WV Coal Company Store is a piece of digital artwork by Flees Photos which was uploaded on November 26th, 2015.
WV Coal Company Store
The coal industry at the end of the 19th Century to Early 20th Century was inherently unjust and inhumane, particularly in WV. When an individual... more
by Flees Photos
Title
WV Coal Company Store
Artist
Flees Photos
Medium
Digital Art - Photograph Giclee And Home Decor
Description
The coal industry at the end of the 19th Century to Early 20th Century was inherently unjust and inhumane, particularly in WV. When an individual received work from a coal mine the mine and the company store owned that individual and the family.
The coal companies provided the employee a row house, coal scrip or company money, and a company store to purchase the basic necessities for the family. The system was rigged though there was no way to become free once caught under this system. The system was rigged and today the process would be considered Human trafficking or labor trafficking.
There was a song that illustrates this system. The song was written by Tennessee Ernie Ford Sixteen Tons and it was titled owe their soul to the company store.
Transitioning from the 19th century into the 20th century the coal mines unionized. The unions fought for fair pay and the employees being paid in currency instead of scrip, and thus ending the indentured servitude the coal mines had to the company store. This is an image of a typical wv coal company store.
Uploaded
November 26th, 2015
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Comments (27)
Wild Thing
Chirs this is more than just a wonderful vintage scene, but a testament to the coal mining families themselves and the hard lives they had in a "company" town. So few in our country know of this, and fewer still in the future will know how poor those coal barons kept their workers and therefore dependent upon them that ultimately led to the brutal and bloody miner's strikes. But you have perfectly preserved a piece of that history forever .... well done my friend ... well done. For me, it's an especial honor to give this a L/F and to say Montani Semper Liberi ... Wildly Yours, Wild Thing
Will Borden
Hi Chris~~the old company store and display looks terrific in B&W- fine work!! F&L&Twt!!
Randy Burns
Wonderful black and white photograph displaying days of old. Love it Chris. Also enjoyed reading your description. F/L
Lindley Johnson
A terrific black and white image, Chris - you've really captured the old time look. L
Michael Mazaika
Great piece of Americana and as your description explains there's much more to the story. Very well done and researched, Chris. - Mike (V)
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