A significant factor in Lafayette's coal mining history were the three successive Denver-based coal conglomerates – United Coal Company, Northern Coal Co. and Rocky Mountain Fuel Company – that controlled coal production and employed thousands of local coal miners. From 1891, when United Coal was formed, to 1944, when Rocky Mountain Fuel Co. reorganized and closed most of its mines, the coal operators influenced not only how mass-scale coal was mined, marketed and sold, but how communities adjacent to the coal mines – Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Canfield and Marshall developed.
a significant factor in lafayette's coal mining history were the three successive denver-based coal conglomerates – united coal company northern coal co and rocky mountain fuel company – that controlled coal production and employed thousands of local coal miners from 1891 when united coal was formed to 1944 when rocky mountain fuel co reorganized and closed most of its mines the coal operators influenced not only how mass-scale coal was mined marketed and sold but how communities adjacent to the coal mines – lafayette louisville erie canfield and marshall developed