Lynnville, IN: Museum of the Coal Industry

(Satellite)

They not only had exhibits concerning the big mining shovels and draglines, they tried to explain the importance of coal to everybody before electricity and natural gas became available.

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Museum Of The Coal Industry posted three photos with the comment:

THE MINING HISTORY OF LYNNVILLE PARK
Many people know that today’s Lynnville Park was donated by Peabody Coal, but they were not the first company to mine this land.
At the turn of the last century, there were several coal mines and coal banks in the area around Lynnville. Several families who owned land started their own mines to provide fuel for cooking and heating their homes.
Lewis Nordhorn owned the land just west of present day Peach Street. He started an underground mine providing coal for his family and friends.
In 1958, Peabody Coal bought a 5761 stripping shovel and set it to work south of Highway 68 and west of Highway 61. From there it worked east and west and then moved north. For a period of time, highway 68 was closed while Peabody mined through, and a runaround road was put in from highway 61, past the Peabody tipple, to the site where Tecumseh Jr.-Sr. High School sits today. Once the 5761 stripped north, Highway 68 was put back in. Peabody put in an underpass to allow coal trucks and other mining equipment to get from the tipple and office to the pit.
The 5761 continued to mine north of Highway 68, and in 1962, it accidentally found the former site of the underground Nordhorn mine, with the result of the machine actually dropping partially into the hole and having to be removed.
As mining operations wrapped up, Peabody focused on creating Lynnville Park lake, planting trees around it and stocking it with fish. In July 1965, the park land was donated to the Town of Lynnville. At the time, it was the largest city park in the state of Indiana.
In the years following, shelter houses and camping sites were developed and lots were leased out for homes and cabins around the lake.

1
Stripmaster 5761 in 1968.

2
A side view of the Stripmaster 5761

3
Picture taken of a family boating on Lynnville Park lake in 1965-66. We’d love to know if anyone can tell us who was in the boat! 

(new window)  I think it was the company house they were building when I visited. And the company store was yet to be built. It is nice to see that the museum has made such good progress.