Here are a few photos that I took around Gary Hollow, if you have some photos you would like to share please send them to me.  ................UPDATED  8 -15- 2009

If this picture don`t bring a tear to your eye nothing will. Just think back about 49-50 years ago and you will understand my meaning..............As you drive up the street, you wonder where is everyone? where are all the kids?  no kids riding bikes, no kids playing ball, no one lined up at the store to get a cola and bag of peanuts, where are the miners walking to the mine carrying their dinner buckets ? where has the time gone?..........??

The Clubhouse looks like it has been refurbed and looks like folks are living in it now . Thinking back in time I cannot ever remember going inside this building.......have you?

This is what West Virginia is all about!......Taken from # 9 mountain road ..........no place on earth can compare.!!

The Mountains of Wesr Virginia are still the most beautiful.

This is the holler across from Elbert/Filbert Grade school , there is a Coal mine operation there blocking the hollow. The farm that I was born and raised on is just a short ways up. But I was denied permission to walk up and see the "HOLLER" . My question is who is in charge here the coal company`s or the people of the area?.....

Elbert/Filbert Grade School Today.....As I am sitting here loading in these photos of times past I am listening to the radio , right now Floyd Cramers piano song Last Date is on , that seems to make this picture very sad. The school is boarded up and closed down, its owned by a church but does not seem to be in use now and there is a for sale sign out front.   There is a LOT OF HISTORY in this school . My question is , is this right for this building to die a slow death like this ? After all she did for so many of us. This is a Historical Site if I ever saw one !!........Come on Elbert Gang lets get together and do something about this...........after all this building is our heritage!!...........Forget the whales, forget the spotted owl, lets save this School!!.............or you can be like the rest and just roll over and play dead......................Yes I said this........Buddy Garay.......yes I love Elbert.....do you........????

These houses used to be bosses row in Elbert a long time ago.

This is all that remains of the Filbert Catholic Church, the steps that led up to the front door.

This is about all that is left of three lifetimes of memories and History

This picture taken from the haul road that goes across the mountain and comes out in # 8, from where it tops out before dropping down. Look close and you will see a strip mine on top of a mountain, looks like cancer.

This little house in Elbert is for sale, want to buy it and live the good life?

This cemetery and the graves are neglected, the weeds were mowed and under control , its just starting to show its age. Those of us who have family there should do something about our respective family graves.

The lower end of the Thorpe Cemetery, look close and you will see a deer . This is a peaceful scene!