Coal Mining in Iowa

[wartknight]

Was very big at one time if I remember my Iowa History class correctly.
Anyone here old enough to remember any stories or come from any of the old coal mining communities?
I've heard before that there are many abandoned mine shafts running around and even under Des Moines but I have never read anything substantiated about it.

 

[Wesley]

Thought Des Moines had a museum talking about their coal mining.

 

[cigaretteman]

If you look at Sanborn Fire Insurance maps from the 19th and early 20th centuries, you'll find coal mines all over Des Moines. Many parts of the city are underlain by abandoned mines. Iowa coal is primarily high sulfer bituminous coal that fell out of favor by the 1940s or 50s. There are many abandoned strip mine areas all over southeast and south central Iowa. There was a brief resurgence in interest in Iowa coal mining during the fuel crisis in the 1970s, along with the development of scrubbers to remove sulfer from the emissions, and several new strip mining operations opened at that time. Here's a link to one interesting mining community from the early 20th century.

Buxton, Iowa (1895-1927) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

 

[BryceC]

There was a big old shale pile in my hometown of Boone that came from a coal mining operation in the area. My grandfather was a carpenter but I am pretty sure my dad told me he worked there a bit when times got tight.

 

[l2alphmacchio]

There are 3 shaft openings in Urbandale. My parents have lived in their house for 27 years, and it has slowly sunk 1.5 feet during that time, and I am convinced its because it sits on top of an abandoned shaft.
Urbandale Public Library

 

[wartknight]

Anyone know how deep in the earth coal is found?

 

[CYKID]

Waukee used to be a huge coal mining town. If you take Alices Road North of Hickman you will see old mining shacks(now houses) on the west side. These houses are near the old Alices Spaghettiland restaurant which started as a coal mining kitchen. The east side of Alices road is where the mines were but development has taken over much of that area.

 

[mapnerd]

If you look at Sanborn Fire Insurance maps from the 19th and early 20th centuries, you'll find coal mines all over Des Moines. Many parts of the city are underlain by abandoned mines. Iowa coal is primarily high sulfer bituminous coal that fell out of favor by the 1940s or 50s. There are many abandoned strip mine areas all over southeast and south central Iowa. There was a brief resurgence in interest in Iowa coal mining during the fuel crisis in the 1970s, along with the development of scrubbers to remove sulfer from the emissions, and several new strip mining operations opened at that time. Here's a link to one interesting mining community from the early 20th century.

Buxton, Iowa (1895-1927) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

The story of Buxton is really cool. I have visited the cemetery and it's pretty cool. Although there isn't much to see since many of the headstones were dug up.

If you are a Deadwood fan, Al Swearingen supposedly got his start in SE Iowa. He ran a bar there named after the Cricket coal mine. He used his knowledge of mining in Deadwood to mine for gold. Of course, a lot of this might just be hearsay.

 

[Knownothing]

It was even bigger in Illinois. The whole state basically sits on Mines.