miners understood the need for the UMWA (along with its legendary "A-Hall," Shane. 😀 ) it seems they also felt a certain loyalty to large companies like Pocahontas. (Am I reading that right?) And while some people might have been frustrated by the way that the company store became "the only game in town" and sold to what might have been viewed as a captive clientele, there were other people who liked the idea of having a well stocked "mini-walmart before walmart" right in town where they could at least have a shot at getting credit if they needed it. Maybe i'm still misinterpreting, but I really enjoy a chance to at least try to get the accurate story Especially when the tour guides are patient and they show you some of the most beautiful places on the planet. Thanks again, Shane and Melody!
for some a coal mine was a way of life make a living raise a family pay your due’s and the best they can do was take it all away from the hard working people.I see nothing green about that but the rich saw the mighty green back dollar deep down in those hollows.
Thank yall
Thank you for featuring our town on your channel. I was born and raised here an still live here. It’s hard to believe how it used to look an how it looks now. Great video 😊
Thank you so much, we were excited to put the video together because Boissevain was a big deal back in the coal boom times. Glad you enjoyed it.
R u still alive
My whole family is from there! My Aunt Pat still lives there. We played in that building as kids. My Dad was born in a house on the hill behind it. Played in that slate dump there, too. Tipple Hollow is behind it
Is your Aunt Pat a Phipps, formerly a Lawson? If so we are cousins.
Haha I played on the same slate dump. So sad when I go back and visit! A lot of good people there, part of my family still lives there also.
I was born and lived with my grandmother here. My grandfather, father and uncles worked in the mines. I remember going to the Company Store with my grandmother.
The blood, sweat, tears, lives and souls that were given for the growth and prosperity of our nation must never be forgotten. To all the descendants of these men and women, a very special thank you to your ancestors.
I was born and raised here. Thank you so much...
Just found your channel,thanks alot really enjoy it,keep em coming
Total side note, Shane are these old videos you are showing, from your childhood??? 😂🤣
I would tell you what I would do to you but I’m afraid RUclips would demonetize us lol
Great Channel. I’ve really been getting deeper into history and the discoveries / abandoned places of past generations that most of us barely acknowledge even once in our lifetimes. So much captivating stuff you can dig up on human history. I was studying Europe for quite some time but lately have been really interested in the US South / Appalachia & Great Lakes regions of Canada (specifically Niagara, Ontario, where I reside)
Do you have any links you can guide me to, regarding those 1940s/1960s Appalachian documentaries sort of videos that you haven’t posted? I’ve watched about 4-5 on your channel
My granddaddy help build the church next door to the union hall. He worked the mine till he retired. We lived about a half mile on up the road into Abby's Valley
Thank you for sharing this. My grand uncle was killed in that disaster.
So sorry to hear that
Love your videos.
Thank you Mathew
My Nana was born and raised here, about a decade after the explosion. She was told stories about it. Dear God, there are some horrific stories about the mines and the towns around them. Her grandmother had a relative who died in the explosion, and he had beautiful red hair. At his funeral, they were able to fix him up enough to have a viewing, and she brushed her hand over his head for the last time. She was horrified when his scalp started pulling away.
actually my great-great-aunt's church is the one you see across the street from the store...
Wow, what a sad and horrific experience that had to be
It really had to have been. Almost every man in my family died in the mines. During WWI, you statistically had a better chance of surviving the front lines than a WV coal mine.
Thanks for another educational video. I never get tired of your videos and all the history in your area. Hope y'all are well up your way. Keep on doing what you're doing.
Thank you so much, Robert! - Melody
Always played inside there as a kid. Not sure how long it’s been boarded up.
Mike and mason shupe was my grandfathers brothers that passed away in the mine explosion. My great grandmother lost three children that week. A day or so after the mine explosion she lost a daughter to pneumonia. I have the long story of course but I wouldn’t wanna bore anyone with details.
Another really cool place, thank you Shane and Melody!
