Mine All Mine
One of the
toughest and most hazardous jobs in the world is that of a miner. The Central Alabama (Birmingham Metro Area) was literally built by the steel industry. This steel was produced from iron ore and coal mined throughout the area.
The earliest
mining took place in the days before the Civil War. During the Civil War, coal
was mined to fuel the blast furnaces at Tannehill, Brierfield, Selma and Oxmoor
(now the site of an industrial park with only a historic plaque remaining to
mark this historic location). These furnaces produced iron that was used by the
Confederacy to armor war ships and to produce weaponry such as cannons and as ammunition
for these cannons. The iron was also used to produce rails for steam locomotives
to transport goods to Confederate troops.
The rails laid
by Confederate forces often led to mining operations where coal and iron ore
were mined by slaves and indentured servants. It was no simple task to create a
railroad system. There were no modern tools such as GPS and topographical maps
to help plan the route to the mines. It was back-breaking work to create rail
beds. Trees had to be cut, passes through mountains had to be blasted with
nitroglycerin and the rubble from the blasting operation had to be removed by
hand. If the route to a mine encountered a waterway, bridges had to be built.
The bridges that
crossed these waterways were marvels of engineering at the time they were built.
They were constructed of stone that had to be quarried and transported to the
site. These stones, which could weigh thousands of pounds had to be meticulously
shaped and fitted to other stones to create pillars and abutments. By locating
this geocache, you will visit one of these historic locations that is known only
to a handful of people.
The site of the
geocache is the ruins of a bridge that once led to the Gould Mine near Helena.
The Gould Mine was started by "Uncle Billy" Gould early in the days of
the Civil War. "Uncle Billy" acquired 1700 acres of coal land near
Helena. On this land "Uncle Billy" sank a shaft one-hundred and
thirty-five deep. During the high-point of mining from this shaft, workers
brought out seventy-five tons of coal a day, all of which was shipped to the
Confederate Arsenal and naval foundry at Selma. Things went well for "Uncle
Billy" Gould as he mined coal throughout the Civil War, until the waning
days of the war. In April of 1865, days before General Robert E. Lee surrendered
at Appomattox, The Union General Wilson and his Raiders began a march
towards the Confederate rolling mill located in Helena. While enroute to the
rolling mill, Wilson's Raider's systematically razed everything in their path.
Unfortunately, "Uncle Billy's" coal mine stood between the rolling
mill and Wilson's Raiders. After crossing the bridge leading to the mine,
Wilson's Raiders burned the bridge and then proceeded to burn three-thousand
tons of "Uncle Billy's" coal that was due to be shipped via rail to
the naval foundry in Selma. Later that same day, Wilson's Raiders reached Helena
and proceed to raze the rolling mill in Helena.
It is now 2004,
almost 140 years since Wilson's Raiders put an end to "Uncle Billy's"
coal mine but there are still artifacts to be visited, most notably the remains
of the bridge that was razed. The remaining stone work is a testament to the
craftsmanship of these early masons and stoneworkers. These masons built
something that still stands today, even though it is hidden from public view and
is well worth a visit. Here are some pictures of the remains of the bridge that
was razed and what you will see when visiting the area where the geocache is
located (you can click the thumbnail images to see a full-size picture):
When visiting the area, it's easy to imagine the sounds and smells of steam powered locomotives as they crossed this now extinct bridge as you listen to the peaceful sounds of the water as it flows through the area. As you explore the area, think of the miners, engineers and laborers that toiled to create a transportation route for the coal from the mine. Try to imagine what life must have been like in the area 140 years-ago. This may sound crazy, but as I visited the area today, I closed my eyes and could hear the sounds of steam operated machinery, the sounds of the now-defunct railway and the sounds of workers speaking amongst themselves. Visiting the area really is like taking a step back in time. I think it is so cool to be able to see the old rail bed that is still visible, even though many trees now lay in its path.
Even
though the cache container is pretty-much "run of the mill", it's a .30 caliber ammo can, reaching the cache is not the typical geocache experience and I consider it to be part of the adventure. As a geocacher you will have to determine the best way to access the geocache. You should take some time to study maps. This cache is literally located 'in the middle of nowhere', but visiting the area and seeing the artifacts created by our ancestors will make the effort worthwhile. This is not a drive-by geocache and you need to be prepared to spend some time researching the best way to reach the cache site. While hiking to the cache site, I had to cross several small streams and work my way through many very thick briar patches (I have the bloody scars to prove it). You should also be aware that the area where the cache is hidden, as well as the areas near it, are often used for hunting. If visiting the area during hunting season, make sure to wear plenty of bright colored clothes, as well as a orange hunter's safety vest, as no geocache is worth getting accidentally shot.
I
am an admitted Civil War fanatic and admittedly attempt to learn as much about my hometown area as I can. As such, I have to give credit where credit is due. I originally discovered this very historic site while on a hike with my brother, Readymixer and his boss, Keith. We actually discovered the bridge abutment on the opposite side of the water from where the geocache is located. Even though I did not yet know the history of the area, I knew that I had to place a geocache in the area in an attempt to allow others to learn the history of the area. It took many hours of research to learn the history of the area. I would also like to credit Mr. Henry Emfinger, owner and curator of the Aldrich Coal Mine Museum, Inc. for information regarding this historic site. The Aldrich Museum is one of only two mining museums in the State of Alabama and is well worth visiting. The museum is open from 1PM-4PM on Sundays and from 10AM-4PM Thursday-Saturday. Admission to the museum is $5 for adults and $3 for children. If you are interested in learning about the history of coal mining in the Shelby County area there is no better place to do research than this museum. The phone number of the museum is (205) 663-2886. To reach the museum take Shelby County Road 10 West in Montevallo to Aldrich. Cross the railroad tracks and turn left on Shelby County Road 203. Signs are posted.
There are two books which have been published by Mr. Ken Penhale of Helena that were also used in my research the site. These books are 'The Early History of Helena' and 'Images of America, Helena, Alabama'. Here are images of the covers of the books (you can click on the thumbnail images to see a full-size picture):
I hope you enjoy visiting this geocache and I hope that you enjoyed learning a bit of this historic area.