Illinois Coal Mines
RE: Illinois Coal Mines
Huh. I had no idea I drove over coal mines when I'm on 64. Pretty neat!
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Re: Illinois Coal Mines
Good to know. There has been a ton of money invested into new underground coal mines in Illinois lately; there are some interesting abandoned structures as well.
If you want really neat stuff in Illinois, though, go down to Hardin County and check out the old fluorspar mines. There is a complete mill from the 1920s-1930s that should have an open decline into the workings, we just never found it. On the Kentucky side, the Eagle-Babb mill was built in the 60s and looks exactly like it did when shut down in '79. That stuff is all on private property, but if you do the legwork to determine the owners, they are very happy to let you come onto the property, explore, and take photos.
If you want really neat stuff in Illinois, though, go down to Hardin County and check out the old fluorspar mines. There is a complete mill from the 1920s-1930s that should have an open decline into the workings, we just never found it. On the Kentucky side, the Eagle-Babb mill was built in the 60s and looks exactly like it did when shut down in '79. That stuff is all on private property, but if you do the legwork to determine the owners, they are very happy to let you come onto the property, explore, and take photos.