Webpage by Scott K. Williams
A "yellow" brick probably from the Laclede-Christy mine that occupies a vast area, 60 feet deep, straddling Chippewa and west of Kingshighway . Mined from 1916 to1923. Photo thanks to John L. Maurath.
A 33 ton hydraulic dry press machine for brick production was first operated in 1860 in East St. Louis by E. C. Sterling. Then in 1865 Sterling put in operation another machine at No. 1 yard at Mississippi and Chouteau Aves (yard 1 later moved to Grand-Chouteau, then later to a Kingshighway location) . In 1866 yard 1 produced 8,000,000 bricks for the year. Eventually by the 1904 Worlds Fair the company operated eleven brick plants ( "yards") In 1904 all combined these yards had an average daily St. Louis production of 642,000 bricks, or 192,000,000 bricks per year and employed 1,050 men. Each yard specialized in different bricks--either by color shade or by quality ("common brick", paving vs. ornamental.). While much of the clay was mined in St. Louis, the company also brought in clay from other mines in rural Missouri. Photo thanks to John L. Maurath.
A yellow brick from the Oak Hill Fire Clay No. 1 Mine (1922-1928) located in area north from Walsh, southeast of Gravois. 30 to 70 ft shafts. Brick thanks of Terry Harmon of Granite City, Ill. (Terry was kind enough to give me this brick, plus two variations of the Hydraulic Press Co. bricks)
A red brick from one of the Christy mines (Delor and Alfred or the Morganford and Gravois location.) Dates from 1857 to about 1896. This came from my grandparents old home, now owned by Gary Fink, Ferguson, Mo.
Published 1987, Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources Division of Geology and Land Survey, Rolla, Mo. Survey funded through the Missouri Land Reclamation Program, through the U.S. Bureau of Mines.
Some of the mines listed are located in St. Louis County. These were added when found but they were not the focus of this study, and should be noted as incomplete.
Note: (-) A dash symbol before or after a date indicates mining activity preceded or continued before/after date.
| Mine Name | Location | Depth/Entry | Commodity | Date of Mining (Approximate) | Comments | Reference | Map |
| Chouteau | Along Berthold near KingsHwy, 4 miles west of courthouse. | 30 ft/ shaft | Coal | -1853- | None | 4, p.180; 9 | None |
| Hydraulic Press Brick Mine No. 3 | New Manchester and River Des Peres; .5 miles North of Hydraulic Press Mine No. 2 | 75 ft/ shaft | Clay | -1896- | None | 1, p. 256 | None |
| A.C. Steuver | Mackland and Berthold; south of Forest Park | 80 ft/ shaft | Clay | -1909-1911- | None | 3, p. 49; 7, p. 344 | None |
| Highlands Co. Mine | Mackland, Cairns, Oakland, and Berthold | 26-28 ft / shaft | Coal and possibly Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| Unknown Mine | Mackland to Arena and south to near Manchester | 40 ft / shaft | Coal | 1860's to late 1800's | None | 8, Fall 1986 | None |
| David Jones Mine | Forest Park beneath portion of St. Louis Zoo | 25 ft / shaft | Coal | Early 1900's | Voids at 500-507 ft. elevation | 9 | None |
| Unknown Mine | Beneath Deaconess Hospital | Slope | Coal | 1920's | none | 5 | None |
| Gittens Mine | Between Clayton Ave and Berthold; just west of Tamm Ave. | 100 ft / 3 shafts | Clay | 1914-1917 | Controlled 26 acres, 1916 | 5, 6 | Yes, 1917 |
