The phrase "canary in the coal mine" originates from a literal practice used in coal mining during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before the widespread adoption of modern gas detection equipment, miners brought canaries—small, sensitive songbirds—into the mines with them. Canaries are particularly vulnerable to toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and methane, which are colorless, odorless, and deadly. If dangerous gases accumulated in the mine, the canary would show signs of distress or die before the levels reached a point that would harm humans. This served as an early warning system, alerting miners to evacuate or ventilate the area.
Over time, the term took on a metaphorical meaning beyond mining. Today, "canary in the coal mine" refers to a person, event, or thing that acts as an early warning of potential trouble or disaster. It is often used in contexts such as environmental science, economics, or social issues—where early signs of deeper systemic problems can be identified. The enduring power of the phrase lies in its vivid imagery and its connection to a real and dangerous part of industrial history.
This Multi-Cache serves as a memorial to the countless canaries who perished in coal mines across West Virginia (and the world) which helped to keep thousands - if not hundreds of thousands - of miners safe from dangerous gases.
About this Multi-Cache
At stage one, you'll be looking for a helpful canary, which will help guide you to the final cache. There's two ways of retrieving the canary - manpower or the use of a TOTT. Please take care of yourself and the canary while retrieving the information for stage two, and replace the canary as found so the next visitor can have the same experience as you.
A special thank you to OnlineGuy for helping with the cretion of this multi!
This cache has been placed for GeoWoodstock XXI (GCANXX1).