Information provided by the JCM Historical Society

October 13, 2026. The Jackson County Michigan Historical Society is pleased to announce the completion of its newest publication, “The Mines Below: Coal Mining in Jackson County,” written and researched by society president and local historian Maurice Imhoff. The book examines a largely forgotten industry that once operated beneath the streets, neighborhoods, and farmland of Jackson County, employing hundreds of workers and supplying coal to homes, businesses, factories, and railroads. 

Coal was first discovered in Jackson County near Sandstone Creek in Spring Arbor Township in 1835, marking the beginning of Michigan’s coal mining history. Over the following decades, more than two dozen known or reported mines operated throughout the county, including several operated by the Michigan State Prison using prisoner labor. Through historical newspaper accounts, photographs, geological reports, and newly discovered maps, the book documents the industry’s growth and decline, the lives of local miners, and the dangers they faced underground. 

The book also examines the lasting effects of abandoned coal mines, including the 1953 collapse of a portion of the runway at Jackson’s Reynolds Field Airport. While some residents may have heard of Jackson’s coal mining past, most do not realize that in certain areas, abandoned mine workings lie roughly 50 to 100 feet below the surface, sometimes beneath neighborhoods and major roadways. 

The publication features an extensive collection of historical photographs, mine diagrams, and maps identifying former mining locations, building upon decades of research by earlier historians, including the late Jackson Community College professor George Econ. 

“The Mines Below” is the latest addition to the Society’s growing collection of historical publications. Imhoff will give a presentation on the book during the Historical Society’s annual event on November 4. The publication will be available for purchase on Amazon ahead of the event. 

For more information about this initiative or to learn more about the Jackson County Michigan Historical Society, please visit myjacksonhistorical.org.