Pocahontas, Virginia
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Pocahontas is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, named for the Algonquian Indian woman Pocahontas. The population was 441 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578. Pocahontas was the location of the start of this region's coal boom with a spur line that launched the Norfolk and Western Railroad (now Norfolk Southern) into national prominence during the 1880's. The large two-state coal region bears the town's name. Pocahontas was also the birthplace of jazz pianist Teddy Weatherford.
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[edit] Geography
Pocahontas is located at (37.304997, -81.339802)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²), all land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 441 people, 190 households, and 122 families residing in the town. The population density was 283.8/km² (729.1/mi²). There were 230 housing units at an average density of 148.0/km² (380.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.15% White, 2.04% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.91% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 190 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $22,917, and the median income for a family was $30,357. Males had a median income of $22,232 versus $17,321 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,124. About 19.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Attractions
The Town of Pocahontas owns and operates the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum, a National Historic Landmark and Virginia's official "coal heritage zone." The "show mine," as many locals call it, features tours from retired coal miners into the real mine that served as the birthplace of the world-famous Pocahontas #3 coal that heated home across the United States and was the chosen fuel of the United States Navy. The exhibition mine, open from April-October annually, features a 13-foot tall coal seam. There is also a museum and education center located in the mine's former powerhouse.
The town also features a registered Virginia Historic site, the Pocahontas Cemetery. The cemetery features graves that are over 200 years old and a mass grave of coal miners killed in a mine explosion in Boissevain in 1887. Each year, the town holds a ceremony at the cemetery to remember the more than 100 coal miners killed in the explosion.
The town is also home to St. Elizabeth's Roman Catholic Church which features ten life-sized murals on the ceiling and walls of the church. The church also holds an annual Hungarian cabbage roll dinner to honor the European heritage of the coalfields.
[edit] Festivals
On Labor Day each year, Pocahontas is home to the Coal Miners Reunion, which brings together retired coal miners and railroad workers from across the United States to be honored by the town with a parade and luncheon. The festival also includes special recognition of the oldest and longest-serving miners or railroad workers present and stump speeches from local political candidates.
On the last Saturday in April, the town celebrates the official seasonal opening of the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum with a special ceremony and luncheon and half-price admission to the exhibition mine. Earlier in the day, the town hosts the annual Pocahontas Indian Run, a 5K run through the historic town and scenic community that brings runners from across the United States. The event also features a 3K Indian Walk and a Papoose Run for children 6-12. In the evening, there is a memorial ceremony at the Pocahontas Cemetery for the miners killed in the 1887 mine explosion.
[edit] Government
The Town of Pocahontas is composed of a mayor, vice mayor, and city council. The current mayor is Anita Brown, owner of the Cricket, the town's only bar and restaurant (The Cricket is no longer in business). The Town of Pocahontas also operates a water company for the town and surrounding communities in both Virginia and West Virginia. In 2006, the town made history when it elected an all-female administration.
[edit] Educational institutions
Pocahontas is home to Pocahontas Middle School and Pocahontas High School, combined into one school on the outskirts of the town. The schools host grades 6-12. Pocahontas High School is the smallest high school in the state of Virginia that has a varsity football program. Their mascot is the Indians. Both schools have been the target of recent school consolidation efforts which have been met with much resistance from local residents.
Beginning in 2006, Southwest Virginia Community College began holding classes in downtown Pocahontas in the historic Pocahontas Fuel Company office.
[edit] Future development
A federal prison is being built near the town in the Big Vein community. The medium-security prison will house around 1,000 inmates and provide around 300 jobs. It is scheduled to be operation by summer 2007. The orginial named approved for the prison was the "Black Diamond Correctional Center," but the name was later nixed by the Virginia Department of Corrections due to fear of a negative connotation. The new name will likely either be "Big Vein" or "Pocahontas."
Plans are currently in place to develop a "tourist train" from nearby Bramwell, West Virginia in Mercer County, to the coal community. Railroad has recently been donated towards the project, and the project is endorsed by Democrat U.S. Congressman Richard "Rick" Boucher from Virginia's Ninth District. Virginia also created a "Tourist Train Commission," for the project.
[edit] Trivia
The 1992 film The Turning starring Gillian Anderson and Tess Harper, was filmed in the town. The film's plot is based on a white supremacist who returns to his hometown of Pocahontas, Virginia to save his parents' marriage. The film gained some notoriety after the success of The X-Files, which featured Anderson, due to the actresses brief nude scene in the film. This was Anderson's first on-screen appearance.
Cornelius H. Charlton, Medal of Honor winner for his courageous actions in the Korean War, was briefly interred at the Pocahontas Cemetery before being moved to an American Legion cemetery in Beckley, West Virginia.
[edit] References
- "History-making Pocahontas council readies for fight", Bluefield Daily Telegraph
- "VDOC nixes name for new federal prison", Bluefield Daily Telegraph
- "The Turning" on the Internet Movie Database
[edit] Nearby towns, communities and parks
- Abbs Valley, Virginia
- Anawalt, West Virginia
- Bluefield, Virginia
- Bluefield, West Virginia
- Bluewell, West Virginia
- Boissevain, Virginia
- Bramwell, West Virginia
- Falls Mills, Virginia
- Nemours, West Virginia
- Wolfe, West Virginia
- Jimmy Lewis Lake, West Virginia
- Pinnacle Rock State Park, West Virginia
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
