Small Old Mining Town West Mineral, KS: Abandoned School, Empty Houses & Historic Methodist Church

June 1, 2024
Driving around the forgotten old small mining town, West Mineral, Kansas in Cherokee County. West Mineral was once a part of Mineral City (which is no longer existing). A post office opened in 1899. The town is home to "Big Brutus", the World's Largest coal mining shovel in the world!
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A great video! A resident of West Mineral, KS talks about the history of the town and his family history: • Carmen Boccia talks ab...
#westmineral #kansas #bigbrutus #coalmining #coal #smalltown #smalltownusa #oldchurch #alongtheway #drivingaround #travel #worldslargest #miningtown #mining #timetraveler

[@keith_holland]

Nice! One day would sure love to see you drive by the JA Wayland home, the Haldeman-Julius’s home, and show the building where the Little Blue Books and Appeal newspaper were published in Girard.

[@along-the-way]

I've put it on my to-do list! Hopefully, I can get back to Girard soon. I didn't know about the Little Blue Books until recently, and I would like to explore the location. Thank you for your suggestion and for watching my video! 😊

[@easydranch]

@@along-the-way The Girard History Museum will tell you about the Little Blue books and much more.

[@along-the-way]

@easydranch thank you so much for that information! I will stop in at the museum when I go back to Girard! 😊

[@easydranch]

The Methodist Church at 7:20 still has services every Sunday. This church was originally in Stone City, KS. It was moved to this location in 1904 after the Methodist Chuch burned down. At 14:30 the Catholic Church is on the left. It was moved to this location from East Mineral and is now a home. The store at 10:20 and 12:40 is Boccia Grocery Store. I have several videos on my channel on the history of West Mineral, KS

[@along-the-way]

@easydranch I have a short video of Roseland, KS to post. I have never heard of Stone City, KS! I noticed at the Big Brutus Museum that there were several towns or camps in the area during the mining boom. Thank you so much for commenting! I am a subscriber of your channel, and I appreciate and enjoy your historic videos too. Thanks again!

[@easydranch]

@@along-the-way Stone City was on NW40th street, a mile and a half north of hwy 102. The vault from the Fidelity Coal Co, company store, and offices is all that's left of Stone City. A black cemetery is on NW40th and NW Liberty Rd SE corner. I can't find any records, obituaries, or names of those buried there. I have spoken to many who will attest that it was a black cemetery. There are no headstones. The land is held by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and parks.

[@along-the-way]

@@easydranch the next time I'm out that way, I'm going to check it out. That's interesting that there is an unmarked cemetery! I know there is so much history in that area that has been forgotten! I wonder if the Museum in Franklin, KS has any information? Thank you for everything that you post to help us all remember Kansas history!