Cannelton, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cannelton, West Virginia
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 Cannelton, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Cannelton, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Fayette |
| Elevation | 679 ft (207 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
25036
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| Area code(s) | 304 & 681 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1537004 |
Cannelton is a small, unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. It is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Smithers, right along Smithers Creek. Cannelton even has its own post office with the ZIP code 25036. The community got its name because of the special type of coal found there, called cannel coal.
Cannelton was started in 1849. A year before, in 1848, a worker named Ben Burdette found cannel coal while working for Col. Aaron Stockton. This coal was very special because it had a lot of oil in it, making it very valuable. Col. Aaron Stockton quickly began mining this coal and shipping it on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Cannelton was the first town to be officially established in the area around Montgomery and Smithers. Its first post office opened in 1876.
Contents
Who Was Col. Aaron Stockton?
Col. Aaron Stockton was an important person in Cannelton's history. He was born in Princeton, New Jersey. His grandfather, Richard Stockton, was famous for signing the Declaration of Independence! Col. Stockton was a very active and smart businessman. He moved his family to the Kanawha Valley after the War of 1812.
Stockton's Early Businesses
Stockton first tried to make money in the salt industry. He even hired his brother-in-law, William Tompkins, to help him. But Stockton soon realized that making salt wasn't for him. He sold all his salt businesses to Tompkins. This happened after the first "trust" was created, which controlled salt prices and how much salt was made.
The Glen Ferris Inn
In 1817, Stockton bought a property that is now known as the Glen Ferris Inn. This place was not just his family home. He also used it as a tavern to make money. It was in a perfect spot on the Midland Trail, a road that had just opened. The Inn also benefited from river traffic because it was right at the bottom of Kanawha Falls. During the Civil War, the Inn was used by the Union Army as a supply base. Two future presidents even camped on the property!
What is Cannel Coal?
Cannel coal is a special kind of coal that has a lot of oil in it. This high oil content made it very valuable in the mid-1800s. Why? Because kerosene could be made from this oil! Kerosene was the main way people lit their homes back then. Cannel coal is a type of bituminous coal that doesn't have many minerals. It burns longer than wood and makes a bright, clear flame.
Mining in Cannelton
The mining business in Cannelton changed hands many times over the years. In 1871, the Cannelton Coal and Coke Company bought the 2,100-acre mining operation. This company kept mining coal until 2003. However, in 2004, another company called Massey Energy bought the property. They started mining again on December 28, 2004.
See also
In Spanish: Cannelton (Virginia Occidental) para niños
