Whipple Company Store


Whipple Company Store

I have driven past this old store many times in my life.  I even went inside several times back when it was an antique store.  Recently however,  I took the tour to learn the amazing history of this building.  I highly recommend that you do the same when you're near Oak Hill WV.

SHORT DESCRIPTION


The store was built by coal operator Justus Collins in the late 1800s. As the commercial and social center for the mining town of Whipple and surrounding communities, the store housed offices for Whipple Colliery Company, the post office and doctor. The store stocked the necessities for a household, from food to furniture.  Four of these stores were built, with this one the only survivor.  In 1957, the Whipple mine shut down and the store closed. Reopened as a trading post, the store operated until the late 1980s, when it was used as a home. In 1991, the Whipple Company Store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The store at Whipple was designed like a fortress on the outside with guards posted at all of the entrances.  The inside of the store was designed in a round, so that the acoustics allowed a guard posted in the center to hear every word spoken in the space.   The store is now owned by Joy Lynn, who grew up in the area and always wanted to own the building before it was torn down.   She managed to get it just in time.


Whipple Company Store

The current interior.  Improvements are being made daily to restore the building.




Whipple Company Store

During the tour,  this is where you start.



Whipple Company Store

Interior, looking in opposite direction.  Hundreds of never before seen photos line the walls.



Whipple Company Store

Rare and historic photos arent the only thing they found in the store....



Whipple Company Store

The store was literally a cradle to grave one stop shop.  These coffins (and more) were found in the store.   The elevator, operated with a rope is so well balanced that a child could operate it,  and it's been there since the beginning..  




Whipple Company Store

Of course, where there's mining,  there's coal mining memorabilia.



HOWEVER....


Photos on the Net cant really show,  and especially TELL the story of the building and its secrets that were only recently discovered.  When you take the tour,  you'll be amazed at what they found and where.
Seriously,  it's well worth the time to learn our local history and how we got to where we are today.



Whipple Company Store

7485 Okey L Patteson Rd, Scarbro, WV 25917

Whipple Company Store

Tell em you saw it on Mywvhome.com!


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