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Welcome to the
Town of Pocahontas Virginia Home Page!
Pocahontas is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, named for the Algonquian Indian
woman Pocahontas. Pocahontas was the location of the start of this region's coal boom with a spur line that launched the
Norfolk and Western Railroad (now Norfolk Southern) into national prominence during the 1880s. The large two-state coal region bears the town's name.
Attractions
The Town of Pocahontas owns and operates the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum, a National Historic Landmark and Virginia's official "coal heritage zone." The "show mine," as many locals call it, features tours
from retired coal miners into the real mine that served as the birthplace of the world-famous Pocahontas #3 coal that heated
homes across the United States and was the chosen fuel of the United States Navy. The exhibition mine, open from April-October annually, features a 13-foot tall coal seam. There is also a museum and education center located in the mine's former powerhouse.
The town also features a registered Virginia Historic site, the Pocahontas Cemetery. The cemetery features graves that are
over 100 years old and a mass grave of coal miners killed in a mine explosion in Pocahontas on March 13, 1884. Each year,
the town holds a ceremony at the cemetery to remember the more than 114 coal miners killed in the explosion.
The town is also home to St. Elizabeth's Roman Catholic Church which features ten life-sized murals on the ceiling and walls of the church. The church also holds an annual Hungarian cabbage roll dinner to honor the European heritage of the coalfields.
Festivals
On Labor Day each year, Pocahontas is home to the Coal Miners Reunion, which brings together retired coal miners and railroad workers
from across the United States to be honored by the town with a parade and luncheon. The festival also includes special recognition
of the oldest and longest-serving miners or railroad workers present and stump speeches from local political candidates.
On the last Saturday in April, the town celebrates the official seasonal opening
of the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum with a special ceremony and luncheon and half-price admission to the exhibition
mine. Earlier in the day, the town hosts the annual Pocahontas Indian Run, a 5-mile run through the historic town and scenic
community that brings runners from across the United States. The event also features a 3-mile Indian Walk and a Papoose Run
for children 6-12. In the evening, there is a memorial ceremony at the Pocahontas Cemetery for the miners killed in the 1884
mine explosion, which killed 114 coal miners.
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