Tennessee-Kentucky-Virginia...Portal 31 coal mine

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Took a outstanding ride yesterday with a local motorcycle club through ( 3 ) states called Country Roads.Big Al and I had close to 350 miles on the trip. Black Mountain ( Kentucky's highest point ) has some beautiful fall colors going on and that road that crosses the mountain is made for motorcycling.We made a stop in Lynch, Kentucky to check out Potral 31 if you get in the area check this place out...Very cool....We had ( 10 ) bikes on the ride and other than Big Al getting rear ended by a Wing trike rider about 2 minutes into the ride ( no damage that Harley can take a lick )  everything went great and the weather was perfect.First pic is the group .





Little history about Lynch,Kentucky and Portal 31.


 In 1917 the U.S. Coal & Coke Company, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel, built the community of Lynch, Kentucky, then the world's largest coal camp.  The coal camp was built on part of the 19,000 acres the company had purchased in the southeastern tip of Harlan County, near the Virginia border.  The camp's population peaked at about 10,000 persons but the reported figures vary because of the transient nature of the miners and their families at that time.  One thousand company owned structures provided housing for people of 38 nationalities, the most prominent of which were Italian, Spanish, Czech, Polish, English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish. By the 1940s this mining complex employed more than 4000 persons above and below ground.

    The public buildings were constructed of cut sandstone, and included a company commissary, post office, theater, hotel, hospital, churches, and schools.  Many company buildings were built of stone as well, such as the offices, bath house, power plant and lamp house.  In the 1920s U.S. Coal & Coke owned the world's largest coal tipple with a capacity of 15,000 tons.  On February 12, 1923 the world's record for coal production in a single 9 hour shift was achieved when miners operating 40 shortwall cutting machines produced 12,820 tons of coal, filling 256 railcars.

    While considered one of Appalachia's model coal camps due to its' company provided health care, education, churches, housing, social services, wages and benefits and recreation, it was still a closed community where the company carefully controlled all aspects of the political and economic process.  The company had their own police force and it was used to keep union organizers out of the coal camp and to intimidate miners who tried to join the  union.  Throughout the 1920s and well into the 1930s the company along with many Kentucky coal producers did everything in their power to prevent unionization.  This action by the coal companies and the actions of the miners earned Harlan County the name of "Bloody Harlan".

    All the coal produced at Lynch by U.S. Coal & Coke Co. was "captive coal", meaning it was all produced by U.S. Coal & Coke Co. for U.S. Steel consumption, and was produced from drift mines.  All coal was shipped from Lynch to U.S. Steel plants via the L&N (Louisville & Nashville) Railroad.  Coal was mined from the 56" Elkhorn C Seam, 56" Keokee Seam, 50" Kelioka Seam at the company's No. 30 and No.31 Mines at Lynch.  U.S. Coal & Coke also mined coal at Gary, Thorpe, Elbert, and Filbert, West Virginia.  Today many of the company's buildings, including a tipple, and a mine portal are part of a coal mining museum complex at Lynch.  

    In the 1950s the company began selling homes to individuals and the town was incorporated, thus allowing for an elected mayor and town council, although still heavily influenced by the company. Incorporated as a fifth class city, it had a population of 1,517 in 1970, 1,614 in 1980 and 1,166 in 1990.





This is what you take the tour of the mine on and I thought it was well worth the $15.00 to check it out....Very interesting history about how the union turned things around for these folks who was working 7 days a week and then turning everything they made over to the " Company Store " just to stay alive.




A few shots from inside the mine....They start in 1917 and go to 1963 when the mine was shut down....The guide told us the mine still has more coal in it than was ever taken out in the 46 years it was opened.









The mining machinery that changed everything ....Forever Miner





This picture was taken at the top of Black Mountain at the Kentucky-Virginia state line.




" The Money Shot "


Great ride one that I enjoyed much more than I thought I would  






 

[robin]

looks like a good time Joe thanks for posting .

[Fudd]

other than Big Al getting rear ended by a Wing trike rider about 2 minutes into the ride ( no damage that Harley can take a lick )  

The guy on the trike was probably just issuing a 'gentlemanly notification' to let Al know that if he holds him up with that Harley, he might be shoved out of the way.  That's all.  The boys do it in NASCAR all the time.  

Seriously, When you see what conditions these people worked in for their whole lives,  just to live, slavery wasn't much different or worse.

[Skinhead]

There is no doubt that the unions, especially coal and steel, did much to improve the lives and working conditions of these folks. 

[eric in md]

  great write up and pics i really enjoy them joe thanks buddy .

[Skinhead]

Hey Joe,

You ever heard of this palce?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania

http://www.u-town.com/centralia/index3.htm

[Spirited-6]

Thanks Joe for taking the time to share. 

[hal47]

Great write up Joe,,enjoyed the pictures,now tell us what Al really said. LOL

[Slick]

Kudo's for another wonderful ride along- thanks

[donaldcc]

  Interesting.  Good pics and nice info.  thanks!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Hey Joe,

You ever heard of this palce?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania

http://www.u-town.com/centralia/index3.htm

No I have never been there but I have heard about this place .Did a quick mapquest and its about 625 miles from my house.Looks like its about 8-9 miles off I-81  ...Road trip ?

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Thanks for sharing 

[Valkahuna]

Thanks for sharing Joe. Back in 1966 before I went into the Air Force, I was living in Cincinnati. I briefly dated a girl from Harlan that was in Cincinnati for the summer. We went to visit her family one weekend.

