Thursday, May 21, 1970
Moody Moore decided to plow a new garden plot this year and broke ground in a place that hadn’t been plowed for over a hundred years, judging by an apple tree Mr. Moore remembered being fifty years old when he was a boy.
As he plowed, he noticed some black material being turned over now and then, but he was through and looking down on the plot before he realized there was a black band, 12 to 18 inches wide, making a 24-foot wide circle. The soil inside the circle showed evidence of heat. The black substance was two or three inches below the surface. Mr. Moore found some chunks and they were charcoal, made from black pine. Some were sent off to the state geologist to determine the age, maybe it was Indian Ceremonial ground or something. Before leaving Town, Mr. Moore saw Brown Miller and he remembers being told that they used to make charcoal to use in melting metal and they would stand the black pine sections straight up in a circle.
We’ll have to learn more.
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It’s hard to say which season is the prettiest, but Saturday was a nice day to be out and the many white dogwoods in the spring green of the new leaves up Knapps Creek, through Seneca and on to Cass were an inspiration. W. E. Blackhurst had said the azaleas or, as we call them, the honeysuckles, behind Cass were worth coming to see and it was so. Deep pink in thick clusters on the mountain can be seen as you round the curve outside of Cass. Itis a real show. The flame (orange) azaleas will follow, but they are not as profuse as this place. The Back Mountain road, he says, steals the show on the orange ones.
Track
Marlinton made a good showing in the regional Track Meet at Elkins Saturday, placing fourth in a field of eleven AA schools.
The 440-yard Relay Team, composed of John George, Larry Lacy, David Cain and Terry Bennett, won their event with a time of 46.5 seconds, which was the best time recorded in the State in any of the regional meets.
Doug Wagner placed second in the pole vault at 10 feet, 11 inches. The relay team and Doug Wagner won the right to compete in the State Track Meet at Charleston this Friday and Saturday.
Charles Hamer and his assistant, David McLaughlin, are to be commended for their fine work with the track team this year, doing this extra work on their own. This is the first time for a good many years that Marlinton has had a track team. Mr. Hamer helped construct a track and made the hurdles and other equipment.
4-H Field Day
Members of twenty-four 4-H Clubs will gather in Marlinton Saturday for the annual Pocahontas County 4-H Field Day, according to Betty Rae Weiford, CEA.
The first event of the day will be the judging of original club song and yell.
The 4-H Olympics will begin at 10:45. The events include high jump, broad jump, 50-yard dash, shot put, egg throw, and water relay. Points will be awarded for placing in each event. The club totaling the highest score will receive a trophy to keep until Field Day, 1971.
Free choice events will be held in the afternoon… These events include: broad jump, 50-yard dash, shot put, crab race, wheelbarrow race, Siamese twins race…
The Huntersville Jaguars and Minnehaha Braves 4-H clubs will sell sandwiches and soft drinks during the noon hour.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Edsel Kelley, of Dunmore, a son, named Joseph Lawrence.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Birely, of Dunmore, a daughter, named Elsie Veronica.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Workman, of Marlinton, a daughter, named Lisa Anne.
DEATHS
Miss Josie Alitha Dorman, 55, of Huntington, formerly of Pocahontas County; born at Denmar, a daughter of the late Romie and Blanche Cochran Dorman. Burial in the Old Droop Cemetery.
Clyde Lee Wilmoth, 60, of Durbin; burial in the Wilmoth Cemetery at Bartow.
Fred T. Galford, 80, of Marlinton, born at Woodrow, a son of the late John and Frances Galford. He was a retired forest ranger, a widely known fisherman and hunter, one of the old time bear hunters.