Where it all began. This was the last tunnel before the N&W reached the promised land to begin accessing the rich coal fields of Southwest Virginia and Southern West Virginia. Near here is where Major Jed Hotchkiss, a soldier (and mapmaker) on General Lee's staff in the Confederate Army, noticed rich deposits of coal (seam here was over 12' high), which needed only development and transportation to bring it to market. He was one of the leaders (along with several other individuals too numerous to mention) of the Flat Top Coal Association, the corporation that brought about the building of the N&W Railroad. The soon named Pocahontas seam of coal achieved worldwide fame, and was the fuel of choice for the U.S. Government. With the completion of this tunnel, rails arrived in the town on March 10, 1883. The rest is history, as the Pokey as we know it today started as a branchline at the junction of this line down the Bluestone River. The tunnel is a natural rock tunnel, til it was lined with concrete in 1915, hence the more modern look...
