Ride Through a Coal Mine at This Reopened KY Attraction

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "I'm sitting on a gold mine," which refers to possessing something valuable without totally realizing it. Well, Kentucky literally sits on COAL mines, but in one case, a coal mine has become a tourism GOLD mine.

Every state in the union rightly capitalizes on its history for the sake of tourism. In Kentucky, coal is such an essential part of our past that folks wouldn't be surprised to learn of the multiple ways tourism and coal come together in the Commonwealth.

The Barthell Mining Camp, the Blue Heron Mining Community, and the Kentucky Coal Museum are just a few examples. Coal is also woven through the fabric of hot spots like the US 23 Country Music Highway Museum.

But now--or, at least, since October of 2023--we have a coal-centered attraction that comes complete with a ride through a mine. In my opinion, this was long overdue. Also, it's in the perfect location. Visit Lynch KY in Harlan County and spend time at Portal 31 Underground Mine Exhibit.

Give me a slow-moving mini-tram and something to look at, and I am hooked. How fascinating and FUN, right? And did you hear that Penn State fan's accent? See? Tourists immersing themselves in historical Kentucky culture. (Of course, coal is a part of Pennsylvania's genetic makeup, as well.)

Portal 31 -- a Little History

In 1917, Portal 31's home, Lynch KY, came to life as a new coal-mining town and was, at the time, the largest mining camp in the world. Built by the U.S. Coal & Coke Company, Lynch became an incorporated town in the 1950s and was at its most populated in 1980 when it had more than 1,600 residents.

Portal 31 closed its mining operations in 1963 and was shut down for 46 more years until reopening for tourism in 2009. After another closure, Portal 31 opened once again in the fall of 2023 and featured the additions of new interactive exhibits and technology.

I've been raving a lot about eastern Kentucky ever since vacationing in the region in August. As you can see, there's plenty to rave about.