At the Shuler mining camp, for many Italian families, wedding planning began almost a year in advance. The ceremony was just a small part of the entire celebration, which lasted one to three days and included elaborate meals. During such…
Pete Andreini is kneeling by a garden at the Shuler Mining camp in front of a tool shed that was later converted into an automobile repair shed. Gardening was essential to many mining camp families’ overall food supply. A large portion of a…
Babies born at the Shuler mine camp were typically born with the help of women and self-taught midwives. Often, the mine doctor arrived afterwards to write the birth certificate. Pictured: Pete Andreini and family, ca. 1927
This view of Shuler coal mine has the explosives storage and machine repair building in the front center of the photograph. The mining shells were loaded through the visible front facing doors.
Shale pile in back –changing house left front, shower house in back, on left front boiler room – pit car on far right (for hauling coal within the mine) Taken in the early 1940's
Rails & ties that were used in the mining process at the Shuler Coal Mine in Waukee, Iowa are pictured in the foreground. In the background is the tipple, which is the elevator that lifted the coal from the underground mine. Barely visible in the…
There were two basic home designs in the mining camps: a four-room house, and a five-room house. There was no indoor plumbing, and one small coal stove provided heat for warmth and cooking. Women Pictured Left to Right: Anita Fiori,unknown, Maria…
