The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine is the sight that makes Beckley worth more than a fuel stop. Visitors ride into the old Phillips-Sprague Mine in low coal cars, then hear from guides who can explain the work without turning it into costume drama. The darkness, low roof, tools, and steady chill make the labour feel immediate.
Above ground, the coal camp adds the missing social context: schoolhouse, church, miner's house, superintendent's home, and other buildings that show how much of life was organised around the company. Bring a jacket for the underground section even in summer.