Pocahontas, Virginia

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Pocahontas, Virginia
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Pocahontas, Virginia


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

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 1.6
area_land_km2 = 1.6
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.6
area_land_sq_mi = 0.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 441
population_density_km2 = 281.5
population_density_sq_mi = 729.1

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 710
elevation_ft = 2329
latd = 37 |latm = 18 |lats = 18 |latNS = N
longd = 81 |longm = 20 |longs = 23 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 24635
area_code = 276
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 51-63288GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1493440GR|3
website =
footnotes =

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.

Pocahontas, Virginia, a different location outside of Tazewell County, was added to Petersburg, Virginia in 1785.

Geography

Pocahontas is located at coor dms|37|18|18|N|81|20|23|W|city (37.304997, -81.339802)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 441 people, 190 households, and 122 families residing in the town. The population density was 729.1 people per square mile (283.8/km²). There were 230 housing units at an average density of 380.3/sq mi (148.0/km²). 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.

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.

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 5-mile run through the historic town and scenic community that brings runners from across the United States. The event also features a 3-mile 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.

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.

Educational Institutions

Pocahontas is home to the former Pocahontas Middle School and Pocahontas High School, which was combined into one school on the outskirts of the town. The school hosted grades 6-12. Pocahontas High School and was the smallest high school in the state of Virginia that had a varsity football program, the mascot being the Indians. Both schools had been the target of recent school consolidation efforts which was met with much resistance from local residents. However after much discussion the Tazewell County Public School Board System voted to close Pocahontas High School. The last graduating class from the school graduated on June 6, 2008 after 99 years of classes at the school. [cite news
first =
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author = WJHL-TV
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title = Southwest Virginia School Closes After 99 Years
url = http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/education/article/southwest_virginia_school_closes_after_99_years/10469/
format =
work =
publisher = WJHL
location = Johnson City, TN
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accessdate = 2008-06-08
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archivedate = ] Students from PHS will be sent to Tazewell or Graham High School starting with the 2008-2009 school year.

Beginning in 2006, Southwest Virginia Community College began holding classes in downtown Pocahontas in the historic Pocahontas Fuel Company office.

Recent Development

The Pocahontas State Correctional Center was completed in this summer, and will open officially on September 5, 2007. The medium-security prison will house around 1,000 inmates and provide around 300 jobs. Unfortunately, the state brought the prison employees from other states and hired only 10 local employees.

Future Development

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 Frederick "Rick" Boucher from Virginia's Ninth District. Virginia also created a "Tourist Train Commission," for the project.

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 actress's brief nude scene in the film. This was Anderson's first on-screen appearance.

Cornelius H. Charlton, Medal of Honor recipient 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.

References

* [http://www.bdtonline.com/siteSearch/apstorysection/local_story_185214659.html "History-making Pocahontas council readies for fight", Bluefield Daily Telegraph]
* [http://www.bdtonline.com/siteSearch/apstorysection/local_story_250204031.html "VDOC nixes name for new federal prison", Bluefield Daily Telegraph]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105660/ "The Turning" on the Internet Movie Database]

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

External links

* [http://www.topgov.net Town of Pocahontas Government]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBsPRCTeJWA Pocahontas Virginia Video DanTraveling.com]
* [http://wvweb.com/www/pocahontas_mine/web.html Pocahontas Exhibition Mine & Museum]
* [http://www.tazewell.k12.va.us/schools/phs Pocahontas Middle/High School]
* [http://www.historicpocahontas.org/ Historic Pocahontas, Inc.]
* [http://www.sw.edu/ Southwest Virginia Community College]