About Miner's Theatre

The Miner’s Institute Building was built in 1918 by the local coal mining unions, as a labor temple. The keystone was laid by the Kirtch Architectural firm on October 12, 1917. Each miner donated 1% of his salary for one year to the construction of the building. Total construction costs were about $90,000, in comparison a three-bedroom home at the time was $3000-$4000.  The building was utilized by the unions as a “home away from home”.  Meetings, entertainment, dances, relaxation, and a place to bring their families, this was the place you came to be with your friends and co-workers. In fact, the Miner’s shut down one other theatre and an opera house in town, because other unions would only support the Miner’s.