The Town's namesake, J.H. Bramwell who arrived in 1883,
was a New York civil engineer (*to my family in NY: How about that!?)
As first postmaster of a new post office that needed a legal label, he was given the privilege of naming the town when the post office opened August 14, 1883.
was a New York civil engineer (*to my family in NY: How about that!?)
As first postmaster of a new post office that needed a legal label, he was given the privilege of naming the town when the post office opened August 14, 1883.

The Bramwell Cafe
Formerly called Sadie's Place in May 2006 when it was opened by granddaughter of Sadie Bailey, Drema who opened the restaurant in Sadie's memory.
We were there in June 2008 and it had become The Bramwell Cafe.
We were there in June 2008 and it had become The Bramwell Cafe.
go into the cafe and eat dinner :)
Homemade foods and desserts served buffet style.
This is the cafe entrance.
The food bar is the L-shaped section in the back right corner. The food was delicious. It was a buffet. Eat, have seconds, take home dessert at the cost of $10 each!
Currently under renovation by a new owner. Contains the original long marble soda counter, the triangular glass tables, the chicken-wire-pattern tile floor and the cherry cabinetry made on site by Welsh carpenters. The building served as ice cream parlor, pharmacy and perfumery to the town.
Other than Paris and New York, it was the only place in the world where Chanel No. 5 perfume was sold, and, according to one account, the Bryant Pharmacy, now known as the Corner Shop, sold about $25,000 worth of the perfume per year. That's about $300,000 in today's dollars!
~~The Bank of Bramwell~~
J.H. Bramwell, the first postmaster became the first president of the famed Bank of Bramwell, and a big-time real estate investor.
After being closed for several years and used by a theatrical group at one time, it reopened as a bank in March 2007 after refurbishing and modernization with computer terminals. The bank now operates as a branch of New People's Bank.
He missed the stock market crash and depression of the 1933 which wiped out Bramwell’s millionaires. Seven of the towns millionaires committed suicide at that time, which badly shook the town.
WE WERE AMAZED AND THRILLED WITH THIS UNEXPECTED VISIT!

It was also called Doctor's Row and the coal company built a few "modest"
homes along here for the coal company doctors.
A FEW OF THE HISTORIC HOMES IN TOWN
Bramwell once had 4,000 residents. Today has about 400.
Bramwell once had 4,000 residents. Today has about 400.
The Perry House is located on Main Street next to the Bramwell Bank and was built by the Bramwell Bank in 1902. The house was occupied for many years by one of the bank's first cashiers, J.B. Perry and his family. It continued to be occupied by the some of the Perry family members until 1982.
The home is now operated as a B & B and is open year around.
The H.V. McNeer house may be the oldest home in Bramwell.
Dr. McNeer bought it from the Bluestone Land Corp in 1889.
Dr. McNeer bought it from the Bluestone Land Corp in 1889.
NOTE: This house boasted the first indoor plumbing in town and had a free standing shower. It even had a windmill to help supply water, and there was a speaking tube from the front door to the Dr. McNeer's bedroom!

Built in 1911 by Jairus Collins a coal baron who owned 6 mines. It's a brick and frame vernacular style home and the former River's Bend B&B .
Completed in 1914 by the wife (Katharine Reedy Hewitt) of one of
Bramwell's founders, Col. John D. Hewitt, Sr who was the first
mayor of Bramwell and was president of the Buckeye Coal and Coke Company.
He was one of the true Coal Barons of southern WV.
This was the last coal-baron house built in Bramwell.
It went on the market for sale the summer of 2008 and previously
functioned as THE RIVER'S END B&B
THE BRAMWELL CHURCH OF HOLY TRINITY
(Episcopal Church)
Currently unused, it was built by a man who was actually a ship builder.

TWO MORE HOMES

Now called THE BLUE LADY by today's residents.
Built in 1895 by Philip Goodwill, general manager of
Goodwill Coal and Coke. and features a large 3rd floor ballroom.
It has 17 rooms and is comprised of 6500 square feet.

In 1909 Colonel William H. & Annie Cooper-Thomas began construction on this grand house which remains a showplace today.
Plaster on the living room ceiling and carved panels on the walls
remain in mint condition. It was built with a central vacuum-cleaning system, dumbwaiter to the third floor which contained a ballroom and garage guest house with carriage-wash.
on both sides of the road. So attractive.
Several bridges throughout the town cross the river. We crossed two of this type. I thought the metal "tracks" interesting on the old wooden bridge.

This concludes the several days spent in Pocahontas, Cooper and Bramwell during our two visits in June. It was difficult to pick and choose a "few" pictures to put on my blog out of the hundreds of pictures I have taken all around these towns. I hope the ones I have selected give you an idea of what these areas look like.
Send comments & questions to MerryGoRnd@aol.com
4 comments:
Great pics of our wonderfully unique little town. Thank you.
Glad that you liked them and told me so! Thank you for the compliment. I am glad you enjoyed them. Hope you saw the pics on the previous page as well. Yvonne
I lived in Pocahontas from 1944-1950. My Dad was a coal miner, took tests (self taught) in Charleston to qualify...was promoted to Assistant Supervisor and transferred from Maybeury, WVA to Pocahontas. My life in Pocahontas was wonderful in all respects.
Your photographs are terrific and bring back so many great memories. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Bill Blevins. I now live in Charleston South Carolina near my daughter.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS! I have more pictures from a couple of years after these that I would like to add and hope to do that soon though I never seem to get to it somehow!!
I am so happy to hear from ALL OF YOU and to know that everyone enjoyed my pictures so much. It touched my heart and made me so glad I posted them. THANK YOU!
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