The trail is nearly 2 miles long and runs on the south side of mill creek, beginning near the nature center. Along with a dam built at the same time, the tunnel funnels water from the new river just below hawks nest, bypassing two riverbends to a hydroelectric plant downstream. New novel depicts 1930s hawks nest tunnel disaster. The hawks nest tunnel disaster killed more than 750 workers in west virginia in the early 1930s. Holocaust in the hills of west virginia juneus kendall.
Why is the hawks nest tragedy considered the worst. It was produced in response to the national outcry over the death of more than 500 workers at union carbides hawks nest tunnel project near gauley bridge west virginia in the early 1930s. During the 1930s depression, men were desperate for work of any kind. Protections were required for miners working in silica. Individuals and organizations are banding together in the hopes of spreading awareness about the hawks nest tunnel disaster, and to create a memorial at the site where many victims were. Josh pushkin is raising funds for the hawks nest tunnel a documentary film on kickstarter. Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Walking over to the sign the title immediately caught my attention.
Hawks nest dam and tunnel by the late 1930s most of the. The hawks nest tunnel tragedy is considered to be the worst industrial disaster in the history of us. Dont miss this onetime presentation at hawks nest state park. Hawks nest tunnel disaster, fayetteville, west virginia. The hawks nest tunnel is a marvel of modern engineering. Their lungs quickly hardened and they died en masse.
Drilled through three miles of solid rock, the hawks nest tunnel is a major hydroelectric water diversion tunnel and an engineering marvel. The hawks nest tunnel disaster has been memorialized over the years in novels, folk songs and art. But soon after work on the tunnel began, hundreds of workers fell ill from silicosis due to days spent breathing the dustchoked air in the tunnel. Beginning in june of 1930, three thousand men dug a threemile hole through a sandstone mountain near the town of gauley bridge, west virginia, for the union carbide and carbon corporationthe hawks nest tunnel. However, tunnel workers at hawk s nest were not protected by these laws. From the parks lofty perch on the rim of the gorge, you can catch a view of the hawks nest dam down below. These tragedies are the result of disasters occurring in our coal mines, on our railroads and at industrial facilities like the hawk s nest tunnel incident.
One of the worst industrial disasters in american history is a forgotten example of the dangers of silica, the toxic dust behind the modern black. Harshbarger gives faces and voices to the victimsthe men who dug the hawks nest tunnel and fell victim to. West virginia historical society quarterly vol 12, no. But before the modern epidemic plaguing coal miners, there was the hawks nest tunnel disaster, a longforgotten example of the occupational dangers of silica dust and the governments response. Introduction during the early part of the twentieth century, while most of the nation teetered on the precipice of the. An unabridged history, i realize the journey began on the morning of may 15, 1997 as my husband and i stood in stunned silence on top of cotton hill mountain near the rim of the new river gorge. Hawks nest tunnel tragedy 1930s devastating disasters. The tunnel continues to operate and provide power to the current owner of the alloy plant. While digging hawks nest tunnel in early 1930s, hundreds of the mostly black, migrant workforce contracted acute silicosis from silica dust and later died.
The hawks nest incident was not a coal mining disaster but it has been called the worst industrial disaster in the history of the united states. This project is considered to be one of the worst industrial disasters in american history. During the 1930s, hundreds of workers, from a tunnel construction project near the town of gauley bridge, west virginia, died from silicosis, a lung disease caused by expsure to silica dust. The hawks nest tunnel disaster involved injuries and deaths as the result of the construction of the hawks nest tunnel near gauley bridge, west virginia.
Hawks nest tunnel tragedy thoughts and ponderances. The national exposure that silicosis was now receiving made other industrial projects aware of the danger that was imposed on their workers. Crandall introduction during the early 1930s, a tunnel was built in west virginia that represented one of the most impressive engineering feats of its time it is also remembered as americas worst industrial accident. Disaster received, the famed blues musician, pinewood.
