Ron Rittenhouse, Collector, Monongah Mine Photographs and Oral History

Access and use

Location of collection:
West Virginia and Regional History Center
West Virginia & Regional History Center
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6069
1549 University Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26506
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Lori Hostuttler
Phone: (304) 293-3536
Restrictions:

No special access restriction applies.

Researchers may access born digital materials by visiting the link attached to each item or by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Preferred citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Ron Rittenhouse, Collector, Monongah Mine Photographs and Oral History, A&M 4520, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
2.94 Gigabytes 69 .tif files, 1 .wav file
Creator:
Rittenhouse, Ron
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Ron Rittenhouse, Collector, Monongah Mine Photographs and Oral History, A&M 4520, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 69 .tif files and 1 .wav file created by digitizing 40 postcards documenting the aftermath of the 1907 Monongah Mines Disaster and 1 microcassette containing an oral history of George Earl Vincent conducted by Ron Rittenhouse documenting Vincent's experience during and after the disaster.

The original materials were loaned for digitization and returned. Only the digitized materials are part of this collection. The loaned materials originally consisted of two framed collages of photographic postcards, with each framed item containing twenty postcards, and one microcassette tape.

Front: "Fan after the Explosion Monongah, W.Va" Back: "See if you can find grandpa on this card. To Fred from Aunt Lessie." Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item001.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item001a.tif

People gathering to look at where the only living man was found from the 1907 Monongah Mine Disaster. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item002.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item002a.tif

Rescue parties clearing a cave-in at Monongah Mine #8. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item003.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item003a.tif

Fairmont Coal Company, Monongah Mine No. 6. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item004.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item004a.tif

Front: "No.6 Tip[p]le, Monongah, WVA". Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item005.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item005a.tif

Fan house at Monongah Mine No.8 after the explosion. Back: "This is the most terrible explosion of its kind that ever happened in the U.S. We were up yesterday. Will write in a few days. It shook here considerably. [illegible]" To Mr. Okey May in Terra Haute, Indiana. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item006.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item006a.tif

People look upon the remains of Monongah Mine collapse. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item007.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item007a.tif

Remains of a decimated coal cart recovered from the No. 8 Monongah Mine. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item008.tif

Postcard of Monongah Mine No.8. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item009.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item009a.tif

Postcard of homes in Monongah, WV. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item010.tif

A picture of Main Street in Monongah, West Virginia. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item011.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item011a.tif

Postcard of the entrance to Monongah Mine No.6. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item012.tif

Citizens of neighboring towns coming to see the scene of the Monongah Mine Disaster. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item013.tif

Crowds at Fairmont making their way to Monongah to see the remains of the recent mine explosions. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item014.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item014a.tif

A postcard of Monongah Mine No.8 after the recent explosion. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item015.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item015a.tif

A postcard of the fan from Monongah Mine No.8 after the recent explosion. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item016.tif

A postcard of workers at the remains of Monongah Mine No.8 after the explosion. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item017.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item017a.tif

A postcard showing the extent of the destruction inflicted by the explosion of Monongah Mine No.8. Back: "The worst damage was done at this mine, over 225 bodies have been taken out to date and about twice that amount in there yet, exact number [illegible] never be known [illegible] reach near 700." Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item018.tif and 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item018a.tif

A postcard showing the scene at Monongah after the mine explosion. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item019.tif

A postcard showing mine inspectors at Mine No.6 at Monongah. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 1/4520_item020.tif

People trying to identify the dead of the disaster at Monongah Mine No.6. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item001.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item001a.tif

Victims of the disaster at Monongah Mine in their caskets. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item002.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item002a.tif

Caskets from the Monongah Mine Disaster being taken to the cemetery by W. S. Thomas. An excerpt of text from the front states, "Between 400 and 600 killed." Back: "Where is that post card picture of your school you were going to send me? How are you? One of my cousins (Becca Clinton) was buried yesterday. 3 of her sisters and her brother Luke are not expected to live. You remember him. You had his knife. They have Spinal Meningitis. I am not teaching this week. [Maurie?] Alice. To Ada Ballentine, Waverly, West Virginia." Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item003.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item003a.tif

A view of a mine at Monongah. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item004.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item004a.tif

Crowds gathering on train tracks to view the remains of the Monongah mines after the explosion. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item005.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item005a.tif

A survivor looking toward the remains of the Monongah Mines. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item006.tif

Hearses taking caskets from the streets of Monongah to Monongah Mine No.6. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item007.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item007a.tif

Caskets from the Monongah Mine Disaster being carried off to the cemetery. Back: "Mine explosion at Monongah, W.Va. A Merry Christ and Happy New Year." Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item008.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item008a.tif

A Coal Miner posing for a picture. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item009.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item009a.tif

Young orphans awaiting news at Monongah Mine No. 8. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item010.tif

Wives waiting for their husbands at Monongah Mine No.8. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item011.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item011a.tif

Mourners view rows of caskets from the mine disaster. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item012.tif

The Italian and Polish Cemetery for the Monongah Mine Disaster. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item013.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item013a.tif

Viewing the dead from the Monongah Mine Disaster. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item014.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item014a.tif

A coal miner stands with his pickaxe, shovel, and canister. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item015.tif

A crowd standing outside of one of the Monongah Mines. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item016.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item016a.tif

Men in coats standing outside of one of the Monongah Mines. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item017.tif and 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item017a.tif

The Italian and Polish Cemetery for the Monongah Mine Disaster. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item018.tif

Front: "Hauling Victims of the Monongah Mine Disaster for Burial" The caskets are pulled in a cart with the name "W. S. Thomas" on it, drawn by several horses. Many onlookers stand outside a church in the background. Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item019.tif

Crowds of men and women, with horse-drawn carriages, stand in the streets of Monongah. A sign for Coliseum Restaurant is visible in the background. Front: "Sightseeing after the explosion in S[outh] Monongah, W.Va." Files include: 4520_Assemblage 2/4520_item020.tif

Microcassette containing 39:44 minutes of an oral history interview by Ron Rittenhouse of George Earl Vincent (1893-1991) about the Monongah Mine Disaster of 1907 and its aftermath. The tape states that Vincent was interviewed at age 100 (dating it to 1993), however, Vincent died at age 98. Files include: 4520_Oral History520_EarlVincentInterview.wav

Biographical / historical:

Ronald Richard Rittenhouse is Chief Photographer for The Dominion Post. He has been employed at The Dominion Post since 1969 and is an avid local historian and collector.

Acquisition information:
Original items loaned for digitization by Ron Rittenhouse, 12/12/2021.
Physical location:
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard