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The Life Cycle Of A Coal Town: Widen, West Virginia, 1911-1963, Amanda J. Griffith
The Life Cycle Of A Coal Town: Widen, West Virginia, 1911-1963, Amanda J. Griffith
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The Elk River Coal and Lumber Company and its president, Joseph Gardner Bradley, built the town of Widen located in Clay County, West Virginia. As coal production proved successful, the coal town rapidly grew and by 1950, Widen offered amenities such as a Y.M.C.A., theater, soda fountain, schools, and churches for the diverse composition of miners to enjoy. In 1952, a fifteen-month strike marked the climax of the history of Widen. The struggle between the local union, known as the League of Widen Miners, and the United Mine Workers of America, resulted in the destruction of company and private property, …