Sounds like West Virginia is the place you aughta be, so pack up that
truck and move back from Beverlee. (sorry, I just couldn't resist it)
You might start with the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine and Museum
PO Box 128, Pocahontas, Virginia 24635
Phone: 540-945-2134 or 540-945-5222
This historic landmark is part of the Virginia Coal Heritage Zone
which also includes other related attractions. It is located on Rt.
659 in Pocahontas, Va. It is the world's first "show" mine. If you
are an AAA member, there are discounts.
Then go on to Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine
Drawer AJ, Beckley, West Virginia 25801
Phone: 304-256-1798
You will find a 35 minute riding tour guided by experienced coal
miners. You will go underground on a "man-trip" car pulled by a
battery powered locomotive. Exhibits range from primitive to modern
mining.
The website for these attractions (
http://wvweb.com/www/exhibition_coal_mine ) only gives me an error 404
notice but I have been to both of them and they are well worth the
effort to see. The Beckley mine is part of the Tamarak exhibition
where you can view the finest arts and crafts of the Mountain State.
And if you like to eat, the food service is under the direction of the
Greenbriar Resort at White Sulphur Springs.
"Lackawanna Coal Mine Scranton Pa Pennsylvania" - This website gives
information about mine tours in the Scranton region. While these are
not "closed" mines, some of them do offer tours to the public.
"Explore 300 feet beneath the earth. Meet a miner in the winding
caverns while traveling down through three different veins of hard
coal." - quote from website
( http://www.microserve.net/~magicusa/coalmn.html )
"Soudan Underground Mine State Park: Minnesota DNR" - "A century slips
by when you visit this park. Visitors wear hard hats and journey down
2,400 feet via a "cage." On the 27th level, the transportation shifts
to a rail car for a ride back into the mine as you listen to the
stories of the mining days." - quote from website
( http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/soudan_underground_mine/index.html
)
"Mine Portal 31 in Lynch, Kentucky" - This one is a toss up. It is
listed as an exhibition mine but the "tour" information section of the
website is not available. You may need to check with the mine to see
if tours are still available. I am listing it here anyway, just in
case. A news article from "Engineering Times" magazine kinda, sorta,
indicates the mine is open for tourism, maybe, perhaps, possibly. The
article is found on the homepage.
( http://www.portal31.org/ )
If you are in the UK, some of these attractions may be of interest.
They are mostly mining museums but there may be a mine tour or two
hiding there someplace.
"Haig Colliery Mining Museum, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK"
( http://www.haig1.freeserve.co.uk/page1.html )
"Mining Tourism" - this website also offers additional information
about museums, exhibits, etc, that you may find interesting.
( http://www.coaleducation.org/coalhistory/tourism.htm )
If I may clarify anything, just ask.
Search - Google
Key terms - coal mine tourism, exhibition coal mines, coal mining
cheers
digsalot |
