Can you drive up through Roderfield and Big Sandy, towards Westchester? I have not been there in years and I miss my home so bad and would love to see what it looks like now!
Why not go to the panther state forest, do a drive thru of the place, I really miss being back there but Lord willing I'm moving back this year to work in the mines for my uncle
I can't explain it but I am fascinated with anything coal county. People, culture, terrain etc. It is truly DEEP AMERICANA. Thanks for what you're doing. Great work.
My dad grew up in the house to the left of the junior high, he had 8 siblings. They are all gone now. He played football basketball and baseball for Ieager HS. He always said they taught the "Three R's" at Ieager HS, reading, 'riting, and the road to Roanoke
My dad was born in coal town and county seat Clintwood, VA. I, who was born and live in MN., have "hillbilly" roots that have been a part of my 71 years of life. The greatest gift my dad and my family in the hills of Virginia ever bestowed on me was the gift of southern hospitality; the overwhelming experience of love through being welcomed and well fed always warms the heart.
Thanks for the video of my hometown. I remember when I was a youngun we'd go to town once or twice a month and you would have to walk in the streets because the sidewalks were so crowded. Coal was always feast or famine.
A small town that helped build a huge part of US. Iaeger is a "BIG" roll in our history. Imagine the steel and other items, along with "ELECTRICITY" that came from all the coal that came from that small town. Also that Marathon Gas Station you passed, in the start of the video, belonged to my uncle Sam Butler's gas station. To that train engine should be sitting in Iaeger and not somewhere else, because the coal started from there! Great overhead footage, hurts me bad to see this town this way. Played a role in a big part of my life. God Bless you, love your video's! (Glen) WV.
Wow, I'm surprised to find any videos about Ieager. My father's side of the family are all from Ieager and surrounding counties. Lots of stories come out of these counties. Wild bunch of relatives and their friends, lots of folks picking guitars and singing. Many happy memories of sitting on my Grandmammas' front porch watching all of these characters. Thanks for posting this video!
Sounds amazing !, I'm over in the uk and always fascinated by this way of life in the states. I come from a mining community in the north of england and we also suffered with the closures in the 80s . Still strong communities and folk so friendly . .
I'm a history addict. I've Yankee roots but the Shenandoah Valley is my adopted home. I love to explore SW VA and WV coal country on my motorcycle. I have a deep appreciation for the fact that this region provided the raw energy and material that helped make the US the greatest country in the world. It saddens me to see however those formerly lively communities in coal country perishing. Love your channel. Keep up the good work.
I drove a delivery truck for 44 years in southern WV where I live and southwest VA. In the late 80s it took me 3-4 hours to deliver in downtown Iaeger! Things sure have changed! Enjoying your channel!
I actually come from a village in North East Wales called Gresford. I went down the pit in 1973, the following year it closed ,I went past the sealed mineshaft where in 1934, 266 men lost their lives, so perhaps being from Wales, we have a connect with West Virginia.🏴🇬🇧🏴
In 1979 I made deliveries to the Dairy Queen in town . This video brings back memories of driving my semi truck from Columbus, Ohio through southern West Virginia.
"The Mine Wars", PBS, "American Experience". One of the most interesting, and educational shows I've ever seen! I've been a union, and non-union employee, and was completely engrossed in this program! Thanks for your travels and contributions to this incredibly important area of our country! ✌️
When I was younger, I traveled through Ieager often. I guess over time I have forgotten how Ieager looked. It was fascinating to see the old Ieager High School after all these years. Before moving from the McDowell area, my sister actually graduated from that very building. Thanks for bringing back those memories. Great job!
My mom was from Iaeget I spent several summers there and had a good time My favorite aunt Laike Croziet taught at the old school. Mom left Iaeger for Florida where I was born and raised. Have not been to Iaeget in 40 years.
Would you happen to know the brown family then. James Russell brown. He made furniture. People around there called him rusty but he had three girls. Lauraine Ruby and Maxine there father and mother died and ruby claims that they had to climb a mountain to bury them. Would you happen to know where that cemetary is. Not the blevens cemetary but the one that's on the hill.
Just got back from a trip to Washington DC via West Virginia. The beauty of this state is absolutely stunning. Traveling the small highways and roads off the major interstates is an absolute must for anyone who is a history buff. This place is incredible and easily rivals the larger moutainous states such as Colorado. There are 10 times the amount of roads and byways cutting through all of Appalachia which makes access to even the smallest of towns possible. Keep up the great work. If not for the hard working people of Appalachia there would have been no coal to fire the blast furnaces of the steel industry which inspired the entire Industrial Revolution and built great cities and infastructure all across America. Sadly there are people working overtime to destroy the entire coal industry and along with it an entire way of life. Dont let this happen. Appalachia deserves much better and its coal industry should be celebrated not demonized. Its a god damn shame.
It's unfortunate, but Appalachia- especially WV, East TN & KY have suffered from gross yellow journalism that has given such a derogatory misconception of the area. Many people simply are unaware of the region's beauty, and its wonderful people! I intend to contribute more objective cultural journalism with my work. Thanks for watching!
Used to drive by here on the way to Omar every summer as a kid. I used to read the billboards on the back of the brick buildings from across the river as we passed.
Walked those streets as a very young boy with my grandparents mid to late 70's if i remember correctly that hardware store was a Ben Franklin store. Great video sure did bring back some good memories.
Went to Iaeger hi school 1967-69 CUBS played football, the town was roaring back then, all those buildings had businesses in them. Had a couple of banks theater, a lot of money came through Iaeger.👉💰👈
@@gojira5425 We played football together, we were best friends. We had some good times together. Ronnie was a class act back in those days, Mr. Cool.🏈😎
Reminds me of a little place called Bates Hollow. It's in Upstate NY..its in Durham County, that's where you'll find lots of Irish families..there was actually a BAR up there called the DoDrop In!! 8 stools!! So authentic!! 1983..Great Year! I rode on the back seat of my man's '58 Panhead..rigid frame..stripped right down..those were the days. I could cry right now if I let myself. I'm so darn lucky I got to see all that. America. It was still America.
Josh, your camera work and editing is first class... The music, and everything is as good if not better than large production companies... Great Job Brother... Extremely enjoyed it... God Bless... 😁👍👍❤❤❤
I 100% believe in my past life i Lived in Appalachian i have dreams about it. i'v never been there but for some reason i, drawn to it and feel the need to go there. i watch every thing i can on it and look at every video and photo.i feel a pull. but i was born in N.W, Arkansas. im now 61 and still feel the pull to even just go have a look. to see what i see.
America the great as we can see in many of your videos. West Virginia is such a special place to explore and slow down a little bit. I always enjoy it anytime I drive through. Thanks bud 👍 for showing the real America 🇺🇸
I’ve watched Iaeger go down hill for the past 52 years. It’s a sad thing but time marches on and you can’t stop it. We still go back to visit family. For some reason I love it, always have and always will.
Loved the visual work in this one!!!!! 😍 So many interesting stories from this small town. Can’t wait for the next episode! This is such a good series!!
I feel like I’m watching a high quality history show. This series has incredible history and you have such an interesting and captivating way of talking about it all. The visual effects are amazing as well!! I loved seeing the old buildings there, such as the hotel. Fascinating.
Was down there 3 weeks ago for my wife’s family reunion. Beautiful hills but the ditches and streams are full of trash. Sad. Her family are a great bunch of people. How they build homes and get mobile homes into some of those “ hollows “ is beyond me. She is related to both the Hatfields and McCoys but mostly McCoys.
So interesting. I'm am doing genealogical research on a line from Wayne County, West Virginia. It has sparked my interest in how hard life was in the coal mining families. They had a hard life, for sure.
i was raised all my life in Iaeger, our town is destroyed now, not really much left, you should have checked out guessesfork virginia near hurley they got flooded back in Aug 2021, alot of people lost their homes, they are just now getting it straightened up, but we suppose to get more rain so all the places that have flooded are in danger of flooding again, i enjoy your videos so glad you went through Iaeger, that was my school back in the day, it was alot nicer and so was our other schools, most have never even heard of our little town
My Father was born in McDowell County WV in a little place called Jolo. I remember as a kid going from Big Rock, Buchanan county, Virginia to Jolo to visit my Granny. I had cousins and Aunts and Uncles there too. This would have been in the fifties. My family moved North when i was 12 but i will always remember with fondness of growing up there.
Watxhinthese videos is sk intriguing. Always loved seeing Lil towns like these, it's about history. It helps me appreciate so much and thank God for everything. From Nashville TN here.
My parents were born and raised there in Iaeger. My parents graduated from that old high school. Thanks for driving through, I really need to go back for a visit. I used to have a subscription to The Industrial News and they delivered it to me in Michigan! I think they only printed a paper on Wednesday's
I grew up in the town right before Iaeger, Roderfield. Doesn't look like much but it was the best place in the world to grow up. Kids ran free with no worries. Such great times!
Binging on your videos!! Worked in coal testing for AEP for just shy of 40 years. It saddens me to see these old mines and towns dying off or on life support. 😢 Keep up the good work. Maybe do some in Eastern/SE Ohio as well.
Thank you for showing me the hollers I have been to only 1 holler in my life in Virginia and it was gorgeous. Because when I was younger I lived in North Ohio I truly enjoy your videos you're showing thank you so much please don't stop showing them. It's my way of seeing West Virginia Virginia Kentucky that you're going to I love it thank you
My grandfather lived in this area of the country. Only had the chance to go there once in my lifetime about 15 years ago, but I wish I could have gone back before he passed. Thanks for making this video, brought back some memories!
Sorry, but I'm a Yankee, but worked with a bunch of guys from WVA and KY and just really enjoy your series. I have 5 series I never miss and you're one of those five. Keep it rollin!!!
Loved these videos Josh. I am a city kid (Brooklyn, NY) and I love the chance to explore this part of the country. So much - beauty (lush - foggy mountain tops) and so much history...and for years and years, coal kept the lights on and the cities bright. Keep making these videos...and a sidebar...the background music is great- credits? Again, thank you Sir.
I lived and grew up by the tug river at a place called Hagers' Curve. The curve on rt 52 is located between Roderfield and Wilmor. This is where my people were for several generations. I traveled along the tug on rt 52 everyday to and from school in Iaeger. From 2nd grade till 9th I spent a lot of miles along that stretch of Appalachia. In the late 60's and 70's it was a busy road, full of cars, coal trucks, log trucks and all other sorts of transportation. Though this video was a short drive by, it brought back memories of a place, that during the hay day was full of people and businesses. Seeing the school was powerful, and despite its sad state of condition now, it was staffed by great teachers, and coaches. It was a place that changed lives. It gave kids the tools to go out into the world and be successful..I'm forever grateful for those people and that place.. thanks so much for shining a light on McDowell County, their are a million great untold stories there..
