Dott/Wenonah, West Virginia is a former coal camp community located just off Rt. 10, five miles north of Matoaka. So, one might ask, is it Dott or is it Wenonah because the community has been identified by both names. Dott was established by the Wenonah Coal & Coke Company in 1903. The community was officially recognized as Dott when the Dott post office was established there on Dec. 12, 1903. It was named Dott for Dorthy Barger who was the daughter of D. H. Barger, the General Superintendent of the Wenonah Coal & Coke Company. Ownership of the coal mining lease at Dott changed hands many times over the life of its operation between 1903 and 1983, but the Indian name Wenonah, meaning "first born daughter", seems to have been a favorite for some folks in the community.
The Wenonah Coal & Coke Company took out a lease of 1,452 acres of the Pocahontas No.3 coal seam in 1902 and began shipping coal from its Wenonah mine in Oct. 1904. On July 24, 1913, the Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Company took over the lease from the Wenonah Coal & Coke Company. Over the years, the coal lease at the original Wenonah mining operation was expanded and then in November 1952, the Crozer Coal & Land Company acquired the mining complex from the Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Company. The coal camp community at Dott continued to thrive and see upgrades over the years.
In December 1963, ownership of the original Winonah mine continued to change hands. The Pocahontas Fuel Company, operating as a division of Consolidation Coal Company after being purchased in 1956, took over the coal mining complex from Crozer Coal & Land Company and referred to it as its Turkey Gap Operation. Finally, there was one last name change when the name of the mining company was changed from Pocahontas Fuel Company to Consolidation Coal Company - Turkey Gap Mine in 1975. In 1976, your author remembers making deliveries of mine machinery parts to the Consol Turkey Gap mines. In 1983, coal mining ceased at Dott/Wanonah when Consolidation Coal Company shut down all underground mining operations.
Today, Dott/Wanonah is virtually unrecognizable from its former past for there's not a single structure left of what was once a proud coal mining community. Like so many southern West Virginia coal camps during its boom years era, there are folks who have great memories of growing in Dott/Wenonah! No, folks did not have the conveniences we have today, but they have wonderful memories of those intangible things like strong family values, a simplistic lifestyle and neighbors who were like family.
Dott/Wenonah History: By Buddy French ( Expanded Text )
So one might ask, is it Dott or is it Wenonah because the community has been identified by both names. Dott was established by the Wenonah Coal & Coke Company in 1903. The community was officially recognized as Dott when the Dott post office was established there on Dec. 12, 1903. It was named Dott for Dorthy Barger who was the daughter of D. H. Barger, the General Superintendent of the Wenonah Coal & Coke Company. Ownership of the coal mining lease at Dott changed hands many times over the life of its operation between 1903 and 1983, but the Indian name Wenonah, meaning "first born daughter", seems to have been a favor for some folks in the community.
The Wenonah Coal & Coke Company took out a lease of 1,452 acres of the Pocahontas No.3 coal seam in 1902 and began shipping coal from its Wenonah mine in Oct. 1904. On July 24, 1913, the Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Company took over the lease from the Wenonah Coal & Coke Company. Over the years, the coal lease at the original Wenonah mining operation was expanded and then in November 1952, the Crozer Coal & Land Company acquired the mining complex from the Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Company. The coal camp community at Dott continued to thrive and see upgrades over the years.
In December 1963, ownership of the original Winonah mine continued to change hands. The Pocahontas Fuel Company, operating as a division of Consolidation Coal Company after being purchased in 1956, took over the coal mining complex from Crozer Coal & Land Company and referred to it as its Turkey Gap Operation. Finally, there was one last name change when the name of the mining company was changed from Pocahontas Fuel Company to Consolidation Coal Company - Turkey Gap Mine in 1975. In 1976, your author remembers making deliveries of mine machinery parts to the Consol Turkey Gap mines at Dott/Wenonah. In 1983, coal mining ceased at what began as the Wanonah mine when Consolidation Coal Company shut down all underground mining operations.
Today, Dott/Wanonah is virtually unrecognizable from its former past, for there's not a single structure left of what was once a proud coal mining community. Like so many southern West Virginia coal camps during its boom years era, there are folks who have great memories of growing up in Dott/Wenonah! No, those folks did not have the conveniences we have today, but the children who grew up there and are still with us today, have wonderful memories of so many intangible things like strong family values, a simplistic lifestyle, community and neighbors who were like family.
Google Map on Dott road showing what remains of the Dott, WV. community One can not recognize that the community of Dott ever existed.
Another Google Map of Dott road that ran through the Dott community
