Bartley, West Virginia

Bartley
Census-designated place (CDP)
Bartley Location within the state of West Virginia
Coordinates: 37°20′26″N81°44′15″W / 37.34056°N 81.73750°W / 37.34056; -81.73750
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
County	McDowell
Area [1]
• Total	1.156 sq mi (2.99 km2)
• Land	1.142 sq mi (2.96 km2)
• Water	0.014 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	146
• Density	130/sq mi (49/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	24813
Area code	304
GNIS feature ID	1553808 [2]

Bartley is a census-designated place (CDP) located in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. It lies along the Norfolk and Western Railroad on the Dry Fork. As of the 2020 census, its population was 146 (down from 224 at the 2010 census). ^{[3] [4]} According to the Geographic Names Information System, Bartley has also been known as Bartlett and Peeryville.

History

The community derives its name from Bartley Ross, an original owner of the town site. ^[5]

Mining disaster

Bartley was the site of one of the deadliest mine disasters in American history when the Pond Creek #1 mine, owned by the Pocahontas Coal Corporation, exploded on January 10, 1940, at 2:30 PM. ^[6] Ninety-one miners lost their lives that fateful day. The west side of the mine was not affected and 37 men escaped injury and another 10 men at the bottom of the shaft, used to drop the men into the mine, were also not affected. A rescue effort was mounted and seven hours after the first explosion, while men were working to save their fellow miners, a second explosion occurred, thus sealing the fate and ending the rescue effort for the 91 lost men.

Upon investigation, the cause of the explosion was found to be a gas pocket that had built up during the shift that was touched off by a spark of unknown origin. The mine had had a continuous history of having dangerous gas conditions throughout its history. The memorial marker to the 91 men can be found at the local United Methodist Church located at Bartley. The explosion left 51 widowed women along with 169 orphaned children.

References

1. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bartley, West Virginia
3. "Census Bureau profile: Bartley CDP, West Virginia". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
5. Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 96.
6. "West Virginia MINE DISASTERS". Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2012.