Drove by Iaeger back in 2011 while on a solo motorcycle tour. Decided to take rt52 to head towards an over nite in Pikeville, ky. Left Bluefield VA at about 3pm in early October. What a mistake! As darkness fell, fatigue st in after an already long day. I was now driving on rt 52 in the dark, leap-frogging a huge coal train along the way. Suddenly I came upon the “downtown” of Iaeger on my right…..clearly looking abandoned, but still with some streetlites….and the wail of the train horn reverberating around the small valley. Due to severe fatigue from riding nearly all day, the train horn and the sight of iaeger, I was struck with an eerie feeling….. I later made Pikeville at about 10:30 pm….got into the hotel room, turned on the bathroom light and was stunned to see my face was nearly completely blackened from coal dust! I had been leap-frogging with that coal train for hours. On the return trip about a week later, I decided to take the same route, Ute this time in the daytime. Stopped in Welch, met Tom Acosta, a local artist, and learned about what happened to Iaeger. Motorcycle: Moto Guzzi 2001 California EV. I still have it 🤓
@@MountainRoots Now the bike is 20 years old....and I'm hitting 69 this summer. The bike is on-the-road and ready-to-roll....but as far as long-distance solo rides...ah, thinkin' twice about that at this point in my life. :) Tom was a very nice guy to talk with...he was painting a huge mural (of a clown?? or something like that?) in downtown Welch. He did direct me to some type of drive-in restaurant. I had fried cat-fish for lunch, served by a woman with a classic bee-hive hairdo :) Iaeger was a strange experience...especially coming across it at night. The road was damn windy at points with hairpin turns, and my arms were killin' me from grippin' the handlebars for over 8 hours. Not fun to do that trip in the dark and deeply fatigued. The hairpins were tough because on the bike, you have to slow down to a crawl, almost at the point of tipping over :)
Me too. Resident of the beautiful country of Tazewell County. Nestled between the 33 miles of the Back of the Dragon and the back side of McDowell Co WV. God Blessed this entire area when He had His designs down for this community... especially Burke's Garden.
Josh my son is a Rail Road Signal Man is Iager, he bumped a guy to take the Signal Maintainers position over around Rich Creek Virginia, he couldn’t wait to come back to Iager, didn’t care much for the folks down that way in Virginia, I’ll put MacDowell County people against any in the world, I called on McDowell County for 35 1/2 years,Love those people.
Just signed on, MR. Beautiful landscapes! Even nicer than where I live in central TN. Our one great blessing: we have 30 varieties of trees, and so the hillsides look like bouquets of shades and shapes of green.
I spent many summers in the Hill country of West Virginia, around the mining towns of Carolina and Ida May when I was a kid. I'm really enjoying these videos, a lot of people don't realize just how pretty it is out there.
West Virginia is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Always feels like home even though NC born and raised. The state park system is one of the best.
Iaeger is what would probably be considered my grandmothers home town. She was the daughter of a coal miner and born in a cabin a mile or two north of town. I know her father worked at a few different mines and they moved to Welch eventually before ultimately moving out of state because her mother was very sick and needed medical treatment, but I would assume she went to the school you showed for at least a couple of years before they moved.
My dad worked for N&W . Many of these small towns in West Va. I recall him talking about. Thanks for your videos and bringing these places a reality for me.
As an eastern european, even though these towns seem depressingly empty, the tons of movies, series, videogames, stories etc. we’ve seen involving such towns, either comedy, horror or whatnot, made me see these kind of towns as incredibly interesting 😂
My grandma was raised here I drive through every now and again it hurts my heart to see the way it’s deteriorating. I wish there was a way to preserve all the buildings and bring life back to this little town that used to be booming
Josh watched your video of our hometown. First off, the Town Hall is just fine, because as you saw during your drive through town there not much left to govern. I was born in December 1950 in a house just east of town next to the upper swing bridge, but I was raised three quarter miles away at Lick Branch. The year I was born also happened to be the year things started changing for our little town. We had already reached the max as far as the population goes. Our town had anything and everything a person could want. We had two banks, three groceries stores, a post office, two theaters, barber shop, clothing, shoes, appliance, furniture, and hardware stores you name it the town had it. Your drive through town saw nothing but mostly empty buildings. You pointed out a bank, yes that was the first bank in town, and did you know they printed their own money, yes, their own money. You pointed out another building which was one of the three grocery stores. There was a wooden structure in front of what was once the Bank of Iaeger and it use to have a stainless-steel image of the state on the front of the building. You videotaped the old grade and junior high school, but what you did not know was that was not the only school left in town. After you left that school, you drove passed one that was much older. That school building was the first high school in town. When the grade and junior high was built the county moved the junior and senior high school students to that building and placed the grade school students in the old high school. I spend two years in that school before they built the new grade school. You see at no time did any grade school student set foot in the grade and junior high school building. The grade and junior high school was built on the footprint of the first school in town which was built in 1915, it was a wooden two-story building. There so much more about our little town it could fill a book.
Thank you for another most interesting and informative video. I think next time I visit the US I will have to make the journey to this part of the country.
