Pocahontas High School Indians
Presented by The Pocahontas High School Grand Reunion Committee
Town of Pocahontas, Virginia
Town of Pocahontas
The Town of Pocahontas is located in the northern end of Tazewell County, Virginia. It was named for Chief Powhatan’s daughter, Matoka, who lived in the 17th Century Jamestown Settlement. “Pocahontas” was the Chief’s playful term for his mischievous daughter.
Pocahontas is the location of the start of this region’s coal boom with a spur line that launched the Norfolk and Western Railroad (now Norfolk Southern) into national prominence during the 1880s.
Pocahontas Aerial View
Pocahontas ATV Trail
On October 17, 2014, the Original Pocahontas Trail officially opened. A
To stay up to date with all of the latest information on the Pocahontas ATV Trail and the entire Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, you can visit their website.
Attractions
The Town of Pocahontas owns and operates the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum, a National Historic Landmark and Virginia’s official “coal heritage zone.” The “show mine,” as many locals call it, features tours from retired coal miners into the real mine that served as the birthplace of the world-famous Pocahontas #3 coal that heated homes across the United States and was the chosen fuel of the United States Navy. The exhibition mine, open from April-August annually, features a 13-foot-tall (4.0 m) coal seam. There is also a museum and education center located in the mine’s former powerhouse.
The town also features a registered Virginia Historic site, the Pocahontas Cemetery. The cemetery features graves that are over 100 years old and a mass grave of coal miners killed in a mine explosion in Pocahontas on March 13, 1884. Each year, the town holds a ceremony at the cemetery to remember the more than 114 coal miners killed in the explosion.
The town is also home to St. Elizabeth’s Roman Catholic Church which features ten life-sized murals on the ceiling and walls of the church. The church also holds an annual Hungarian cabbage roll dinner to honor the European heritage of the coalfields.
Festivals
On the last Saturday in April, the town hosts the annual Pocahontas Indian Run, a 5-mile run through the historic town and scenic community that brings runners from across the United States. The event also features a 3-mile Indian Walk and a Papoose Run for children 6-12. In the evening, there is a memorial ceremony at the Pocahontas Cemetery for the miners killed in the 1884 mine explosion, which killed 114 coal miners.
The first weekend in June, The Pocahontas Lions Club host a Car Show and Flea Market.
The second Friday in June, The Pocahontas Lions Club host the Pocahontas Bluegrass Festival.
Pocahontas celebrates July 4th with a fireworks celebration. The combination of a small town atmosphere, street dance, bands, home cooking, and sparklers for the children provides for a unique experience.
On Labor Day each year, Pocahontas is home to the Coal Miners Reunion, which brings together retired coal miners and railroad workers from across the United States to be honored by the town with a parade and luncheon. The festival also includes special recognition of the oldest and longest-serving miners or railroad workers present and stump speeches from local political candidates.