Harrison County History of Coal Museum, Cadiz

About Harrison County History of Coal Museum

The Harrison County History of Coal Museum in Cadiz, Ohio, documents the region's deep and surface mining heritage through exhibits and historic equipment. Visitors explore displays of company scrip, historic deep mining coal cars, and a surface mining section that illustrates extraction methods. The museum features a coal mine entrance exhibit and a coal theater where Dave Adair presents a dramatic portrayal of early coal mining in Appalachia from the 1900s. Large-scale equipment on display includes the Silver Spade, Gem of Egypt, Mountaineer, and Green Hornet shovels, along with draglines and other machinery used in strip mining operations. The collection also preserves photographs and documentation of notable mines including Somers Mine, Barton Tipple, and Egypt Valley Mine. The museum suits visitors interested in Appalachian labor history, industrial heritage, and the coal industry's role in Ohio's economy. A visit involves walking through outdoor and indoor exhibits to view equipment, historical photographs, and mining artifacts that span both deep and surface mining eras.