Good video with a good balance of music and voice. I am a West Virginian ( Cherry Falls) and have never been to this town. Thanks to your video I now feel like I have a connection to this town. If buildings could talk.😃
Next time you are in southern WV, you may want to take a trip through Mullens, loop through Pineville, on into Oceana, and then finally Kopperston, the latter of which was one of the last coal camps build (1938) and was lauded as the 'Nation’s Model Coal Camp'
Great video! I agree with L D, it would be interesting to hear talk about their towns & what it means to them. i did enjoy the drone shots and i loved hearing the history. I hadn't realized so much happened in the places you visited. Thanks for filming!
hey can you do one of around Owsley County please? i've read that county in KY is just as poor and depressed as Mcdowell County is, and has a lot of health issues too like from 1980-2014 the rate of death from cancer there rose by 45.6%, i'd kinda like to learn more about it, especially since i'm from outside of DC in Maryland here
This video was awesome! My pawpaw was born in Fort Gay, West Virginia.. Can you explore? Id love to see the town. Had an uncle that worked for the railroad.
I have family in Iaeger. Don’t remember if I ever went down there though. Grew up in Baltimore City, live in the Eastern Panhandle now. Maybe one day I’ll make it down there.
Very informative video and very well done. Are you allowed to enter into the old high school for love to see a walk through of some of those buildings. Thank you for your time on portraying these forgotten towns and their history.
My husband and I love your videos. Sad to see so many vacant buildings, but thats common in rural areas. How about Tazewell Co? Field unit on Rt 61. Downtown Tazewell? Loved driving home through Baptist Valley hearing the music from the front porches. God bless you and your family.
Hi Josh, thank you again for another very interesting video on this place. I often imagine, while watching, what life was like for those who lived here. While probably not the easiest way to make a living, I cannot help but think that those people were of a tight community looking out for each other, not like today where most of my neighbors are strangers to me. I appreciate seeing all of your videos like this one. While I am not totally familiar with places to suggest for your next videos, I do enjoy riding along with you just the same. Also, great choice of background music. I really liked that as well! Thumbs up and subscribed. Thanks, again.
My mom and most of her brothers and sisters were born and raised in Iager and Panther. Actually, they lived in a holler outside of lager close to Panther State Forest. I remember learning a lot from my family about self-sufficiency. They raised chickens and pigs and had a gigantic garden, canned everything and hunted. My grandfather was a moonshiner. My mom's dad died in the coal mines. We heated the house with coal. We always were warned to watch for copperhead snakes in the outhouse. My grandmother made the best cornbread and pinto beans! I remember having a great time living there as a kid. It got dangerous when the drugs moved in. We left and moved to Ohio like many did and we only came back for visits. I haven't been there in about 20 years though I still have distant relatives living there. I still have fond memories of living there. Most of the people there were God fearing, honest hard-working people who loved their families.
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Thanks for watching! Where should we explore next? *UPDATE* Song Playlist in the description!
Would love for you to come do Haywood NC!!
Can you drive up through Roderfield and Big Sandy, towards Westchester? I have not been there in years and I miss my home so bad and would love to see what it looks like now!
Baileysville, WV in Wyoming County ....... Sand Lick Mountain in Raleigh County ..... THANKS !
Why not go to the panther state forest, do a drive thru of the place, I really miss being back there but Lord willing I'm moving back this year to work in the mines for my uncle
its all new to me. I think anywhere you choose could be interesting
I can't explain it but I am fascinated with anything coal county. People, culture, terrain etc. It is truly DEEP AMERICANA. Thanks for what you're doing. Great work.
You're welcome, so glad you enjoy it!
My dad grew up in the house to the left of the junior high, he had 8 siblings. They are all gone now. He played football basketball and baseball for Ieager HS. He always said they taught the "Three R's" at Ieager HS, reading, 'riting, and the road to Roanoke
Lived in twin branch went to that place often
We will all be gone.
We lived across the road from the Jr. Hi School. I attended school there from 1953 to 1956.
@@calwolfe3094 did you know any Hammes'. Dad was the youngest of 8. Played football and basketball for the high school. Graduated around 1950
@@jonhammes6209
My dad was born in coal town and county seat Clintwood, VA. I, who was born and live in MN., have "hillbilly" roots that have been a part of my 71 years of life. The greatest gift my dad and my family in the hills of Virginia ever bestowed on me was the gift of southern hospitality; the overwhelming experience of love through being welcomed and well fed always warms the heart.
It sure does! Love that, thanks for watching!!
Another winner in your series of revealing Appalachian culture and its contribution to American history!
Thanks! & Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video of my hometown. I remember when I was a youngun we'd go to town once or twice a month and you would have to walk in the streets because the sidewalks were so crowded. Coal was always feast or famine.
Watching from England. There is a kind of wistful beauty to this place, the sense of time and nature.
A small town that helped build a huge part of US. Iaeger is a "BIG" roll in our history. Imagine the steel and other items, along with "ELECTRICITY" that came from all the coal that came from that small town. Also that Marathon Gas Station you passed, in the start of the video, belonged to my uncle Sam Butler's gas station. To that train engine should be sitting in Iaeger and not somewhere else, because the coal started from there! Great overhead footage, hurts me bad to see this town this way. Played a role in a big part of my life. God Bless you, love your video's! (Glen) WV.
Thanks for sharing this interesting history.
I agree with what Tony DiSalvo said.
Vote Democrat...and You'll see Much More of This....!!!!....
Where did the name originate?
My family comes from egerland.
Stalin erased it in 46.
@@marcruby5844 and yet all of these counties are run by republicans. typical right winger to complain and blame everybody else for his problems.
Wow, I'm surprised to find any videos about Ieager. My father's side of the family are all from Ieager and surrounding counties. Lots of stories come out of these counties. Wild bunch of relatives and their friends, lots of folks picking guitars and singing. Many happy memories of sitting on my Grandmammas' front porch watching all of these characters. Thanks for posting this video!
