The Illinois Coal Museum in Gillespie pays tribute to the mining roots and organized labor that shaped the region throughout the 1900s.
Before the coal boom around 1902, the southwestern Illinois community was a small farming town with a population of 600.
However, the boom changed everything, and the population peaked near 6,000. It started when the Superior Coal Company opened four large mines, employing hundreds of miners. Five new towns resulted and joined Gillespie in supporting the industry, creating “Coal Country.” Miners founded the Progressive Miners of America in 1932 at the Colonial Theater, only one block from today’s museum. Then, the Chicago and North Western Railway switched from coal to diesel locomotives, eliciting an economic bust.
The museum exhibits, displays and reference library encompass the history that changed and shaped Gillespie through the coal boom and the sector’s decline in the area. Hundreds of mining artifacts, period photography and documents tell the story of this brief but eventful time.
Open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour, or you can schedule a guided tour by calling (833) 228-8603 or emailing curator@gillespiecoalmuseum.org. For more information, visit gillespiecoalmuseum.org.