| Highlands No. 4 | Louisville, West Park, Kraft, and Villa | Slope and Shaft | Clay | -1937- | Once owned by Pittsburg Plate Glass -Clay Division, 7 ft wide by 6 ft high entry tunnels | 6 | Yes, 1937 |
| Missouri Fire Brick | Kraft and Dale | 44 ft / shaft | Coal? and Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| Grandview Fire Clay-Van Cleave Mine | Dale near Louisville | Slope | Clay | -1909-1911- | None | 3, p. 49; 7, p. 343 | None |
| Missouri Fire Clay Mine | Louisville: north of Dale Avenue | shaft | Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| "Diggings" | "Dogtown" Area | 10-20 ft / shafts | Coal | Late 1800's | Numerous small shafts to reach coal for domestic use; many in residential basements | 5; 8 | None |
| Roberts (Hiram) Mine | Victoria; west of Hampton | 75 ft / shaft | Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| Henry & Hiram Roberts Mine | Sulphur and Hampton | 75 ft / shaft | Clay | -1909- | None | 7, p. 343 | None |
| Berresheim's Mine | Pierce and West Park | Slope | Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| Mitchell's Mine | Pierce and Victoria | Shaft | Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| Jones Mine | North of New Manchester; Pierce, West Park, and Sublette; West of Wrisburg | 75 ft/ shaft | Clay | -1883- | Possibly owned by Berresheim later | 1, p. 258; 2, p. 23 | None |
| Evans and Howard Mine | Howard Station on Missouri Pacific and Frisco RR | 50 ft /shaft | Clay | -1855- | Adjacent to Evans and Howard Factory | 2, p. 21-22 | None |
| Hydraulic Press Brick No. 2 Mine | Southwest corner Kingshighway and St. Louis/San Francisco RR | 65 ft / shaft | Coal, Clay | -1896- | Entries 8-9 ft wide; 20 ft pillars | 1, p. 256; 2, p. 30 | None |
| Hydraulic Press Brick Mine No. 4 | Kingshighway and McRee | 65 ft /shaft | Clay | -1909- | None | 3. p. 49; 7, p. 344 | None |
| Sublette and Thomas Mine | Corner of Shaw and Hereford | Shaft | Coal | 1842-1856 | None | 5 | None |
| Sublette Mines (3 mines) | Sublette to Marconi; south to Columbia (Sulphur Springs Farm) | Shaft, 3 or more | Coal | 1835-1842 | None | 5 | None |
| Laclede-Christy No. 7 Mine | Wilson, Pattison, Lilly, Mackland | Shaft and drift | Clay | 1915-1921 | Adjoins Evans and Howard property on the north; entries 9 1/2 ft wide. | 6 | Yes, 1921 |
| Tiepelman Pit Mine | South River Des Peres and Sublette | Drift | Clay | -1890- | None | 1, p. 258-259 | None |
| Evans and Howard No. 6 Mine, South Pit | West St. Louis; South of River Des Peres | 65 ft / shaft | Coal, Clay | -1896- | None | 1, p. 256-258 | None |
| Legarce Pit Mine | Base of hill; south River Des Peres | Drift | Clay | -1890- | None | 1, p. 258 | None |
| Laclede Mine | South bank River Des Peres | Drift | Coal, Clay | 1855-1869- | Laclede bought mine from Hamilton and Greene in 1869 | 1, p. 259-260; 2, p. 23-24 | None |
| Evans and Howard No. 11 Mine | Northwest corner of Manchester and Hampton | 47 ft / shaft | Coal?, Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| Cheltenham Clay Co. Mine | Forrest and Mitchell | Shaft | Clay | -1916- | 5 acres controlled (1916) | 6 | None |
| Gilker Fire Clay Mine | Immediately west of Matthieson and Hegeler | Drift | Clay | -1896- | Pillars robbed; 10-15 ft Pillars; entries 7 ft wide and 100-140 ft long | 1, p. 259 | None |
| Matthieson and Hegeler Mine | 1 mile west of Cheltenham; north of New Manchester | Drift | Clay | 1863-1896- | 11 acres mined out by 1896 | 1, p. 259 | None |
