Amelia and I visited the Miner’s Memorial Monument which is located in the small town of Zeigler, Illinois. We walked to the location of the monument and were joined by my fiancée, Brittany. The visit was made on Saturday April 18, 2009. The Miner’s Memorial is a very historic monument in Zeigler that was established to salute those who answered the calls and made a hard working living working in the coal mines in the past and currently. The memorial was dedicated in 1974 and replaced the Miner’s Fountain Memorial that existed previously. A quote from the city of Zeigler website notes the importance of this monument to the community:
"Zeigler's Coal Miners"
In the early years of Zeigler, most miners lived near the tracks, With their families in the little houses, that was known then as " The Patch"Each day they'd leave with their buckets in hand, and off to work they'd go,walking to work at the Zeigler Mines, thru the rain and thru the snow.
Many of these fathers and sons, worked daily side by side,in areas of the dark black coal, that was neither tall nor wideThey carved out their family's living, in these dark thick walls of coal,and labored hard day and night, to mine the "Zeigler Coal"
Down the shaft they would ride every day, to the bottom of the mine,to the darken hole far underground, where the sunlight never shinesIt was dark as a dungeon everyday, and nearly twice as cold,and it was here that they spent their day, mining this rich "Zeigler Coal"
Deep in the ground in this mine everyday, these men and young boy's toiled,as they carefully spotted and then blasted thru, the thick black layers of soilThese men were the "Zeigler Miners," who worked in the darkness and cold,and with their aching backs and swollen hands, they mined the "Zeigler Coal"
These men were the pioneers of mining, behind their coal black face,and they still remain the hero's and legends, that time will never eraseEveryday they worked dangerously hard, in their daily race against time,far underground in this forsaken hole, that the company called " the mine"
A lot of good men died underground, too soon before their time,and the sad news traveled quickly, to other towns and to their minesThere were always the cries of sorrow, and the sting of the lasting pain,that resembled the quill of a crying whistle, from a nearby passing train
Many memorials stand today, that salute those who answered their call,and prayers are said nearly everyday, for those who gave it their allAnd for all the brave coal miners today, who mine our nations coal,Let us give thanks unto the good Lord, and ask him to protect their soul
"Zeigler's Coal Miners"
In the early years of Zeigler, most miners lived near the tracks, With their families in the little houses, that was known then as " The Patch"Each day they'd leave with their buckets in hand, and off to work they'd go,walking to work at the Zeigler Mines, thru the rain and thru the snow.
Many of these fathers and sons, worked daily side by side,in areas of the dark black coal, that was neither tall nor wideThey carved out their family's living, in these dark thick walls of coal,and labored hard day and night, to mine the "Zeigler Coal"
Down the shaft they would ride every day, to the bottom of the mine,to the darken hole far underground, where the sunlight never shinesIt was dark as a dungeon everyday, and nearly twice as cold,and it was here that they spent their day, mining this rich "Zeigler Coal"
Deep in the ground in this mine everyday, these men and young boy's toiled,as they carefully spotted and then blasted thru, the thick black layers of soilThese men were the "Zeigler Miners," who worked in the darkness and cold,and with their aching backs and swollen hands, they mined the "Zeigler Coal"
These men were the pioneers of mining, behind their coal black face,and they still remain the hero's and legends, that time will never eraseEveryday they worked dangerously hard, in their daily race against time,far underground in this forsaken hole, that the company called " the mine"
A lot of good men died underground, too soon before their time,and the sad news traveled quickly, to other towns and to their minesThere were always the cries of sorrow, and the sting of the lasting pain,that resembled the quill of a crying whistle, from a nearby passing train
Many memorials stand today, that salute those who answered their call,and prayers are said nearly everyday, for those who gave it their allAnd for all the brave coal miners today, who mine our nations coal,Let us give thanks unto the good Lord, and ask him to protect their soul
Raymond D. Null
From the Wham building on SIU campus, it takes 21.55 miles to the Zeigler Miner’s Memorial, which makes a round trip of 43.10 miles. Amelia traveled a total of 3113.01 miles this semester!
