Anawalt, West Virginia -By Buddy French
Anawalt, West Virginia was first known as Jeanette. In 1909, the U. S Coal & Company built a coal camp there for its Gary No.12 mining operation. The coal camp was named Anawalt in honor of J. W. Anawalt, who was President of the Union Supply Company, a subsidiary company of U. S. Steel Corporation. The community housing consisted of twenty-six double (duplex) homes and forty single dwelling homes and were located a few hundred yards above Jeanette. By 1912 and due to its economic growth, Jeanette was incorporated under the name Anawalt. Its population had grown from 500 in 1909 to 1,777 in 1920 and a small business district had sprung up. The Bank of Anawalt was formed in 1924 and a small soft drink factory, along with a movie theatre had opened. Although the No.12 mining operations at Anawalt was shut down in 1952, a few of the original coal company homes that are well over one-hundred years old, are still occupied today. The town of Anawalt continued to thrive until it began to see a gradual decline in the 1960's due to the loss of jobs in the area coal mines.
Many thanks to Alex Schust and his book "Gary Hollow" where more historic information can be found about Anawalt and U. S. Coal & Coke Company mining operations at Anawalt.