The hawks nest tunnel disaster gauley bridge, fayette county, west virginia the new kanawha power company, a subsidiary of union carbide, drilled the hawks nest tunnel in 1930 and 1931 to divert the new river to provide hydroelectric power for a steel alloy production plant. As the men were drilling the tunnel through the mountain, they used a technique called dry drilling. What you cannot see is the tunnel that was built beside the dam to divert the rivers waters to a po. Fifty three miners escaped or were rescued, but a staggering 114 men died in this disaster. The company was building an electrometallurgical plant nearby, which needed a large supply of power and silica. New novel depicts 1930s hawks nest tunnel disaster news. One of americas worst industrial disasters hawks nest. A fictionalized account of one of americas greatest industrial disasters, it is an account of the hawks nest tunnel disaster in which hundreds or thousands of men were sickened and died as a result of silicosis they contracted while digging the tunnel under unsafe conditions. From hawks nest disaster by nayab sultan in tunnels and tunneling international. Hundreds of them died from silicosis, including teenager dewey flack.
While digging tunnels in the early 1930s hundreds and maybe even thousands of the mostly black migrant workers contracted acute silicosis and died, they were buried in secret unmarked graves. With the workers using this technique, they were releasing high levels of silica dust in the air. Up next dingess tunnel in mingo county, west virginia many tales of horror from this historic tunnel duration. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. During the 1930s, hundreds of workers, from a tunnel construction project near the town of gauley bridge, west virginia, died from silicosis. Gauley bridge is a small, picture postcard west virginia town where the. Hawks nest rail trail west virginia trails traillink. The hawks nest tunnel would be a 5 km 3 mi shaft beneath gauley mountain, designed to divert most of the dammed new rivers flow to power huge turbines that would generate electricity for union carbides industrial plant downstream at alloy.
However, tunnel workers at hawks nest were not protected by these laws. The project was expected to take four years, but 3,000 laborers completed the tunnel in 18 months. Freeman adds, through helping give voice to the experiences of these men in a way that shows why the tragedy was allowed to happen, we. The bhopal gas tragedy and the hawks nest tragedy are two of the worst cases that brought to light the poor workers concerns. Completed in june 1936, the tunnel is 16,240 feet in length and drops in elevation a total of 163 feet. Largely constructed between 1930 and 1932, the project engaged almost 5,000 workers, consisting of local men and a majority of migrant workers, most of them southern blacks. Union carbide is well known for its cases of ethical violation. Author explains history behind tunnel disaster news. New haven, connecticut, yale university press, 1986. Click here to visit our frequently asked questions about html5.
Book explores hawks nest tunnel history local news. I had never heard of the hawks nest tunnel or the disaster accompanying its construction. The hawks nest tunnel is considered a marvel of modern engineering. Lessons learned from an american tragedy by william rick crandall and richard e. Hawks nest tunnel disaster workers grave site marker in. Because we had seen the area, and indeed played golf on the site of one of. The hawks nest tunnel presents the devastating tale of the worst industrial disaster. Growing up as the son of stanley cavendish, a gauley bridge native who was the project engineer for the construction of the hawks nest tunnel, he will unfold tales from his childhood along with unseen historical photos. The gravel and dirt surfaces are suitable for mountain biking and walking, and it has two trestles.
Hawks nest tunnel disaster west virginia historical. The hawks nest tunnel a documentary film project video thumbnail. Details of the hawks nest tunnel tragedy, considered to be the nations worst industrial disaster, have successfully been kept under wraps for years, but now that union carbide has moved on, people feel they can at last talk about the horrible details of this shameful time. Hawks nest tunnel disaster presentation by jonathan. Ironically, it was published only a few years after union carbides disaster at bhopal, india, where 10,000 people died from a cyanide leak at a chemical plant on dec. Red ash rush run layland and the hawks nest tunnel incident. Red ash rush run layland and the hawks nest tunnel. Virginia hill west virginia history virginia studies west va spooky places by any means necessary history education beautiful places to travel african american history. Response from west v, general manager at hawks nest state park. The hawks nest tunnel disaster was a largescale incident of occupational silicosis as. Hawks nest tunnel disaster fayetteville, west virginia. Hawks nest state park is a great place to visit while you explore the new river gorge.
