By Allen Hamrick
Hey folks, I’m here once again with sports and stories from the exciting days of Clay County’s past. I believe that it is important not to forget how the county was once a bustling area full of mountain pride with wild stories of mountain folk who took on each day with vigor and a determination to make their home a great place to live. When industry was alive and well in this county, towns and settlements sprung up around the coal and lumber boom. People came in search of work and a place to call home. Over time, the ever changing landscape shut down the coal business, closing towns like Widen which was at one time bigger than Clay to just a few people who hang on to the dream. Dundon caved into the mists of time as the logging and coal business faded into memory. They had it all once upon a time in the county of Clay; there was no need to go anywhere else because it was all here. We still have a good place to call home, but the days when industry pumped life into the veins are over. We must move on to the future if we are to have a chance to survive. So, for just a couple of weeks, we will put some photos and stories that were published from 1939 until 1946 in the Clay County Free Press. Be sure to take a good look at the photos; you may recognize some of them. Enjoy!
