Thurber, Texas

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Coal-mining facility at Thurber, Texas

Thurber, Texas, is a coal-mining ghost town in Texas located 75 miles west of Fort Worth in Erath County. It currently has an overall population of about 5.

Coal mining operations began in Thurber in 1886 and reached a peak around 1918-1920, with a population of approximately 8,000 to 10,000. At the peak, Thurber was one of the largest bituminous coal-mining towns in Texas. Established as a company town, the mining operations in Thurber were unionized in 1903 and Thurber became the first totally closed shop town in the country. By 1920, conversion of locomotives from coal to oil reduced demand and lowered prices and miners left the area through the 1920s.^[1] By 1935, Thurber was essentially a ghost town.

Nationwide, there are several thousands of people whose roots go back to Thurber. Today, you can visit historical landmarks in Thurber such as The Thurber Cemetery, which has over a thousand graves, the restored St. Barbara's church, a restored and furnished coal miner's house, New York Hill, and much more. A historic Thurber smokestack can clearly be seen from a highway near Thurber. You can also visit The W.K Gordon Center, a museum containing information on historical Thurber. You can also visit the historic Smokestack Restaurant.