1925: The town of Kempton, a coal mining community on the border of Maryland and W. Virginia.
1939: The grimness of Kempton is clear in this black-and-white photo from the Depression years. The pollution of the air, river, and land is on-going.
1960's: A view of the waterway, Laurel Run, and some of the surrounding countryside in the wake of the mining operation.
"Following closure of the Kempton #42 Mine in April of 1950, the site was abandoned and left in an inadequately reclaimed condition. Many of the abandoned surface support structures, including the tipple, rail siding, and other facilities were left in a state of disrepair and collapse, posing a severe threat to public health and safety. The vertical shafts, each in excess of 12 feet in diameter, and over 400 feet in depth, were inadequately sealed and left to deteriorate, posing an imminent threat to the public safety. Over 160,000 cubic yards of abandoned coal refuse had been dumped within the channel and floodplain of the North Branch of the Potomac, a designated American Heritage River, and also within the Kempton Glades, a designated Wetland of Special State Concern, destroying biologically unique wetlands and clogged the river with eroding and acidic sediment. Unauthorized dumping and disposal of industrial and residential waste at the site created further public health and safety concerns. Illegal burning of the residential waste and debris also posed a risk of combustion of the coal refuse.
Additionally, as the abandoned underground mine flooded, acid mine drainage (AMD) emanating from the entire 12.2 square mile mine complex began discharging from the abandoned ventilation air shaft and a nearby 18” diameter borehole, both located adjacent to Laurel Run. Combined drainage from the air shaft and borehole currently discharges an average of three and 3.5 million gallons per day of highly acidic AMD into Laurel Run and the Potomac River."
1998: What's left of the town's houses in our time. Compare with earlier pictures. and you can see they're the same houses. Only 7 remain.
Now: The countryside by Kempton after efforts to reclaim the area:
Relic of the Mining Company still standing:
Read more about it, here CLICK
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