Portal 31 is an exhibition coal mine and museum located in Lynch, Kentucky. Mine 31 is the original name of the coal mine that opened in 1917, and portal is a common term used for the mouth or opening of an underground mine site. Outside of the coal mine and the museum are several plaques and memorial walls dedicated to the coal miners of Lynch, Kentucky. These plaques and walls include quite a few names. One wall in particular has an inscription above several names that reads, ‘In Memory of All the Men Who Lost Their Lives Mining Coal in the Lynch District.’ On either side of this wall are statues of two coal miners.
Further Readings:
History of Portal 31
Dave Johnson, “History of Portal 31,” in portal31.org.
A Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste: Kentucky’s Portal 31 Exhibition Mine
J. Steven Gardner, “A Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste: Kentucky’s Portal 31 Exhibition Mine,” in the Mining History Association.
Kentucky Mining Accidents 1864-2006
“Kentucky Mining Accidents,” from The United States Mine Rescue Association, 1864-2006.