25 Colorized Photos From The Early Days Of The Coal Mines (1900-1950)

Step back in time to the gritty and often overlooked world of early coal mining, a crucial industry that fueled much of the industrial revolution. From the dark, damp tunnels deep beneath the earth to the bustling mining towns above ground, coal miners faced grueling labor in some of the most perilous conditions. These men and children worked tirelessly, often at great personal risk, to fuel the engines of progress that shaped the modern world.

The images from this era highlight not just the challenges of their work, but also the camaraderie and resilience of those who made it all possible. Through their dedication and sacrifice, these workers laid the foundation for the industries that would transform society in the decades to come. Here are 25 colorized photos from the early days of coal mining.

1. Breaker Boys at the Woodward Coal Mines in Kingston, Pennsylvania.

A group of young boys wearing work clothes and caps with lamps, standing and sitting on wooden steps. Some hold lunch pails. The background features wooden structures and part of a train car. The image has a vintage look with colorized accents. — rishicolors

Breaker boys were employed as young as 8 or 9, and their job was to separate impurities like rocks and slate from coal by hand.

2. Coal miners preparing to confront federal troops.

A group of men, dressed in early 20th-century work clothes and hats, stand together outdoors. Some hold rifles and wear ammunition belts. The sky is clear, and a building is visible in the background. — sticknight

This photo was taken during the United Mine Workers labor strike against Colorado Fuel and Iron.

3. This is a miner from Dougherty’s Mine, Pennsylvania in 1940.

A miner wearing a dusty, brown uniform and cap with a headlamp. He has a cigarette between his lips and gazes off to the side. The wooden background suggests an industrial setting. His face and clothes are covered in soot. — rishicolors

Depending on the battery type, these old headlamps could last up to ten hours in the mines.

4. Young lamp carriers from the Donbas Mines.

Two young boys stand outside on a dirt path in front of a few small buildings. Each boy wears dark clothing and carries several old-fashioned lanterns hanging from straps around their necks and in their hands. — geobookcolor

A lamp carrier was a specific job in the mines. Their job was to transport and maintain lamps used by the miners. This would be my pick if I had to work in the mines.

5. A young muleteer at Brown Mine, West Virginia in 1908.

A young boy with soot-covered face wears a cap and overalls, holding a shovel over his shoulder. His intense gaze is directed at the camera. The background is blurred with greenery, suggesting an outdoor setting. — Sticknight

A muleteer’s job was to guide and manage mules or donkeys that were used to transport coal and other materials through the mine.

6. This miner’s child is in training.

A young boy with dark hair, wearing a brown long-sleeve shirt and blue overalls, sits barefoot on a wooden log in a snowy landscape. He holds a large hoe and looks forward with a serious expression. — rishicolors

He can’t be more than 6 or 7 years old and they’re already getting him prepped for the mines.

7. Jonty Lambert, 1909.

A man stands in front of a wooden door, wearing a tattered shirt and pants held up with a rope. He holds a tool and a lamp, with a determined expression. The photo is slightly colorized, showing green socks and brown shoes. — random_aersling

Jonty Lambert was a coal miner from Stanley County Durham, England. This photo was taken in 1909.

8. Vance Palmer, a 14-year-old trapper boy at a mine in Harrison County, West Virginia.

A worker, wearing a helmet with a headlamp, sits on a wooden bench inside a dimly lit mine. Chalk writing and drawings of birds cover the wooden door behind him, with messages like "Shut this door." He wears gloves and mining attire. — rishicolors

Trapper boys were responsible for operating ventilation doors, known as traps. These traps regulated airflow in the mines, ensuring the safety of miners.

9. Big John, a miner of the Pittsburgh Coal Company.

A miner wears a helmet with a headlamp, sitting outdoors and smiling at the camera. He is dressed in a denim jacket over a button-up shirt. In the blurred background, machinery and other workers are visible. — bcpowder789

This photo was taken of him while he was waiting to go into the mines, and you can tell because he has a smile on his face.

10. This coal miner was just 11 years old in 1908.

A young boy stands with hands on hips, wearing a miner's cap with a lamp and dusty clothes. His face is smudged with dirt. He is positioned in front of industrial structures and wooden logs, suggesting a mining environment. — dangerdegan

Chores were too much work for me when I was 11, let alone spending all day in the coal mines.

11. Lowering hard labor convicts down into the mines.

Group of people working near a well under construction on a grassy hillside. Several individuals are actively engaged in building, while others observe. The background features rolling green hills under a clear sky. — userdeleted

This would be a great punishment for convicts, just send them into the coal mines for 8 hours a day.

12. A coal miner leaving for work, 1930s.

A family of four stands on a wooden porch. A woman in a green dress and white apron smiles at a man holding a baby. A young child clings to the woman's leg. The background features a wooden house and trees. — fratuzzi

Photos like this make us realize why they spent all that time and effort inside the mines.

