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Essays by James Year Lauren Santuci Eric Flyn Carlin Stiehl Srijita Chattopadhyay
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Millfield
An exploration of a community that remains after Ohio’s worst mine disaster in 1930 Srijita Chattopadhyay
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crisp evening lay upon the community of Millfield, Ohio. The streets are quiet, with the occasional car zooming by. The smell of burning firewood fills the air, as the sky grows darke over Main Street. The houses that line the road are
illuminated by dim fluorescent lights and the flickering of television sets. What remains today of the once-bustling town, are the people who love their family, their heritage and call Millfield home. Nestled among the Appalachian valleys of Southeastern Ohio, along state route 13, is the entrance to the town founded in 1818 named Millfield. Located just nine miles north of Athens, one could easily miss the turnoff if they weren’t paying attention. 50 years ago, the state route wound through the heart of the community, passing by the gas stations, convenience stores, post office, the church, country Doc’s clinic and at some point, an auto store. When the road bypassed the community in 1970s, Main Street grew quieter. While the businesses faded away, the quaint houses, post office and the church continued to endure the passage of time. At the crossroads of Main Street and Millfield Road lies a tall, two-story building with peeling white paint. For the unincorporated community, this was the location of the old Company Store — a convenience store for the coal mining families.
Next page: Seven-year-old AJ Roberts plays with his Pokémon cards in his front yard, while waiting for his mother. A mile up the road from AJ’s house in East Millfield lies the historic landmark that put the community on the map — the Millfield Mine Disaster. 3
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An essential resource possessed by the Appalachian region of Ohio was coal. In 1903, corporate coal mining landed in Millfield, operated by Sunday Creek Coal Company. The advent of the mine in the area brought more than just a workforce; it brought a community. To accommodate the sudden influx of residents, the company built settlements, thus giving rise to the (former) company town of East Millfield. As Millfield Road exits Main Street to the east, it comes to a bridge over the Sunday Creek and into East Millfield. Continuing a mile farther down the road leads to the Sunday Creek Coal Company Mine No.6 — the location where one of Ohio’s historical markers’ designates the site of the Millfield coal mine disaster. On the afternoon of Nov.5, 1930, an inadvertent short circuit caused by a steel trolley rail culminated into a mine explosion. The accident killed over 80 men, the largest loss of life in any mining disaster in Ohio’s history. Due to the mass causalities, the Company Store was used as a makeshift morgue while authorities recovered the rest of the bodies. The tragedy left the community in shambles, families and livelihoods were completely destroyed. A month after the accident, Mine No. 6 was reopened and operated for another fourteen years. Today, what remains of the incident is the historic landmark and second-hand accounts of that catastrophic day. Although healed, the community still bears scars from the mining accident. It shook the commerce of the area. Those who could leave, did so in search of better opportunities. Even though businesses around town slowly dissipated, the community continues to persevere despite the limited amount of resources available.
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Homes on Main Street reflected on the windows that once housed the country clinic. Clarence “Doc� Sanders was one of the two doctors in town back in the 1800s. In the later years, Doc served not just the community of Millfield but also the neighborhood areas of Chauncey, Jacksonville, Trimble, and Glouster. The remains of the clinic were torn down last year. 7
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An archival news clipping from the Library of Congress, of the Sunday Creek Coal Company Mine disaster. The explosion killed more than 80 men, including the officials that were present that day to inspect the mine. While some escaped the wrath, others died within minutes, due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The last living survivor with a first-hand account of the accident, Sigmund Kozma, passed away in 2009.
Every Sunday morning, at precisely 7.30 a.m., with a grocery list scribbled at the back of an envelope and a small storage container holding coupons and a pen, Dawn Bennett-Roach and her mother drive to Athens. Every week for several years now, they have driven the 11 miles back-and-forth, to shop for groceries, because Athens has the nearest big grocery store. Dawn was born in Millfield shortly after her parents purchased their house in the community 43 years ago, she says that hustle has always been a part of this community. “There is nothing around here,” she said. “So, we are constantly running.” The last convenience store in Millfield closed in 1998. Although the store didn’t sell groceries, it provided enough convenience for the community to not have to drive to another town, for milk, bread or pop. The store was owned by Bill Russell, a local who grew up in the village, with family scattered across both sides of Millfield. With the convenience store, Bill hoped to get a show feed dealership up and running, but it never came to fruition. He still owns the property; however, his niece, Alexandrea Russell, now runs a daycare from the location. The daycare is the only privately-owned business in town. Bill’s endeavor to contribute to the community doesn’t end with the closure of the convenience store. He is the community’s fire chief, the fiscal officer, and the rural carrier while his wife, Jill, is the rural carrier associate and the school bus driver. The Russell family has always found ways to stay involved in the community. He remembers his great uncle being the bus driver and the elected Trustee President, of Dover Township. After his great uncle, the trustee position was held by his father and currently by his older brother, Chris. “That is just how we were raised,” Bill said. “Do what you can for your neighbors.” Over the past nine years, the population of Millfield has gradually dropped from 341 to 294, while the median age remained around 60. The current trend in the community is that most people residing there are either older or are transient residents. As the older generation passes away, their properties are sold and then rented out. Over the past 20 years, the demographic landscape of the region has drastically changed. The youth continue to depart for better education, jobs and opportunities. But there are expectations present as well.
