The Upper Big Branch Mine Memorial

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

On April 10, 2010 a mine explosion killed 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch Mine. With the pain of the disaster in the hearts of everyone around, the local community gathered together to have a memorial created. The Mine Memorial honors the local mine workers who lost their lives providing for their families.

Images

UBB Miners Memorial

First Responders Monument

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

A memorial was quickly established after an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia killed 29 workers. The temporary monument was so popular that the community decided to have a permanent monument created to commemorate the disaster. The monument displays an outline of the 29 miners who lost their lives on April 5, 2010.

Many people, corporations, and businesses worked together to fund the building of the permanent monument. They wanted to have a fitting tribute to the men that worked so hard for the community and paid a heavy price. The monument was not the only one to be built. A second smaller memorial was established to remember the brave men and women to risked their lives trying to rescue the miners.

A group called The Upper Big Branch Mining Memorial Group, Inc. was formed to put the production of the monument into action. After the approval of the project they were given a budget of over $500,000.The group used stone and steel in the construction of the monument as symbols of strength. The project was completed by Pray Construction.

Sources

"MSHA - Performance Coal - Upper Big Branch Mine-South Disaster Information Single Source Page." MSHA - Performance Coal - Upper Big Branch Mine-South Disaster Information Single Source Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014. "About | UBB Miners Memorial." About | UBB Miners Memorial. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014. NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.