Wed. March 19, noon-1 p.m., North Carolina’s Forgotten Industry: Coal Mining in Central N.C. and the Coal Glen Coal Mining Disaster
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Coal Glen Coal Mine disaster, the Heart of Deep River Historical Society will share a retrospective on mining and its perils in central North Carolina. On the morning of May 27, 1925, the earth shook in the rural coal mining communities of Cumnock and Farmville, located on the Deep River at the border of Lee and Chatham Counties. The communities were not strangers to the perils of mining, and many old-timers knew what the shake meant: another disaster which claimed the lives of 53 miners. This presentation will explore the legacy of the Deep River coal mines, including catastrophes, stints with forced labor, and the industry’s decline in the 20th century. While much of the story of Deep River coal involves death and despair, attendees will leave understanding how community efforts share the resilience of all people who labored and perished there.