Gone Vintage Part 2

After I woke up these sleepyheads, had a quick breakfast, and a dip in the pool we headed out to the Coal Mine Exhibition.  Sidenote:  While the girls and I were getting our showers, Scott had bought some wax and well, yes, he was out waxing our new vintage van.  Can't you see why I love this man?

This was seriously one of the coolest things I have ever done, course, I love to learn so I guess maybe it doesn't take much.  I am finding that as I get older all these kinds of things really excite me.  Shocking considering I am not a history buff.  I wish I could remember all of the really cool facts I learned while on the mine tour, but I don't.  I was trying to take really good mental notes but the information shared was so overwhelmingly impressive.  A few things I remember was that when they first started mining the mines were only 36 inches high.  WOW!  The guide also turned out all the lights and boy, was it ever dark.  He showed us how the miners would have to light their lamps in the pitch dark.  He also told us about how the rats were the miners friends.  If the rats were on the move that meant there was trouble and it was time to evacuate, much like the canary birds they would keep with them.  If the canary died, the oxygen level was dropping.  He also talked about the terrible pay but I can't remember because my brain doesn't remember numbers. 

After the tour of the mine, we then could explore the "Company Grounds." 

(if you click on the picture you should be able to read the sign)

Gold stars symbolize lives lost in the war. 

 Scotty had to go potty!

Coal miners families were basically promised the world to come work in the mines but then charged for every single thing.  They had to pay rent for their homes, furniture, and then on top of that food expenses.  They could only buy things from the company store and naturally the company store was overpriced.  If a miner died the family had like 24 hours to be out of the house.  The volunteer available to answer questions, who I would have guessed to be in her late 50's, said that she grew up in one of these miner shanties. 

Bachelors or married men who traveled to the site for the week and would return home on the weekend lived in a one room shanty.

Some info about coal companies and an example of how the town who be designed...

As you might guess, the Supers house was drastically different than the miners' homes.  The Supes wife had the privilege of ordering anything from the company store free of charge.  The Supes family lived in luxury!

This is a painting of a miner with a dead canary.

more to come