Nonprofit plans oral history of Paint Creek

BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) - A nonprofit group is asking the Paint Creek community for help in creating an oral history of the waterway.

The Paint Creek Scenic Trails Association plans to use the oral histories of residents and former residents to produce an online exhibit featuring their stories. The association also plans to create a digital driving tour of Paint Creek.

Paint Creek runs from Tamarack in Beckley to Pratt. The 44-mile-long Paint Creek Scenic Byway runs adjacent to the creek.

Native Americans once used Paint Creek to travel between settlements. In 1912, coal miners in Paint Creek and nearby Cabin Creek went on strike, sparking West Virginia’s first mine war.

The Register-Herald (https://bit.ly/1nywUVC ) reports that the oral history project is funded by the National Coal Heritage Area and the West Virginia Humanities Council.

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Information from: The Register-Herald, https://www.register-herald.com