Itmann, West Virginia

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Itmann, West Virginia
settlement_type = Unincorporated area
nickname =
motto = Itmann: The Suburb of Mullens

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image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Itmann, West Virginia


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = West Virginia
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Wyoming

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 4.9
area_land_km2 = 4.9
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.9
area_land_sq_mi = 1.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
total occupied homes = 170

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_ft =1388
latd = 37 |latm = 34 |lats = 23 |latNS = N
longd = 81 |longm = 25 |longs = 5 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 24847
area_code = 304
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 54-57148GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1543986GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Itmann is an unincorporated former mining town located in Wyoming County, West Virginia, United States, between Pineville and Mullens off of West Virginia Route 16.

History

In 1916, the Pocahontas Fuel Company constructed 120 dwellings near the mouth of Barkers Creek. The Itmann mine was opened in 1918 by the Pocahontas Fuel Co. (now CONSOL) It was named after the president of the company, Isaac T. Mann, or I. T. Mann which was eventually shortened down to Itmann. [cite web | url = http://www.bramwellwv.com/issaicmann.html | title = Isaac T. Mann Biography | author = Coal Camp USA | date = 10am. April 15, 2007 | work = Brief History | accessdate = 2007-10-27 ] A single room school house was built in addition to the massive stone company store. During the 1950s and 1960s it was the most productive mine in West Virginia. The coal seam Pocahontas No. 3 was one of the best to be found in the world, and the coal is rated at 15,000 Btu/lb (35 MJ/kg). By the 1980s Island Creek Coal Co. was mining in Pocahontas No. 3 at Itmann, employing around 500 miners. [cite web | url = http://www.coalcampusa.com/sowv/gulf/itmann/itmann.htm | title = Itmann, West Virginia History | author = Bramwell, WV | date = 8pm. Feb 2, 2007 | work = Brief History | accessdate = 2008-02-11 ] A larger school was built shortly after and the single room school house was converted into the UMWA hall. During his campaign, John F. Kennedy entered one of the three Itmann mines while visiting the then booming neighboring city, Mullens.

Explosion

There was a large methane explosion on December 16th, 1972 in the Itmann Mine #3. [cite web | url = http://www.msha.gov/mshainfo/factsheets/mshafct8.htm | title = Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Fact Sheet 95-8 - Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States | author = Mine Safety and Health Administration | date = 11am. January 17, 2008 | work = Fact Sheet | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] The explosion killed five miners and left three others injured. [cite web | url = http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pdfs/mfcer.pdf | title = List of Mine Disasters in the US | author = Center for Disease Control | date = 12pm. December 18, 2007 | work = List | accessdate = 2008-02-08 ]

Current

Itmann has roughly 170 occupied homes, a post office, a church, the Council on Aging, and a welding shop. The former school is home to the offices of the Council on Aging. The single room school that was converted into the UMWA hall is currently unused. The company store is still standing and is a registered historical landmark in West Virginia. Half of the company store was used as a homeless shelter while the other half was unused. Now it is empty. The welding shop is still operational and fabricates escalators for local mines.

Paranormal Activity

The North America Ghost Hunters researched claims that the blue home next to the church in Itmann was haunted. There were reports of "shadows, footsteps, voices, and toys turning on from time to time." The North America Ghost Hunters conducted a full research and labeled the house "haunted". [cite web | url = http://www.naghosthunters.com/city/it.htm | title = North America Ghost Hunters "Itmann, WV" | author = North America Ghost Hunters | date = 2pm. January 21, 2008 | work = List | accessdate = 2008-02-04 ]

External links

* [http://www.coalcampusa.com/sowv/gulf/itmann/itmann.htm Coal Camp USA]
* [http://www.naghosthunters.com/city/it.htm North America Ghost Hunters]

References