ALTHOUGH the first mention of Kokava nad Rimavicou dates back to 1249, the village certainly existed much earlier. This fact is proven by its location near the densely forested southern headlands of the Slovenské Rudohorie mountain range, which at that time offered numerous ways to make a living.
However, mining proved to be the most attractive venture. People were mining raw materials from the nearby mountains long before the above-mentioned date. The town’s biggest attraction was gold, which was extracted via both underground and surface mining. Gold was even panned in the Rimavica river and its tributary.
Gold was merely the icing on the cake, however, as the real wealth of Kokava nad Rimavicou was derived from wood. Where there was wood, there were also paper mills. Four paper mills operated in Kokava nad Rimavicou, the biggest of which was Chorepa, named after a local mountain pass. Kokava nad Rimavicou was also known for its glassworks.
In this postcard from the early 1950s, we can see the town’s centre with its church in the background.
