The Hawk’s Nest Tunnel DisasterThe Hawk’s Nest Tunnel Disaster
Hawk’s Nest is in the mountains of West Virginia, not far from Fayetteville. From there you have a lovely view of the New River as it curves around the mountains
Category: Disasters
The Coal Mine Explosion At Farmington, West VirginiaThe Coal Mine Explosion At Farmington, West Virginia
On November 20, 1968, there was a massive explosion at the Consol number 9 mine near Farmington, West Virginia. This explosion resulted in the death of scores of miners, including
Hominy Falls Mine Disaster – May 6, 1968Hominy Falls Mine Disaster – May 6, 1968
On this day in 1968 a worker operating a continuous mining machine in a mine owned by the Gauley Coal and Coke Company accidentally drilled into an abandoned mine shaft
Eccles No. 5 Mine Explosions – April 28, 1914Eccles No. 5 Mine Explosions – April 28, 1914
On this day in 1914 the second worst mine disaster in West Virginia, after the Monongah explosion in 1907, occurred at the Eccles No. 5 mine in Eccles, West Virginia.
The Sultana Explodes – April 27, 1865The Sultana Explodes – April 27, 1865
On this day in 1865 a Mississippi riverboat named the Sultana caught fire and burned after one of its boilers exploded. The boat was packed past capacity with Union prisoners
The Crash Of The ShenandoahThe Crash Of The Shenandoah
In 1923 a rigid airship, made with new material produced by Alcoa Aluminum in Pittsburgh, became the U. S. Navy’s flagship aircraft. Two years later this airship came down in
Work Begins On Hawk’s Nest Tunnel – March 30, 1930Work Begins On Hawk’s Nest Tunnel – March 30, 1930
On this day in 1930 work began on the Hawk’s Nest Tunnel through Gauley Mountain in West Virginia. The tunnel was to divert water from the New River to a
Fire Destroys West Virginia Capitol Second Time – March 2, 1927Fire Destroys West Virginia Capitol Second Time – March 2, 1927
In 1870 the first official West Virginia state capitol building was built, a very ornate Italianate structure in Charleston. That building was added onto in 1887 with an addition. This
The Crash At Clingman’s DomeThe Crash At Clingman’s Dome
In the summer of 1946 a training mission for a B-29 Superfortress ended in tragedy. Today we tell the story of that B-29, which crashed into the third-highest mountaintop in
The Fraterville Mine DisasterThe Fraterville Mine Disaster
In May of 1902 one of the best-run mine companies in the Coal Creek, Tennessee, area suffered a disaster when an explosion trapped and killed 216 miners, all but 3