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Coal Mining Heritage Park
What do you get when you combine over 100 years of history, a brownfield site
(abandoned coal mine), six distinct biozones on 29.2 acres, and a lot of enthusiasm?
A park.
The Coal Mining Heritage Park is both an
outdoor science laboratory and nature center
for area schools and an outdoor historic and archaeological museum. Whether
your interest is the cultural past, the natural past, or a present influenced
by both cultural and natural forces, the Coal Mining Heritage Park offers something
to pique your curiosity.
Reflecting the rich history and work ethic of the mining community, the park
is being developed and built almost entirely with donated materials and volunteer
labor. The Montgomery County Departments of Planning and Parks and Recreation,
members of the Coal Mining Heritage Association, faculty and students from the
Montgomery County Public Schools, the Fairfax Public Schools (through Radford
University), Radford University and Virginia Tech, area businesses (Lowes, Reed
Lumber, and Draper Aden), corporate researchers from Waste Policy Institute,
and many others have volunteered their time and expertise over the past three
years.
Location and directions
The park is located at Merrimac (next to the intersection
of Merrimac and Hightop Roads) and stretches for 0.6 mile south along the Huckleberry
Trail. If you are driving from Blacksburg, you can reach the park by taking
turning right onto Hightop Road (just north of the hospital), turning left onto
Merrimac Road, crossing the bridge, and immediately turning right.
Click here
for a map outlining the park and roads leading to it.
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