| Arrow No. 1 Mine Van Cleave | 6500 Southwest Blvd. | 45 ft / shaft | Clay | -1909- | Joins Laclede-Christy No. 17 | no. 7, p. 343 | None |
| Laclede-Christy Grandview No. 17 Mine | St. Louis and San Francisco RR, Southwest Ave, north of Columbia and Southwest. | Drifts (3) | Clay | 1923-1945 | Pillars removed; older mine to south of No. 17 at Tamm Ave. | 6 | Yes, 1945 |
| Laclede-Christy No. 11 Mine | Columbia, Hampton, Elizabeth and Sulphur | Shafts | Clay | 1918-1923 | Entries 11 ft wide; drilled into Krummel and Buchner Mine to south | 6 | Yes, 1922 |
| Laclede-Christy No. 1 and No. 2 Mines | Hampton, January, Columbia, and Wilson | 20-30 ft / Drifts and Shafts | Clay | 1900-1947 | Pillars removed | 6 | Yes, 1947 |
| Krummel and Buchner Mine | Columbia Ave and 59th Street | 44 ft and 92 ft. | Coal and Clay | -1911- | Intercepted by Laclede-Christy No. 1 and No. 2 Mines | 3, p. 26 | None |
| Guelker No. 4 Mine | Stephen, Sublette, Elizabeth, and Bischoff | Shaft | Clay | 1911-1919 | Joins Laclede-Christy No. 7 | 6; 3, p. 49 | Yes, 1919 |
| Laclede-Christy No. 4 Mine | Columbia, Sublette, Wilson, and Edwards | Shafts | Clay | 1914-1948 | Joins Guelker No. 4 Mine | 6 | Yes, 1948 |
| Edwards and Hereford Mine | Marconi, Southwest, and Kingshighway | 3 Shafts | Coal | Unknown | None | 5 | None |
| Blackmer Post Mine (1) | Arsenal, Railroad, Columbia, Kingshighway | 90 ft / shaft | Clay | 1878- | Owned 60 acres | 5 | None |
| Van Cleave Mine | Southwest and Watson Rd. | 110 ft / shaft | Clay | -1903- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| Blackmer Post Mine (2) | Watson Rd. | 80 ft /shaft | Clay | -1909-1913- | None | 7, p. 342 | None |
| Jamieson Pit Mine | North of Scanian; opposite Coffin Mine | Shaft | Clay | -1896- | None | 1, p. 263 | None |
| Coffin Mine | Watson and Scanion near Gratiot | 60 ft / shaft | Clay | 1878-1895- | 1878--owned by Jamieson; 1882 owned by Coffin; 1895 sold to American Clay | 1, p. 260-263; 2, p. 21 | None |
| Prime Western Spelter Co. Mine | Watson and Fyler | Slope; air shaft; workings 50 ft deep | Clay | 1909- | None | 7, p. 342 | None |
| Humes Mine | Sublette and Fyler | Shaft | Coal ?, Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| Mississippi Glass Mine | Sublette Ave | 97 ft/ Shaft | Clay | -1909- | None | 7, p. 343 | None |
| Tole and Thorp Fire Clay Mine | 2 miles west of Parker-Russell. Mines on spur of Oak Hill railroad, near insane asylum. | 32 ft / shaft and 93 ft. shaft | Coal, Clay | 1880- | 43 acres mined | 1, p. 255-256; 2, p. 25 | None |
| Parker-Russell Mine | Fairview; west of Kingshighway | Shaft | Coal?, Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| Russell Coal Mine | Morganford and Bent | 5 shafts; 35-45 ft. | Coal | 1840's-1880's | One of the first coal mines in City of St. Louis | 4, p. 179; 5; 10; 11 | None |
| Hallock Clay Mine; Wade Brothers Mine | Arsenal Street at entrance to Tower Grove Park | Slope, 2 air shafts | Clay | 1908- | Mined clay beneath extensive Russell Coal Mine | 7, p. 343 | None |
| Parker-Russell Mine | Gustine at McDonald | 20-30 ft / shaft | Coal | -1917- | Abandoned and reopened in 1917 for local use. | 5 | None |
| Hunt and McDonald Mine | Arsenal, Grand, Gravois, Gustine | 22-38 ft / shafts | Coal | -1853- | None | 4, p. 179-180; 5 | None |
| Morrow and McGreggor Mine | South and west of Grand and Gravois; north of Chippewa; south of Hunt and McDonald | Shafts (4) | Coal | -1853- | None | 4, p. 180; 5 | None |
