Western Mining & Railway Museum

The Western Mining & Railway Museum follows the story of local coal miners from 1880 to 1950. Located in the small town of Helper,* Utah, the Western Mining & Railway Museum splits its 3 floors in the 1913 Old Helper Hotel between commemorating the region’s mining and railroad history. Maps, mining artifacts, and pictures reveal the every-day lives of local coal miners and the town that grew around their work and one of the world’s largest coal fields.

Outdoor Mining Display

A block and a half from its 3-stories of indoor artifacts, the Western Mining & Railway Museum also includes an outdoor mining display. This a paved path wanders through the small grassy park dotted with large retired specimens of mining equipment. Each piece is accompanied by an interpretive plaque explaining the machine’s function and significance.

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*Helper is named after the “helper” engines used to aid standard train engines over Soldier Summit.