HISTORIC BRAMWELL , WEST VIRGINIA - 1 DEC 2001.

Nestled in the rugged mountains of southern West Virginia, in a horseshoe bend of the Bluestone River, lies a millionaire coal town. At the turn of the century, when 4,000 people lived here, at least 14 millionaires called Bramwell home, making it the richest town per capita in the United States. Today, the town built by King Coal enters a new millennium with fewer than 650 residents. Still, the grand Victorian homes of yesteryear remain. ''When you go into the town of Bramwell, it's like stepping back in time,'' says Beverly Wellman, director of the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Built on one of the few level spots in coal country, about 2,300 feet above sea level, Bramwell is just half a mile wide and 4 miles long. Much wealth was concentrated in that sliver of land: Bramwell once flourished with businesses, a busy train station , a prosperous bank and an active society. The Bryant Pharmacy, now the Corner Shop, was the third drugstore in the United States to stock Chanel No. 5 perfume for its wealthy clientele. The Bank of Bramwell, incorporated in 1889, financed local endeavors and those far from the coalfields. (Map per "Map Quest')

Text extracted from Associated Press Article of January 3, 2000. Photograph furnished by Bill Gross.