New River Park is a Great Place for Family Destination Southern West Virginia

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New River Park in Beckley in southern West Virginia is a great place to spend time exploring and enjoying a variety of attractions.  The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine is located on site, as is the Youth Museum.  There is also a campground featuring a pool, hiking trails and a variety of sporting and recreational amenities.

Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine
At the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, visitors can tour fascinating exhibits both above and below ground.  On an underground tour, you will travel 1500 feet down to explore old working areas of the coal mine.  Authentic mining man cars are used to guide visitors along a tour that highlights the history of coal mining, from the old days through modern times.  
Aboveground exhibits at the Coal Mine consist of beautifully restored historical coal camp buildings.  Visitors can walk through the Superintendent’s Home, a Miner’s Shanty, the Helen Coal Camp School, the Coal Company House and several other historic structures. Together, the structure’s recreate an entire
20th century coal camp.   

The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine underwent major renovations and expansions in 2007. An expansion to the gift shop, improvements to visitor services and a variety of new exhibits were all part the 3.5 million dollar expansion and renovation effort.  A new facility housing the coal mine’s many historic artifacts is now located at the Beckley Coal Mine.

The Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia
The Youth Museum at New River Park is located right next to the Beckley Coal Mine.  This is a beautiful area featuring picnic spots, gardens and plenty of open lawn spaces.  The main gallery of the Youth Museum consists of four railroad boxcar exhibits designed to educate and entertain young visitors as well as the young at heart.  There is a Planetarium at the Museum where special programs and events are held seasonally.  

In addition to the main Museum, visitors can tour the Mountain Homestead which recreates an Appalachian frontier settlement.  A Weaver’s shed, log cabin, one room school, blacksmith’s shop and several other buildings depict 19th century frontier life.  Each building contains artifacts and antiques, and interpreters explain how they were made and used in daily life in the late 1800s.

New River Park Campground and Recreational Facilities
The perfect place to stay on your visit to New River Park is right on site at the campground.  Both tent and RV camping sites are available at the New River campground. Visitors can enjoy touring both the Beckley Coal Mine and the Youth Museum’s attractions, plus take advantage of the many recreational activities available at New River Park.  The Park features both tennis and basketball courts, an Olympic size pool plus waterslide and playground equipment.  There are also baseball fields, trails, and concession stands at New River Park.