The hawks nest tunnel and dam a history lesson bridge day. Foreword reflecting back upon the process of writing the hawks nest tunnel. The sign continued to tell of the location where i stood. Hawks nest workers finally memorialized local news. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. The combination of large work crews drilling and blasting underground in confined spaces, lack of dust suppression, presence of gas fumes, inadequate ventilation and no personal respiratory equipment were all significant contributory factors of high levels of exposure. See more of the hawks nest tunnel song on facebook. One of the worst industrial disasters in american history. Dingess tunnel in mingo county, west virginia many tales of horror from this historic tunnel duration. Hawks nest is a novel written by west virginia author hubert skidmore, published in 1941. While an industrial disaster and human tragedy, the hawks nest project was an engineering success. Before black lung, the hawks nest tunnel disaster killed. Before black lung, the hawks nest tunnel disaster killed hundreds one of the worst industrial disasters in american history is a forgotten example of the dangers of silica, the toxic dust behind. The truth of hawks nest tunnel comes to light in this bold film a cry.
But the hawks nest tunnel disaster wasnt a coal mine, it was a tunnel cut through gauley mountain in west virginia in 1930. I love hawks nest and i am a frequent visitor of this area as i live in the state and it is just absolutely amazing there. Silica dust, which is released from sandstone, causes black lung among coal miners. The following books and articles on hawks nest tunnel disaster can be found at the west virginia archives and history library. Hawks nest tunnel disaster workers grave site marker. Growing up as the son of stanley cavendish, a gauley bridge native who was the project engineer for the construction of the hawks nest tunnel, he will unfold tales from his childhood along. The hawks nest tunnel a documentary film by josh pushkin. Silicosis has been designated as an occupational disease with compensation for workers. The hawks nest rail trail is located primarily within hawks nest state park near ansted. This is a teaser for a documentary film in progress about the hawks nest tunnel, the largest industrial accident in us history and a precurser to the union carbide. The promise of work, a big tunnel job, is passed along the grapevine, so men hop freight trains headed for the west virginia hills. While gps technology allows us to pinpoint any location on the planet, mark the location, and share it with others, waymarking is the toolset for categorizing and adding unique information for that location. Extending the legacy of the hawks nest disaster to protect. The hawks nest tunnel disaster was a largescale incident of occupational silicosis as the result of the construction of the hawks nest tunnel near gauley.
The hawks nest tunnel disaster was a largescale incident of occupational silicosis as the result of the construction of the hawks nest tunnel near gauley bridge, west virginia, as part of a hydroelectric project. United states of america buy united states of america flags at. Because we had seen the area, and indeed played golf on the site of one of the work camps, i found the book fascinating. Until visiting hawks nest state park, i had never heard of the hawks nest tunnel or the disaster accompanying its construction. This powerful presentation by jonathan cavendish will transport you to the events leading up to the hawks nest disaster. Summersville, wv throughout the years, west virginia has suffered many tragedies that left hundreds of workers injured or dead. The worst industrial disaster in the usa occupational health. Theyre diggen a hole through a mountain in west virginia.
In 2008, historian patricia spangler published the hawks nest tunnel. Hawks nest state park ansted 2020 all you need to know. Ansted, wv 25812 fayette county buy west virginia state flags at. Several factors made the hawks nest tunnel incident a disaster. That silica found in the diversion tunnel was considered a bonanza and was mined for use in metalmaking by union carbide. Summary of the hawks nest disaster which is still considered to be one of the worlds worst industrial disasters based on the huge number of acute silicosis cases and high mortality. Hawks nest dam and tunnel by the late 1930s most of the nations leading newsmagazines such as time and newsweek were running articles about the hawks nest incident.
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