Description: A forest ranger in Wayne National Forest completes a form while wearing a pair of headphones in the Shawnee Lookout Tower. A caption on the reverse of the photograph reads: "Fire Fighting Station (Tower)," while an accompanying caption describes the image as "Shawnee Tower forest ranger. Near Haydenville." The form being completed gives the date as Saturday, April 23, 1938, and is signed D. B. Blankenship. The Shawnee Lookout Tower was one of four lookout towers built in the Wayne National Forest area during the 1930s. This particular tower was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and was located off Sand Run--New Straitsville Road near New Straitsville in Hocking County. It is the only one of the four that remains standing. In the earlier part of the 2000s the tower was open to the public, but it was closed in 2004 due to wind damage. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B07F04_020_1
Subjects: Wayne National Forest; Forests; Geography and Natural Resources; Parks; Fire prevention
Places: Shawnee Tower; Wayne National Forest; Hocking County (Ohio); Nelsonville (Ohio);
 

Description: A forest ranger in Wayne National Forest completes a form while wearing a pair of headphones in the Shawnee Lookout Tower. A caption on the reverse of the photograph reads: "Shawnee Tower forest ranger. Near Haydenville." The form being completed gives the date as Saturday, April 23, 1938, and is signed D. B. Blankenship. The Shawnee Lookout Tower was one of four lookout towers built in the Wayne National Forest area during the 1930s. This particular tower was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and was located off Sand Run--New Straitsville Road near New Straitsville in Hocking County. It is the only one of the four that remains standing. In the earlier part of the 2000s the tower was open to the public, but it was closed in 2004 due to wind damage. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B07F04_021_1
Subjects: Wayne National Forest; Forests; Geography and Natural Resources; Parks; Fire prevention
Places: Shawnee Tower; Wayne National Forest; Hocking County (Ohio); Nelsonville (Ohio);
 

Description: A forest ranger in Wayne National Forest completes a form while wearing a pair of headphones in the Shawnee Lookout Tower. A caption on the reverse of the photograph reads: "Fire Fighting Station (Tower)." The form being completed gives the date as Saturday, April 23, 1938, and is signed D. B. Blankenship. The Shawnee Lookout Tower was one of four lookout towers built in the Wayne National Forest area during the 1930s. This particular tower was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and was located off Sand Run--New Straitsville Road near New Straitsville in Hocking County. It is the only one of the four that remains standing. In the earlier part of the 2000s the tower was open to the public, but it was closed in 2004 due to wind damage. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B07F04_024_1
Subjects: Wayne National Forest; Forests; Geography and Natural Resources; Parks; Fire prevention
Places: Shawnee Tower; Wayne National Forest; Hocking County (Ohio); Nelsonville (Ohio);
 

Description: The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the Shawnee Lookout Tower in 1939 to protect the Wayne National Forest from fire. It was used for fire protection until the 1970s. The 100-foot-tall steel tower was restored in the 1990s and is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. The photograph is 2.75" x 2.75" (6.99 x 6.99 cm). The Wayne National Forest has three parts spread across twelve southeastern counties. The centers of each district are in Athens, Ironton, and Marietta. It is the only national forest in Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Om3020_3636490_001
Subjects: Geography and Natural Resources; Towers; Watch towers; Fire prevention; Forest reserves
Places: Murray City (Ohio); Hocking County (Ohio); New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Original description reads: "Close-up view of Vesuvius Furnace Stack. This was one of the first iron blast furnaces in the famous Hanging Rock Iron District in southern Ohio. Built in 1833, used charcoal and air blast similar to other furnaces (this known as 'cold blast'). In 1836 the hot blast process was developed at this furnace and being more efficient, it rapidly spread to the other furnaces in this area. In the late 90's competition with the norther Michigan and Minnesota mines caused the return to the 'cold blast' method. The final blast at this furnace was in 1906. This furnace is the source of the name for the Vesuvius Recreation Area." The Vesuvius Recreation Area is located in Wayne National Forest. Lake Vesuvius is a man-made result of dam construction that began in 1937 and was completed by 1941. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B10F04_016_001
Subjects: Recreation areas--Ohio; Blast furnaces; Iron mines and mining--Ohio
Places: Lawrence County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reverse reads: "Mine fire, New Straitsville, Ohio. Hazelton Hill between Shawnee and New Straitsville. Perry County." This photograph shows smoke wafting from the New Straitsville Mine Fire in Perry County. The mine fires are said to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine, during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company's management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and were pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered. By that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mine fires effected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938 the coal destroyed, more than two hundred square miles, was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B07F12_028_1
Subjects: New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Coal mines and mining; United States. Works Progress Administration (U.S.)
Places: New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reverse reads: "These three homes on Plummer Hill are being undermined by the 54-year-old New Straitsville Mine Fire. The barrier built by the WPA wokers runs under the road in the foreground. The house at the left is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Willard Andrews and their son, Clyde. The middle house was recently vacated by Mrs. Elizabeth Green when poisonous gases from the fire threatened her life. The house at the right is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. David Rush and their son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Rush. This scene is about one mile southwest of New Straitsville." The mine fires are said to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine, during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company's management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and were pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered. By that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project, which then was estimated to cost less than $1, 000, 000. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mine fire effected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938 the coal destroyed, more than two hundred square miles, was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B07F12_029_1
Subjects: New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Mine fires--Ohio; Coal mines and mining--Ohio; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Reverse reads: "Dangerous gases threaten, water steams in the cistern, vegetables roast in the garden, huge craters suddenly appear, smoke billows over their head --- but life goes on for the Rush family living on top the New Straitville Mine Fire in the Plummer Hill area. Mrs. Kenneth Rush is shown here about her daily task of feeding the chickens. The smoke can be seen in the background. Her husband and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Rush also live there. They have had to flee from home several times when the "black damp" gas became unusually bad but they've always come back. Mr. and Mrs. David Rush have lived there for 22 years. Up to a few years ago, they had a flourishing garden and a few acres of corn, but they have been destroyed by the fire." The New Straitsville mine fires are believed to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered, and by that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project, which then was estimated to cost less than $1,000,000. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mines fires affected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938, the coal destroyed (more than two hundred square miles) was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B10F07_018_001
Subjects: Mine fires--Ohio; New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Coal mines and mining; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: Ohio
 

