Jewell Ridge: Portrait of a Coal Town

Jewell Ridge is truly Tazewell County's crown jewel. This unique mountain-top community was born as a result of a major coal mining operation on the Tennessee-Ohio Valley divide in southwestern Virginia. From its humble beginnings, Jewell Ridge developed into a mountain society many years ahead of its time. Out of this distinctive coal town developed myriad traditions and customs that are instilled in the lives of Jewell Ridgers and their descendants even today. This project was initiated by the Jewell Ridge Recreation and Development Corporation and includes images from multiple sources, including several, extensive private collections.

Louise B. Leslie is a retired editor of the Clinch Valley News. She currently writes and edits for several local publications. Dr. Terry W. Mullins retired after 30 years as a teacher of government and history at Rocky Gap and Tazewell High Schools. He is now an associate professor of education at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. He and Leslie have both authored multiple articles and books. Leslie and Mullins, who have both spent their entire lives in Tazewell County, have coauthored three other books: Tazewell County; Tazewell; and, most recently, Burke's Garden. This volume is their fourth joint project.