The Coal Creek War

One of the first labor uprisings in the coal industry happened in the 1890's, in Coal Creek, Tennessee. The miners were forced to compete with prison labor, at much less cost to the mine owners. The story of what these miners did in retaliation, and how all this led to the establishment of Brushy Mountain State Prison, is today's story.
Thanks for watching and sharing our videos with your friends.

[@JesusIsTheLightAndway]

This is my home town. Ive spent many afternoons sitting on the memorial of the miners

[@elavke5441]

Good honest hard working people refuse to be screwed and they won't let it happen be it the 1800, 1900s or the 2000s. Bravo!

[@spacey_kat]

Nice to see some fellow Kingsportians! I happened across this video while researching labor uprisings for a project. You guys did a great job covering this story's important points.

[@StoriesofAppalachia]

Thank you very much. Good to see some folks from the Tri-Cities watching!

[@jamesfoster7735]

I grew up right where it happened. I can walk to the battle sites

[@bingbong8649]

Very interesting story. I’d here’d bits and pieces of it from folk songs and singers but it’s very interesting to here a more compete objective telling of what happened.

[@dingus2k]

hey are there any specific songs or singers you can recommend me? i live near here and am fascinated in this story

[@bingbong8649]

@@dingus2k which side are you on is a song that comes to mind, Pete Seeger does a great version. Coal creek march, pay day at coal creek no more, roll down the line, all songs about or related to the topic. Nimrod workman is another singer who I believe fought in sole of these battles or at least was around for this.

[@dingus2k]

@@bingbong8649 awesome thank you so much!

[@twisted-tenn1992]

Awesome Content Guys. Im a Sub for sure.

[@StoriesofAppalachia]

Thanks!

[@AWALKER1962]

It was coal creek then lake city now its Rocky Top which the name change was supposed to bring a water park but that never happen

[@NotTheRealRustyShackleford]

I feel the name changes were all for hiding this history...

[@elavke5441]

Good for those miners. The laws made to screw them and their families were written to support big business which is bull crap. Then free labor by using the prisoners was a bigger slap in their faces. My grandpa worked in the coal mines in West Virginia for many yrs (about 20) til he was diagnosed with black lung disease disease and finally given 6 months to live. So let's talk about W. Virgina would love to hear about that. Then I'll talk to mamma and see what she has to say. Bring it on!

[@alisonbrown9859]

Hi guys- I have been told that my ancestors were miners and part of this war. I have tracked my genealogy and do have people from Coal Creek and Jelico at that time and census records said that they were miners. Do you know if there are any records of employees of the mining companies? I'd like to confirm that I come from a long line of troublemakers.

[@StoriesofAppalachia]

Unfortunately I'm not aware of any company records that are available to the public. You might want to contact the East Tennessee Historical Society in Knoxville. They have a museum and archive that covers the history of eastern Tennessee downtown on Gay Street and they may be able to guide you to what you're looking for.

[@lostonwallace1396]

The truth about coal mining has always been the same. The mine owners always got the coal, and the miners always got the shaft. The way mine companies treated miners has always been criminal to say the least. I witnessed this firsthand living in Clintwood. Coal mining was and still is a hard (and ultimately sad) way to make a living. So many friends and relatives of mine had little other choice. It was either that, or move away from the area, because there's very few other ways to make a living in Southwestern Virginia. It's very painful that all the youngest and brightest have no other course of action than to move away in order to acquire the means to make a living.