Description: Photograph of a man, possible Works Progress Administration (WPA) employee, standing by and reading the "Caution Mine Fire" sign on the side of the road. This photo is from the small collection 5676, coal mine fire, New Straitsville, Ohio. Photographs from the small collection 5676 document smoke rising from the underground fires, men who were possibly employees of the WPA working to stop the spread of the fire, a map of the territory affected by the mine fires and a street scene in New Straitsville, Ohio. The photos were taken March 7 and 8, 1938 by Walter E. Burton. The mine fires are said to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine, during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company's management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and were pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered. By that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project, which then was estimated to cost less than $1,000,000. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mines fires affected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938 the coal destroyed, more than two hundred square miles, was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: sc5676_01
Subjects: New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Coal mines and mining; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of a man, possible Works Progress Administration (WPA) employee, viewing the smoke rising from the underground from a distance. This photo is from the small collection 5676, coal mine fire, New Straitsville, Ohio. Photographs from the small collection 5676 document smoke rising from the underground fires, men who were possibly employees of the WPA working to stop the spread of the fire, a map of the territory affected by the mine fires and a street scene in New Straitsville, Ohio. The photos were taken March 7 and 8, 1938 by Walter E. Burton. The mine fires are said to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine, during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company's management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and were pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered. By that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project, which then was estimated to cost less than $1,000,000. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mines fires affected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938 the coal destroyed, more than two hundred square miles, was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: sc5676_02
Subjects: New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Coal mines and mining; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of a man, possible a Works Progress Administration (WPA) employee, standing near smoke rising from underground. This photo is from SC 5676. Photographs from this small picture collection document smoke rising from the underground fires, men who were possibly employees of the WPA working to stop the spread of the fire, a map of the territory affected by the mine fires and a street scene in New Straitsville, Ohio. The photos were taken March 7 and 8, 1938, by Walter E. Burton. The New Straitsville mine fires are believed to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered, and by that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project, which then was estimated to cost less than $1,000,000. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mines fires affected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938, the coal destroyed (more than two hundred square miles) was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: sc5676_03
Subjects: New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Coal mines and mining; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of a man, possibly photographer Walter E. Burton, photographing smoke rising from the underground. This photo is from the small collection 5676, coal mine fire, New Straitsville, Ohio. Photographs from the small collection 5676 document smoke rising from the underground fires, men who were possibly employees of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) working to stop the spread of the fire, a map of the territory affected by the mine fires and a street scene in New Straitsville, Ohio. The photos were taken March 7 and 8, 1938 by Walter E. Burton. The mine fires are said to have started November 13, 1884, when striking miners pushed burning cars into a mine, during a strike over wages between the New Straitsville Mining Company's management and mine workers. A small group of union members decided to sabotage the mines. Cars filled with oil-soaked timber were set on fire and were pushed into a mine owned by the New Straitsville Mining Company. The fire quickly spread to the coal seam underground. Reportedly, the coal seam was fourteen feet across and extended an undetermined distance into the Earth. It took several days for the fire to be discovered. By that point, it was too late to stop the fire's spread. As a result of the fire, the mine closed. The New Straitsville mine fire has raged ever since 1884. In 1936, the WPA began work to stop the spread of the fire by building barriers across burning veins of coal. In 1938, nearly 350 men were employed on the project, which then was estimated to cost less than $1,000,000. Under the direction of James R. Cavanaugh, a veteran mine fire fighter, tunnels were driven through veins in the path of the fire, and were filled with a clay-water mixture or similar non-burning material. The mines fires affected coal deposits in Hocking and Perry Counties in southeastern Ohio. It was estimated that by 1938 the coal destroyed, more than two hundred square miles, was worth fifty million dollars. In 2003, smoke began to emerge from the soil of the Wayne National Forest, 119 years after the fire began. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: sc5676_04
Subjects: New Straitsville (Ohio)--Photographs; Coal mines and mining; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: New Straitsville (Ohio); Perry County (Ohio)