Sulphur is named for the sulfur mines, which were evactuated in the area in the 1900s. In the area, a German immigrant invented a method of mining sulfur from underground depposits. It is the only economic method of recovering sulfur from elemental deposits. Most of the world's sulfur was obtained this way until the late 20th century, when sulfur recovered from petroleum and gas sources became more commonplace. In the process, superheated water is pumped into the sulfur deposit. The sulfur metls and is extracted. This method is able to produce high purity sulfur. As of 2011, the only operating mines using this method worldwide are in Poland and since 2010 in Mexico. The last mine operating in the United States closed in 2000. A mine in Iraq closed in 2003 due to the US invasion of Iraq.
In 1867, miners discovered sulfur in the caprock of a salt dome in Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana, but it was beneath quicksand, which prevented mining. In 1894, the German-born American chemist, devised his method of sulfur removal using pipe to bypass the quicksand. The process proved successful, on December 24, 1894, when the first molten sulfur was brought to the surface. However, the high cost of fuel needed to heat the water made the process uneconomic until the 1901 discovery of the Spindletop oil field in Texas provided cheap fuel oil to the region. The process began economic production at Sulfur Mine, Louisiana in 1903.
When the patent expired, the process was widely applied to similar salt-dome sulfur deposits along the US Gulf Coast.
In the process, three concentric tubes are introduced into the sulfur deposit. Superheated water in injected into the deposit via the outermost tube. Sulfur melts and flows into the middle tube. Water pressure alone is unable to force the sulfur into the surface due to the molten sulfur's greater density, so hot air in introduced via the innermost tube to froth the sulfur, making it less dense, and pushing it to the surface. The sulfur obtained can be very pure. In this form, it is light yellow in color. If contaminated by organic compounds, it can be dark-colored; further purification is not economic, and usually unnecessary.
Built in 1915, the Southern Pacific Railway Depot was used extensively to ferry passengers and freight to the small sulfur mining community of Sulphur, Louisiana. The depot fell into disuse in the 1970's, and a group of local residents began efforts to preserve the building as a piece of history.
In 1975, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company finally agreed to sell the building to the Sulphur Association of Commerce for one dollar, on the requirement that the building be moved away from the railroad tracks, due to safety issues. After funds were raised to move the building, arrangements were made with a local house-moving company to relocate the building near Frasch Park, just off of Picard Road. The two-mile move took 10 hours, and required the efforts of many in the community.
After moving the building, next came the process of renovation. The building was cleaned, scraped, repaired, refinished, and repainted, just in time for its dedication ceremony, which took place on the nation's 200th birthday, July 4, 1976. It housed several different types of exhibits over the years, including a permanent exhibit on the history of the town, and is also the only museum in America to spotlight this mining process. It has been moved one other time in the history of the town, to its current location on 900 S. Huntington Street, across the street from the Sulphur Judicial Center. Moving to this location has resulted in a drastic increase in visitors.
The museum was officially signed over from the Association of Commerce to the Brimstone Historical Society on December 5th of 2005. It currently has artwork on display from local artists, and other historical artifacts from the history of the town. The permanent exhibits of the history of the town and the mining process rotates throughout the year, to accommodate exhibits of local interest.
To get credit for this cache, visit the permanent inside the Brimstone exhibt and email back to CO (cuppage101@gmail.com) the answer to the following question: "Who was the German-American chemist who invented this method for mining sulfur?" Extra Credit: What was the nickname of the local Native American Indian tribe?". FTF honors goes to Cache Control!