The Name Bear Wallow Hollow or Indian Ridge?
For most of us growing ‘Up in the Hollow’, we called it Indian Ridge. However, it is also called ‘Bear Wallow Hollow’. What is the history of these names?
The history is outlined in the book, ‘Northfork: Norfolk & Western Branch Line’ by Alex Schust & Mason Cooper, published by the N & W Historical Society in 2011. This book contains history about the communities up in Northfork Hollow. The photo on the home-page can also be found in the book.
“The creek that runs through the hollow is called ‘Bear Wallow Creek’. In September 1892, a contract was entered into with the N&W Railroad to construct a rail line along Bear Wallow Creek for a distance of 0.9 miles from Worth. The tracks would serve the Indian Ridge Coal and Coke Company, incorporated in March 1893 and believed to be named after the dividing ridge between McDowell and Wyoming County.
The mine was estimated to produce over 2 million plus tons of coal from 1894 to 1915, with peak production in 1906. It employed an average of 146 employees from 1899 to 1915 and peaked at 200 in 1905.
The coal company changed its name to the United Pocahontas Coal Company in 1915 for business reasons but retaining the same ownership. It continued operations under that name until 1941, with 108 employees listed in 1935. The Bear Wallow spur contract was cancelled between the company and N&W and all the track along the spur was removed in 1943. The United Pocahontas Coal Company would then shift its operations to Crumpler.
Bear Wallow Hollow or Indian Ridge. Either is historically correct for the hollow. For those of us who grew up there, we just call it “Indian Ridge”. It’s a name many of us prefer and dearly Love! What are your thoughts or feelings about the name? The community? The people? Join us for our next reunion and share!