Sounds amazing !, I'm over in the uk and always fascinated by this way of life in the states. I come from a mining community in the north of england and we also suffered with the closures in the 80s . Still strong communities and folk so friendly . .
I'm a history addict. I've Yankee roots but the Shenandoah Valley is my adopted home. I love to explore SW VA and WV coal country on my motorcycle. I have a deep appreciation for the fact that this region provided the raw energy and material that helped make the US the greatest country in the world. It saddens me to see however those formerly lively communities in coal country perishing. Love your channel. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, I really appreciate you watching!
I drove a delivery truck for 44 years in southern WV where I live and southwest VA. In the late 80s it took me 3-4 hours to deliver in downtown Iaeger! Things sure have changed! Enjoying your channel!
Yup they sure have changed and not for the better places like this definitely went to shit
I actually come from a village in North East Wales called Gresford. I went down the pit in 1973, the following year it closed ,I went past the sealed mineshaft where in 1934, 266 men lost their lives, so perhaps being from Wales, we have a connect with West Virginia.🏴🇬🇧🏴
Good to hear from you! 👍🙂
In 1979 I made deliveries to the Dairy Queen in town . This video brings back memories of driving my semi truck from Columbus, Ohio through southern West Virginia.
Hope this channel blows up man
Really appreciate that 😊
This is super educational and I am loving this channel. This part is irrelevant but my goodness- West Virginia is beautiful!
"The Mine Wars", PBS, "American Experience". One of the most interesting, and educational shows I've ever seen! I've been a union, and non-union employee, and was completely engrossed in this program! Thanks for your travels and contributions to this incredibly important area of our country! ✌️
When I was younger, I traveled through Ieager often. I guess over time I have forgotten how Ieager looked. It was fascinating to see the old Ieager High School after all these years. Before moving from the McDowell area, my sister actually graduated from that very building. Thanks for bringing back those memories.
Great job!
Oh wow! So glad the video brought back memories for you 😊
My mom was from Iaeget
I spent several summers there and had a good time
My favorite aunt Laike Croziet taught at the old school. Mom left Iaeger for Florida where I was born and raised. Have not been to Iaeget in 40 years.
Sorry. Misspelled Iaeger twice. Nobody's perfect.
Laike Crozier taught there.
Would you happen to know the brown family then. James Russell brown. He made furniture. People around there called him rusty but he had three girls. Lauraine Ruby and Maxine there father and mother died and ruby claims that they had to climb a mountain to bury them. Would you happen to know where that cemetary is. Not the blevens cemetary but the one that's on the hill.
Just got back from a trip to Washington DC via West Virginia. The beauty of this state is absolutely stunning. Traveling the small highways and roads off the major interstates is an absolute must for anyone who is a history buff. This place is incredible and easily rivals the larger moutainous states such as Colorado. There are 10 times the amount of roads and byways cutting through all of Appalachia which makes access to even the smallest of towns possible. Keep up the great work. If not for the hard working people of Appalachia there would have been no coal to fire the blast furnaces of the steel industry which inspired the entire Industrial Revolution and built great cities and infastructure all across America. Sadly there are people working overtime to destroy the entire coal industry and along with it an entire way of life. Dont let this happen. Appalachia deserves much better and its coal industry should be celebrated not demonized. Its a god damn shame.
It's unfortunate, but Appalachia- especially WV, East TN & KY have suffered from gross yellow journalism that has given such a derogatory misconception of the area. Many people simply are unaware of the region's beauty, and its wonderful people! I intend to contribute more objective cultural journalism with my work. Thanks for watching!
I agree with you, the beauty of this state is stunning. Best comment.
@@MountainRoots The beauty of this state is absolutely stunning.
Used to drive by here on the way to Omar every summer as a kid. I used to read the billboards on the back of the brick buildings from across the river as we passed.
Walked those streets as a very young boy with my grandparents mid to late 70's if i remember correctly that hardware store was a Ben Franklin store. Great video sure did bring back some good memories.
Went to Iaeger hi school 1967-69 CUBS played football, the town was roaring back then, all those buildings had businesses in them. Had a couple of banks theater, a lot of money came through Iaeger.👉💰👈
My dad went to Iaeger High around that time. Ronnie Cline.
@@gojira5425 We played football together, we were best friends. We had some good times together. Ronnie was a class act back in those days, Mr. Cool.🏈😎
My great grandma lived in Iaeger, as did my dad when he was little and from what my half sister tells me we still have cousins that live there.
Reminds me of a little place called Bates Hollow. It's in Upstate NY..its in Durham County, that's where you'll find lots of Irish families..there was actually a BAR up there called the DoDrop In!! 8 stools!! So authentic!! 1983..Great Year! I rode on the back seat of my man's '58 Panhead..rigid frame..stripped right down..those were the days. I could cry right now if I let myself. I'm so darn lucky I got to see all that. America. It was still America.
❤😊
Had a lot of great memories in Iaeger as a child. It's not what it once was but it'll definitely always be a special place. Great video
I've lived in the area for nearly 21 years. Enjoyed picking out the buildings that I've worked on as a contractor. Thank you
Josh, your camera work and editing is first class... The music, and everything is as good if not better than large production companies... Great Job Brother... Extremely enjoyed it... God Bless... 😁👍👍❤❤❤
I took an economics class one time (1990’s), and the story of Ieager was actually a case study in the back of the book.
I 100% believe in my past life i Lived in Appalachian i have dreams about it. i'v never been there but for some reason i, drawn to it and feel the need to go there. i watch every thing i can on it and look at every video and photo.i feel a pull. but i was born in N.W, Arkansas. im now 61 and still feel the pull to even just go have a look. to see what i see.
Perhaps the mountains are calling?
America the great as we can see in many of your videos. West Virginia is such a special place to explore and slow down a little bit. I always enjoy it anytime I drive through. Thanks bud 👍 for showing the real America 🇺🇸
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
I’ve watched Iaeger go down hill for the past 52 years. It’s a sad thing but time marches on and you can’t stop it. We still go back to visit family. For some reason I love it, always have and always will.
Stayed on HY 52 and Tug River one summer long ago. Nice time!
Our newspaper mentioned the Matewan Massacre was today in 1920..
Sure was!
Loved the visual work in this one!!!!! 😍 So many interesting stories from this small town. Can’t wait for the next episode! This is such a good series!!
Thanks for watching!
I feel like I’m watching a high quality history show. This series has incredible history and you have such an interesting and captivating way of talking about it all. The visual effects are amazing as well!! I loved seeing the old buildings there, such as the hotel. Fascinating.
Was down there 3 weeks ago for my wife’s family reunion. Beautiful hills but the ditches and streams are full of trash. Sad. Her family are a great bunch of people. How they build homes and get mobile homes into some of those “ hollows “ is beyond me. She is related to both the Hatfields and McCoys but mostly McCoys.
So interesting. I'm am doing genealogical research on a line from Wayne County, West Virginia. It has sparked my interest in how hard life was in the coal mining families. They had a hard life, for sure.
I love these old towns I wish some Rich Son of a Gun could fix all them old buildings restore all the towns .
i was raised all my life in Iaeger, our town is destroyed now, not really much left, you should have checked out guessesfork virginia near hurley they got flooded back in Aug 2021, alot of people lost their homes, they are just now getting it straightened up, but we suppose to get more rain so all the places that have flooded are in danger of flooding again, i enjoy your videos so glad you went through Iaeger, that was my school back in the day, it was alot nicer and so was our other schools, most have never even heard of our little town
I have,been to hurley too.lived in Buchanan County for about 6 yrs.
My Father was born in McDowell County WV in a little place called Jolo. I remember as a kid going from Big Rock, Buchanan county, Virginia to Jolo to visit my Granny. I had cousins and Aunts and Uncles there too. This would have been in the fifties. My family moved North when i was 12 but i will always remember with fondness of growing up there.
I really enjoyed watching that and the one I watched last night thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
We are from Brasil 🇧🇷Estamos te acompanhando. Sucesso pra ti.
Watxhinthese videos is sk intriguing. Always loved seeing Lil towns like these, it's about history. It helps me appreciate so much and thank God for everything. From Nashville TN here.
You’re travelogue is my day’s bright rainbow, Josh. Thanks.
My parents were born and raised there in Iaeger. My parents graduated from that old high school. Thanks for driving through, I really need to go back for a visit. I used to have a subscription to The Industrial News and they delivered it to me in Michigan! I think they only printed a paper on Wednesday's
That's amazing!
Did you know JB and Laike Crozier on Hy 52?
My mother and father were born and raised in Iaeger and graduated from the old high school. My mother was a Collins and my father was a Carter.
I grew up in the town right before Iaeger, Roderfield. Doesn't look like much but it was the best place in the world to grow up. Kids ran free with no worries. Such great times!
Binging on your videos!! Worked in coal testing for AEP for just shy of 40 years. It saddens me to see these old mines and towns dying off or on life support. 😢 Keep up the good work. Maybe do some in Eastern/SE Ohio as well.
Trump brought back clean clean coal. Coal production is at its highest since the 1920 's.
Thank you for showing me the hollers I have been to only 1 holler in my life in Virginia and it was gorgeous. Because when I was younger I lived in North Ohio I truly enjoy your videos you're showing thank you so much please don't stop showing them. It's my way of seeing West Virginia Virginia Kentucky that you're going to I love it thank you
My grandfather lived in this area of the country. Only had the chance to go there once in my lifetime about 15 years ago, but I wish I could have gone back before he passed. Thanks for making this video, brought back some memories!
You're welcome!
Sorry, but I'm a Yankee, but worked with a bunch of guys from WVA and KY and just really enjoy your series. I have 5 series I never miss and you're one of those five. Keep it rollin!!!
You're okay in my book, thanks for watching! 😉
Loved these videos Josh. I am a city kid (Brooklyn, NY) and I love the chance to explore this part of the country. So much - beauty (lush - foggy mountain tops) and so much history...and for years and years, coal kept the lights on and the cities bright. Keep making these videos...and a sidebar...the background music is great- credits? Again, thank you Sir.
I hope you got it into the woods.
Love it. There's my house and white van at the 1 minute 30 second mark.
I lived and grew up by the tug river at a place called Hagers' Curve. The curve on rt 52 is located between Roderfield and Wilmor. This is where my people were for several generations. I traveled along the tug on rt 52 everyday to and from school in Iaeger. From 2nd grade till 9th I spent a lot of miles along that stretch of Appalachia. In the late 60's and 70's it was a busy road, full of cars, coal trucks, log trucks and all other sorts of transportation.
Though this video was a short drive by, it brought back memories of a place, that during the hay day was full of people and businesses. Seeing the school was powerful, and despite its sad state of condition now, it was staffed by great teachers, and coaches. It was a place that changed lives. It gave kids the tools to go out into the world and be successful..I'm forever grateful for those people and that place..
thanks so much for shining a light on McDowell County, their are a million great untold stories there..
I love this!..."a million untold stories" indeed.
Drove by Iaeger back in 2011 while on a solo motorcycle tour. Decided to take rt52 to head towards an over nite in Pikeville, ky. Left Bluefield VA at about 3pm in early October. What a mistake! As darkness fell, fatigue st in after an already long day. I was now driving on rt 52 in the dark, leap-frogging a huge coal train along the way. Suddenly I came upon the “downtown” of Iaeger on my right…..clearly looking abandoned, but still with some streetlites….and the wail of the train horn reverberating around the small valley.
Due to severe fatigue from riding nearly all day, the train horn and the sight of iaeger, I was struck with an eerie feeling…..
I later made Pikeville at about 10:30 pm….got into the hotel room, turned on the bathroom light and was stunned to see my face was nearly completely blackened from coal dust! I had been leap-frogging with that coal train for hours.
On the return trip about a week later, I decided to take the same route, Ute this time in the daytime. Stopped in Welch, met Tom Acosta, a local artist, and learned about what happened to Iaeger.
Motorcycle: Moto Guzzi 2001 California EV. I still have it 🤓
Great story! I know Tom, in fact he and my wife worked on some art projects back in the early 2000's. Still ride the bike much?
@@MountainRoots Now the bike is 20 years old....and I'm hitting 69 this summer. The bike is on-the-road and ready-to-roll....but as far as long-distance solo rides...ah, thinkin' twice about that at this point in my life. :) Tom was a very nice guy to talk with...he was painting a huge mural (of a clown?? or something like that?) in downtown Welch. He did direct me to some type of drive-in restaurant. I had fried cat-fish for lunch, served by a woman with a classic bee-hive hairdo :)
Iaeger was a strange experience...especially coming across it at night. The road was damn windy at points with hairpin turns, and my arms were killin' me from grippin' the handlebars for over 8 hours. Not fun to do that trip in the dark and deeply fatigued. The hairpins were tough because on the bike, you have to slow down to a crawl, almost at the point of tipping over :)
Thank you!
You're welcome!
I'm a neighbor in VA ! W. VA is a beautiful state ! Ben to w.VA several time, loved the people & state ! Best wishes to you all !
Me too. Resident of the beautiful country of Tazewell County. Nestled between the 33 miles of the Back of the Dragon and the back side of McDowell Co WV. God Blessed this entire area when He had His designs down for this community... especially Burke's Garden.
My hometown, Thanks for the video. Iaeger was a great place to grow up, time was definitely not kind to the area. I miss those hills and hollers.
Josh my son is a Rail Road Signal Man is Iager, he bumped a guy to take the Signal Maintainers position over around Rich Creek Virginia, he couldn’t wait to come back to Iager, didn’t care much for the folks down that way in Virginia, I’ll put MacDowell County people against any in the world, I called on McDowell County for 35 1/2 years,Love those people.
Just signed on, MR. Beautiful landscapes! Even nicer than where I live in central TN. Our one great blessing: we have 30 varieties of trees, and so the hillsides look like bouquets of shades and shapes of green.
Love Tennessee!
I spent many summers in the Hill country of West Virginia, around the mining towns of Carolina and Ida May when I was a kid. I'm really enjoying these videos, a lot of people don't realize just how pretty it is out there.
Beautiful country! Thanks for watching!
West Virginia is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Always feels like home even though NC born and raised. The state park system is one of the best.
Truly is, thanks for watching!
Iaeger is what would probably be considered my grandmothers home town. She was the daughter of a coal miner and born in a cabin a mile or two north of town. I know her father worked at a few different mines and they moved to Welch eventually before ultimately moving out of state because her mother was very sick and needed medical treatment, but I would assume she went to the school you showed for at least a couple of years before they moved.
My mother was born In Iaeger 1920.
My dad worked for N&W . Many of these small towns in West Va. I recall him talking about. Thanks for your videos and bringing these places a reality for me.
As an eastern european, even though these towns seem depressingly empty, the tons of movies, series, videogames, stories etc. we’ve seen involving such towns, either comedy, horror or whatnot, made me see these kind of towns as incredibly interesting 😂
I enjoyed every minute of this
I so much enjoy the towns, cities , countryside and history of the USA. Thanks a lot. Colin ( UK )
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!!
Sure is beautiful. I live in Alberta not far from the Rockies, and these mountains are just as beautiful in their own way!
very pretty nature around the town 😚
The Appalachian towns are so eerie... Love the video!
Some are, thanks for watching!
My grandma was raised here I drive through every now and again it hurts my heart to see the way it’s deteriorating. I wish there was a way to preserve all the buildings and bring life back to this little town that used to be booming
Love your videos, grew up in Wyoming Co. Left when I joined the navy truly can never leave the hills they are always tugging at your heart
Josh watched your video of our hometown. First off, the Town Hall is just fine, because as you saw during your drive through town there not much left to govern. I was born in December 1950 in a house just east of town next to the upper swing bridge, but I was raised three quarter miles away at Lick Branch. The year I was born also happened to be the year things started changing for our little town. We had already reached the max as far as the population goes. Our town had anything and everything a person could want. We had two banks, three groceries stores, a post office, two theaters, barber shop, clothing, shoes, appliance, furniture, and hardware stores you name it the town had it. Your drive through town saw nothing but mostly empty buildings. You pointed out a bank, yes that was the first bank in town, and did you know they printed their own money, yes, their own money. You pointed out another building which was one of the three grocery stores. There was a wooden structure in front of what was once the Bank of Iaeger and it use to have a stainless-steel image of the state on the front of the building. You videotaped the old grade and junior high school, but what you did not know was that was not the only school left in town. After you left that school, you drove passed one that was much older. That school building was the first high school in town. When the grade and junior high was built the county moved the junior and senior high school students to that building and placed the grade school students in the old high school. I spend two years in that school before they built the new grade school. You see at no time did any grade school student set foot in the grade and junior high school building. The grade and junior high school was built on the footprint of the first school in town which was built in 1915, it was a wooden two-story building. There so much more about our little town it could fill a book.