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A worn-out Star-Spangled Banner flutters over a small veteran cemetery on the corner of Sand Ridge Road in Millfield. Over centuries the community withstood Ohio’s worse mine disaster, three train crashes, and multiple fires. But the village continues to stand tall beyond all the shortcomings.
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“I am proud to be an Appalachian,� Dave Keirns said, as he tinkers with his car in the front yard. Dave was born and raised in the community; he enjoys and admires the simplicity of life nuzzled in the arms of the Appalachian valley. In his youth, Dave briefly left Millfield to make a life for himself; but he never went passed the county. To him, the appeal lies not only in the beauty but the humility of the people who reside in it.
Next page: Golden rays illuminate the heart of Main Street as the sun sets one evening. Parallel to the street run the railroad tracks that were built sometime before 1883. The railroads served as a way to transport coal from Millfield to Columbus and other areas. In the years when the railroads were more active, locals recall the excitement of seeing the Barnum & Bailey circus trains pass through. Today, the trains are rather infrequent due to the lack of coal industries. However, the West Virginian Kanawha River shipments pass through the community from time-to-eime carrying, coal, chemical, cement, aggregates, and metals from West Virginia to Columbus. 11
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Longtime resident, Dawn Bennett-Roach, and her mother, Linda Bennett, drive 11 miles, every Sunday morning, to get groceries from Kroger in Athens. Living a life in a small community comes with peace, quiet, and space, but it also comes with resources that are only available at a distance, Dawn said. 14
Born and raised in the community, Mark Sanders, finished handcrafting a log cabin for his family last year. The youngest of the three siblings, Mark chose to stay in the community when his siblings left. “Someone needs to stay here and keep the family heritage going,” he said. The Sanders family made Millfield their home in the 1800s. A notable person from there family was Clarence “Doc” Sanders, the country doctor. His clinic sat on Main Street, just beside Mark’s present-day residence. Doc helped deliver a lot of the children in the area and was one of the first medical professionals on location after the minefield explosion. These days there are only two Sanders family members left in town, Mark and his father, Bob. Diagonally from Mark’s log cabin is the Millfield Christian Church, one of the five congregations of the Hocking Valley Parish in Northern Athens County. Faith and religion are integral the community. It united the community and provided a purpose to serve and be there for others. But the wooden pews and faded maroon hymnals now collect dust as parishioner numbers dwindle. Pastor Debbie Koons believes that the selfish nature of our society causes the younger generations to veer away from faith. “Life is so much more complicated now than it was 22 years ago when I started,” she said. “And I just don’t think [religion] is a priority anymore.” At one point in time, a Methodist Church flourished in town. However, the church was shut down due to lack of membership in the 1980s. The church building that still remains today is known only as the Russell building — a community center.
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Since the town’s inception, there have been several convenience stores, but none last long. The last store closed in 1998; the store just didn’t make enough money. Still owned by Bill Russell, a local, the location of the former store is now a privately-owned, daycare by Russell’s niece, which is the only business in town.
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The commerce of the town suffered a huge blow due to the coal mine disaster in 1930. And consequently the closure of the mine in 1945. The next blow hit around the 1970s when state route 13 bypassed the town, creating lesser foot traffic for businesses, like gas stations and convenience stores. The plummeting commerce of the area escorts the younger population to leave after high school for better education or jobs in bigger cities. Next page: Against the backdrop of the Sunday Creek, Cameron McIntosh, 12, runs up his backyard on a snowy day, past his family’s demolition derby cars. Family legacies of recreation is an aspect of living in a tight-knit community like Millfield. While Cameron’s father, Danny McIntosh, was able to pass on the legacy to his older son, Tyler, he hopes that someday he can pass it on to Cameron as well.
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Jill Russell, the rural carrier associate, delivers mails while shotgun driving her personal vehicle. Like some, Jill has multiple sources of income. Six days a week, she delivers mail, five days a week she drives the bus for the Athens City Schools, and at other times, she runs Jill’s Nail Barn from home, selling nail polish nail strips.
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During the blooms of town, the brick ruins were a silent movie theater. Locals claim that this was the first movie theater building in Athens County. For years Millfield didn’t have electricity, and it was only after the completion of the theater that power came to the area; in fact, a few years before the surrounding towns.
