Old Riverside

The Riverside Community is located one mile south of Clinchco on Route 83. In the 1930's, 40's and 50's Riverside was a thriving town with a number of businesses, including retail grocery and hardware stores, restaurants, car sales and automotive repair shops. But with the decline of the coal business in the 1950's most of the businesses at Riverside closed. Then in the 70's new road construction too most all of the houses that were left above the road.
 
The only business yet remaining at Riverside today is the Riverside Grocery, which was building that housed the first Piggly Wiggly store in the area in the 1930's. The McClure River Rescue Squad and Fire Dept. is still located at Riverside, as well as some homes across the river.

 

 
Riverside around 1948. Houses on the left were built
by George Tipton, W.C. "Goose" Fine and John Tipton.
 
 
 
Riverside during the 30 inch snow in 1942. Left to right: Happy Haven Lunch, Riverside Grocery,
Turner Auto Sales, Riverside Motor Co., and Clinchco Hardware and Furniture Company.
 
 

Houses on the hill in Riverside in 1942.
George Tipton's house in the foreground.

 

Riverside in 1941. Showing John Tipton's house, Turner
Auto Sales, and portion of Riverside Motor Company.
 
 
 
Virginia May on the old swinging bridge at Riverside in the early 1950's
 
 

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Special thanks to Mountain People and Places for the above photos.
 
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This page updated August 13, 2005.