I want the good bad and ugly on these towns.

[Warchief]

I can give you info on Clintwood Va.I would advise anyone to stay away from this place.It used to be a good place to live untill 1989.After a change in the sheriffs department in 89 it has been all down hill.We used to be able to go to town on Friday and Saturday night hang out,listen to music,talk,cruise untill late hours or early morning and just have a good time.Now you try that and you get stopped,questioned,your car searched,a bunch of nosey questions asked like you are not supposed to be out after dark.One drug dog and the dude in charge of it has no control of that thing at all.It never stops barking whether going up the road or sitting still on a parking lot.Last i knew there were over 300 narcs in the county pointing fingers to get themselves out of it.Then there are the people who think they are better than everybody else.They have to mind everybody else's bussiness instead of their own.They like to spread rumors and tell thing's they know absolutley nothing about although they think they do.Guess you could say they are class A hypocrites.They take their home scanners to a store and have chips put in so they can sit in the house and listen to other peoples cordless phone conversations.There is absolutley no where for the young people to go and nothing for them to do.There is a skating rink.You can rent it for birthday parties but you can only bring a cake.You have to buy drinks,food and eveything else from them there.Now they have banned skateboarding on streets or parking lots.That was they only place the teens had.It's a twenty mile trip if you want to go to a movie,a twenty mile trip to a clothing store unless you like family dollar or dollar general.
If you are an adult and like to go out to dinner and have a beer or drink with it,forget it.Not one bar nor a restaraunt in this place that serves anything like that.That's another twenty mile trip.If you like a nice clean car or truck keep them away from here.Nothing but dust in the summer and mud and coal black when it rains or snows.It's the truth. I went to Haysi in the winter it had rained and you could not see the lines in the center of the road or the lines on the side.The road was nothing but wet coal black.I meet a camaro that was supposed to be red.Well it was black and that's the truth.Every car and truck on that road including mine was filthy.
Then we have the school. Good ol,Clintwood High.Not much has changed since i went there in the 70's.Football players always come first in everything.Then the money people.Then if anything is left or there is something else the rest of the children can get in line.Drivers ed is a good example.Instead of going by grades and age it's football players first,cheerleaders,money people then the other children if they can fit them in that year.The school offers very little in academic choices.No soccer for high school,no wrestling,no boxing.They have a football tem and no band.
I had not been out town late in several years untill just awhile back.I came through town after dark at 10 pm traveled from one end to the other and meet not one car.Nobody.Hard to believe when at one time traffice was lined up going through town people laughing and having a good time.They put a stop to that though.Hardee's and McDonalds close at 11pm Pizza hut at 11pm and Long Johns at 10pm.Last year the swimming pool didn't even open untill July.Then it's 3-4 miles out of town on the river bank.There used to be a pool in town with water slides and some other stuff.Guess what!The town bought it and tore it down then put in some small trailers to make a club house for mentally handicapped people.Not saying they didn't need a place but there was plenty of other places it could have been put.
Then there is the scenery they like to hype.If you like looking at coal mines,strip jobs and hill sides that have been logged out you'll love it here.The creeks and streams are filled with mud and silt from the run off over the years from the mining and stripping.Some homes still have the bathrooms run straight into the Pound river and the creeks and streams.The rivers and lake here are filthy.No shortage on trash in them.The only place here that looks like anything is the Breaks Interstate Park.If it wasn't protected they would strip and log it as well.
If you are looking for a dump this is the place to be.If you are looking for a place to live and i mean live to have a life this is not the place.There is the hype and then there is the truth about this place.I gave you the truth.

[SRose59]

I may be in trouble with this but: Not many of them have PC's or anything but slow dial up service-LOL
ok..sorry (but probably true although DSL service is getting better in servicing these areas)
That said...I am familar with almost all of these areas as I was either born in, lived in or near most of them so I will try to help here. You said you wanted to know EVERYTHING but that encomposes a lot!......I could give you more info if I knew whether you wanted to live in the areas related to work or exactly WHAT you were asking. The first ones I am not real familar with but I am with most of the others.
1)Narrows & 2) Cana - I DON'T know a lot about these except they are very rural (I expect much like Clintwood if not smaller)
3) Hillsville- Nice little town and, as said, close to I 77 and I 81. I visit there about once a year for a large Labor Day flea market they have.....all of the people there at this time make it seem larger but it is small town living.
4) Woodlawn- Sorry...don't know
5)Rural Retreat- Name says it all...quaint little farming town famous for Dr. Pepper soft drink start (or so they say as there is some debate there) It IS very close to I 81 and Wythville (which is growing a bit but has shopping and fast food) and to Marion...not much there)
6)Saltville- VERY rural. Some Civi War history (this area was fought over because it was the main salt provision for the war) and recently famous for the Wolly Mamouth bones found in the salt deposits. It is beautiful country tho....not to far from civilization (Abingdon/Bristol)
7)Richlands- Nice area close to WV line....growing a bit and has beautiful mountain views.
8)Cleveland- Very Rural...nice land lay and views. As said, close to Lebanon
9) Weber City... (nearest to me now) is small area...BUT close to Kingsport, Tn which, as stated, has about all you could want/need.
10) Dryden....Not much here...very rural.....not to far from Weber City (maybe 20 miles)
11)Pound- Quaint very small little town on the KY border.....not much here except a Prison related to work.
12) Clintwood...My home of birth....not much here either (sorry family!) Very small quaint town a long way from anything. Shares Pounds prison for work...(guards,etc.)
The other post are correct in any other aspect.....and housing IS much more affordable in most of these areas tho unemployment in high in most job markets except medical and mining is picking up.
I will try to help you with any other questions you have....just ask.

