Uploaded May 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Coal mining has a long and storied history in the United States. It's never been known as a safe occupation, but large-scale disasters are less common than you might expect. Fires, collapses, gas build-up and other dangers await those who are brave enough to climb into the belly of the earth in search of the fuel that we still rely on to this day.
November 5, 1930 was just a normal day for most people, including the miners of the Number 6 coal mine owned by the Sunday Creek Coal Company. The only thing that stood out to the group of men waiting to take the elevator down into the mine was the group of VIPs from the corporate headquarters of the company waiting alongside them. That would have been the highlight of the day, and probably the topic of conversation around dinner tables that evening had it not been for one rock.
Coal mining in the United States can be traced back three centuries to a humble start in the hills near Richmond Virginia. It wouldn’t really take off though until the late 18th century when mines would begin opening in Pennsylvania, followed soon after by surrounding states like Ohio and Illinois.
Through the revolutionary war, westward expansion, the civil war and the industrial revolution, coal mining would continue to evolve and grow, supplying the nation with energy and heat throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. While coal production in the United States has dropped in recent years, there was a time where the growth seemed never ending.
The first coal mine in Ohio opened sometime around the turn of the 19th century with the first production of 100 tons of coal being reported in Jefferson County. By the early 20th century, many more mines had opened throughout the state, including a small operation in Millfield, Ohio in 1911 known as Poston Number 6.
The #6 mine would supply its first coal on March 4, 1912 and would continue operation until 1945. It was purchased in 1929 by the Sunday Creek Coal Company, one of the largest coal companies in the world at the time. They would temporarily close the mine starting on April 11, 1930 to make repairs and general improvements.
Brick walls and I-Beams were added to improve the stability of the mine. Electric lights and new tracks along with a new ventilation shaft would also help improve safety for the workers. With the improvements the mine was able to re-open and by November of 1930 they were working 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and hauling around 5000 tons of coal out every 24 hours.
Even with all the safety improvements, mining was still a dangerous job. Fires, collapses, carbon monoxide and other dangers had taken lives in mines over the years, and each person that descended into the depths of the earth knew that day could be their last. From 1872 to 1930, nearly 90 people died in various accidents in Ohio mines. But one tragedy just 3 weeks before Thanksgiving in 1930 would almost double the total death toll in the course of only a few moments.
Join me in this episode of Legends and Tales as we cover the sad story of the Millfield Mine disaster.
Resources:
History of mining in the United States: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531861/#:~:text=Anthracite%20coal%20mining%20started%20around,%2C%20Illinois%2C%20and%20other%20states
History of coal mining in Ohio:
ohiocoal.com/downloads/history-ohio-coal-mining.pdf
Ohio coal mining disasters:
usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/Mine_Disasters/search_coal_state.asp?ACC_STATE_NAME=Ohio
Athens County, Ohio marker:
genealogytrails.com/ohio/athens/millfield_Disaster.htm
My website: joshbearheartlegendsandtales.com
Outside of YouTube I’m also an author. You can find my books on Amazon today!
The Journal - amazon.com/dp/B0BXMX81G5
Legends and Tales - amazon.com/dp/B0CHL3RCD3
You can find me over on Patreon, where you’ll get access to exclusive benefits and be the first to hear about upcoming projects: patreon.com/joshbearheart 🖋️
Like the music you hear in the video? You can access an entire library, including what I play on stream over on Epidemic Sound using my referral link! I get a cut of the sale if you sign up and you get a free month: epidemicsound.com/referral/1xunm9 🔊
🔮 Connect with the community on my socials:
Discord: discord.gg/ZUNYm5DUKe 💬
Facebook: facebook.com/joshbearheart 📰
Coal mining has a long and storied history in the United States. It's never been known as a safe occupation, but large-scale disasters are less common than you might expect. Fires, collapses, gas build-up and other dangers await those who are brave enough to climb into the belly of the earth in search of the fuel that we still rely on to this day.
November 5, 1930 was just a normal day for most people, including the miners of the Number 6 coal mine owned by the Sunday Creek Coal Company. The only thing that stood out to the group of men waiting to take the elevator down into the mine was the group of VIPs from the corporate headquarters of the company waiting alongside them. That would have been the highlight of the day, and probably the topic of conversation around dinner tables that evening had it not been for one rock.
Coal mining in the United States can be traced back three centuries to a humble start in the hills near Richmond Virginia. It wouldn’t really take off though until the late 18th century when mines would begin opening in Pennsylvania, followed soon after by surrounding states like Ohio and Illinois.
Through the revolutionary war, westward expansion, the civil war and the industrial revolution, coal mining would continue to evolve and grow, supplying the nation with energy and heat throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. While coal production in the United States has dropped in recent years, there was a time where the growth seemed never ending.
The first coal mine in Ohio opened sometime around the turn of the 19th century with the first production of 100 tons of coal being reported in Jefferson County. By the early 20th century, many more mines had opened throughout the state, including a small operation in Millfield, Ohio in 1911 known as Poston Number 6.
The #6 mine would supply its first coal on March 4, 1912 and would continue operation until 1945. It was purchased in 1929 by the Sunday Creek Coal Company, one of the largest coal companies in the world at the time. They would temporarily close the mine starting on April 11, 1930 to make repairs and general improvements.
Brick walls and I-Beams were added to improve the stability of the mine. Electric lights and new tracks along with a new ventilation shaft would also help improve safety for the workers. With the improvements the mine was able to re-open and by November of 1930 they were working 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and hauling around 5000 tons of coal out every 24 hours.
Even with all the safety improvements, mining was still a dangerous job. Fires, collapses, carbon monoxide and other dangers had taken lives in mines over the years, and each person that descended into the depths of the earth knew that day could be their last. From 1872 to 1930, nearly 90 people died in various accidents in Ohio mines. But one tragedy just 3 weeks before Thanksgiving in 1930 would almost double the total death toll in the course of only a few moments.
Join me in this episode of Legends and Tales as we cover the sad story of the Millfield Mine disaster.
Resources:
History of mining in the United States: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531861/#:~:text=Anthracite%20coal%20mining%20started%20around,%2C%20Illinois%2C%20and%20other%20states
History of coal mining in Ohio:
ohiocoal.com/downloads/history-ohio-coal-mining.pdf
Ohio coal mining disasters:
usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/Mine_Disasters/search_coal_state.asp?ACC_STATE_NAME=Ohio
Athens County, Ohio marker:
genealogytrails.com/ohio/athens/millfield_Disaster.htm
My website: joshbearheartlegendsandtales.com
Outside of YouTube I’m also an author. You can find my books on Amazon today!
The Journal - amazon.com/dp/B0BXMX81G5
Legends and Tales - amazon.com/dp/B0CHL3RCD3
You can find me over on Patreon, where you’ll get access to exclusive benefits and be the first to hear about upcoming projects: patreon.com/joshbearheart 🖋️
Like the music you hear in the video? You can access an entire library, including what I play on stream over on Epidemic Sound using my referral link! I get a cut of the sale if you sign up and you get a free month: epidemicsound.com/referral/1xunm9 🔊
🔮 Connect with the community on my socials:
Discord: discord.gg/ZUNYm5DUKe 💬
Facebook: facebook.com/joshbearheart 📰
