Blasting at Swalley Mine
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
View of two men setting explosives at Swalley Mine, possibly operated by the Eagle-Picher mining company.

Boiler into Trent mine
Date: Between 1900 and 1920
View of men with two tractors hauling a boiler into the Trent mine. The location is likely the Tri-state mining district of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, but exact location is unknown.

Caterpillar loader
Date: May 25, 1948
Caterpillar loader chassis being landed at bottom of a shaft at the Westside mine, Kansas, possibly operated by the Eagle Picher Lead Co.

Coal stripping shovel
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
Postcard of a coal stripping shovel in south-eastern Kansas.

Drag loader
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
View of a drag loader in operation showing water sprays to control dust useful in final cleanup of mines, possibly owned by the Eagle Picher Lead Co. Probably in the tri-state mining district of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma.

Kansas Emergency Relief Committee accomplishments movie
Creator: Kansas. Emergency Relief Commission
Date: 1936
This motion picture film documents the various work projects completed in Kansas during President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. It begins with an introduction to the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee personnel, starting with the executive director, John G. Stutz. It then shows the various projects across the state, including the construction of farm ponds and lakes as part of the Water Conservation Program, the renovation and construction of courthouses, schools, libraries, and other public buildings, and the weaving and sewing rooms that produced clothing for needy Kansans. It also includes footage of rabbit drives, dust storms, and women sweeping piles of dust out of their homes. Click on the thumbnails below to play each clip. Click on Text Version for a detailed description of each chapter.

Loading rail cars with washed chat
Date: Between 1940 and 1970
Loading rail cars with washed chat at Ottawa chat-loading plant.

Lorain Shovel Loading 15-2 Truck
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
View of a Lorain Shovel Loading 15-2 Truck at the Westside Mine, probably in the tri-state mining district of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, and possibly owned by the Eagle Picher Lead co.

Mining, Pittsburg, Kansas
Date: Between 1945 and 1955
View of a giant shovel working in a strip mine, Pittsburg, Kansas.

Netta Mine, Trolley-type electric locomotive
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
Trolley-type electric locomotive at Netta Mine in the early days (no hard hats), posssibly owned by the Eagle Picher Lead Co.

Re-assembling a truck underground
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
View of men re-assembling a truck underground at the Grace Walker Mine, probably in the tri-state mining district of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, and possibly owned by the Eagle Picher Mining Co. The truck had to be brought into the mine in pieces to fit into the elevator.

Running rock drill
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
View of a running rock drill mounted on drill post, probably in the tri-state mining district of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, and possibly owned by the Eagle Picher Lead Co.

State inspector of coal mines reports
Creator: Kansas. Inspector of Coal Mines
Date: Between 1884 and 1956
These reports of the Kansas State Mine Inspector mostly concern coal mining, though by 1929 the scope of the reports broadens to include metal mines. The content of individual reports will vary. The reports address mining laws and mining districts; industry production and earnings; fatal and non-fatal accidents; accident investigations and transcripts of oral interviews; labor strikes; mine locations; mining companies and operators; and proceedings of mining conventions. The reports document the political, economic, social, and environmental impacts of more than seventy years of mining in southeastern Kansas.

Track mounted crawler drill
Date: Between 1940 and 1960
View of a track mounted crawler drill jumbo, probably in the tri-state mining district of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, and possibly owned by the Eagle Picher Lead Co.

Turk/Turck mining camp
Date: 1938
Turk, or Turck, was a small unincorporated community in Cherokee County located approximately 3 miles south of Scammon on the old St. Louis and San Francisco RR line. Turk had a post office from 1889 to 1891. These photos include images of mining equipment, a movie theatre, store, and private residence.

Weir, Cherokee County, Kansas
Date: Between 1909 and 1933
Twenty-three photographs of the Weir Mining Camp. Weir City, generally called Weir by the residents, was built on land owned by T. M. Weir and was laid out by him. Weir is located in Cherokee County approximately two miles south of the Cherokee and Crawford county line and nine miles west of the Kansas and Missouri state line. It was founded in 1872 and continues in existence today. Photographs include images of residents, businesses, churches, schools, and private residences. Also included is an image of a boiler explosion, a greeting card, and an invitation to a private event.

West Mineral, Cherokee County, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1985
Three photographs of the West Mineral mining camp. This camp was originally known as the Mineral mining camp and housed approximately 1000 people at its peak. West Mineral is located six miles west of Scammon (another mining camp) in Cherokee County and, as of 2014, had a population of 187 residents. These photographs include two recent images of Big Brutus and an older photo of an automobile shop.