Thank you, Robin, we appreciate you watching
So sad. I will never complain again
To tell the whole story, the fact is what would become my Grandmother's house,Rachael (Rosie) Mae (Lawson) Johnson was her name, was the first structure built in Boissevain, pronounced by us as BOZ-UH-VAIN, and it was the original company store/post office/company office, later even a doctors office. It was 189 years old when it burnt down!
It is a shame that this building was left to decay. It was boarded up finally because the vandalism was done long ago and the inside is no longer safe. The town's name comes from the Dutch.
Very sad 😥indeed
Looked like it was a very happy family place... very tragic!
I pray there 🙏😔resting in peace
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!!!
You always manage to find the neatest and coolest places to visit. I must admit that even the name of this little coal town is different. You have shared with your audience a wonder historical video. Thank you Shane and Melody. By the way Shane, Simmons is not a bad last name.
Oh I’m a fan of that name too lol, thanks so much, Judy
@@realappalachia Yes, I had it for 25 years. It changed when I got married.
@@carmenburgos1616 Hola, Sí, lo único que nos importa es la decencia. No somos una sociedad racista en absoluto. Espero que estés bien después de las tormentas. Viví en Isla Verde hace un tiempo como 25 años.
Mantente a salvo y mis mejores deseos, mi amigo.
@@carmenburgos1616 Anytime. Best wishes
I worked filling up a tippel shaft right behind post office over thar
💔 Thank you so much.
My mom is from here. My Great paw- paw was killed in this explosion along with his brother. We use to play in this old company store. Glad to see some progress being made with utv trails. Very good people in these parts.
Sorry to hear your family was touched by this tragedy
Mike and mason shupe was my (great uncles) grandfathers brothers. My grandfather told his sons which are my uncles the explosion was so violent it actually split parts of the mountain. According to them different places on the mountain the cracks was so wide you could almost fall in.
So sad about the mine explosion. Beautiful area...nature always reclaims everything eventually. Love the beautiful goldenrod and the sound of the crickets...thanks guys ....appreciate y'all..God bless...🙏❤
Tragic but fascinating history!
Ive got a cow collar tag i found working thar it ower was Hobert D Rife ive still got it
There's not much information on this very small, unincorporated town in VA but I did find it had a population of 1197 in 1950 and, as of 2020, is down to 457. Considering the disaster that happened there, you'd think there'd be more recognition of the place.
I agree, I imagine it kinda gets eclipsed by the history of Pocahontas which is so close to it
Those names at 3:48 were genuinely hardworking men who left home....fully expecting to return in time for dinner that day.
Amazing you could find so much historical footage and pictures on that building. It would be neat if it cd be restored and made into perhaps a museum and memorial to the 1932 disaster.
Nice video. I suggest you keep a bottle of Windex and some rags in the car so you can keep your windshield clean and not have to record through so much dirt.
I think people helped each other more back then. Jo
Loving these videos with the old photos! So sad about the explosion tho. I didn't even know there was a place in Virginia that had this name. Y'all stay safe and be careful! Hugs from VA!
Thank you, Debbie
Such a shame for such a beautiful little area. Another example of the mentality of the “man” putting it to the small town who sacrificed it all for them.
It sure brought back a lot of bad memories. My uncle was blown to pieces in the Farmington Mine in West Virginia in 1968. There was a mine explosion.There wasn’t much left of him. They identified him by the dog tags that he had on. I think that there were like 78 that lost their lives and it got so bad that they couldn’t go down any deeper into the mine to look for the other bodies of the miners. There were a lot of them left in the mine. They sealed it up. The mine was never opened back up.
How horribly sad. 🙏🏻
Another fun video from you fine folks ! Wasn’t there a Pocahontas above Big Stone coming from Kingsport that is maybe between Big Stone and Appalachia or Appalachia and Coburn I also remember a company town and a bunch of company houses and a company store was it in Exeter ?? They later moved to Dufffield to keep his boys out of the coal mines he was parade Marshall and a Fourth of July parade there in Coburn he was in world war one he worked in a timber in coal mines his whole life in Virginia
I feel so sorry for what those families had to go through. It’s horrible the way the miners were treated.
