The Grove Shaft, Midlothian Mines

The Grove Shaft, Midlothian Mines (c. 1911)

The Grove Shaft, Midlothian Mines (2015)

Site Name: Midlothian Mines (concentration on the Grove Shaft)

Date of Construction: 1835

Reason for Construction: Founded to boost the economy of the Chesterfield area and to exploit the natural resources of the area.

Site History: Chesterfield’s coal pits supplied the cannon factory near Richmond with fuel during the Revolutionary War. In 1781, a British general entered Chesterfield County with his men, set the courthouse on fire, and destroyed the coal pits. The leaders of the mining industry in Chesterfield petitioned in 1802 to create a turnpike that would allow for easier transportation of coal, and then in 1831 Chesterfield’s first railroad, and the second commercial railroad in the US, was brought into use to make the moving of goods even easier. Chesterfield’s coalmines reached their height during the second quarter of the 19^th century thanks to advances in technology. The Mid-Lothian Mines, specifically, employed a large number of men (both black and white), who helped to stimulate the economy of the county around them. Most mines during this time were operated by a combination of hired slaves, whites, and free blacks. In 1843 it was estimated by Henry Howe that the mines produced approximately 250 tons of coal daily. In the 1850s the Mid-Lothian mines were rocked with explosions that killed a sizeable number of workers and caused earth tremors surrounding the site. Incidents of the sort caused an exodus of workers from the Midlothian mines. In 1882 an explosion at the Grove Shaft (pictured) led to the loss of 32 lives. During the late 19^th century and the early 20^th centuries there were efforts to revive the coal mining in Chesterfield, but these efforts were never seen through.

Area History: Coal was first discovered in Chesterfield in the early 1700s. Because of various publications from prominent families living in Chesterfield claiming that the coal quality was high, families began to flock to Midlothian. Miners immigrated to Chesterfield from Wales, England, Scotland, and other countries, not to mention other places from around the country.  Mining quickly became Chesterfield’s most important industry. While mapping Virginia, James Madison identified the coal mines that were in the vicinity of Midlothian; this was not the first map of its kind, however, it reaffirmed some older maps of Virginia. At the beginning of the Civil War, Midlothian had a large company owned store, a hospital for miners, and several taverns. There was company owned housing, as well as a Methodist church and a lodge that was built later. During the 1850s, Midlothian became a regular stop on several railroad lines. The coal industry was stimulated at first when the Civil War broke out, but after the fall of Richmond, at least 100 troops were detailed to guard the Midlothian mines. After the Civil War, coal production in Midlothian again fell off sharply.

What about the site has changed? Midlothian Mines have been around for a very long time, but this specific shaft was built in 1835. Since then, the site has experienced period of incredible prosperity, great disaster, and recession. The Midlothian Mines provided energy for a multitude of people throughout the years, and when disasters caused the mines to close, there were several attempts to reopen the mines. However, all attempts to reopen failed, and eventually, to preserve the incredible history of the site, it was turned into a park. Today, there are several sites with remains of the shafts, but the Midlothian Mines Park system is generally a series of trails with informative signs and a gated in historical site every once and a while.

What about the surrounding area has changed? Since these mines were built Chesterfield has evolved enormously. When the mines were first built there were a huge number of people who flocked to the area to get a chance at a mining job.  However, when safety concerns became clearer of an issue, there was a mass exodus of people out of Midlothian. When the mines closed Midlothian’s population continued to decline. However, with the evolution of technology and a need for more room, other people moved to Midlothian and turned it into the suburb it is today.

Reflection: This project was incredibly interesting, and I legitimately had a lot of fun looking into our local history. I actually plan to continue to look into some of these sites, specifically the Chesterfield Railroad, in the near future. I had no idea that these ruins existed only 5 minutes from my house, and exploring the park that these ruins are in was awesome. It was a beautiful day I went to take the picture and people were very friendly; I ended up learning a lot from the signs posted along the walking path and having some great conversations. I definitely learned a lot from this project and I'm excited to explore the Chesterfield Railroad soon. 

Author: Emma Bilski

Sources:

Bowles, Calvin. "Richmond Rail History." Richmond Railroad Museum. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.richmondrailroadmuseum.org/railroad_history.htm.

"Historic Mid-Lothian Mines Park." Mid-Lothian Mines & Rail Roads Foundation. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://midlomines.org/History_EXZH.html.