Pontiac Northwest Quadrangle

Mining in the Pontiac Northwest Quadrangle

Mining was said to have begun near Pontiac in 1866. According to the Pontiac, Illinois Sesquicentennial (Harris, 1987) a shaft was sunk by the Pontiac Coal Company, and the first coal was taken on January 12, 1866. This mine was said to have changed hands several times over the years, and the location of this mine is not known. This may be the same mine reported as W. H. Leavers in 1882 and 1883, listed in the unlocated mines at the back of this report.

The earliest mine whose location is known is the Diamond Coal Company, on the north side of Pontiac. This mine (index 5957) operated until the shaft caved in. Shortly after the Diamond Mine was abandoned, the operators of Diamond Mine sank another shaft just southwest of the old mine, which operated until the top works burned in 1925. Pontiac Mining Company re-opened this shaft eight years later and mined a few tons before closing for good in 1936.

Map and Directory PDF Download

Coal Mines In Illinois Pontiac Northwest Quadrangle

Mines that Appear on the Pontiac Northwest Quadrangle

Unlocated Mines

Livingston County