HOME>WESTERN PA>MOUNTAIN COALFIELD>COALPORT SUNSHINE MINE

CAMBRIA NO. 1 / SUNSHINE MINE (COALPORT, PA)

At the edge of Coalport borough a coal mine and town, known locally as the Sunshine mine, were opened by Helman-Edelblute & Co. in 1901-02. By 1915 Cambria Smokeless Coal Co. was operating the mine. By 1926 the mines were owned by Imperial Coal Corporation. The mine was then known as their Cambria No. 1 mine, even though the portal and tipple were in Clearfield County. They closed the mine in 1953, but the mine was later leased to a small operator for a few years. Cambria No. 1 was in the Lower Kittanning, or "B," seam.

December 2021 image by author

The coal company located their company store on Coalport's main thoroughfare.

December 2021 image by author

Profile of one of the coal company houses. Note the rusty door to the coal cellar.

December 2021 image by author

The small one-story building next to the company houses was Cambria No. 1 mine's office.

December 2021 image by author

Another closer look at the hipped-roof mine office.

December 2021 image by author

This structure was once the mine's motor barn.

December 2021 image by author

Sunshine mine's sand house.

December 2021 image by author

"Today Safety First" was painted by one of the coal companies on the side of the sand house.

December 2021 image by author

Remaining portion of the stream enclosure built by the coal company.

December 2021 image by author

Slate dump, replete with red dog, from this coal mine.

December 2021 image by author

Foundations from the coal mining complex can still be found in the woods at the edge of Coalport.

December 2021 image by author

Right in front of a few company houses there is the Coalport Area Coal Museum.

December 2021 image by author

My three tour guides at the museum.

December 2021 image by author

A very small portion of the museum's artifacts. They also have a reference room that is well-stocked with books relating to local and coal mining history.

December 2021 image by author