by Mark Crabtree

Jay and I continued exploring and taking pictures on up in the heart of town.

The old company offices were part of a complex of brick buildings stretching along the main drag, with the "big store" off toward one end.

The machine shop behind the company offices is a huge building, now mostly empty and vandalized. All the rockets except the first were made here.

The size of the clubhouse was a surprise to me. It is a huge old building in worse shape than it looks. Windows on the upper story had been covered over at some point. These buildings are protected as historic structures now, but no money has been allocated to maintain or restore them.

When we met back up with Red at the Country Corner, he spotted Dwight Strong out by the Hickams' old house. Dwight bought the house and took over as mine superintendant after Homer left. He was out painting the chain link fence that has replaced the old picket fence Sonny blew up with his first rocket.

The house sits on 16 right across from the Country Corner.

Continued in Part 3.
Still to come--Olga Coal Company Portal #2, Big Creek High School, Jake the pet rooster, and more.

• Part 3.

• I've added a page for reader comments about Coalwood Today.

• A reader sent a nice tribute page to Freida Riley (Sonny's teacher played by Laura Dern in October Sky) from the 1970 Big Creek High School yearbook.

• I'm starting a page of Rocket Boys links. Let me know if you've found something interesting.