Atlas Coal Mine
| Location | ||
|---|---|---|
Province Alberta | | |
| Country | Canada | |
| Coordinates | 51°19′43″N 112°28′57″W / 51.32863°N 112.48251°W | |
| Production | ||
| Products | Coal | |
| History | ||
| Opened | 1911 | |
| Closed | 1984 | |
 Tipple and main ore conveyor | ||
| Type | History Museum | |
| Nearest city | Drumheller | |
| Built | 1937 | |
| Visitors | (in 35,000+) | |
| Governing body | Atlas Coal Mine Historical Society | |
| Website | Atlas Coal Mine site | |
| Designated | 2002 | |
The Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site is an inactive
History
The sub-bituminous coal from the Drumheller mining district was mainly used for home heating, cooking and electrical generation. It was also used to power the steam locomotives of the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways on the prairies. The flat-lying seams were easier to mine than those found in more mountainous areas, with lower levels of methane gas. The coal-mining era lasted from 1911 to 1984, when the Atlas No. 3 and 4 mines closed. The Atlas No. 3 Mine structures are preserved and form the basis of the National Historic Site, administered by the Atlas Mine Historical Society.[2]
The mine features the last wooden coal tipple in Canada. Built in 1937, the tipple is a coal loading and sorting machine. At over 7 storeys tall the tipple now serves as a reminder of the rich mining history of the Drumheller Valley. Old mining equipment, including a working pre-1936 battery powered locomotive and several buildings including the wash house, supply house, lamp house, and mine office still stand at the site. The site preserves the stories and artifacts of the men who once mined the black. The Atlas is the last of 139 mines that once ruled the valley.
Thirteen people died during the mine's operation. Four died on one day, June 24, 1941, when a gas explosion killed three, and a fourth died in a vain attempt to rescue them.[1]
Tourism
The facilities are open to visitors from May to Thanksgiving weekend. Guided tours take visitors into the past with a ride on the locomotive (dubbed Linda) and a walk up the tipple. Since 2009, the Atlas has conducted tours of the 210 foot underground conveyor tunnel and the recently restored Blacksmith Shop.[3]
References
- ^ a b Litschel, King Coal, p. 38
- ^ "Mine History". Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "Visitor Information". Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.