Cross Mountain Mine disaster
Cross Mountain Miners' Circle | |
Cross Mountain Miners' Circle | |
| Location | Circle Cemetery Lane |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Briceville, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 36°11′20″N 84°11′41″W / 36.18889°N 84.19472°W |
| Area | Less than 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000134 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2006 |
The Cross Mountain Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion that occurred on December 9, 1911, near the community of Briceville, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. In spite of a well-organized rescue effort led by the newly created Bureau of Mines, 84 miners died in the disaster. The cause of the explosion was the ignition of dust and methane gas released by a roof fall. Miners would use open oil lamps to provide a light source down in the mines.
At least 22 of those killed were buried in a circular memorial known as the Cross Mountain Miners' Circle, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.