ATHENS – In the photo, five men gather in front of a wide opening in a hillside. Most wear helmets with lights. Their clothes are dark, fit for hard work – overalls or loose shirts or rugged shoes. Dirt smudges some of their faces. Two donkeys stand with them.

The men were coal miners. Hard-working souls who, day after day, trudged into the black heart of the tough earth to swing picks, lug rocks, fill carts – and build a nation. And as they built a nation, they also built a rich and spellbinding history that fascinates many to this day.

Recommended for you

Load comments