| Peter Delore's Mine | South of Morrow and McGrreggor; east of Gravois | Shaft | Coal | -1853- | None | 4, p. 180 | None |
| Hydraulic Press Brick No. 6 Mine | Chippewa, Meramec, Alexander, Bamberger | 16 ft. / shaft | Coal, Clay | -1925- | Most entries under alleys; entries under streets bricked (6 ft x 71/2 ft) and others timbered (8 ft x 7 ft) | 6 | Yes 1925 |
| Bingham Mines | Osceola at Gravois | Shaft | Coal | Late 1800's | Intercepted this mine in 1930 when Gravois was widened. | 11 | None |
| Parker-Russell Fire Clay Mine | Tholozan and Morganford | 80 ft and 117 ft shafts | Coal Clay |
1820-1887 1866-1887 |
First coal discovery in St. Louis; pillars robbed in 1887 | 1, p. 254-255 | None |
| Parker-Russell Mine | Morganford and Potomac | Shaft | Coal, Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| "The Alley" | Beck, Morganford, Kingshighway, and Chippewa | Shafts and Pits | Coal | Late 1800's-early 1900's | Miners worked this area for their own domestic use. | 5 | None |
| Laclede-Christy No. 3 Mine | Bancroft, Pernod, January, Mackland | Shafts | Coal, Clay | Early 1900's | Joins Laclede-Christy No. 8 but older mine | 6 | Yes, 1922 |
| Goetz Mine | Sublette and Pernod | Shaft | Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| Superior Press Brick Mine | Marquette, Pernod, Regal, Tedmar | 6 shafts 25-100 ft. deep | Coal, Clay | -1908- | Coal mined first; reopened to mine clay; between Marquette and Potomac; tunnels 25 ft. deep, tunnels partially collapsed | 6 | Yes, no date |
| Laclede-Christy No. 8 Mine | Bancroft, Pernod, January, Kingshighway | Workings 53-60 ft | Clay | 1916-1923 | Joins Laclede-Christy No. 3 to east; no pillars beneath Chippewa | 6 | Yes, 1922 |
| Mitchell Clay Manufacturing Co. Mine | January between Tholozan and Chippewa | 27 ft / shaft | Clay | -1937-1944- | 6 ft 7 inch high and 6 ft wide entry tunnels; props pulled after mining | 6 | Yes, 1944 |
| Unknown Mine | Hampton at Devonshire | 28 ft. workings | Coal?, Clay? | Unknown | 5 ft. actual void and 5 ft fill material encountered | 9 | None |
| Christy Fire Clay Mine | 1/2 mile west of Morganford and Gravois | Shaft | Clay | -1896- | None | 1, p. 252 | None |
| Christy Mine | Delor and Alfred | Shaft | Coal, Clay | Late 1800's | None | 5 | None |
| Christy Fire Clay Mine | Morganford and Gravois | 65 ft/ shaft | Coal, Clay | 1857- | Room and Pillar mine | 1, p. 251-254; 2, p.21; 11 | None |
| Oak Hill Fire Clay No. 1 Mine | Walsh, Neosho, Gerritt, Ray | 30-70 ft. shafts | Clay | 1922-1928 | 8 ft x 7 ft entries, top down after mining | 6 | Yes, 1923 |
| Jamieson Mine at Bartolds | 1 mile north of Bartolds near Hanley Rd. | 3 shafts; 40 ft (2); 48 ft | Clay | 1882-1886- | None | 1, p. 263-266; 2, p. 22-23 | None |
| Jamieson-French Mine | Hanley Road and Bruno Rd. | ~74 ft Shaft | Clay | -1911- | Sold to Evans and Howard | 3, p 25-26, p. 49 | None |
| Bausch Clay Mine | Hanley Rd and Eager Rd | 60 ft Shaft and 2 air shafts | Clay | -1909- | Controlled 18 acres (1916) | 7, p. 342 | None |
| George J. Berrsheim No. 2 Mine | Redbud and St. Louis Belt and Terminal RR | Shaft | Clay | 1914- | None | 9 | Yes, 1918 |
| George J. Berrsheim No. 3 Mine | Linden at Buck Avenue | 60 ft / Shaft | Clay | 1918-1920's | Coal at 18 ft. depth, but not mined; tunnels open | 9 | Yes, 1918 |
