Missouri Mines State Historic Site

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Entrance to the Missouri Mines State Historic Site
Detailed view of a historic ore processing building

The Missouri Mines State Historic Site is a ten acre industrial monument near Park Hills in St. Francois County of the US state Missouri .

In the eastern Ozark Plateau is a region known as "Old Lead Belt" ( Old Lead Belt ) is called. Over a period of more than 60 years, the most productive lead ore deposits in the United States were mined there.

The earliest lead mining activities in southwest Missouri date back to 1720. Large demand for lead in the late 19th century spawned large businesses in the region. A route network of more than 1,600 km of branched and interconnected mines and over 480 km of mine railways bear witness to the 108 years of ore mining.

The St. Joseph Lead Co company dominated the ore production, became the centerpiece of the old lead belt and produced until 1972. In 1975 the company donated 25 buildings of its largest ore mill complex and the surrounding land to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources . These properties became St. Joe State Park in 1976 and the Missouri Mines State Historic Site in 1980 .

The ore mill's 1765 m² power station has been converted into a spacious museum for mining history, in which historical machinery and mineral collections are exhibited.

Individual evidence

  1. Missouri Mines State Historic Site | Missouri State Parks
  2. Missouri Mines State Historic Site | Missouri State Parks

Web links

Commons : Missouri Mines State Historic Site  - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files

Coordinates: 37 ° 50 ′ 18 ″  N , 90 ° 30 ′ 33 ″  W.