HISTORIC BRAMWELL DEPOT RESTORATION

Southern Interpretive Center of Coal Heritage Trail, A National Historic Byway.

Bulletin: The Historic Bramwell Train Depot opened for business in Nov. 2003.

Pictured here is the groundbreaking ceremony for the new train depot 0n August 2, 1996.

From left to right, Roger Goins, Dodd Marteusan, Jack Lewis, Kathryn Barringer, Don Anello, then Mayor Glenn Scott, Johnny Painter, Basil Jackson, Cotton White, Norris Kantor, Congressman James Kee and James Collins.

The Historic Bramwell Depot construction project is a part of the Heritage Park that is being developed in Bramwell. The reconstructed depot will be officially known as the Southern Interpretive Center of the Coal Heritage Trail, a National Historic Byway. The original train station was demolished in the 1950s. It is being built by a federal grant. Groundbreaking for rebuilding the depot was held on August 2,1996. In addition to housing interpretive exibits which will offer insight into the rich heritage of the Poachontas Coalfields, the Depot will server as a welcome center for tourist visiting the Home of the Bramwell Millionaires. It should be ready for opening sometime in 2001 and will be open seven days a week. The mayor of Bramwell, Ken Beard says "the new station will be so authentic that it will look like an extremely well-maintained orignal."

The Federal Highway Administration has designated State Route 16 from Beckley (named for pioneer settler Alfred Beckley) to Welch (named for surveyor Captain I.A. Welch), and U.S. Route 52 from Welch to Bluefield (named by Hattie Hannah and Elizabeth Davidson for the abundant Mountain Chicory) as the Coal Heritage Trail. Bramwell Mayor Ken Beard has been chairman of the Coal Heritage Trail Association since its establishment in 1995. Bramwell, a Mercer County point on the train was named for J. H. Bramwell, an engineer from Staunton, Va., who accompanied Welch on his 1873 survey of the Pocahontas Coalfields. Bramwell later worked as general manager of the Crozier Coal and Coke Company.