As you drive along the beautiful scenic roads of Fayette County West Virginia, you may just come upon a divine structure, a magnifcient building claiming the intersection of Hwy 612 at Whipple and Scarbro Road. This unique,one of a kind, architectural building is known to most West Virginia folks' as the company store.
Whipple Company Store to be exact!
If you pull off the road and take a moment to reflect what the year1890 might have been like, you will note that this building was one of huge significance. The Whipple Company Store in the Coal mining "heyday" provided everything the coal miner and his family would need. Although the Company Store had its benefits to the coal miner, it did not go without reputation. The coal companies owned the store, the goods, the homes, the miner, and their money.
Whipple Company Store was designed by the Coal Baron,Justus Collins. A man of strong will and merit. This store is one of 4 he had built, all in this unique architectural fashion, and today the only one left standing. The old store is a sight to see, and has a lot of history contained within its walls. Being a native West Virginian, I often had thoughts about owning the company store someday. Preserving its history and its stories. A place travelers, and tourists could visit and learn about coal camp life, the coal miners, and their families. When my husband decided to leave his profession of 32 years, Our family decided to combine our talents, efforts, and experience to make this happen.
Whipple Company Store and Appalachian Heritage Educational Museum is now a reality.
We offer daily tours May to November in the company store, introducing you to what we have learned about the past, while we listen to those in the present. The Museum has a wonderful hand operated freight elevator, the original post office and telephone operators station. The secret second floor and the original security system will amaze you. The third floor ballroom, the organ playing the waltz, 2 walk in safes that tell a story all there own, The windows, the walls,the shelves, all reflect a lifestyle gone, but not forgotten. We hope in the future you will stop by and pay a visit to the Whipple Company Store & Museumand reflect on a timeless piece of the past.
We look forward to your visit. Chuck,Joy,Victor,Holly & Charlotte