For ninety years in the 19th and 20th centuries, underground coal mining was an important business in Evansville and Vanderburgh County. Yet today, few residents know about the large areas of the near north and west sides that are laced with abandoned mine tunnels. Over ten million tons of locally mined coal helped to power the industrialization of Evansville through the end of World War II. Between the opening of the first mine on the bank of the Ohio River in 1855, and the closure of the last on Mill Road in 1946, nine commercial coal mines operated inVanderburgh County. Three additional private mines are also known to have existed.

Aided by maps and illustrations, we took a brief look at the history of mining in the county, the various mines that existed, and touched on the rise of labor unions in the local mines.

As part of their study of industrialization and working conditions around the turn of the century, Jon Carl’s U.S. History Honors class at F.J. Reitz High School researched the Sunnyside Coal mine disaster.

On March 20, 1909, an explosion in the Sunnyside Mine killed six workers and injured thirty others. Joe Schenk, William Schnute, John Petit, Sam Coomer, NelsonWillingham, and William James were killed in the explosion. Word of the explosion rushed through the west side neighborhood and, within hours, hundreds of people had gathered around the mine entrance. Mayor John J. Nolan, future Mayor Benjamin Bosse and families of the workers were among those who rushed to the site of the disaster. The students have been gathering information regarding the events of that day, the families impacted by the accident, and the community’s reaction. Mr. Carl and several of his students will presented their findings as part of the program on the mining industry in the county.

Stan Schmitt, Jon Carl and students from his Honor History class, Terry Hughes, and Sue Reel also presented during the program.