Wenonah, Alabama
Encyclopedia
The Wenonah community was the name of one of a series of Red Mountain ore mining camps for employees of the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company (TCI)
. The TCI camps were designated from west to east as: Muscoda Division Camp - mines #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, Wenonah Division Camp ( originally referred to as the TCI Fossil Division ) mines #6½ #7, #8, #9, #10 and the Ishkooda Division Camp - mines #11, #12, #13, #14, #15.
's Red Ore camp mine #2, which was on the #6½ western boundary, and also near here was the location of the water reservoir
that in about 1947 was replaced with a covered water tank
, now owned by the Bessemer Water Works. The reservoir/tank is located in the Lipscomb
area of Jefferson County
.
By 1900, TCI was operating 15 iron ore mines in the Birmingham District
including the Wenonah #7, and #8 mining camps. In 1880, before TCI became the owner, the #7 mine was operated by T.T. Hillman and Henry DeBardeleben's Alice Furnace Company. The #7 mine in those days was called the Alice Mine and also sometimes referred to as the Hillman Mine. The Wenonah #8 mine, opened in 1887, was originally the Fossil Mine and was operated by the Smith Mining Company. Wenonah Mining Camp #7, later in 1940, became the site of the sintering plant that processed the iron ore before being transported via The High Line Railroad connection from Red Mountain to the Fairfield Works. The Highline was constructed in 1925. In 1914, TCI began ongoing facilities and programs to improve lives of employees with schools (Wenonah School), hospitals (Lloyd Noland Hospital), training programs and housing.
Wenonah Camp #10 was located adjacent to West Goldwire and south of the current Wenonah High School. It is now known as Tarpley City.
began to be used. The last Iron Ore mine to close in the Birmingham district was the Woodward Company #4 (Pyne)mine, The Pyne Mine which was located just south of Bessemer, Muscoda and Readers Gap. The Pyne Mine closed in 1971.
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company
The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company , also known as TCI and the Tennessee Company, was a major American steel manufacturer with interests in coal and iron ore mining and railroad operations. Originally based entirely within Tennessee, it relocated most of its business to Alabama in the...
. The TCI camps were designated from west to east as: Muscoda Division Camp - mines #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, Wenonah Division Camp ( originally referred to as the TCI Fossil Division ) mines #6½ #7, #8, #9, #10 and the Ishkooda Division Camp - mines #11, #12, #13, #14, #15.
History
The oldest TCI mine was in the Ishkooda camp #13, which opened in 1873 as part the Eureka Company Mines. The oldest Wenonah Camps were #7 and #10 where the mines opened in 1880, known then as the #7 - Alice mine and #10- Redding mine. Mine #6½, which opened in 1910 and other mines were listed on the 1916 Birmingham Mining District maps. Wenonah Number 6½ was next to the Woodward Iron CompanyWoodward Iron Company
The Woodward Iron Company was founded on December 31, 1881, by two brothers, William & Joseph Woodward. William was the company president and Joseph was the company secretary. The company operated mines, quarries and furnaces that were connected by a private industrial railroad in Bessemer,...
's Red Ore camp mine #2, which was on the #6½ western boundary, and also near here was the location of the water reservoir
Water reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
that in about 1947 was replaced with a covered water tank
Water tank
A Water tank is a container for storing water. The need for a water tank is as old as civilized man, providing storage of water for drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants and livestock, chemical manufacturing, food preparation as well as many...
, now owned by the Bessemer Water Works. The reservoir/tank is located in the Lipscomb
Lipscomb, Alabama
Lipscomb is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover Metropolitan Area. At the 2000 census the population was 2,458....
area of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
.
By 1900, TCI was operating 15 iron ore mines in the Birmingham District
Birmingham District
The Birmingham District is a geological area in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama where the raw materials for making steel, limestone, iron ore, and coal are found together in abundance...
including the Wenonah #7, and #8 mining camps. In 1880, before TCI became the owner, the #7 mine was operated by T.T. Hillman and Henry DeBardeleben's Alice Furnace Company. The #7 mine in those days was called the Alice Mine and also sometimes referred to as the Hillman Mine. The Wenonah #8 mine, opened in 1887, was originally the Fossil Mine and was operated by the Smith Mining Company. Wenonah Mining Camp #7, later in 1940, became the site of the sintering plant that processed the iron ore before being transported via The High Line Railroad connection from Red Mountain to the Fairfield Works. The Highline was constructed in 1925. In 1914, TCI began ongoing facilities and programs to improve lives of employees with schools (Wenonah School), hospitals (Lloyd Noland Hospital), training programs and housing.
Camp locations
Wenonah Camp #8 was located just south of Hillman on the north side of Red Mountain, and is sometimes referred to as "New Hill". It was also the site of the company commissary, doctor’s office and other administrative offices. Wenonah camp #9 was south of Grasselli Heights on the north side of Red Mountain. It was the location of the Wenonah School, built in 1917 on the current East Brownsville Park site, as part of the program to improve lives of employees. The #9 mine was opened in 1897 under contract to the Smith Mining Company and then was known as the Klondike mine.Wenonah Camp #10 was located adjacent to West Goldwire and south of the current Wenonah High School. It is now known as Tarpley City.
Mine closures
In 1962, the TCI - US Steel Red Mountain ore mines closed in Birmingham District as material and labor cost begin to increase. Due to a higher grade, the ore in VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
began to be used. The last Iron Ore mine to close in the Birmingham district was the Woodward Company #4 (Pyne)mine, The Pyne Mine which was located just south of Bessemer, Muscoda and Readers Gap. The Pyne Mine closed in 1971.