Blue Heron, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blue Heron, Kentucky
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Coal town
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 Blue Heron, Kentucky
Location in Kentucky
Blue Heron, Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | McCreary |
| Founded | 1937 |
| Elevation | 1,030 ft (314 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 510799 |
Blue Heron, also known as Mine 18, is a special place in McCreary County, Kentucky. It was once a busy coal mining community, or "coal town." Today, it's a recreated history area. You can find it on the banks of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. It's now part of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
Blue Heron was a "company town." This means the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company owned most of the homes and stores. The company even paid the workers. The coal mines here opened in 1937. They operated for many years, bringing coal out of the ground.
The underground mines closed in December 1962. This happened because it was no longer profitable to dig for coal there. After the mines closed, people moved away. The town became abandoned. Its buildings were either taken down or fell apart over time.
Blue Heron: A Recreated History Site
In the 1980s, Blue Heron was "re-created" as an outdoor museum. This means it's a place where you can learn about history by walking through it. Some of the original buildings have been rebuilt. They are made as open, metal frames. These are called "ghost structures." They show where the original buildings once stood.
You can see many interesting structures at Blue Heron. There's a railroad depot, which was the train station. There's also a full-size model of the coal tipple. This was a large machine used to load coal onto trains. You can also see a school and homes.
Inside these ghost structures, you'll find photographic exhibits. There are also audio programs. These tell stories about what life was like in this isolated mining community. It's a great way to imagine how people lived and worked long ago.
Images for kids
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The depot (right) and company store (left)
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The entrance to Mine 18
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A display about Mine 18