Thanks you my dear friend see you soon
I didn't grow up around mines, but always liked miners.While in WV, I purchased a CD of Carl Rutherford, a musician who had worked as a miner. He got the black lung. A lot of his songs were about mining. The song 'Little Annie' was on that CD. I listened to it over and over. It is a hauntingly beautiful piece of music, yet at the same time one of the saddest I have heard. If you haven't heard it, you need to! It was about Bartley #1 blowing and killing all 91 men.
While looking in my atlas to see the location of Boissevain, I noticed Wolf Creek Indian Village not too far away. Have ya'll done a video on it yet?
I see post office
I got drunk here and lost my iPhone.
That's the time when you need a company store that's still up and running and selling iPhones for sure.
If someone found it and posted here would be cool. I'll keep an eye out if I'm over'atway
Wow beautiful town and building also creepy! I would love to see the inside but I think you said it was boarded up.
Yes, Unfortunately so!! The Itmann company store was definitely spooky. We still talk about it all the time haha - Melody
Wasn’t the old Pocahontas High School near here?
Cute little town especially the A-HALL right Shane? Lol 😁
Melody tries to keep you straight. 💙 💞
I don’t know about that gal sometimes lol
Outstanding town, thank you for taking us there. Be safe and blessed
Very well done, seeing the old mining pictures was great. Did you ever work in a mine Shane?
My first job was for a coal mine
@@realappalachia I was thinking I heard you mention that but was not sure!
@@navydogsadventures3500 it’s been a good while lol
@@realappalachia Your not that old!😁
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
Gonna buy some of your merch eventually…just gotta settle on a shirt🤔
There’s lots of good ones to choose from! We have trouble choosing ourselves! Haha - Melody
I seen pics of wher i worked
Across the mountain from my house!
Love the videos, Is there any way you could show where the coal mine was in relation to the town?
Beautiful!!
Do you folks ever get permission to metal detect these sites for the museums?
Approx. What is the population there?
I would guess 100-200 people
Nice nails !
The name of that town is a Dutch name and not German. This was verified on Google Translate where I input the name into the text box with the language set for auto-detect and it came up Dutch. Neither of the pronunciations according to Google translate and its text to voice function.
It’s pronounced Boz-ah-vain.
@@rickylee2477 No it is not.
It is Dutch, my family is from there and descendants of the dutch.
I don't think it's German
I think we found out that it is French
@@realappalachia ok I spent 3 yrs in Germany from 82-85 but if ever you all need help be it German I'll be glad to help ya all out
@@realappalachia It sounds French to me.
It is Dutch. My family are the descendants of the founders.
It sounds like Boivin which is a French name but with a bunch of letters added :-) Very sad story though.
Boy-sa-vane. I think.
BAH zuh vain
The more I watch, the more I learn. I was thinking that I knew a fair amount about labor history in coal country in the early 20th century. (Had a good friend who was born and raised (her parents too) there and she talked and wrote about it.) But more and more I realize that I know less and less. (Isn't that the way most of life goes?)
I'm picking up on the idea that the relationship between miners and the company they worked for was a lot more complicated than people (like me) understand. At the same time that miners understood the need for the UMWA (along with its legendary "A-Hall," Shane. 😀 ) it seems they also felt a certain loyalty to large companies like Pocahontas. (Am I reading that right?) And while some people might have been frustrated by the way that the company store became "the only game in town" and sold to what might have been viewed as a captive clientele, there were other people who liked the idea of having a well stocked "mini-walmart before walmart" right in town where they could at least have a shot at getting credit if they needed it.
Maybe i'm still misinterpreting, but I really enjoy a chance to at least try to get the accurate story
Especially when the tour guides are patient and they show you some of the most beautiful places on the planet. Thanks again, Shane and Melody!
This is so sad, and it must be hard at times for you to bring the history to us.
It definitely can be difficult
for some a coal mine was a way of life make a living raise a family pay your due’s and the best they can do was take it all away from the hard working people.I see nothing green about that but the rich saw the mighty green back dollar deep down in those hollows.
It seems like Edna St. Vincent Millay married a man Boissevain.
Id like to talk 2 yall message me