13. Miners loaded up for the mines, 1905.

A group of miners wearing hats and work clothes are seated on a metal slope inside a wooden structure. They appear to be in a mine or industrial setting, with stairs on either side. One man stands to the left observing. — treemd8025

That’s a lot of mustache.

14. Coal miners at the Laura Mine in Red Star, West Virginia, 1908.

Five coal miners, wearing work clothes and helmets, stand next to mining carts in front of a mine entrance. One man in a hat and suit leans on a cart. The background shows a grassy hill and wooden fencing. — anton_colorizations

The Laura Mine was the site of one of the first major coal mine explosions in West Virginia. This explosion tragically took the lives of 16 miners and was caused due to a build-up of methane gas.

15. Harry Fain, 1940s.

A miner wearing a helmet with a light and holding a metal lunch container is depicted. The image is split into black-and-white (left) and colorized (right) versions. Other miners are blurred in the background. — nicolas_r

Harry Fain was the coal leader for Inland Steel Company in Floyd County Kentucky.

16. A coal miner on a coffee break, 1936.

A man stands in a rustic, worn-out room with peeling walls, wearing a cap and dark clothing, pouring liquid into a metal pot on a wood-burning stove. The room has old furniture, a broom, a pot, and colorful posters on the walls. — tlcolors

Those calendars on the wall are the 1936 Coca-Cola wall calendar.

17. These pitmen look like they have shell shock.

Two coal miners sitting in a dimly lit mine. Both are wearing sleeveless shirts, knee-length trousers, and boots, holding long-handled tools. One wears a flat cap, and the background shows wooden supports and a rough, rocky ground. — random_aersling

After 8 hours in the mines, everyone has a 1000-yard stare.

18. A group of breaker boys on Pine Street, 1911.

Four young boys with soiled faces and work clothes sit closely together, looking directly at the camera. They appear to be in an industrial setting, possibly coal miners. The image has a historical, vintage appearance.

Breaker boys on average worked around 10-14 hours per day. They were also paid very little, usually a few cents per day.

19. Breaker boys posing outside the Woodward coal mines in Kingston, Pennsylvania, 1900.

Three young coal miners in dusty clothes and helmets stand with arms around each other in front of a wooden fence. They appear tired and dirty, with lunch pails at their feet. Another boy is partially visible on the right. — jocke75

The Woodward mines were known for their use of the “tippie systems” which were mechanical devices used to load coal into railcars.

20. This is where coal miners would spend up to 12 hours a day.

An underground cave with a rocky ceiling, featuring numerous thin stalactites and a rough, uneven floor with debris and metal pipes. The area is dimly lit, highlighting the cave's textured surfaces and earthy tones. — the_dnf

The tunnels miners would have to navigate through were sometimes as small as 4 feet wide and 5 feet high. This means anyone tall was hunching over the entire time they worked.

21. An entire gang of young coal miners.

A group of young boys, dressed in dirty work clothes and caps, stand together on a set of railroad tracks. Their faces are smudged with coal dust, indicating they work in a coal mine. The background suggests an industrial setting. — themateo

Be grateful child labor laws were put in place. It’s estimated that around 20% of coal miners were underage, and they had horrible working conditions.

22. A young coal miner is photographed after work.

A coal miner with a dirty face and a headlamp on his cap smiles while standing in front of railway tracks and vintage cars. He wears a brown jacket, red polka dot scarf, and has a toothy grin in a vintage setting. — complexwrangler1346

He’s only smiling because his workday is over. This photo was taken in 1942.

23. Frank Keegan, 1909.

A historical photograph of a man standing in work attire, holding a lantern. He is identified as Frank Keegan, a local inspector from 1909. Handwritten text notes a mining disaster with 168 lives lost and 30 saved on February 16, 1909. — random_aersling

Keegan saved 26 people from the West Stanley Pit disaster in 1909. The pit exploded due to the ignition of coal dust, taking the lives of 168 men and boys.

24. Imagine being like this for 10 hours a day.

A shirtless miner lies on his side, chipping at a coal seam with a pickaxe in a narrow, low-ceilinged mine tunnel. A lit candle in the background provides dim light. The scene is dark and cramped, highlighting the harsh working conditions. — random_aersling

Photographed is a hewer at work in Roddymoor Colliery, Durham England, 1900.

25. Two coal miners of the Lorain Coal and Dock Company, 1918.

Two coal miners in worn work clothes stand close together. Both wear helmets with lamps. One holds a large metal canister. Their faces and outfits are coated in coal dust. The background is a blurred, industrial setting. — jocke75

Coal mined by this company was crucial for the U.S. Navy for powering industrial facilities involved in wartime production.