Mining and mules

Mules were important during the early days of mining. Take, for example, this mule driver and his mule in this undated photo from the collection of the Coal Town and Railroad Museum in Clinton, Indiana. That muscular beast helped bring many a ton of coal to the surface of the mine.

The Coal Town and Railroad Museum has many interesting artifacts related to mules and mining. A few of the museum’s artifacts are pictured below:

A back pad was placed on the back of a mule or pony as protection against scrapping in underground coal mines.

These are four mule shoes.

To learn more about the Coal Town and Railroad Museum, visit here.