History

Rock, a small rural community nestled between three mountains and along the Bluestone River, is the valley site Richard Bailey, Jr. chose as his home. In the late 1700’s Richard, Jr., as well as several of his brothers, chose this river valley for its rich farm land. Their father, Richard Bailey, Sr. was one of the earliest settlers of what is now Bluefield, WV. These brothers and their ancestors were great contributors to the history of the Bluestone River Valley. Several direct descendents of Richard, Jr. continue to live in this area of Mercer County where they are known for their community spirit.

Three of the most influential forces contributing to the settling and development of Rock were the Bluestone River, the post office and the railroads. The Bluestone River Valley winds through what is now Tazewell County along the banks of the Bluestone, other settlers continued their settling along this same river. In the area that is now Rock, there is much bottomland, making the area attractive to the early farmers. Therefore, it was on the banks of the Bluestone River that the beginning of the community was established.

Near the banks of the Bluestone is a huge rock cliff formation that provided the community’s first name of “The Rock.” It was near this rock cliff that the first post office was located. At this early stage of history, horses were used to deliver the mail to the community from Spanishburg. However, with the arrival of the N&W Railroad in 1890, it became necessary for the post office of “The Rock” to be moved down the river about a mile to accommodate the delivery of mail by rail. It was in 1892 that the name of the post office and the community was changed form “The Rock” to “Rock.” The first post office to open in Rock was located in a store owned by Winton Bailey and his son, Luther. From that time forward the railroad had a great impact on the economic and social development of Rock.

The N&W Railroad was built on the north side of Bluestone River. Most of the early businesses and residences were also built on that side of the river. Later, when the Virginian Railroad was routed through Rock, the north side of the river began its development. As the population grew, the need for homes and stores increased.

Both the N&W and Virginian Railroads served Rock. Each had a freight and passenger station. Each had a sidetrack for loading and unloading freight. The Virginian RR was vital to delivering bottles and sugar to the bottling plant. At one time there were five passenger trains passing through Rock daily. With the arrival of the N&W and Virginian railroads to Rock, much speculation was given to the town’s becoming a flourishing community as the railroads sought land to expand its enterprises. However, it was not to be. The landowners were reluctant to sell, causing the railroads to look elsewhere. Ironically, the railroads were instrumental in Rock’s lack of growth. In the early 1900’s, with the opening of coal mines in this section of Mercer County, the railroads carried the coal from the mines to market. The N&W served the mines along the Widemouth Hollow, carrying tons of coal daily. All of this coal was routed through Rock. All of these mines closed in the late 1970’s and 80’s. The Virginian also carried coal from mines in Wyoming County. Today the old Virginian line is now the Norfolk Southern Railway and continues to haul coal from Wyoming County through Rock.

In its “hey day” Rock was the home of four stores, a boarding house, a coffin shop, a livery Stable, blacksmith shop, saloon, planing mill, a barrel stave mill and two railroad freight/passenger stations. There was also a slaughterhouse for a short period af time, a bottling plant and a hospital.

The stores sold general merchandise necessary for survival in this rural community. Three stores were on the north side of the Bluestone and the other one was on the south side of the river, across the road from the Rock Cliff Mineral Springs Bottling Plant. As roads were built and automobiles became popular, residents no longer depended on the railroad for transportation. Now they could travel easily to larger towns, as a result, the local stores did not survive. The store that remained in business the longest housed the post office and at one time it also served as a passenger station for the N&W Railroad.

The bottling plant was the largest employer and longest established enterprise in Rock. Founded by two Smith brothers, it was called the Smith Brothers Bottling Plant, later it was shortened to Smith Bottling Company. Later, the company was sold to the Northfork Coca-Cola Bottling Company and renamed Rock Cliff Mineral Spring Bottling Company. At this time the bottling company bottled Rock Cliff sodas, pale-dry ginger ale and golden ginger ale. In the early 60’s the equipment was moved to Bluefield and soon, thereafter, the Rock Cliff sodas and ginger ales became history.

