[1960s HOME MOVIE CHRISTOPHER COAL CO. ARKWRIGHT MINE #1 GRANVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1960s

Description:

This silent, color, home-style film offers a glimpse into the lives of miners and their families connected to the Christopher Coal Company’s Arkwright #1 Mine near Granville, West Virginia, later owned by Consolidated Coal. The footage captures both coal mining operations and family life, with scenes of miners working together, children playing, and families sharing moments on their porches. Interspersed with shots of mine entrances, locomotives, and coal-laden railcars, the film offers insight into the community built around the mine and everyday life in a 1960s mining town. (Note: the film is in two sections, the first portion of the film we believe may date to as late as 1970, and the second portion of the film is likely mid-1950s).

Film opens, man rides on side of rail car loaded with coal along foliage-lined banks of perhaps Monongahela River (0:08). Camera pans back-lit structures of coal plant (0:20). Tiled storage box that reads “Konya Coal” (0:45). Mining trolley approaches camera on track (0:56). Miners seem to oil the mining carts, smoke cigarettes together (1:05). Scenes of perhaps family member of mine worker, man holds young son on shoulders in small backyard of modest family home, two young children play with each other, an older woman and gentleman embrace while sitting on a porch (1:27). Entrance to Christopher Coal Company Arkwright #1 Mine and Osage #3 Mines (2:09). Close-up motor, mechanisms for driving the mining trolley (2:10). Man exits mine while operating General Electric 50 Ton Locomotive (2:17). Mining trolley exits mine full of coal (2:24). Tin-covered mechanized conveyor belt leads coal into mine (2:41). Camera pans the mine and the surrounding land (2:59). 1951 Buick Super 4-door Tourback Sedan (3:29). Sign for “Christopher Coal Company Arkwright Mine” (3:36). More Scenes of home life: Man hangs laundry while playing with son, toddler-aged kids play with each other while mother and grandmother look on (3:51). Three children sit together in 1954 Steger steel red children’s wagon, man pulls kids around garden (4:51). Another man wheel around toddler-aged daughter in a wheelbarrow (6:18). Young, shitless man clears some wood from backyard and loads it into back of pick-up truck (6:21). Women on porch do laundry using fifties-era wringer washing machine (6:38). Two men appear to be building extension to house, lay cinder blocks and concrete (7:31). Camera pans backlit outlines of single-family homes and chimney-lined rooftops (7:56). Man playfully pulls mother out of house to pose for camera (8:09). Young man holds perhaps Winchester Model 94 lever-action rifle for hunting or target practice (8:49). Perhaps hunted otter with bloody face lies on rock near stream, men pose with their hunt before skinning and gutting the meat (9:05). Horse grazes in field (10:25). Young girl cuddles toy-sized family dog as she walks past 1951 Buick Super 4-door Tourback Sedan (10:53). Scenes from a little-league baseball game (11:15). More scenes of domestic life, family hangs out with children on porch, film portraits of women in 1950s fashion playfully posing for camera (11:43-14:57). Film ends (14:58).

Complete Record: This silent, color, home-style film offers a glimpse into the lives of miners and their families connected to the Christopher Coal Company’s Arkwright #1 Mine near Granville, West Virginia, later owned by Consolidated Coal. The footage captures both coal mining operations and family life, with scenes of miners working together, children playing, and families sharing moments on their porches. Interspersed with shots of mine entrances, locomotives, and coal-laden railcars, the film offers insight into the community built around the mine and everyday life in a 1960s mining town. (Note: the film is in two sections, the first portion of the film we believe may date to as late as 1970, and the second portion of the film is likely mid-1950s). Film opens, man rides on side of rail car loaded with coal along foliage-lined banks of perhaps Monongahela River (0:08). Camera pans back-lit structures of coal plant (0:20). Tiled storage box that reads “Konya Coal” (0:45). Mining trolley approaches camera on track (0:56). Miners seem to oil the mining carts, smoke cigarettes together (1:05). Scenes of perhaps family member of mine worker, man holds young son on shoulders in small backyard of modest family home, two young children play with each other, an older woman and gentleman embrace while sitting on a porch (1:27). Entrance to Christopher Coal Company Arkwright #1 Mine and Osage #3 Mines (2:09). Close-up motor, mechanisms for driving the mining trolley (2:10). Man exits mine while operating General Electric 50 Ton Locomotive (2:17). Mining trolley exits mine full of coal (2:24). Tin-covered mechanized conveyor belt leads coal into mine (2:41). Camera pans the mine and the surrounding land (2:59). 1951 Buick Super 4-door Tourback Sedan (3:29). Sign for “Christopher Coal Company Arkwright Mine” (3:36). More Scenes of home life: Man hangs laundry while playing with son, toddler-aged kids play with each other while mother and grandmother look on (3:51). Three children sit together in 1954 Steger steel red children’s wagon, man pulls kids around garden (4:51). Another man wheel around toddler-aged daughter in a wheelbarrow (6:18). Young, shitless man clears some wood from backyard and loads it into back of pick-up truck (6:21). Women on porch do laundry using fifties-era wringer washing machine (6:38). Two men appear to be building extension to house, lay cinder blocks and concrete (7:31). Camera pans backlit outlines of single-family homes and chimney-lined rooftops (7:56). Man playfully pulls mother out of house to pose for camera (8:09). Young man holds perhaps Winchester Model 94 lever-action rifle for hunting or target practice (8:49). Perhaps hunted otter with bloody face lies on rock near stream, men pose with their hunt before skinning and gutting the meat (9:05). Horse grazes in field (10:25). Young girl cuddles toy-sized family dog as she walks past 1951 Buick Super 4-door Tourback Sedan (10:53). Scenes from a little-league baseball game (11:15). More scenes of domestic life, family hangs out with children on porch, film portraits of women in 1950s fashion playfully posing for camera (11:43-14:57). Film ends (14:58).