Historic Wabana
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    • BLOG - Nov. 2021-May 2023
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      • Time-line of Wabana Mines
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        • Arthur House Article >
          • Part 1 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 1, 1939
          • Part 2 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 2, 1939
          • Part 3 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 3, 1939
          • Part 4 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 4, 1939
          • Part 5 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 6, 1939
          • Part 6 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 7, 1939
        • F.F. Jardine Articles >
          • Fortieth Anniversary of Wabana Mines, Bell Island
          • Part 1 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 2 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 3 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 4 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
      • Mining Terminology
      • No. 2 Mine
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      • Patrick Harrison Co.
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        • Tragedy in The Tickle 1940
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    • The Women of Wabana, Part 1: Women's Work & Social Life
  • Publications
    • Arthur House Article
    • The Book of Newfoundland >
      • "Bell Island Was Exciting For a Growing Boy"
    • Books About Bell Island
    • Early History of Bell Island
    • F.F. Jardine Articles
    • "Where Canada's Iron Comes From"
    • "A Mine Dead - A Town Stricken"
    • Morris, I.C.
    • Newfoundland Quarterly >
      • "Bell Island," V. 1, No. 1, July 1901
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 1, V. 85, No. 2, Fall 1989
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 2, V. 85, No. 3, Winter 1990
    • Newspapers (Bell Island) >
      • Bell Island & Conc. Bay Reporter
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      • Bell Island Miner 1965
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    • Notes on Belle Isle by Mrs. B.B.E.
    • Place Where the Sun Rises
    • Submarine Miner >
      • 1954 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 1, June 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 2, July 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 3, August 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 4, September 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 5, October 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 6, November 1954
        • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 7, December 1954
      • 1955 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 1, January 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 2, February 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 3, March 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 4, April 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 5, May 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 6, June 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 7, July 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 8, August 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 9, September 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #10, October 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 11, November 1955
        • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #12, December 1955
      • 1956 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 1, January 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 2, February 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 3, March 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 4, April 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 5, May 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 6, June 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 7, July 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 8, August 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 9, September 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #10, October 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 11, November 1956
        • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #12, December 1956
      • 1957 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 1, January 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 2, February 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 3, March 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #4, April 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #5, May 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #6, June 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #7, July 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #8, August 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #9, September 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V.4, #10, October 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V.4, #11, November 1957
        • Submarine Miner, V.4, #12, December 1957
      • 1958 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #1, January 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #2, February 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #3, March 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #4, April 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #5, May 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #6, June 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #7, July 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #8, August 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #9, September 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #10, October 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #11, November 1958
        • Submarine Miner, V.5, #12, December 1958
      • 1959 Issues >
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #1, January 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #2, February 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #3, March 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #4, April 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #5, May 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #6, June 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #7, July 1959
        • Submarine Miner, V.6, #8, August 1959
        • DOSCO World
    • Victor Southey Article
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HISTORY
MINING HISTORY

No. 2 MINE
by Gail Hussey-Weir
Created October 2019; updated January 2023

This page features pictures and brief descriptions of No. 2 Mine, the plant for which was located on the west side of Compressor Hill between The Green and No. 2 Road. In 1920, a young journalist named Joseph R. Smallwood, who would one day lead Newfoundland into Confederation with Canada, visited Bell Island for the first time to gather material for a series of articles for the Evening Telegram newspaper. He toured No. 2 Slope, which was nearly a mile long at the time, and remarked that walking back up the 15-degree slope reminded him of walking up Blackhead Road, a long, steep hill in St. John's. No. 2 Mine ceased operation in January 1950. The Bell Island Community Museum, which offers daily tours of the land area of No. 2 slope, occupies the area of the No. 2 Mine Yard where the collar of the mine was originally located.

The map below shows the location of the plants for the four submarine mines, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6. No. 2 Mine Yard is seen at point 13, the northern terminus of East Track.

Picture

Picture

The photo above, courtesy of Jenn Ryan, is of No. 2 Deckhead, c. 1940s, looking from the west. Below is the No. 2 Deckhead as seen looking south from The Green, c.1940s, photo courtesy of Terry Dyer.

Picture

The photo below was taken from Bennett Street, a few doors east of the intersection with what was then the Dominion East Tramway, aka, East Track (now Steve Neary Blvd.), looking NW with The Green on the horizon. The "Slag Pile" in the center background is in No. 2 Mine Yard. The inclined building on the far left is part of No. 2 Mine infrastructure. No. 2 Submarine Mine was closed down in January 1950. Three of the one-ton ore cars that ran from No. 2 Mine to Dominion Pier can be seen in the center of the photo outlined against the white-washed picket fence, so the photo was taken sometime before 1950. Photo courtesy of A&SC, MUN Library, COLL-202.

Picture

The photo below is of members of the Cole Family of No. 2 Road with the No. 2 Deckhead in the left background. No. 2 Mine was closed in January 1950. It is not known when the deckhead was dismantled. Photo courtesy of Gerry Cole. Seated L-R: James Cole and son, Mike Cole. Standing: Nellie Cole, Elsie Cole (wife of Mike), and Theresa, daughter of James & Nellie.

Picture


The October 1954 photo below is of the No. 2 Mine Hoist House with construction having been started on the north side of the building (as seen in the right of the picture) to accommodate a curling rink. The original building would house the clubhouse facilities and the ice-making machinery. Photo and story from the October 1954 Submarine Miner, p. 6. 
Picture
Picture

The Bell Island Heritage Society opened No. 2 Mine for tours in July 1998. The Bell Island Community Museum, constructed above the entrance to No. 2 Mine, was opened for visitors for the first time in the summer of 2000. Since that time, thousands of visitors visit the museum and take the mine tour each summer during the tourist season. Below is a 2019 advertisement for the museum and mine tour. Get more information, or contact them, via their Facebook page: "Bell Island No. 2 Mine Tour & Museum."

Picture

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