A mighty machine once ran around the clock, clawing out house-sized chunks of ground in search of coal. Big Brutus, sixteen stories high and 11 million pounds of Earth-moving muscle, mined the flat, southeastern corner of Kansas. Some said he worked too hard, used too much electricity. In 1974, teary-eyed, the owner finally pulled Big B's plug in West Mineral, KS; the great shovel sagged to stillness. But locals rallied to have him declared a state landmark and turned into a museum. Postcards of Big B. were mailed far and wide. The big-hearted earth-mover would not be forgotten.
A rival (and larger) earth mover -- Big Muskie -- once attracted fans in Cumberland, Ohio. Now it's gone. But Kansas is unique in its embrace of this hulk as a tourist attraction.
Driving the back roads to reach Big Brutus, you get the impression that he painted himself into a corner. Area highways have been undermined, bridges are out. He sits in a pit, pointed eastward, but Brutus ain't goin' nowhere.
Visitors can go inside and until 2004 could climb to the top of the shovel (this access was discontinued due to insurance safety concerns). The corridors and chambers have the feel of a decommissioned submarine or aircraft carrier. A 48 star flag hangs in the motor room. Big Brutus was active from 1963 to 1974, when it became too costly to operate profitably. A sign notes that the electric bill was $27,000 during its last month of operation. A plaque in the control room (the "bridge"?) salutes the "Men Of Brutus."
The climb to the top "elbow" of the shovel is made out in the open, along narrow metal steps and ladders without an overabundance of protective railing. Kids love it.
The museum at the entrance to the Brutus grounds exhibits photos of steam shovels, along with an autographed picture: "To The Coal Mining Museum, Love and Kisses, Brooke Shields" (we predict it will be there for decades). The gift shop features a large selection of Big Brutus T-shirts, souvenirs -- whistles, fans, flying disks, ballast, coal, a Big Brutus cookbook. There's also a nice picnic table area and a 'Mine Pit' snack bar.
