Hours
Tuesday through Saturday
10 am. To 2 pm.
Admission always FREE
Group  are tours available by appointment
 ​Please text 833.228.8603, or email to schedule a visit.
​121 S Macoupin St Gillespie, IL 62033
Picture

Thanks to the collaboration of the
Gillespie Public Library and the Mythic Mississippi Project
​of the University of Illinois 
we are now able to access historic Gillespie newspapers!
Click here for access
there will be a learning curve
the tutorials provided may help

This is just the beginning of a long digitizing process of the 120+ years of our newspapers.
HAVE FUN
Many of the displays and exhibits have been enhanced.
Click here to take a virtual tour 
The essence of the coal mining industry and the worldwide ascendance of organized labor are packaged into a self guided tour through Macoupin County, Illinois.
Click here to preview the Coal Labor Union Heritage Trail 
Recently at the Museum
Picture
The Chicago NorthWestern Railway/Chuck Voyles display was recently enhanced. An original oil painting, by artist Alana Cooke-Graham, was saved from the auction block by Lois and Bozzie Jones.
After hanging in the Chuck and Jean Voyles home or years this fine painting has a new home!
The Gillespie Middle School Eighth Grade Class toured the museum as the culmination of their classwork concerning Gillespie and Coal Mining History. Most, if not all, were amazed by the the life and times of the past generations.
​A big thanks to their teacher, Jessica Kelly, for all of her hard work this past year  
Illinois State Representative Wayne Rosenthal stopped by Gillespie to tour the Museum and to assess the progress on our Downtown Streetscape and Economic Development projects.
​
The City of Gillespie and the Museum are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our efforts and are looking forward to working with Representative Rosenthal as we proceed.  
 
To contact Representative Rosenthal visit his website
 He does, indeed, respond!
"This week, I toured the Illinois Coal Museum in Gillespie and it was incredible. I was welcomed by Dave Tucker, Scott Thomas, John Hicks, and Dan Fisher. These guys provided me with an abundant amount of history behind Illinois coal miners during the prohibition era. These gentlemen are very compassionate about preserving the history of coal miners in Illinois and they have done a fantastic job operating this coal museum."
Wayne Rosenthal
The Madison County Historical Society History Camp visited to learn about coal and coal mining history. Their next stop: Mt. Olive to learn of Mother Jones, Alexander Bradley, and role unionization played in the coal industry.
Beginning January  2022, UMWA Local 1613 members led by  President Scott Thomas have been building exhibits and displays featuring Coal Country coal mining in the modern era. Their stories and memorabilia document mining history after the 'Coal Boom' years, leaving their legacy for future generations.  
THANK YOU