Historical And Coal Mining Museum - Centerville, Iowa
Historical And Coal Mining Museum - Centerville, Iowa
In Centerville, Iowa The Historical and Coal Mining Museum, located in a 1903 post office building, houses a collection beginning with the settlement period of 1843. Many exhibits depict a pioneer farm and village as well as a historic post office display.
Artifacts from the Mormon Trail of 1846 are on display, and maps and detailed information about the trail are available. The research library contains all available histories, plat books and directories of Appanoose County. Coal mine replica on the lower level shows mining tools and equipment.
Location: 100 West Maple (Hwy 2)
Hours: Monday - Friday 1:00 to 5:00, and between Memorial Day and Homecoming (mid October) it is also open on Saturdays from 10 to 2:00
Phone: 641-856-8040
Website: http://www.appanoosehistory.
Do you have any info on a coal mine that was in the old town of bidwell owned by bidwell coal company.This is located on old hwy 34 near ottumwa.I own the land that it sits on and would love to get any info i can.Thank you
My grandmother-in-law, Effie Walters Mather, was raised in Bidwell, Iowa from 1918 until about 1930. Her father, Benjamin Walters, was a coal miner there. He and Effie’s mother, Lara Brooks Walters lived in one of the homes owned by the coal company. There were about twelve homes in a row near the railroad tracks. She believes that maybe the current house that remains was original but it has been remodeled and sided. We have photos of the houses and some of the children playing around them and we would be happy to share them. Effie and her sisters would "hop" the rail cars for a ride into Ottumwa periodically. Effie still lives in Waterloo at the age of 90 and she has a sharp memory with many interesting stories. Her parents and several of her siblings (19 total) are buried in the Brooks cemetery in the northwest corner.