The Layland Mining Disaster

We drove  a loop in the coal mining area around Beckley. We paused in Layland, a former mining community. Two large homes of miners still stand.

 Some of the original stone buildings are now occupied by a mine supply company.

Layland was the site of the worst mining disaster in the county. It happened March 2, 1915 when an explosion killed 115 men. Another 50 were able to survive four days until they were  rescued. Layland is pretty much a ghost town now.