For many traveling along the Ohio State Route 13, Corning is a stop, but never a destination. Once a land of relative prosperity as a result of "extractive industries" in Southeastern Ohio, Corning seems to be in a time capsule. Years went by after most coal mines closed, few economic opportunities left. Yet, the resilience and close bond within the community manifest in locals who chose to stay where they call home for generations.
Buildings and households in Corning have signs saying "No Trespass" or "Keep Out", indicating a sense of self-protection and aggressiveness. Corning's Post Office is one of the most frequently visited public places by residents. A new bakery around the corner on Main Street has reported burglary several times since its opening last November
St. Bernard Catholic Church is one of the major churches in Corning. As the population in other communities in "Little Cities of Black Diamond" dwindles, many churches have been closed. People from Shawnee, Congo, and Junction City would attend Mass on Saturday afternoon at St. Bernard. While 68.1 percent of the Perry County voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 General Election, Corning boasts with people on both sides for the most recent presidential race.
Ashley and Brandon Moore walk up to the Methodist Church in Corning to greet guests after their wedding ceremony. Ashley's daughter Marley, left, makes soap bubbles beside her grandfather's four-wheeler.
Trailer houses are not uncommon in Corning. In recent years, a lot of long-time residents found it hard to identify their neighbors and town fellows. People move in and out, renting properties and leaving them behind after a few months for better opportunities.
For some senior residents, playing cards with childhood friends is an ideal pastime on a Friday night. From left to right: Barbara Siemer, Beverly Stanley, Imogene Ratliff, and Ronda Stanley have been keeping this tradition since they were children.
As for adults, Corning presents a bleak job market. Two largest employees in town and nearby are Buckingham Coal Company and Altier Brothers Inc., an oil company. The past winter has been tough on both businesses.
Buckingham Coal Company, the only actively coal mine remains in "Little Cities of Black Diamond" region, filed bankruptcy in October 2018. Buckingham is two miles away from Corning, a small town with a population of 571 in Southeastern Ohio. Facing a strong competition from natural gas and a decrease of demand in coal to generate electricity, Buckingham's fate is uncertain.
Colton Plumley, 13, helps his grandmother, Cindy Lunsford, 60, to put groceries into the fridge. Colton has been in and out of foster care due to his biological parents' drug addiction. Now, Colton lives with Cindy and goes to Miller School.
The Southern Local School bus comes at 7:15 am for three of Darcy Cook's children. To save electricity, Darcy would usually keep a light in the kitchen on and use a flashlight in the house to find clothes and shoes for her youngest son, Kyler.
Cindy Lunsford, 60, has been raising her grandchildren and great-grandchildren after their parents became drug addicts. Cindy now has the custody of five children, Colton, Elyza, and Isaac Plumley, age 13, 6 and 5, Kami and James Bright, age 3 and 18-month old. indy has spent most of her life taking care of children in her family. "I don't have a life for myself, you know. I'm 60 now and supposed to be on a cruise," says Cindy.
Noah Shaner tries his ghillie suit for the turkey hunting season at his parents' house. One of the pastimes for locals is hunting and taking rides in four-wheelers on the backroads. Both Noah and his brother Adam went to online high school as their mother Cindy, left, considered it distracting when the local public school decided to put special needs children and others in the same classroom.
Corning does not have medical resources for its residents, except an EMS service that volunteers are on duty every Thursday. Martha Doughty, 82, middle, a long-time Corning resident, had a heart attack in early a.m. and was rushed to a hospital in Zanesville, a town 46 miles away. Doughty's granddaughter, Darcy, right, fixes her hair after Doughty's condition became stable.
Downtown Corning soaks in the light of sunset. The only businesses in town are a convenient store and a gas station. The coal-mine town housing structure remains the same as the birth of the town.
Corning has a volunteer fire squad and an EMS service for the emergency response. The team gathers on every Thursday for a weekly meeting. The long winter and frequent snow made utility poles more likely to fall and cause a fire.
David Cochran, 21, cleans up the locker room after coal miners are off their shifts. Cochran works seven days a week from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. in addition to taking care of his grandmother in Athens, Ohio.
The Bethany United Methodist Church is another major church in Corning. Different from St. Bernard, the Methodist Church has comparatively limited funding and a smaller congregation, with around 20 people for the weekly service, most of them is 60 and older. Pictured here is Pastor John Kay's office above the fellowship hall on the basement level.
Ohio State Route 13, the main access to "Little Cities of Black Diamond" region that is known for its coal mining and oil industries, is often affected by fog and floods due to its geographic proximity to Ohio Valley.
Parker Rusk, 1, looks outside of the apartment door as his father Dereck getting ready to leave for a temporary gig in Logan. Except for being an employee at John's Place, Buckingham Coal, and Altier Brothers Inc., few jobs are left in town.
Ashley Graham, 17, attends Miller High School prom and shakes in April wind. Most of the high school graduates in Corning choose to find a job or go to vocational schools instead of applying to colleges.
Residents come down from two hills, where most of the households in Corning are, to purchase beer, lotteries, chewing tobacco, and soft drinks. Mike Baisden, 38, with his daughter Makayla, left, enjoys an evening four-wheeler ride. Mike lost both of his legs last year when working at Buckingham Coal Company. JJ Forgrave, 15, right, jokes with his friend Jacob Taylor in the back of a truck. Both of the teens go to Miller High School.
Cindy Lunsford sleeps on the couch after an Easter shopping trip to Walmart in Zanesville. Isaac Plumley, 5, one of Cindy's grandchildren, plays with water guns that he got for Easter. "I regret buying those kinds of toys for them," says Cindy. "Shouldn't have bought it in the first place."
Raymond Kinney, 25, gained the custody of Gage and Orion Stiltner, age 5 and 3, in April 2018. Both boys' parents are drug users. Raymond works three jobs as a registered nurse and raises the boys with the help of his family and partner Jordan.
Raymond Kinney broke his leg in early April after slipped in the rain on a hill where he parked. Having to stay at home for at least three weeks without work, Raymond asks his friend to dye his hair when Gage and Orion spend the weekend at his mother, Lina's house.
Adam Shaner chills in a white cabin he built on his family property in Junction City, Ohio. When asked about his proudest achievement, Adam points to the cabin. "I built it. You can sleep on the second floor in the summer after a bonfire," says Adam.