She jokingly told me that we would be there when we saw the kids running around barefooted, since  their parents could not afford shoes. Turns out she really was not kidding all that much. Both her grandfather and dad worked in the mines. Gandpa was very sick with black lung, and her dad was looking for work, since  his mine either was closing or had closed  (I can't remember which). It was scenically a beautiful area, but depressing to be there due to all of the poverty. 

Funny how all that came back to me from reading your post. I hadn't thought of that in a long time.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Thanks for sharing Joe. Back in 1966 before I went into the Air Force, I was living in Cincinnati. I briefly dated a girl from Harlan that was in Cincinnati for the summer. We went to visit her family one weekend.

She jokingly told me that we would be there when we saw the kids running around barefooted, since  their parents could not afford shoes. Turns out she really was not kidding all that much. Both her grandfather and dad worked in the mines. Gandpa was very sick with black lung, and her dad was looking for work, since  his mine either was closing or had closed  (I can't remember which). It was scenically a beautiful area, but depressing to be there due to all of the poverty. 

Funny how all that came back to me from reading your post. I hadn't thought of that in a long time.

Cool read ....Thanks for sharing 

[Charlie McCready]

Awesome ride report Joe....I like your history/explanations of what's along the way.  I have ridden through that very area and you showed me more than I saw then !!!  Good job !!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Awesome ride report Joe....I like your history/explanations of what's along the way.  I have ridden through that very area and you showed me more than I saw then !!!  Good job !!

Thanks Charlie 

[Michael K (Az.)]

One of the best things about what we do on these 2-wheeled wonders is expose us to things we're not expecting. Every ride has surprises and twists that we don't expect. Thanks for the report, Joe.

[Skinhead]

Hey Joe,

You ever heard of this palce?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania

http://www.u-town.com/centralia/index3.htm

No I have never been there but I have heard about this place .Did a quick mapquest and its about 625 miles from my house.Looks like its about 8-9 miles off I-81  ...Road trip ?

That's what I'm thinking, it'll be a cool place to check out.  The riding is good up that way.  Let's discuss it at the FCR.  We could Hit Pittsburgh first, then ride over the next day.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

One of the best things about what we do on these 2-wheeled wonders is expose us to things we're not expecting. Every ride has surprises and twists that we don't expect. Thanks for the report, Joe.

You're Welcome    Sure wish I could have been on that ride y'all took ... Still hoping to do a " Out West " ride in 2013.

[Gerard irl]

  Great report Joe as per usual I always look foward to sunday night when I know
You are on A ride out home From the pub after a fue beers log in check out My Valk Bro on
The other side of the Pond to see if they had good day out all good as usual Ride Safe Guys

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Hey Joe,

You ever heard of this palce?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania

http://www.u-town.com/centralia/index3.htm

No I have never been there but I have heard about this place .Did a quick mapquest and its about 625 miles from my house.Looks like its about 8-9 miles off I-81  ...Road trip ?

That's what I'm thinking, it'll be a cool place to check out.  The riding is good up that way.

We'll talk it over around the fire at " The Fall Color Ride " .

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Great report Joe as per usual I always look foward to sunday night when I know
You are on A ride out home From the pub after a fue beers log in check out My Valk Bro on
The other side of the Pond to see if they had good day out all good as usual Ride Safe Guys

Come on over sometime and I'll give you the grand tour 

[Mr Whiskey]

Hey Joe,
ya work 16 hours & whatta ya get.....?
Thanks for sharin' & glad ya had a good ride!
Peace, Whiskey.

[BigAl]

Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Loved the mine ride and  the Gold WIng Bump was an accident, he felt terrible,

Appologised, profusely.

He was bay the way 72 and had a artificial leg form his 3rd tour of Vietman.

A real hero that fellow named simply LUCKY>

You Load 16 tons and what do you get.

Another day older and deeper in debt.

But Ernie sold 20,000,000 copies of this one, thats' 20 milion.

Tennessee Ernie Ford Sings 16 Tons

[Michael K (Az.)]

St. Peter doncha call me cause I can't go - - - - - - -

[hubcapsc]

Thanks for sharing Joe. Back in 1966 before I went into the Air Force, I was living in Cincinnati. I briefly dated a girl from Harlan that was in Cincinnati for the summer. We went to visit her family one weekend.

She jokingly told me that we would be there when we saw the kids running around barefooted, since  their parents could not afford shoes. Turns out she really was not kidding all that much. Both her grandfather and dad worked in the mines. Gandpa was very sick with black lung, and her dad was looking for work, since  his mine either was closing or had closed  (I can't remember which). It was scenically a beautiful area, but depressing to be there due to all of the poverty. 

Funny how all that came back to me from reading your post. I hadn't thought of that in a long time.

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone
'You'll never leave Harlan alive'

-Mike

[Black Dog]

Great post Joe 

Looks like you and Al had a beautiful day for that ride.

As usual, great pic's too 

Black Dog

[Hotrodwing]

Hey let me know if you ever plan on coming up to Centralia. Not much to see there now just a house  or 2 and empty streets with nothing on them kind of errie.  I was just thru there last week.  It's only an hour down 81 from my house.  If you do come there is a mine tour in Ashland a short ride away and one near me in Scranton called the Lackawanna coal mine tour.  My Dad and my grandfather work in the mines in the Scranton area. My Dad only work in the mines for a few years but always told us that he like it.   

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Hey let me know if you ever plan on coming up to Centralia.  

Will do 

[fon1961]

Joe, great report.  Thanks for posting.