JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The unveiling of a brand new monument, which commemorates those who have lost their lives during the 1981 Mine 21 Disaster, was made public during Whitwell’s first annual Miners Memorial Day event on Saturday, September 27.
Jeremy Rollins, resident and board member of Miners Memorial Park on Whitwell Mountain, explained how he and other members of the local board wanted to establish a monument that would commemorate those who have lost their lives, but also those who’ve worked within the coal mines.
Rollins’ father, Darrell Rollins, was among one of the 13 miners who tragically passed during the disaster. The disaster was caused by methane gas igniting from a cigarette lighter from one of the miners working within Mine 21. In the wake of the disaster, stricter safety laws were put into effect, with all mining operations eventually shutting down in 1997, significantly affecting Whitwell’s economy which greatly depended upon mining operations at the time.
Rollins stated he was inspired by Whitwell High School’s monument that similarly commemorated the miners who died during the disaster. After joining the local board, he brought the idea of placing a new monument to the board, to which all members agreed. He stated while in high school, he always felt that those residing at the top of Whitwell Mountain should also have a monument of their own, especially with the mountain being deeply rooted in the community’s coal mining history.
“I made a suggestion that we should make a monument of our own, you know. Except not just for the thirteen miners that got killed, but also all of them that we can find,” said Rollins.
The monument’s unveiling was met with applause from the crowd, with its reveal serving as part of the greater Miners Memorial Day event. Miners Memorial Day is a brand new event that celebrates all who have worked within the mines. Vendors, a silent auction, and various activities are to be set up each year during Miners Memorial Day to further bring the community together in remembrance of those who’ve worked in a bygone local industry.