May 03 2008
A Bridge Over Troubled Water
This old bridge crosses Big Coal River in Edwight, WV. I would be afraid to even guess how old it is. At one time it supported coal and logging trucks. Up the road behind me there used to be a sawmill. I remember years ago when it was a viable place of employment. People worked at the mill or in the mines. I helped tear the sawmill down in the mid 80’s.
Right behind me is this overgrown softball field.
As a young boy I would come here to watch my dad play softball. This started out as a coal miners softball field and was actually built by the coal company. If I’m not badly mistaken, and I might be, but I believe the coal company was Armco back in those days.
After the miners quit using it and I got into my teens, we started having friendly games here between different hollows. It was just a good time and all in good fun.
I hear no one is allowed there now because the field belongs to the coal industry. I’m not 100% sure about that so don’t quote me. It just seems to me that if kids were allowed to play ball on this field - they would be.
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The title of this post came with the fact the bridge is over Big Coal River. About a mile upstream is Goals Coal, a subsidiary of Massey Energy. From this point forward the river winds it’s way through the heart of coal country. A Bridge Over Troubled Water seemed fitting.
