Cool Underground Tunnel and Nanaimo's Old Mine Shafts

[willow]

If anyone is interested, I have a mapbook of the underground workings and entrances of coal mines in Nanaimo in my store. The House of Indigo, 310 Fitzwilliam St. It is very detailed and interesting. I also have a couple of books on the miners of VI. Would love to chat with anyone about our history.
Please dont anyone get it in they're heads to go into any mineshafts. They are NOT SAFE. Hope to see some of you for chats.
Cheers,
Willow

[riverrat]

There is a closed off (cemented)mine entrance that you can visit at the corner of Cavan and Victoria, just across the street from the Old Firehall downtown. On the rock wall that is behind the parking lot.it is on the left facing the rock wall. You can also see a thin coal seam (about 18 inches thick) running up through the rock.

I would imagine you're talking about this innocuous looking slab?: (I always thought this was just some kind of extra retaining wall to prevent erosion or something.)



I took the photo while my boy and I were on the way to the Boys & Girls Club. This blocked entrance really excited our imaginations! He started talking about spectral knights for the rest of the walk. I'm not so romantic about it, but pretty close.

[Dog Lover]

That's the one! When i worked at the museum, the staf didn't know about thsi and its so close. I started taking classes over to it because of the fact that it "excited thier imaginations" and made coal mining that much more real to them.
Have you heard of any Tommyknockers around? (Mischievious ghosts that make banging sounds etc.) They are quite well talked about in mines in England.

[CHUBer]

Are you sure that thing about the two boys was in the 80s because I am sure I heard about it in the later 60s or early 70s when I was a teenager. Now that's dating myself! Can't believe I'm 50+

Someone is bound to know.

[riverrat]

I've learned of another blocked entrance! It's on the ocean-side of that bluff that the museum's on, right by the bottom of the stairs which lead up to the Port Place Liquor Store area.

Photo soon...

[AllieG]

Are you sure that thing about the two boys was in the 80s because I am sure I heard about it in the later 60s or early 70s when I was a teenager. Now that's dating myself! Can't believe I'm 50+

Someone is bound to know.

I heard it in the 60s. It must have been a cautionary tale told to every kid and handed down through the generations!

[Dog Lover]

If someone has the time, it could be found by digging through the old newspapers. I know some are not digitized and searchable. Not sure how far back they go though. Looking through microfilm would be hard slogging though.

[riverrat]

Hey guys... this thread prompted me to do some quick researching and I found a Wikipedia topic on the 1887 Nanaimo mine explosion. At the bottom of the page it mentions the underground tunnels that reach out to Protection and Newcastle Islands, and that they were part of the old mine tunnels. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1887_Na...Mine_Explosion

That's a cool Wiki article, kaycee. I can't believe what it says: the Number One mine opened at the foot of Milton Street (at Comox, I'd guess), and extended as far as Nanaimo River! Can that be? There woulda been other exits along the way, no?

Imagine being at the farthest, deepest end of one of those mines, knowing there is only that one small exit for you, somewhere in *that* direction. Imagine suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Panicking in the methane!

[CHUBer]

my brother tells me there is indeed a cave just below Connaught Ave. There used to be a trail down to Park Avenue and there was a cave or sorts. He assures me he and a friend went there but would not venture into Deadman's Cave.

Ok, anyone know of anyone who ever went in there? and is that the place the two kids were supposed to die? just two skeletons was all that was left of them, so the story goes...

[riverrat]

Whaaaat!? Where's Connaught? Is this cave still around? Did I miss something earlier in the dialogue?