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On the brick wall of the Company Store, Rusty Kisor hangs memorabilia from his workdays at Columbus. He purchased the old coal mining company store in 1987. “It was on sale,” he said. “And I lived right next to it, so I just wanted to control my environment.” Rusty lost his grandfather in the mine disaster, while his great-grandfather escaped. However, the purchase of the store didn’t have particular sentimental values. Nevertheless, Rusty can share an array of stories and facts about the store that now masquerades as his storage unit.
Driving around town, one can often be mesmerized by the picturesque beauty of Appalachian Ohio. Every now and then, you can spot a person on their lawn or taking a walk. It is mostly tranquil except for the seemingly sporadic sound of the train horn when it passes through. Diane Roberts moved to East Millfield when she was 14-years-old. At the age of 63, she adopted her grandson AJ after her son passed away. When AJ plays in the yard, Diane surveys from the door and the window. “You can’t trust people now with all the drugs and stuff,” she said. “I wouldn’t let AJ run the street; I wouldn’t feel safe.” Back in the day, this was not the case, one could see children playing and biking around while passing through town. With the prevalent drug use today, parents in the community don’t let their children out for long, especially after dark. While drug related deaths and arrests are not uncommon in the community, crimes will also extend to petty theft of car parts and front porches. Having lived in the community for over a few decades, Diane likens drug users today to the alcoholics of the town’s heydays. Locals who live in the west end of Millfield suggest there is heavier drug use in East Millfield, a statement that residents in the east end deny. The concerns of drug use contribute to the underlying division that has historically been present between different parts of the community. It has been 90 years since the mine disaster, and what is left of Millfield is only a shard of what it used to be. But what remains are the families tied to the place, the history and a deep appreciation for where they belong. The “once upon a time,” reverberate throughout the village as families educate future generations. On a chilly morning, the barren trees now show signs of life, their leaves and blooms attesting to the coming spring even while the sun hides behind the clouds. The wreaths on the church doors have changed with the season. The road seems a bit busier. Bill Russell passes by delivering mail. Diane Roberts waits in the yard for the school bus, taking a drag from her morning cigarette.
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In 2009, the local paper, The Athens Messenger reported on their first Millfield related drug story. A decade since drug busts in Millfield, similar news has not been uncommon in the Messenger. The Dunlevy case being one of the big ones. a local crime-watch chapter formed, a few years back, to provide peace and safety to the residents. “Too many strange people that come through this town today,� longtime resident, Bob Sanders, a long time resident said.
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For some of the community members, Friday nights at Bargain Billy’s auction house is a way to socialize. The auction house was once a bar, as a few recalled, called Club 33. One of the two bars in the area.
Next page: AJ Roberts flips off his mother, Diane Roberts, as she walks away after trying to put him to bed. Diane recalls her youth when children would spend time outside. Now, younger children like AJ tend to stay home playing video games and engaging in social media on their cellphones.
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Brothers, Wyatt and Silas Allen from the neighboring town of Taylor Ridge, attend a youth group meeting with pastor Debbie Koons at the Millfield Christian Church. These meetings have been held for years to educate children about faith. But the number of young parishioners has dwindled over the years. “I just don’t think [religion] is a priority anymore,” she said. Today just the attendance of church service on Sundays cap at seven or less each week.
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The Russell Building was once the Millfield Methodist Church. Several years back, due to lack of membership, the Church was shut down. It was later converted to a community center by the Russell family and hosted monthly square dance events and other gatherings like Halloween and Christmas parties. However, those regular social gatherings have since vanished. Next page: Brandi Kisor (left) and her boyfriend Eric Cranston share a moment of affection during their weekend hangout. Brandi and Eric met each other through Passion Works, an artbased non-profit for differently-abled adults
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The “company town� of East Millfield continues to stand tall. While some of the company houses exist, new trailers and mobile homes have become a part of the landscape. In some ways, families East of Millfield are closer due to the longevity of their stay in the area, over the families who reside West on Main Street.
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A merry-go-round lies in the corner of the once Millfield Park. Nearly 15 years back, Athens City Schools offered a plot of in the town of Millfield to its residences to build a community park. The community jumped to the opportunity; they applied for grants, and play equipment was purchased. But as time went on, people were unable to cooperate, and the park stayed without any upkeep. Although it is not unusual to see children playing and dog owners taking a walk around the broken and vandalized equipment. Next page: On the edge of Millfield Road, Diane Roberts waits for her son’s school bus. Roberts moved to Millfield in her teens and enjoyed living in the countryside. “I can’t do the city,” she said. “There are just too many people.” Moreover, Diane enjoys knowing her neighbors who provide her with a sense of communal family, which she says one can’t find in bigger cities. “We care about each other here.”
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Call it
Home hills Communities on the in the
and
hollers
Essays by James Year Lauren Santuci Eric Flyn Carlin Stiehl Srijita Chattopadhyay
: