The following teaser is from an article by Sarah Plummer posted July 28, 2015 at the Register-Herald website:
SCARBRO [West Virginia]— Travelers and tourists to the area will soon have better access to maps, obituaries, articles and photographs associated with coal mining communities of Fayette and Raleigh counties at the Whipple Company Store and Appalachian Heritage Museum in Scarbro.
Owners’ son Victor Mender said those who visit and tour the store often share memories of coal camps and are descended from area coal miners. Many are able to locate photos of their relatives at the store.
Because of constant interest in genealogical research, the owners have converted the old company butcher shop within the store into a room for genealogical research.
“We’ve had so many people over the years come in and sit on stairs trying to hold maps and find photos of their relatives, we wanted to turn this room into a place where they can roll out maps and see really see where the coal mine was in relation to their great-grandfather’s coal camp house,” Mender explained. “It’s really neat to see people research their family history and see them point out their great-grandfather and grandfather in pictures.
