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Bartley, West Virginia facts for kids

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Bartley
Bartley is located in West Virginia
Bartley
Bartley
Location in West Virginia
Country United States
State West Virginia
County McDowell
Area
 • Total 1.156 sq mi (2.99 km2)
 • Land 1.142 sq mi (2.96 km2)
 • Water 0.014 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 224
 • Density 193.8/sq mi (74.82/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
24813
Area code(s) 304
GNIS feature ID 1553808

Bartley is a small community located in McDowell County, West Virginia, in the United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. Bartley is situated along the Dry Fork, a stream that flows into the Tug Fork, and near the Norfolk and Western Railroad. In 2010, about 224 people lived there. Bartley has also been called Bartlett and Peeryville in the past.

History of Bartley

How Bartley Got Its Name

The community of Bartley got its name from Bartley Ross. He was one of the first owners of the land where the town was built.

A Sad Day at the Mine

Bartley was the location of a very serious mining accident. On January 10, 1940, at 2:30 PM, an explosion happened at the Pond Creek #1 mine. This mine was owned by the Pocahontas Coal Corporation.

Ninety-one miners lost their lives in this event. Some parts of the mine were not affected. Thirty-seven men escaped safely, and ten others near the bottom of the shaft were also unharmed.

A rescue effort began to help the trapped miners. However, seven hours after the first explosion, a second explosion occurred. This second blast made it impossible to continue the rescue for the 91 men.

Bartley WV Miners Memorial
A memorial honors the miners who lost their lives in Bartley.

Investigators later found that the explosion was caused by a pocket of gas. This gas had built up during the shift and was set off by a spark. The mine had a history of dangerous gas conditions. The explosion deeply affected many families in the community. It left 51 women without their husbands and 169 children without their fathers. A memorial marker for the 91 men can be found at the local United Methodist Church in Bartley.

See also

In Spanish: Bartley (Virginia Occidental) para niños

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