Bristol in Morgan County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Big Muskie
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Coal Mining In Ohio
Photographed by Craig Doda, August 31, 2025
1. Big Muskie Marker
Big Muskie. On May 22, 1969, Central Ohio Coal Company invited dignitaries to Muskingum Mine for the unveiling of the world's largest drag-line: the Bucyrus - Erie model 4250W affectionately named "Big Muskie." Four crews worked together to run this machine boasting a 220-cubic-yard bucket capable of scooping 325 tons of earth. At peak production, Big Muskie extracted a million tons of coal annually. However, demand for Ohio's high-sulfur coal plummeted after the 1990 Amendment to the Clean Air Act bolstered air quality protections. Big Muskie retired in 1991 and sat abandoned until 1999 when it was disassembled. This bucket is the only remnant of the 27-million-pound giant.
Coal Mining In Ohio. Coal began forming over 300 million years ago when tropical wetlands covered eastern Ohio. Settlers discovered coal in 1748 in Tuscarawas County and the earliest record of mining in Ohio occurred in 1800 in Jefferson County. Underground mining was the primary extractive method until surface mining prevailed in the 1940s. Coal was shipped on barges and railroads for industrial manufacturing, energy generation, and domestic heating. Today, the ODNR Division of Mineral Resources Management regulates the safe development and restoration of extraction sites and the ODNR Division of Geological Survey maps and monitors
this page online
Erected 2023 by The Ohio Department Of Natural Resources. (Marker Number 15.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical date for this entry is May 22, 1969.
Location. 39° 41.943′ N, 81° 43.879′ W. Marker is in Bristol, Ohio, in Morgan County. It is at the intersection of Ohio Route 78 and Unionville Road, on the right when traveling west on Ohio Route 78. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4470 OH-78, McConnelsville OH 43756, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest, in the Ohio River Valley, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Reclamation (here, next to this marker); Turning Coal To Power (a few steps from this marker); History, Geology and Coal (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named The Big Muskie (a few steps from this marker); Shovels, Draglines And Mining Equipment (a few steps from this marker); Ronald V. Crews Memorial Park (a few steps from this marker); Reclaiming The Land (a few steps from this marker); Big Muskie's Bucket (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bristol.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Big Muskie (was here, next to this marker but
Photographed by Craig Doda, August 31, 2025
2. Big Muskie - Coal Mining In Ohio Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, August 31, 2025
3. Big Muskie - Coal Mining In Ohio Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, August 31, 2025
4. Big Muskie - Coal Mining In Ohio Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 5, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 68 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 5, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
