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Thuber first coal mine historic marker Texas attraction coal destination display education information landmark marker mine sign attractive educating Erath County famous fuel Harvey E. Johnson historical marker Historical Site Historical Sites info mining Place of Interest Places of Interest popular R. D. Hunter road side Road sign Road Signs Roadside signage Texas and Pacific Coal Company Thurber Thurber First Coal Mine tour tourist attraction Tourist Destination Tourist Destinations travel Travel Destination Travel Destinations William W. Johnson United States appealing energy industry no people text tourism United States of America attract business history nobody word Jason O. Watson / historical-markers.org daytime destinations displays historic markers landmarks markers mines signs South appeal color image educate historic outdoor vertical day famousness historical markers road sides tourist attractions tours colour image historical outside day time TX day-time US words color images daylight outdoors USA verticals colour images natural light outsides U.S. U.S.A. historic site sign with text |
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SITE OF THURBER'S FIRST COAL MINE
Two hundred yards southeast of this site, at the base of the hill and at a depth of 65 feet, the first coal mine in this area was placed in operation by brothers William W. and Harvey E. Johnson. After Harvey's death in 1888, and because of labor and financial difficulties, William Johnson sold his mining interest to R. D. Hunter's Texas and Pacific Coal Company. Railroads provided a ready market for coal, and the company town of Thurber (named for investor H. K. Thurber) became completely unionized after a 1903 strike. The company employed 2,500 miners of 18 nationalities.
(1995) |