Duty, Virginia facts for kids
Duty is a small place in Dickenson County, Virginia, in the United States. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that doesn't have its own local government, like a town or city does. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
History of Duty
How Duty Got Its Name
Duty got its start a long time ago. In 1888, a post office opened there. A post office is where mail is sent and received. This post office stayed open for many years, until 1958. The community was named after an early postmaster, a person who ran the post office, whose last name was Mr. Duty. So, the place was named after him!
The Big Coal Mine
Duty was once famous for something very important: coal mining. It was home to one of the largest coal mines in the world at that time. This mine was called the Clinchfield Coal Company's Moss #3 complex.
The mine dug up a type of coal called bituminous coal. This is a common type of coal used to make electricity and for other energy needs. What made this mine special was a unique natural feature. Two layers of coal, called the Jawbone and Tiller seams, came together. This created one very thick layer of coal, about 25 to 30 feet thick! That's like digging through a layer of coal as tall as a two or three-story building.