A large two-story boarding house was located between the railroad and the road. When the boarding house was torn down the lumber salvaged from it was used to build two homes that are still occupied. In the same general area there was a livery stable and a blacksmith shop. As horses were abandoned as transportation there was no longer a need for these businesses. The slaughter house was short lived because most farmers usually chose to do their own slaughtering and butchering for personal use.

As with most towns there was a local saloon that stood in the area of the present post office. It was never very popular with the local residents so it did not last too long. Nearby, the N&W Railroad built a freight and passenger station. It was eventually torn down and one of the general stores served as the passenger station. Three other businesses were in the same vicinity. One was a concrete block plant that manufactured the formed blocks that were used to build the bottling plant. The other two business specialized in wood products, one cut barrel staves to be shipped to a factory; the other was a planning mill that produced finished wood material for local homes.

In keeping with the needs of the community, there was a coffin shop located in the lower end of town and the coffins were sold in one of the nearby general stores.

Drs. Byrd and Vermillion established a hospital. It had an ice house nearby for its patients and area residents. The ice was shipped from Princeton via the Virginian Railroad and then hauled to the ice house on horse drawn wagons. The hospital served a large area with some patients coming to Rock on the train. After the hospital closed the building became a residence as it continues to be today.

Many of the early settlers were instrumental in establishing places of worship, two of which continue to hold services for the members of the community. One is the Baptist on the north side of Bluestone. The other is the Rock United Methodist Church built in 1887 on the south side of Bluestone on Black Oak Mountain.

A one-room school located on the hill below the Baptist church and above the N&W Railroad tracks was replaced in the early 1900’s with a new four-room school across the highway bridge that crosses Bluestone. In 1973 this school was closed when the students were transported to the new consolidated Montcalm Elementary School.

In the early 1900’s when the coal companies sponsored baseball teams, a large field located between the Virginian Railroad and the Bluestone River on the side was the center of the community’s sport activities. This property, owned by Dr. Byrd and A. Crockett Bailey, later was a racetrack for motorcycles. Also, from time to time carnival rides were set up in this area.

Of historical significance is the Bailey Cemetery. This cemetery was on the property of Richard Bailey, Jr.. Since his first wife died early in their marriage, it is thought that she could have been the first buried here. It is known that Richard Jr. and his wife, Isabel, are buried here in unmarked graves.

Rock is now a very small community with the post office being the only business. Homes remain along the road on the north side of the river with a few scattered homes in the outlying area. Even though there a few farms in the area, most people travel to local towns for work. From all indications Rock will continue much as it is, serving citizens well as a good place to rear a family in a rural setting, not too far from larger towns, and still within easy driving distance to schools, jobs and shopping.

Established as “The Rock” in Mercer County, Virginia on Sept. 18, 1855. Near the town is a rock cliff, approximately 80 to 100 feet high on Route 71. The town was named after this rock. The first post office and postmaster were also appointed on Sept. 18, 1855. West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1863 and the town’s name was changed from Rock, Virginia to Rock, West Virginia on December 15, 1892. Rock settlers built their first church out of logs in 1853. A Methodist church was built first, and called “Old Zion”. Each family made and carved their own pew. A Baptist church was built later, between 1914 and 1916. Both churches are at their original locations today.

Rock started as a small community. William O. Keys established the first US. mail route in 1926, using a horse and buggy to deliver the mail. With the coming of the rural route, Rock became a much larger town. At the present there are two rural routes serving nearly 2000 customers. Also a new brick post office was built in 1991.

Rock is located along Bluestone River on State Route 71. Four swinging bridges were built across Bluestone River and a passageway called a ford was made in the river near the post office, so horses and buggies could cross. In 1917, a one lane steel bridge was built across the river near Rock school. It served a useful purpose for many years. The steel bridge was torn down in 1988 and replaced with a new two lane concrete bridge. Work began on the new bridge on February 18, 1988. The new bridge was opened to traffic on November 2, 1988.

