Number 3 Nellis explosion of 1943 Memorial
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
On Saturday November 6, 1943, 10 men were killed after a mining machine sparked and ignited gas causeing a explotion in a mine shaft. At the entrance of the road to the mine, their is a monument that remembers the miners that were victims in this horrible incident. The heartbreak of this disaster is still obvious all through this area.The Children of the men lost in the explotion still live in the area. A small museum in a local church is dedicated to this unfortunate occurance.
Images
A picture of the fenced monument.
Front view of the Nellis Monument
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
10 people were killed in a mining disaster in Nellis, WV on November 7th, 1943. Many of these men had wives and children that were soon on the site to await the news of their husbands and fathers. However, it took workers two days to removed the bodies. So families waited in sileance to hear who had survived and who had been killed in this horrible explosion.
To commemorate this disaster, the community banded together to create a monument to honor their loved ones that perished. Situated outside the entrance to the mine, a gated stone monument with the story of the disater and those effected was erected. The local Nellis Elementary School helps maintain the monument. The students leave flowers for each holiday at the monument.
A church has been turned into a present day museum. It houses many artifacts pulled from the mine that belonged to those that perished in the incident. The effects of this explosion can still be felt in the hearts of family members generations seperated from the victims. The Church it self stood witness to the expolsion, at the time it was used as the local church and was likley used for the funeral location for many of the lost.
To commemorate this disaster, the community banded together to create a monument to honor their loved ones that perished. Situated outside the entrance to the mine, a gated stone monument with the story of the disater and those effected was erected. The local Nellis Elementary School helps maintain the monument. The students leave flowers for each holiday at the monument.
A church has been turned into a present day museum. It houses many artifacts pulled from the mine that belonged to those that perished in the incident. The effects of this explosion can still be felt in the hearts of family members generations seperated from the victims. The Church it self stood witness to the expolsion, at the time it was used as the local church and was likley used for the funeral location for many of the lost.
Cite This Entry
Bowen, Tristan . "Number 3 Nellis explosion of 1943 Memorial ." Clio: Your Guide to History. October 19, 2015. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://theclio.com/entry/7624
Sources
"Boone Town Still Dealing with Explosion That Killed 11 Men." |. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
"Nellis, WV Coal Mine Gas Explosion, Nov 1943." Welcome to GenDisasters! N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
"Articles on West Virginia Coal Mine Disasters." Articles on West Virginia Coal Mine Disasters. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
"WV Historical Markers - Let's Find All 700 - Page 55 - ADVrider." ADVrider RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.