Tag: coal

Black Diamond Mines

California may not be the first state that comes to mind when contemplating coal mining, yet coal was a critical energy resource for the fledgling state.  The Mount Diablo Coalfield in California’s east bay produced over four million tons of coal between 1850 and 1906. Today, it is a 6,000-acre park encompassing 5 ghost towns and twelve closed coal mines. Before rail spanned…

Dunlap Coke Ovens

Deep in the Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee is a collection of industrial coke ovens from the turn of the 20th century. History Coke ovens were used to convert the coal mined in nearby Fredonia Mountain into industrial coke used in smelting iron ore. The Industrial Revolution and the steel industry drove a demand for pig iron; and coke was an integral…

Marion County Coal Miners Museum

The Marion County Coal Miners Museum is a small, two room structure nestled in Sequatchie Valley of Eastern Tennessee. The museum is a passion project launched by seven local, retired coal miners who have collected artifacts to preserve the history of the coal industry in Marion County. The History Tennessee has had a long industrial history of coal mining. It began in small quantities…

Exhibition Coal Mine Museum Interior

Exhibition Coal Mine

Exhibition Coal Mine Museum is nestled in the West Virginian town of Beckley, along the beautiful New River Park. The museum is part of an impressive compound of historic structures and artifacts tracing the history of the coal industry in West Virginia. Visitors can explore coal mining history in exhibits of mining equipment, a guided mine tour, and restored historic structures relocated from company…

Kentucky Coal Mining Museum

Nestled among the Appalachian Mountains is a testament to one of the region’s core industries. The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum houses four floors of artifacts, dioramas, and other displays covering coal mining in eastern Kentucky, the men and women whose lives were effected, and the rich culture that has emerged from it. Two Towns The museum focuses on coal mining…