The coal industry in West Virginia grew rapidly in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1867, only 490,000 tons of coal were produced, but by 1917, production soared to 89.4 million tons. The number of mine workers grew from 3,701 in 1880 to nearly 90,000 in 1917. This increase brought a mix of ethnic and racial groups, with foreign-born workers and African Americans outnumbering native-born whites in some areas. As the coal industry grew, new services like electricity, schools, stores, and doctors became more common in the coalfields.