Once known as “black gold,” coal played a large part in the history of Allegany and Garrett counties. Garrett College is helping to preserve this history with the Coal Talk Museum Room located in the Media Center.
An Open House will be held Wednesday, July 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Media Center to help acquaint people with this little-known resource for those who want to better understand the history of coal in Western Maryland.
Located in the college library, the Coal Talk Museum Room holds a collection of coal artifacts, photographs, and 37 audio tapes and transcripts. Some of the transcripts have photos, making them more personal, said Gail Herman, original project coordinator.
Recorded conversations between local volunteers and coal miners include people from both Allegany and Garrett County coal-mining communities of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s. The room also includes a variety of books on coal mining, photos and exhibits, including a large drill, pick ax, safety lamps and other coal- mining equipment.
The museum also has some oral histories collected by local eight grade students in the early 1990s. One of those interviewed was George Brady of Kitzmiller, who worked in the mines three years in the 1950s for Burrell Brothers Coal Corp.
“I drove ponies and hauled the coal outside with ponies,” he said. “We still used carbide lights also.” While he was there the mines began to use electric lamps and battery-operated motors, but still used some ponies inside.
Many towns in Garrett and Allegany counties were boom towns during the coal era, including Crellin, Kempton, Kitzmiller and Lonaconing. Coal and logging kept the railroads busy before vacationers realized they could get away from the big cities and enjoy summer in the mountains.
John Ayers of Barton, who also was interviewed, collects coal memorabilia and loaned some to the college. “He helped us with the display for the presentation to the (Maryland) Humanities Council,” said Herman.
The initial grant that funded the project was completed, “but we feel an obligation to continue the project,” said Herman. A long-term goal is to get the information on the Internet so it will be available to more people. Local historian John Grant, co-director of the original project, edited spelling of coal equipment and other technical terms.
“This is such a rich resource,” said Herman. “Written and recorded copies of the interviews assure that people with either hearing or vision problems can access the interviews.”
An open house is often held during the Chautauqua at Garrett College in early July. The Maryland Humanities Council’s Living History portrayals take place under a huge tent on the college lawn.
The Coal Talk collection was funded in part by the Maryland Humanities Council. More information is available through the college library, 301-387-3009
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