Revelton

     Parts of the Revelton Road are not accessible to most vehicles, so you may as well park and walk in. The mud ruts and "lakes" in the road can get up to several feet deep.  Don't get stuck or you may be there for a long, long time.

     The area is desolate and peaceful yet slightly eerie.  It feels like someone is watching you from behind. Very large bear tracks can be seen in the soft sandy wet soil.

    The brush, trees and huge rock structures; the branches crackle but there's no one there.  It might just be John Reaville guarding his town, supervising his mines or looking for who stole his mason jar full of gold.

     John Reaville and his wife Elizabeth were born and raised England. John was a coal miner by trade and had traveled to New York State to try his hand at farming. He ended up working anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania as a mine foreman with Potter & Ashfield.

    The superintendent  told him that he had received orders to keep the mine always occupied to stop the the sheriff under a "writ ejectment" issued to take control of the mines. The letter Reaville had brought with him bore confidence, and he was asked to "hold the mine."   John Reaville ate and slept and lived day and night  in the mine for eight months. 

   John Reaville and his wife lived with the George Metzgar family for nearly a year while managing the miners and woodsmen. The men, consisting mostly of English, Scotch and German immigrants cleared 60 acres of land about a mile from the Metzgar habitation of transportation facilities had held back development.

  Reaville, divided his time between the construction of the village and the opening of the coal mines. He build adequate buildings for the miners and a "grand mansion" for himself. The home was of English style, large and handsomely finished; the hall in the centre with a winding staircase and mahogany rail and balusters; the rooms large and warmed by deep fireplaces with big chimneys and carved mantels. The very atmosphere of the place was one of comfort, convenience and luxury. Little wonder that it was a curiosity to dwellers of other valleys and attracted many visitors.