Bramwell: A Town of Millionaires

By: Louise Dawson Stoker and Dana Stoker Cochran

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Synopsis: Bramwell, "the pride of West Virginia's southern tip," sprang up almost overnight as a result of the 1800s coal-mining boom. It boasted more millionaires per capita than any other town in this country. These vintage photographs tell of devastation by the 1890 flood and the 1910 fire. In 1957, a warm January caused the Bluestone River to cover Main Street and limited transportation to rowboats. Herein, stories unfold of the early days when coal was king and cash flowed as freely as the river. A few old-timers remember watching the bank janitor as he pushed a cart full of money down Main Street to the train station every week. The bankfinanced Washington's Burning Tree Country Club and the University Women's Club. By the start of World War II, Bramwell's "millionaires" were the students attending Bramwell School. This volume includes photo memories showing how the school and community were joined at heart.