The very name “Glen Carbon” (“Valley of Coal”) reflects the vast reserves of coal that drove the economy of this town in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, until the last mine closed in 1934. The Chamber of Commerce website states: “Glen Carbon still honors its coal mining heritage, with statues and parks standing throughout the town as dignified reminders.” [PROJECT NOTE: we have not yet seen these]
city seal
A historically significant aspect of Glen Carbon’s coal mining history is that General Alexander Bradley was here in July 16-17, 1897, actively seeking to unionize its miners. Visit our story map to see his remarkable campaign.
A memorial was created in 1987 on a field in the city park of adjacent municipality Glen Carbon. The park is called Miner Park. There is a cutout of a miner and a dedicatory plaque saying: “This facility is dedicated to those who lost their lives in mine-related accidents in and around Collinsville. We recognize them as an important of our heritage and remind those who will compete on these fields that the strengths they use today have their origins in the past.”
Source: Image of the Glen Carbon Coal Mine sculpture. Sculpture depicts a miner from 1910. The sculpture was created by E. E. Giberson in 1989. https://madison-historical.siue.edu/archive/items/show/164