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Two Coal Mining Camps in Photos submitted By: Elva Nolan Morgan
Ages Grammar School Brookside and Ages were two separate communities until 1975. They were less than a half mile apart. Brookside did not have a public school, Brookside kids walked to Ages elementary. Both communities had their own post office. There were no churches in Brookside. Three churches were located in Ages. Ages Pentecostal located behind the old Napier house in Ages. Ages Mountain Assembly and the new Baptist church built in the middle 1950s located in Ages Bottom. Brookside was owned by Harlan Collieries Coal Company and considered a mining camp. Ages land was owned primary by private families. The Nolan's, Harrisons, Deans, Risner, Balls, Lewis, Boggs, Huffs, Saylors, Brocks, Napiers, Owens, Lasley, Spurlocks, Laningham, Skidmore. Residents of Brookside included the Shacklefords, Minks, Hydes, Halls, Mays, Nolans, Skelton, Brown, Rainey, Cornetts, Balls, Gipson, Donavants,Cross, Coopers, Peterson, Whitfields, Belews, Ashers,Colletts, Criders Profits Lunsfords, Blakleys, Lovedays, Clem, Rigney, Ellis, Crusinberry, and,Turner. if I forgot anyone ,please let me know. The dividing mark was a small creek named Ages Creek, which flowed into the Clover Fork River.  Brookside Beer Garden-Company Store and Post Office Before the county was voted dry. The Beer Garden was a a saloon type nightclub for the miners. It was fashioned after the old western bars with the swinging doors. It opened it's doors abt 1938. The garden closed abt 1943. Maggie Bailey of Kitts was the local bootlegger for east Harlan. Many patrons drove to Cumberland, about 25 miles to legally have a drink and swish and sway across the dance floor. Gordon Peterson was in charge of the Garden. Brookside post office opened it's doors March 30, 1930 Harlan Colleries Coal Company Owner and Operator Bryan Whitfield SR
Employees of the mines were John Carter, John McKinley, Joe Whitfield. These men were office workers. John Carter was the postal clerk for Brookside. Farmer Asher was the Tipple boss. Company store employee's were. John Sharp, Lenore Cross, Little Bill Cross, Bob Yount and Thelma Nolan. Harlan Colleries had 200 employees and supplied company housing for it's employees. New Camp homes consisted of four rooms and no indoor plumbing. George Ball was the company carpenter. The homes were very nice compared to other camps in Harlan, County. Company bosses lived in Tipple Holler, the homes were larger and most had indoor plumbing. The medical clinic was located ,across the railroad tracks from the store. Nurse was Catherine Unthank. Dr Jones, was our company doctor. Later Dr Wilder replaced Dr Jones. If you were not a miner, you had to use the Ages post office. To rent a Brookside home, you had to be employed by Harlan Collieries Mining Corp. The company had a select way of renting. To move out of the camp , there was a waiting list. Most desired was Brookside Hill and homes located on the Clover Fork. Bryan Whitfield Senior had a beautiful white house, located a few ft below New Camp.
All photos on page this are the property Elva Nolan Morgan Submitted By: Elva Nolan Morgan Copyright 1999-2000-2001-2002-2003-2004-2005-2006
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