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Below are a few comments readers have sent us about
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the website. I looked for it after watching October Sky for the second time. It really caught my eye because I happened to be the Manager of Personnel Administration for Y.S.& T. in their Youngstown General Office (it was actually located in Boardman, Ohio) during the 1970's and kept the personnel records for Olga Coal's salaried folks. It brought back fond memories many of which have unfortunately faded with time. Even though I never got to visit the mines or Coalwood itself, I got a good feel for the people working and living there through contacts with Olga Coal office personnel. I could not know for sure, but I suspect that many of the mining families were great grandsons and daughters of British Isle folks who came to this country willing to do what ever it took to make a better life for themselves with no thought of asking for help from a central government. Regardless, thanks for your dedication and time to put the site together. I
hope it expands as time goes by and as you get more information.
I can't believe I waited this long to search for "COALWOOD" on the internet.
What a fine website! I just wanted to say to Homer that his commentary and remarks in the "extra features" on the October Sky DVD mark him as the very best ambassador for West Virginia I have ever seen or heard. Homer Hickam displays such great, genuine, warm, down-home characteristics. His genuine warmth comes through like no other commentary on any DVD I have ever seen or heard. Hollywood directors, producers, costume designers, etc. can't come close to Homer's genuine warmth; they should listen carefully and take a good lesson from him. But they'll never equal Homer, because his warmth obviously comes straight from his heart. Thanks, Homer, for representing us West Virginians so wonderfully.
My mom went to Big Creek HS. My Grandpa who passed away years ago worked in
the coal mine. I remember when my mom and aunt watched October Sky they
cried. It brought back a lot of memories for them. In October Sky,
the grammar teacher on the movie was also a teacher of theirs, though they were
a few years younger than the boys, but they remember them. Canada and West
Virginia is a very different life style, but I so very much enjoy your website
as it makes me feel closer to my mother's side and helps me understand how they
lived in such a small place, and I truly understand why they get so emotional
and so proud to be from War and Coalwood.
My family is originally from War, W.Va. My grandmother Fanny Fite raised
several children there and had a boarding house in War. One of her daughters
back in the early 60's by the name of Rosalee Fite Dykes had an antique shop on
main street in War. I have been out of contact for over 25 years with all my
family there. If there is any of the Fite family could you please contact me. My
father's name was Roy W. Fite, and my mother's name was Nettie Gilbert Fite also
of War. Her mother's name was Callie Gilbert and she also lived in War up above
Big Creek High School. I do remember my cousins names were REX, LINDA, AND
BONNIE DYKES. Their father was Julius Dykes and they lived up on the hill from
Big Creek High School .If anyone knew any of my family would love to hear and
read stories. Thank you for your time. Sandy Homer Hickam took us back to a time and place that we who were born in the
forties remember. His writing is remarkable.....he truly captured the era,
opening up a whole new world to his readers: Coalwood, West Virginia
Great website. I was born and raised in the capital city of WV. I work in
construction as a senior estimator in Myrtle Beach. When I worked in the field
in WV before leaving like so many others I worked in Bradshaw and other similar
areas. It is good to see these type of positive websites about the best state in
the US. I can relate to hard work but not to coal mining. Thanks for some
enlightenment, this website and of course Mr. Hickam's books.
I am currently on duty in Iraq. I first became interested in Coalwood, West
Virginia after watching October Sky. I then read three of Mr. Hickam's
books and fell in love with Coalwood. I have not had the opportunity to visit
Coalwood, but lord willing and the creek don't rise, I may be able to visit in
the fall of 2007. I will eventually make it to your festival. In the
meantime, I will continue to visit your Coalwood website and look forward to the
day that I can come and visit. I grew up in a coal mining county in southeastern
Kentucky. My family still lives there. It is a wonderful place to visit when
time permits. I realize that the Coalwood that I know from the movie and the
book no longer exists, but the memories still linger in my mind. I really love this site, it's fantastic. I haven't yet visited Coalwood, but,
from what I've seen on this website, Coalwood looks like a very beautiful place,
and I'd love to come up for a visit. Particularly, duing the October Sky
Festival, when I can see all the Rocket Boys, especially my favorite Rocket Boy
Homer Hickam. After autographing my book "Rocket Boys." It would be my pleasure
to visit Coalwood and meet, not just Homer himself, but all the Coalwood people.
This site is very, very interesting, and I love it. Nice site. Lovely. Makes me wanna cry.
My husband and I are from War and Newhall. This site makes both of us very
homesick. JOB WELL DONE! Those were the good-ole days.
My son and I loved the movie October Sky and still watch it to this
day every chance we get. One Saturday in a late summertime, I got edgy and said
let's go see if we can find it. Knowing this trip was a good distance, we
drove anyway, having traveled other places in this country by plane but never
sightseeing in my own state. I had no idea what I was in for. I must
say it was a great trip for me, my son and my fiancé at the time who loved the
movie as well. The people in the town were so helpful when telling me the points
of interest in their fair town. I look forward to returning one day
because my son and I love setting our own rockets off. Special thanks to the
townspeople of Coalwood. We got some great pictures we can keep for years.
Wow! This web site is really cool. I've learned from Coalwood that coal
miners are very important people. And they're very brave too. I hope to one day
be able to visit Coalwood and see where all these amazing things happened!
I'm from Richmond, Virginia, and an avid reader of all of Homer's books, and
I love visiting this site. Coalwood looks very much like a place I'd like to
visit. I'm planning, so far to come to the 2006 October Sky Festival, and hope
to see Homer in person, that's always been a dream of mine. Goofy as it seems,
to meet my favorite Rocket Boy in person. Also, I love these Coalwood websites,
they've become my favorites on the Internet.
My mother, formerly Marjorie Bettie Hall and her twin sister Margaret Billy
Hall were raised in Coalwood, WVA. On the 26th of May [2006] they will be making
a trip there to see all the old hometown places. They will be 81 years old in
July. My mother has many memories of Coalwood and she hasn't forgotten anything!
I hope she can find the Substation and her old home place and maybe the school.
They were there in the 30's and 40's.
I just finished reading "October Sky" and I am grateful to have learned more
about West Virginia and around Coalwood. I would like to visit Mrs.
Riley's grave and pay respect to her sense of values. She encouraged Homer and
the Rocket Boys to dream and do what they enjoyed doing: build rockets. I have
also first seen the movie and showed it to my family in France. I grew up around
a mine shaft where my father worked underground to feed us boys. I knew it was
dangerous work as my dad came back once on a stretcher. The roof had caved in
and he was trapped under tons of coal. He survived fortunately not like Mr.
Bykovski. |