Elk Ridge Coal & Coke Company was a coal mining operation that formerly operated in McDowell County,
West Virginia, near the town of Northfork. The Elk Ridge Coal & Coke Company operated from the late
1800's to early 1900's and is listed as a historical coal operation that no longer exists.
In the 1893, the Elk Ridge coal mine opened, drawing people from diverse backgrounds,
including subsistence farmers, African American families, and European immigrants. The company community
developed around the coal mine. A company store served as a community hub, offering groceries and serving at the
post office. The mine closed in 1924 prompting many of Elk Ridge's 400 residents to move away in search of work elsewhere.
