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In the summer of 2006 I got a call from Will Stone. He was asking when we could come down to do a story on his museum in Taylorville. I was a bit confused since I had just returned from maternity leave and could not remember talking to him. But over the conversation I learned that he was a former miner that was dedicated to preserving the history of mining in Illinois. He told me he used to work in the Peabody number 10 mine. My father had friends that worked in that mine and he even had the chance to go visit them underground. My Dad had said it was an incredible experience since the place was so huge, It was an underground city. Then that same week I was in the car with my family and my husband turned on a CD. The first same was “Dark as a Dungeon” by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The powerful words reminded me of Will and I knew I had to do the story on the Christian County Coal Mining Museum. When Julius, Virginia and I showed up to tape the story, Will had invited some of his friends to the museum. The stories they shared with us about working in the mines were incredible. Will was a very gracious host. I brought with me some mining artifacts that belonged to my husband’s grandfather who had worked in the mines in southern Illinois. Will explained what they were small lanterns that used to hang on the miners hats. He even gave me an extra “soft hat” that he had at the museum so that I could display them properly at home. I encourage anyone who is interested in Illinois history to visit this unique museum in Taylorville. And tell Will that I said hello.
Segment duration: 07:58
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Historical Landmarks • History • Illinois Culture/History • Parks/Outdoor Recreation • Taylorville
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