The discovery of black rocks that glow along Lost Creek transformed Walker County. The coal brought scores of settlers who began to open wagon mines and ship coal in barges along the Warrior River; the railroad soon followed, which brought corporations and big mining camps. Every town is littered with stories, from Dora's Uniontown to the union wars in Carbon Hill to the Gorgas mining experiment. It was only thanks to the coal mining industry that these dozens of towns came into existence. Today in a society relying less on coal and looking more to greener energy alternatives, it's easy to forget the progress made due to coal. In Walker County Coal Mines , readers will learn about the people and the industry that made Walker County special. Writer and Walker County native Iris Singleton McAvoy has a unique take on the history of Walker County. Coal is intertwined with her family history, making the stories of mining in Walker County dear to her heart. Through images contributed by Horace DeFore, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Alabama Department of Archives, and countless Walker County natives, she re-creates scenes from mines and mining camps that have long disappeared. She hopes this book honors the hard-working miners who have sacrificed to make this county great.