Uncovering and Opening an Abandoned Mine

Here's the link to part 2

In 1872, Henry DeBardeleben and his father- in-law, Daniel Pratt, formed a partnership to purchase the Red Mountain Coal and Iron Company, changing the name to Eureka Mining and Transportation Company. In 1873. DeBardeleben sent his mine engineer, Joseph Squire, from the Helena Mines to Red Mountain to rebuild the Oxmoor Furnace, that was destroyed during the Civil War, to find and open iron ore mines and to connect the mines to the furnace using a tramway.

The Eureka #2 mine, featured in this video, was opened in 1873 and operated under the Eureka Company until the 1890s when they merged with TCI, Tennessee Coal and Iron Company. In 1907, US Steel acquired Tennessee Coal and Iron Company and changed the name of the mine from Eureka 2 to Ishkooda 13.

The Ishkooda 13 mine was open until the 1950s with all of the US Steel iron ore mines on the mountain being closed by the 1960s.

On this video, we are uncovering and reopening this mine, not to mine iron ore, but to explore and document this almost 150 year old mine.

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#undergroundbirmingham #abandoned #travel

[flivverj]

They did a very nice job closing that mine. Good craftsmanship

[so-fla.streetcars]

the operator is a wizard with that thing . got all the concrete off the sign perfect, bravo

[tagwonzill]

"Those dwarves delved too greedily and too deep..." They weren't trying to keep people out, but to keep in a damn Balrog. Great, just great.

[MikeOrkid]

One of the best unboxings I've ever seen.

[chuckleberryfinn]

Visited No13 on the 4th of July this year.. literally the coolest place in three counties..
Quite the treat for a July in Alabama.
Thanks for your videos.

[milemarker_oscar_mike]

Was totally impressed and amazed with how that wall barricade was heavily reinforced and built ! Goes to show the kind of quality workmanship that went into projects way back in the day. The person in charge of sealing that mine slept well at night knowing no one was going to get into it.... until Lol. 👍👍

[richardakajazzyamx]

Such a beautiful portal, and I bet it's really well preserved from being sealed so well.
You guys did an amazing job opening it up without any damage.

[tradeelmundo]

Imagine the sound of the breaker pounding on the concrete, echoing through the passages of the mine. Like waking up the past, telling it you're coming.

[Mine_Explorer]

Hi, I'm a youtuber who explores abandoned mines in Japan. I was impressed by your wonderful images of historical mines.

[JohnCompton]

What an awesome little backhoe with a an absolute perfect array of attachments.

[Porty]

Oh man, they really had that portal sealed up tight! Your excavator man is a real surgeon with that hammer. I'll be looking forward to underground video at this one!

[garrymatthews]

When is the second part coming, just love watching old things being uncovered with guys like you who can use a hammer like a dentist.

[johnro]

The operator running the excavator had skills!

[paulcooper]

Looking forward to seeing more of this mine!

[davidmunro]

Thank you for sharing . That operator is an artist. WOW.😊

[chrisstrobel]

Yeah I always try and take a Bobcat with me when I’m mine exploring 😉 lol

[rupe]

Reading through the comments it seems nobody knows the steel in this video is called railroad track. It's not a line or a tie... it's the track itself.

[bobconnor]

I started my caving activities decades ago in N. Ga. abandoned mines and moved on to caves and man-made tunnels in the TAG area. This opening is fascinating to me and also you have just opened some more prime bat habitat if managed carefully.

[kylerayk]

Railroad ties are made out of wood and are used to support the rail. Those are pieces of rail embedded in the concrete. So cool that you were able to strip the concrete off the area above the portal where the numbers and arch details were! Can't wait to see what's inside!

[chamonix]

nice work by the operator getting that concrete off the arch without damaging the old structure! great video