Did you know that there is an old coal mine at the Moon-Randolph Homestead? We're working to recover this part of the Homestead's history by restoring the old winch shed that stood at the mouth of the old coal mine.

Join us all day Saturday, October 21 from 9 am to 5 pm to help us sort through artifacts, choose which artifacts to include in an exhibit, and install old shiplap siding onto the rehabilitated structure. Come for all or part of the day. Lunch, coffee, and snacks provided.

The Randolphs developed this small, subsistence-scale coal mine in the early 20th century. For a few years, they were pulling enough coal out of the mine to hire coal miners. Coal was a valuable resource in a treeless country; it was good for heating and cooking and it brought in good income on the Randolph's diversified family farm.

We call this shed the "winch shed," because it housed an old winch--a giant wood-and-metal, valuable piece of equipment, essential to pulling coal carts heavy with coal out of the mine shaft. The Randolphs also used this shed to store tools associated wtih mining, the coal cart, rails, among other objects.

Bring a full water bottle, work gloves if you have them, and dress for any weather we might have in a Montana fall.

Send questions to moonrandolph@gmail.com.