Bluefield (West Virginia)

Bluefield is a city of 9,800 people (as of 2018) in Mercer County, West Virginia. Along with Bluefield, Virginia, it forms the micropolitan area of the Bluefields.

Nestled at the foot of the 3,400-foot East River Mountain, Bluefield is the most elevated town in West Virginia, at 2,655 feet above sea level. The town is sometimes called "Summit City", because of its high altitude, and "Nature's Air-Conditioned City" for its pleasant summer temperatures. Since 1941, the Chamber of Commerce's "Lemonade Lassies" have passed out free lemonade on days when the temperature exceeds. The airport thermometer is used to determine this, which is at the highest point in Bluefield. It can often exceed 90° in downtown Bluefield during the summer.

The area was first settled in the 1780s and incorporated in 1889. Named for the blue chicory fields in the area, Bluefield was a booming Norfolk and Western Railroad hub for the coal industry until the decline of coal in the 1960s. Today the city has an air of faded 1950s glory; some of the lovely homes have seen better days, the downtown is largely deserted, and passenger railways have given way to freight cars. The city is beginning to embark on an aggressive revitalization scheme, by restoring old buildings, attracting specialty shops and restaurants back to downtown, and focusing on tourism as a promising source of revenue. The town still retains its small-town Appalachian charm, with friendly people, beautiful scenery, and very low housing costs.

One of the best-known local residents is John Forbes Nash, winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in economics and the subject of the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind. The town has yet to capitalize on this connection, however, so if you're a big fan of the man or the movie, you won't find a lot of related activities or sights in the area. Nash's boyhood home is undergoing renovation, and will likely be a listed historic site in the near future.

By car
Bluefield is just off I-77, between Beckley in the north and Wytheville, Virginia, in the south. Most people will use exit 1, although if you're travelling south to Bluefield, you may see a sign recommending that you get off at exit 9; this, however, is only a needless detour through Princeton. At Bluefield, I-77 becomes the West Virginia Turnpike; if you continue north from Bluefield, you'll encounter toll booths.

The other main roads that pass through the town are US-19, from Abingdon, Virginia in the southwest to Beckley in the north; US-52, from Williamson in the northwest to Wytheville, Virginia, in the south; and US-460, from Grundy, Virginia in the west to Blacksburg, Virginia, in the east.

Get around
Bring your car! The area is rather mountainous, so if you stray from the main highways, you'll probably end up in some hilly terrain. It can be treacherous, especially in winter; but the upside, of course, is that the scenery is often spectacular.

There are also several streets in town that are very steep (Jefferson and S Mercer being good examples); traversing them in warm weather is nail-biting enough, but when the streets are covered with snow or ice, you definitely don't want to attempt it without four-wheel drive.


 * Bluefield Area Transit, 1642 Bluefield Ave, or . Buses run Monday through Friday, with limited weekend service to Athens; closed on holidays. Services Mercer and McDowell Counties with routes into Bluefield, Princeton and Welch. Fares $1–2, or $20–25 for a monthly pass.

See

 * Downtown Bluefield, with its architecture dating from the 1920s. There are self-guided walking tours available.
 * First Fridays, Chicory Square. Live entertainment and food on the first Friday of each month.


 * The East River Mountain Overlook, at the top of the mountain along Route 598 (off Route 460), . Gives visitors a 3,500-foot-high view of the Bluefields and East River Mountain. Observation deck, hiking trails, picnic shelters, tables and grills.
 * The National Coal Heritage Area encompasses 11 counties in southern West Virginia, and aims to preserve, protect, and interpret lands, structures, and communities associated with the coal mining heritage of the state. Bluefield is the southern terminus of the Coal Heritage Trail, a 97-mile scenic drive that passes mine-owners' mansions, miners' homes, company stores, coal tipples and state parks, before ending at the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley.
 * The National Coal Heritage Area encompasses 11 counties in southern West Virginia, and aims to preserve, protect, and interpret lands, structures, and communities associated with the coal mining heritage of the state. Bluefield is the southern terminus of the Coal Heritage Trail, a 97-mile scenic drive that passes mine-owners' mansions, miners' homes, company stores, coal tipples and state parks, before ending at the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley.

Do

 * If you just want a relaxing family afternoon by a gentle stream, haul your picnic basket out to the Bluefield City Park, 1750 Stadium Dr, . Picnic area with 4 pavilions, grills, playground, softball fields, football stadium, youth center with recreational equipment, tennis courts and gymnasium with indoor goals.
 * Greater Bluefield Community Center, 703 College Ave, . Swimming pool, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, aerobics, swimming and lifesaving classes, weight room and Nautilus. Day passes $6.
 * If you just want a relaxing family afternoon by a gentle stream, haul your picnic basket out to the Bluefield City Park, 1750 Stadium Dr, . Picnic area with 4 pavilions, grills, playground, softball fields, football stadium, youth center with recreational equipment, tennis courts and gymnasium with indoor goals.
 * Greater Bluefield Community Center, 703 College Ave, . Swimming pool, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, aerobics, swimming and lifesaving classes, weight room and Nautilus. Day passes $6.



Events
Bluefield holds several festivals during the year:
 * Holiday of Lights Festival, Bluefield City Park. Held yearly from Thanksgiving through the first full week in January. Open 6PM-10PM weekdays, 6PM-11PM weekends. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The city park is festooned with Christmas lights, displays and scenes, which can be viewed from the warmth of your car as you drive along the marked trail.
 * Holiday of Lights Festival, Bluefield City Park. Held yearly from Thanksgiving through the first full week in January. Open 6PM-10PM weekdays, 6PM-11PM weekends. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The city park is festooned with Christmas lights, displays and scenes, which can be viewed from the warmth of your car as you drive along the marked trail.

Also of note is one of the most passionate high school sports rivalries in the country:

Learn
The city newspaper is the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.

Eat
Bluefield isn't quite a culinary drawcard these days; if you like fast food, you're in luck, but otherwise there aren't a whole lot of options.



Drink

 * Kelsey's at the Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 3350 Big Laurel Hwy, +1 304 325-6170. Pub food, drinks and a large dance floor.
 * Kelsey's at the Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 3350 Big Laurel Hwy, +1 304 325-6170. Pub food, drinks and a large dance floor.

Go next

 * Bramwell is about 15 minutes northwest on US-52. It was once home to millionaires and is now home to Pinnacle Rock State Park.
 * Princeton is about 10 minutes northeast on US-460. It's the county seat, and a good access point for Pipestem State Park and the Bluestone National Scenic River.
 * Tazewell, Virginia is about 30 minutes southwest on US-19.
 * Welch is about 1 hour northwest on US-52. It's a traditional mining town in the heart of coal country, although the decline of the industry has hit the town hard.
 * Wytheville, Virginia is about 45 minutes south on I-77.
 * Beckley is about 1 hour north on I-77. Winterplace Ski Resort, in nearby Flat Top, offers skiing, snow tubing and snowboarding trails.
 * Blacksburg, Virginia is a little over 1 hour east on US-460. It's home to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
 * Abingdon, Virginia is about 1½ hours southwest on I-77 / I-81, or a bit under 2 hours if you follow US-19. A charming town popular for its well-known Barter Theatre.
 * Grundy, Virginia is about 1½ hours west on US-460.
 * Williamson is about 2.5 hours west on US-52. Birthplace of the Hatfield-McCoy feud.