Skip to Main Content

New Straitsville, Ohio: 117-Year Old Mine Fire

Lit by angry coal miners, who likely never imagined that their great-great-great grandkids would be able to admire their handiwork.

Address:
Plummer Hill Rd, New Straitsville, OH
Directions:
Plummer Hill Rd/Hwy 595 extends into the wooded hills south out of town. While you're here, check out Shawnee, north on Hwy 93.
Save to My Sights

Visitor Tips and News About 117-Year Old Mine Fire

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

117-Year Old Mine Fire - Still Burning?

To quote from a page about this mining town, "In 1884 , the coal miner's union and the mining companies clashed. some miners became so angry that they put timbers in coal cars, soaked them with oil, ignited them, and pushed them into the mine on Plummer Hill. The coal caught fire and no one was able to extinguish it. Millions of dollars worth of coal burned up. As the coal burnt out under the ground, roads collapsed and flames shot out of the ground. One water well was so hot that you could make coffee directly with water drawn from the well. Smoke and steam were visible from many crevices. The area became a tourist attraction especially after Ripley's Believe It or Not, a popular radio program, made a broadcast from New Straitsville." Hard to locate today, but there are supposedly places in the outlying woods which remain lush and green even under heavy snowfall. A cop I asked was unsure exactly how to get to the fire.

[Andy (Forgotten Ohio), 04/01/2001]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Coal Miner StatueCoal Miner Statue, Shawnee, OH - 3 mi.
World's Largest Personal CrossWorld's Largest Personal Cross, Nelsonville, OH - 8 mi.
Round HouseRound House, Haydenville, OH - 8 mi.
In the region:
World's Largest Tattoo Machine, Bidwell, OH - 50 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Map and Plan Your Own Roadside Adventure ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Ohio Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings