Beckley West Virginia
“City of Champions”
Town of Beckley WV
The city of Beckley is located in Raleigh county and is the eighth largest city in West Virginia, on a high plateau at an elevation of about 2,400 feet. The city of Beckley is near the intersection of three major highways interstates 64 and 77, and U.S. 19. Beckley developed from a small agricultural settlement into a commercial hub for the surrounding West Virginia coalfields and now has an economy based primarily on retail, service, and tourism. Beckley is well known for two major tourist attractions: The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Tamarack. The Exhibition Coal Mine is a preserved coal mine that offers daily tours and a history lesson on coal mining in Appalachia. Tamarack, a showcase of Appalachian arts and crafts.
History of Beckley WV
Beckley was founded by General Alfred Beckley, and named the city after his father, John Beckley, the first clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress.
When coal mining developed in southern West Virginia in the early 1900s, the city became a center for commerce and related industries. In the 1890s a branch of the C&O finally reached Beckley in 1901. With the opening of the great Winding Gulf coalfield in 1907, Beckley prospered economically.
- New River Park
- Winterplace Ski Resort
- National Boy Scout Jamboree
- Beckley Courthouse Square Historic District
- Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine
- New River Gorge National River
- Grandview Park
- Twin Falls State Park
- Lake Stephens
