DIAMOND, IL (Illinois Route 113 on the east side of Coal City) is appropriately associated with “black diamonds”: coal. But with notoriety because of the Diamond Mine disaster of 1883 in which 74 miners were drowned underground. The disaster and memorial are discussed by R. G. Bluemer in his book Black Diamond Mines (Grand Village Press, 2001).

The memorial was erected by the United Mine Workers of America in 1895.

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