The Oven Fork Mercantile sits nestled in the valley between Pine and Black Mountains, halfway between Whitesburg and Cumberland on Highway 119. In the 1920’s, it was known as Sumpter’s Grocery and Service Station. The coming of the railroad, the building of coal camps, and the onset of World War 1 had brought a coal boom to the mountainous region in the early 1900’s. The store continued to operate during the Great Depression and through another World war. Old receipt books show expenses and wages at a saw mill and a coal mine operated in conjunction with the store. A picture on the wall shows the proprietors, Dave and Winnie Maggard Sumpter, behind the counter with signs saying Credit Closed on Gas, Please Do Not Ask, and Cash Makes No Enemies. In 1945, a Post Office was put in on the other side of the room and was in operation until the late 1980’s. The post office boxes, the post office window, and other artifacts remain in the original room. The Oven Fork Mercantile opened for business in 1992 with local art, books, music, food, crafts, antiques, hickory bark bottom chairs, and homemade candies. About the same time, Blue Diamond Coal Company ceased operations at the Old Scotia Mine Site.