Til the Coal Train Hauled It Away

About the Book

In 1910 West Terre Haute, Indiana was the fastest growing town in the United States. Its population increased by an astonishing 376 percent from the previous decade. Its growth was spurred by the rich natural resources, coal, clay and gravel, that surrounded it. In essence, West Terre Haute's success was built on holes in the ground. When those resources were depleted, a downward spiral began. This book is an intimate look at the people, events, triumphs and tragedies of the town written by a native son. But it is not just the story of this Indiana town. It is representative of all the areas that relied upon a single industry or resource, from the New England mill towns to the steel towns of the Rust Belt, This book looks at the lives of people who took on life as it came.

About the Author

Timothy Crumrin is an award-winning historian and writer. He has written or edited over 35 scholarly publications and documentaries. His career includes serving twenty-five as a historian at Conner Prairie Museum. He is currently the President and Principle Consultant of the Historiker Consulting Group, a historical consulting firm dedicated to telling the STORY of history. In 2014 he received the prestigious Eli Lilly Lifetime Achievement in Indiana History Award.. He lives in Terre Haute, Indiana with his wife Robin, daughter Brynn and four dogs who share his office while he writes.