Coal Camp

The Gary Coal camp was a coal camp in Gary, West Virginia owned by the Flattop Land Association. This coal camp is in the coal field of Flat Top-Pocahontas. This coal camp was named after judge Elbert Gary, and there is even a small coal camp inside of this larger one which is named Elbert. Construction in Gary began in 1901 and by 1915 there were 1,479 miners living in Gary. These miners were particularly diverse including white Americans, African-Americans, Hungarians, Romanians, Italians, Poles, and others of Slavic descent. By World War II, Gary hosted nearly 15,000 residences, boasting 20 churches, 10 company stores, restaurants and independent retail stores, clubhouses and athletic fields. The community also had a bowling alley, tennis courts, theaters and other amenities. The production at Gary began to descend in the early 80's and finally closed in 1986. 


http://www.abandonedonline.net/neighborhoods/gary-west-virginia/
http://www.coalcampusa.com/sowv/flattop/gary/gary.htm
http://www.coalcampusa.com/sowv/flattop/flattop.htm