In the spring of 1895, a sudden wage cut swept through the Flat Top-Pocahontas coal fields along the Virginia/West Virginia border, touching off one of the earliest large-scale labor confrontations in that part of Appalachia. What began as a wildcat strike quickly shut down mines along the Norfolk and Western Railroad, disrupted coal shipments to Norfolk, and brought state militia into the company town of Pocahontas.<br /><br />Today we tell the story of the Flat Top miners’ strike of 1895.<br /><br />If you enjoy our stories of Appalachian history and folklore, subscribe to the Stories podcast and follow the show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stories-of-appalachia--5553692/support" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Consider becoming a supporter of the Stories podcast as well, at spreaker.com.  You’ll get an ad-free feed of our stories along with lots of extra audio! </a><br /><br />Thanks for listening.