The remarkable story of Bluefield represents a unique combination of geology, geography, and opportunity. Once just the confluence of a handful of family farms in southern West Virginia, Bluefield was put on the map, literally,

in the 1880s, when the Norfolk & Western Railway came to town. The company’s influence on the rural landscape was overwhelming, and soon, Bluefield was transformed into the center of a coal-fired universe and became a major thoroughfare for the then-thriving mining industry.

Though the company–not the coal–was king in Bluefield, enterprising men and women could, and did, share in its

success. The city evolved into a successful supply center for the enormous network of towns that sprung up almost overnight throughout the region’s coalfields. For the next 60 years, Bluefield experienced dramatic growth, enticing a diverse group of newcomers who helped to build the strong cultural heritage that continues to play a prominent role in the community to the present day.