The Nellis Historic District, a short distance from Upper Falls, is a preserved coal company town listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nellis was built by the coal industry in the early 20th century, and the tight cluster of company housing, the tipple remnants, and the overall layout tell the story of how the Coal River valley was shaped by mining.
Walking through Nellis gives you a more tangible sense of Boone County's industrial past than any museum display could. The residential streets are still intact, the houses modest but solid, and the surrounding hills give a clear picture of why the coal seams here were worth extracting. It's quiet now, and that quietness is part of the appeal.