Thank you for another most interesting and informative video. I think next time I visit the US I will have to make the journey to this part of the country.
Good video with a good balance of music and voice. I am a West Virginian ( Cherry Falls) and have never been to this town. Thanks to your video I now feel like I have a connection to this town. If buildings could talk.😃
I really appreciate your videos. They take me places I can't go, and back through many areas that I remember in West Virginia.
I enjoyed this. Completely different world to Brisbane Australia. Thanks for sharing.
Amaizing views, a piece of history and fantastic music. The red firefighter truck was beautiful. Thank you
An interesting and well-documented video of Iaeger WV! Very well narrated! Thank You!
Next time you are in southern WV, you may want to take a trip through Mullens, loop through Pineville, on into Oceana, and then finally Kopperston, the latter of which was one of the last coal camps build (1938) and was lauded as the 'Nation’s Model Coal Camp'
Great suggestion!
Great video! I agree with L D, it would be interesting to hear talk about their towns & what it means to them.
i did enjoy the drone shots and i loved hearing the history. I hadn't realized so much happened in the places you visited. Thanks for filming!
Love your videos. I am from Jolo WV and I went Ieager High School in the mid to late 80s.
Beautiful country.
hey can you do one of around Owsley County please? i've read that county in KY is just as poor and depressed as Mcdowell County is, and has a lot of health issues too like from 1980-2014 the rate of death from cancer there rose by 45.6%, i'd kinda like to learn more about it, especially since i'm from outside of DC in Maryland here
This video was awesome! My pawpaw was born in Fort Gay, West Virginia.. Can you explore? Id love to see the town. Had an uncle that worked for the railroad.
I have family in Iaeger. Don’t remember if I ever went down there though. Grew up in Baltimore City, live in the Eastern Panhandle now. Maybe one day I’ll make it down there.
i ENJOY U Video ALOT
Awesome!!!👍😎🇨🇦
Nice video. My grandfather and father were from Morgantown. I grew up in coal country.
Very informative video and very well done. Are you allowed to enter into the old high school for love to see a walk through of some of those buildings. Thank you for your time on portraying these forgotten towns and their history.
My husband and I love your videos. Sad to see so many vacant buildings, but thats common in rural areas. How about Tazewell Co? Field unit on Rt 61. Downtown Tazewell? Loved driving home through Baptist Valley hearing the music from the front porches. God bless you and your family.
Thanks so much for that! And yes, Southwest Virginia is DEFINITELY in my plans!!
I'm also from Tazewell and lived in Baptist valley My husband's family lived in Dryfork. So many good memories
I would love to walk through the old school I love going through old places like that…thanks for sharing good vlog 👍
Great video! Thanks for sharing parts of North America with us 🙂
What a great video.Thanks for all the beautiful scenery shots and history
Hi Josh, thank you again for another very interesting video on this place. I often imagine, while watching, what life was like for those who lived here. While probably not the easiest way to make a living, I cannot help but think that those people were of a tight community looking out for each other, not like today where most of my neighbors are strangers to me. I appreciate seeing all of your videos like this one. While I am not totally familiar with places to suggest for your next videos, I do enjoy riding along with you just the same. Also, great choice of background music. I really liked that as well! Thumbs up and subscribed. Thanks, again.
McDowell is still very much a tight knit community! There are some of the friendliest people here you will ever meet.
My mom and most of her brothers and sisters were born and raised in Iager and Panther. Actually, they lived in a holler outside of lager close to Panther State Forest. I remember learning a lot from my family about self-sufficiency. They raised chickens and pigs and had a gigantic garden, canned everything and hunted. My grandfather was a moonshiner. My mom's dad died in the coal mines. We heated the house with coal. We always were warned to watch for copperhead snakes in the outhouse. My grandmother made the best cornbread and pinto beans! I remember having a great time living there as a kid. It got dangerous when the drugs moved in. We left and moved to Ohio like many did and we only came back for visits. I haven't been there in about 20 years though I still have distant relatives living there. I still have fond memories of living there. Most of the people there were God fearing, honest hard-working people who loved their families.
Brilliant Vid. I actually felt like i was there driving along in the car with you.
Great video,thanks from bring us with and sharing ,very cool ,big hugs from MN
My great grandfather founded the vfw here awesome men i just moved from iaeger 2 months ago
I love old buildings and houses. I wish someone would restore them and put them to good use.
Cool to see someone head deep into Appalachia and explore it. Ive only been on the highways so its nice to see some history.
Looks like Gauley Bridge where my Grandmother lived until she passed away. My father was born and raised in Richwood
First timer on this channel. Subscribed and Liked, looking forward to learn and see more about America
I can help. just like everywhere else some good people and bad politics. Nwo headquarters.