[SRose59]

Originally Posted by Warchief

I can give you info on Clintwood Va.I would advise anyone to stay away from this place.It used to be a good place to live untill 1989.After a change in the sheriffs department in 89 it has been all down hill.We used to be able to go to town on Friday and Saturday night hang out,listen to music,talk,cruise untill late hours or early morning and just have a good time.Now you try that and you get stopped,questioned,your car searched,a bunch of nosey questions asked like you are not supposed to be out after dark.One drug dog and the dude in charge of it has no control of that thing at all.It never stops barking whether going up the road or sitting still on a parking lot.Last i knew there were over 300 narcs in the county pointing fingers to get themselves out of it.Then there are the people who think they are better than everybody else.They have to mind everybody else's bussiness instead of their own.They like to spread rumors and tell thing's they know absolutley nothing about although they think they do.Guess you could say they are class A hypocrites.They take their home scanners to a store and have chips put in so they can sit in the house and listen to other peoples cordless phone conversations.There is absolutley no where for the young people to go and nothing for them to do.There is a skating rink.You can rent it for birthday parties but you can only bring a cake.You have to buy drinks,food and eveything else from them there.Now they have banned skateboarding on streets or parking lots.That was they only place the teens had.It's a twenty mile trip if you want to go to a movie,a twenty mile trip to a clothing store unless you like family dollar or dollar general.
If you are an adult and like to go out to dinner and have a beer or drink with it,forget it.Not one bar nor a restaraunt in this place that serves anything like that.That's another twenty mile trip.If you like a nice clean car or truck keep them away from here.Nothing but dust in the summer and mud and coal black when it rains or snows.It's the truth. I went to Haysi in the winter it had rained and you could not see the lines in the center of the road or the lines on the side.The road was nothing but wet coal black.I meet a camaro that was supposed to be red.Well it was black and that's the truth.Every car and truck on that road including mine was filthy.
Then we have the school. Good ol,Clintwood High.Not much has changed since i went there in the 70's.Football players always come first in everything.Then the money people.Then if anything is left or there is something else the rest of the children can get in line.Drivers ed is a good example.Instead of going by grades and age it's football players first,cheerleaders,money people then the other children if they can fit them in that year.The school offers very little in academic choices.No soccer for high school,no wrestling,no boxing.They have a football tem and no band.
I had not been out town late in several years untill just awhile back.I came through town after dark at 10 pm traveled from one end to the other and meet not one car.Nobody.Hard to believe when at one time traffice was lined up going through town people laughing and having a good time.They put a stop to that though.Hardee's and McDonalds close at 11pm Pizza hut at 11pm and Long Johns at 10pm.Last year the swimming pool didn't even open untill July.Then it's 3-4 miles out of town on the river bank.There used to be a pool in town with water slides and some other stuff.Guess what!The town bought it and tore it down then put in some small trailers to make a club house for mentally handicapped people.Not saying they didn't need a place but there was plenty of other places it could have been put.
Then there is the scenery they like to hype.If you like looking at coal mines,strip jobs and hill sides that have been logged out you'll love it here.The creeks and streams are filled with mud and silt from the run off over the years from the mining and stripping.Some homes still have the bathrooms run straight into the Pound river and the creeks and streams.The rivers and lake here are filthy.No shortage on trash in them.The only place here that looks like anything is the Breaks Interstate Park.If it wasn't protected they would strip and log it as well.
If you are looking for a dump this is the place to be.If you are looking for a place to live and i mean live to have a life this is not the place.There is the hype and then there is the truth about this place.I gave you the truth.

As I said......not much there-LOL.....hasn't changed in 30 years! Thanks for the truth and the reason I left! You MUST be "family"-lol

[Warchief]

Originally Posted by SRose59

As I said......not much there-LOL.....hasn't changed in 30 years! Thanks for the truth and the reason I left! You MUST be "family"-lol

Never know.Could be.One thing has changed here though.Since 1977 i know of at least 26 different businesses that have closed in town.

[SRose59]

Maybe you need to go by the old quote of "love it or leave it"....mass exodus in the 70's and time for another one????

[Gladhatter]

Life long resident of Clintwood area living 9 miles from town. Nothing here for many and everything for some. ALL of SouthWest VA has a Drug problem or maybe a solution depending on how you see it.

We are road locked and thus stagnant and again good or bad is just prespective.

It is a coal town and if full of the typical hillbillies that inhabit the area. When you talk about Clintwood few live in the town as compared to outlying areas. If you are looking for town life, I do not think it is the place for you. Donald Baker is the Mayor and that is not likely to change and he has not been bad for the town but is always good to himself.

Pound like Haysi is an old beer joint, poker room and ***** house town but Wise and Norton are progressing slowly.