| Unknown Mine | Mid-County Industrial Park | 35-45 ft/ shafts | Clay | Unknown | Tunnels open | 9 | None |
| Evans and Howard No. 5 Mine | 840 Midland, Vinita Park | Workings 25-75 ft deep | Clay | 1917-1954 | Partially Collapsed | 9 | Yes, 1954 |
| Unknown Mine | St. Charles Rock Road and Lackland | Shaft | Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| Unknown Mine | I-170 and Venture Store | 45-75 ft./ Shafts | Clay | -1924- | Some supports standing and some pulled; deeper props still standing | 9 | Yes, 1924 |
| Gartsides Mines | Near City Farm, 1/3 mile north of Russell Mine | 47 ft/ Shafts (5) | Coal | -1855- | None | 4, p. 178 | None |
| Buchanan's Mine | West River Des Peres (location vaque) | 41 ft / Shaft | Coal | -1853- | None | 4, p. 178-179 | None |
| Watkins Coal Bank | Southeast T. 47 N, R 7 W | Drift | Coal | 1800's | None | 4, p. 178 | None |
| Hambleton Mine | Between Bellfontaine and New Bremen Cemetery | Bank | Clay | -1853- | None | 4, p.180-181 | None |
| Shreve Mine | 1/4 mile west of Hambleton Mine | Unknown | Coal, Clay | -1853- | None | 4, p. 181 | None |
| Sattler Pits | Schantz land on Watkins Creek, near Chain of Rocks | 50 ft / shaft | Clay | 1890- | None | 1, p. 166-167, 469-471 | None |
| Unknown Mine | Baden | Unknown | Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| Malcom Station Mine | Southeast of Creve Coeur Lake | Unknown | Clay | Unknown | None | 6 | None |
| St. Louis Clay Burning Mine | Castello near Creve Coeur Lake | Unknown | Clay | -1911- | None | 3, p. 49 | None |
| St. Louis Vitrified Fire Brick Mine | Dorsett and Fee Fee Road | Unknown | Clay | Unknown | None | 3, p. 49; 6 | None |
| Louis and Harter Mine | End of Halls Ferry at Broadway | Unknown | Coal | Unknown | None | 5 | None |
| Kemper College Mine | Along Arsenal between Hampton and Kingshighway | Unknown | Coal | 1838 | Operated by Students | 12, Dec 1978 | None |
References:
1) Wheeler, Herbert Allen, 1896, Clay Deposits: Missouri Geological Survey, Vol. XI, 1st Series
2) Ladd, G. E., 1890, The Clay, stone, lime, and sand industries of St. Louis County: Missouri Geological Survey, Bulletin No. 3
3) Fenneman, Nevin M., 1911, Geology and Mineral Resources of the St. Louis Quadrangle, Missouri-Illinois U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 438.
4) Shumard, B.F. 1855, The Geology of St. Louis County, in Swallow, G.C., First and Second Annual Reports of the Geological Survey of Missouri.
5) Personal interviews with St. Louis historians.
6) Saeger, William Edgar, 1975, Geologic and Subsurface investigations of the St. Louis, Missouri Metropolitan Area: unpublished Master's thesis., Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
7) Pirtle, I J, 1909. 23rd Annual Report of the State Mine Inspector.
8) St. Louis Post Dispatch Newspaper
9) Confidential drill records.
10) Compton and Dry, 1875, Pictorial St. Louis
110 Boyer, Mary Joan, 1954, The Old Gravois Coal Diggings.
12) Southside Journal, St. Louis Newspaper.
Note: Many shaft locations have been located. Approximate entry locations are given for others.
A photocopy of the original map can be obtained from Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Land Survey, P.O. Box 250, Rolla, Mo 65401. Use Map reference number: OFM-87-238-MR
You are the 18890th Visitor to this USGenNet Safe-Site™ Since May 21, 2005.
This page was last updated Sunday, 17-Jul-2005 15:47:56 CDT.