Rock had many business’s in the early 1900’s including three General stores. One of the stores had a barber shop and a post office was located in one of the others. James David Rufus Wright owned the General Store with the Post Office and served as one of the first postmasters at Rock. He also helped found the Rock Methodist Church. Later he sold the store and bought a farm on Wright Mountain. He is the grandfather of Margaret Wright Keys.

A concrete block plant was located in Hughes Bottom. A casket company was owned and operated by a Mr. Sales. An embalming service was located in the same building. A Plaining Mill was located in Rock where logs were made into smooth finished lumber. There were three saw mills in Rock. The Tunnel Grist Mill ground corn and wheat into flour and meal. This mill was located about two miles down Bluestone River on what is known as Rock River Road. The tunnel which was bored through solid rock to provide water power to the mill still stands today. A hotel and boarding house were located in midtown Rock. The men who built the railroad stayed there. The Virginia railroad and The Norfolk and Western railroad were built through the town of Rock in 1907. A tunnel was cut through the rock cliff that Rock was named after for the railroad to go through. There was a passenger station located near the steel bridge for the Norfolk and Western Railroad. Another passenger station was located near the Bottling Plant for the Virginian Railroad. Combined, both railroads had as many as ten passenger trains as well as several freight and coal trains passing through Rock everyday.

A hospital was built at Rock in 1910. The attending physicians were Dr. John Bird, Dr. Fred Barger, as surgeon and Dr. E. Vermillion. Dr. John Bird made house calls on horse back and on foot, carrying medicine and supplies. His office was in his home beside the hospital. The hospital is still standing today, occupied by the Bernard Sutherland family. Also, Dr. Bird’s home is still there with a family living in it.

Another business that came to Rock as the Rock Mineral Springs Bottling Company. A galvanized pipe was run from a good distance on Black Oak Mountain to provide water for the plant. Later a well was dug near the plant. The original well didn’t provide enough water so another well was dug nearby. It was an Artesian well and still furnishes water to homes located near the site of the old plant. The bottling company was well known for it’s Rock Cliff Ginger Ale. The plant also bottled Rock Cliff soda pop in many different flavors. There were as many as 50 people employed there. The Coca Cola Company of Bluefield bought the plant and it’s bottling machinery was moved there in 1970. Most of the people who worked at the Rock plant were transferred to the Bluefield plant. The Bluefield plant continued to bottle Rock Cliff products for many years afterwards.

The first school in Rock was a one room building made of logs located on the Black Oak Mountain road. Later a school was built on Wright Mountain. Also there were two, one room school buildings near the Rock Baptist Church. These schools were closed in 1913 and a two room brick building was built near the steel bridge. Later two more rooms were added over the two existing rooms making this a two story building. Grades 1 through 8 were taught in the school. Later it was reduced to grades 1 through 6. Miss Ethel Clark was the first teacher of the school. Some of the other teachers were Gladys Vaughn, Blanche Vest, Elizabeth Hall, Mamie Parks, Mary Underwood, Ray Bailey Josie Alger and Harless Cook. Rock School had a total of 21 principals during it’s history. The school was closed in 1973 due to declining attendance and consolidated with Montcalm Elementary School. Jim Bailey of Rock was the principal there.

Rock had many recreational facilities, such as Rock Swimming Pool for the public, with a Skating Rink nearby. Also, Rock Baseball Park, owned by the Crockett Bailey family. The ballpark was a favorite family activity. Baseball players from all over southern West Virginia came to play ball with The Rock Team. Families packed picnic lunches and spent the day. Often there were gospel and country music concerts in the park. Rock School always had their last day of school picnic there.

At first it looked like Rock would be a growing town, but promoters could not buy land at a reasonable price and it resulted in an undeveloped town. Businesses and industry’s went elsewhere. Rock is a quiet. peaceful community today. A lot of the former residents have passed away or moved to other places. It is still a good place to live.