Illinois Department of Mines and Minerals-Springfield Mine Rescue Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Illinois Department of Mines and Minerals-Springfield Mine Rescue Station
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 609 Princeton Ave., Springfield, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1910-11 |
| Built by | Scott-Morledge Lumber Company |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001481 |
| Added to NRHP | July 5, 1985 |
The Springfield Mine Rescue Station is a very important historical building located in Springfield, Illinois. It was built between 1910 and 1911. This station was the first place in the United States specifically created to help prevent and recover from mining accidents. It taught miners and special rescue teams how to stay safe and be ready for emergencies. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1985, because of its historical importance.
Why Mine Safety Became Important
In the early 1900s, Illinois was a big state for mining coal. As more and more coal mines opened, the dangers for miners also grew. Mining was a very risky job. Accidents could happen quickly and often.
A terrible event called the 1909 Cherry Mine disaster showed everyone how dangerous mining could be. In this disaster, 259 miners lost their lives. This sad event made people realize that something had to be done to make mining safer.
Building the Rescue Stations
After the Cherry Mine disaster, the government in Illinois decided to act. They passed a law to build three special mine rescue stations. These stations would be placed in different parts of the state. The Springfield station was built to help miners in Central Illinois. Other stations were built in LaSalle and Benton for the northern and southern parts of the state.
Construction on these stations began in 1910. The Springfield station was finished in January 1911. It was completed just before the other two. This made it the very first dedicated mine rescue station in the entire United States. Later, in 1914, three more stations were added in Herrin, Harrisburg, and Du Quoin.
How the Station Helped Miners
The Springfield Mine Rescue Station had two main goals. First, it trained miners on how to work safely. This included teaching them proper procedures and what to do in an emergency. Second, it trained special teams of rescuers. These teams were ready to respond quickly if a mining emergency happened.
The station had classrooms for training. It even had a special room that could be filled with smoke. This allowed rescuers to practice working in conditions similar to a real mine accident. The station also had living spaces for the rescue workers. In 1948, a garage was added to the station. This garage held the state's first mobile rescue unit. This new unit allowed rescue workers to get to accident sites much faster.
Today, the Springfield station still trains miners and rescue workers. It is the northernmost of the four stations that are still in operation.
