Welcome to Marion County West Virginia, the middle of everywhere! The 'Gadgets of Marion County' geocaching trail is designed to bring you to the most unique places the county has to offer all while challenging you to complete tasks, solve puzzles, or otherwise engage with unique gadgets. Fifteen special gadget-style geocaches will be placed around the county for you to discover; built and placed with the help of local area cachers Killlerbee and Troopbiz. After completing 14 of the 15 geocaches on the tour and exploring everything Marion County has to offer, stop by our visitor center (GC9CY1G) to claim a FREE custom coin, trackable at geocaching.com! More information including a full list of caches and the playing card is available here: https://marioncvb.com/gadgets

GMC #5: Coal Mining Heritage

About This Location. 

Like much of West Virginia, Marion County has a solid connection to coal and contributed significantly to the industry’s early growth in the United States. The arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway in Marion County helped transform the region by making it a strategic value during the Civil War. During the war, Confederate troops set up camp in the Kanawha Valley, which prevented the local mines from shipping coal. But further north in Fairmont, the coalfields remained active, providing coal for the Union via the B&O Railroad. 

Following the Civil War, immense fortunes were made in the coal industry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The interest in West Virginia’s mineral resources brought a new era of development and growth for the industry and the state. A more extensive coalfield and one of the region’s first commercial mines created during this time was the Fairmont Field. The Fairmont Coal Company was formed in 1901 as the production and marketing success of the field increased. The company, later known as Consolidation Coal Company, was owned by the powerful and political Fleming-Watson family. James E. Watson’s High Gate Carriage House and other structures associated with Marion County’s industrial elite are now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Marion County boomed during the early decades of the 20th century, with the popularity of the county doubling between 1900 and 1930. During this growth, the area saw an influx of Italian immigrants who quickly found work in north-central West Virginia mines. The workers created a close-knit community and worked hard to provide for their families. And from these miners came a true West Virginia delicacy — the pepperoni roll.

About This Cache.

THIS CACHE IS NOT AT THE POSTED COORDINATES. This is the best place to park to start your adventure! On the span of the West Fork Trail that borders Worthington Park is an audio history tour of Worthington and its connection to the coal industry. You will need to visit each of the four signs, listen to the audio tour available, and answer the questions below to find the final location of this geocache. You are looking for an ammo can container located not too far off the trail from the final stop. All waypoints are listed below. 

The gadget here is the QR codes which can be scanned using a smartphone to listen to the audio tour. Service can be spotty here for some providers, but you should be able to load the links regardless. Simply use your phone camera as if you were taking a photo of the code, and wait for the link to appear. Once the link appears, press play and listen to the audio tour to answer all the questions below.

THANKS FOR VISITING!

Need help? Call 304 - 216 - 6620