Goodwill,
West Virginia History
GOODWILL,
WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY Robert and Phillip Goodwill opened a coal mine and built the town in 1886. Justus Collins opened another mine in 1887. There were two saw mills, two coal tipples, two power plant, two company stores, two schools, three churches, a union hall, post office, theater, dance hall, pool room, shoe shop, doctors office, and over a hundred homes. In 1950, Goodwill had a population of 1536. In 1958, the mine was closed, and the residents left; all the buildings were torn down except for one house.
This photograph showns NBC reporter, David Brinkley telling the story of Goodwill on the porch of the Goodwill Post Office in 1958. Two years later the coal camp was gone and all the buildings had been torn down. Only one house remained in Goodwill in 1962. ( All above text was furnished by Ken Bowen, Bluewell, WV. ) Ken has this material posted on the West Virginia Ghost Towns Site @ A WEST VIRGINIA GHOST COAL TOWN - GOODWILL |
JUSTUS COLLINS - GOODWILL, WV COAL BARON
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