Coal Palace Replica Commemorates a Structure and Industry

In the late 1880s, businesses and twelve Iowa counties banded together to fund the construction of the huge Coal Palace in Ottumwa, Iowa. Finished in 1890, it was actually constructed of wood with a coal veneer, but to the eye it was a majestic black structure.

With Its tallest tower 200 feet high and flags flying from every turret., the sturdy palace looked as if it had been built to withstand battle rather than promote Iowa’s coal industry. Yes, there in addition to corn and the most pigs per capita of any state, there is coal in Iowa. Wapello County Iowa, home of the Coal Palace, had a number of small strip mines, with names such as “Happy Hollow Mine.”

The original palace was torn down after the 1891 exhibition season. While it stood, the Coal Palace was more than the “Industrial Exhibit” its sign proclaimed. It had exhibit halls (one with a thirty-foot waterfall), a dance hall, and an auditorium that seated 6,000. President Benjamin Harrison visited the palace as did Congressman William McKinley (later to be president).

The coal Iowa wanted to promote wasn’t used just for fuel in homes and businesses. As the nation spread west, railroads made it possible to ship goods and keep in touch with family “back east” in a way not possible before the steel tracks were laid. But, trains needed fuel, and they could not stock enough on board for longer trips. Thus, small lines veered off the main one to Iowa’s mines or the miners brought wagon loads to the trains.

Thanks to the dedication of Ottumwan Milly Morris Amos, the Coal Palace has been brought back to life through a detailed replica. Housed in the Wapello County Historical Society (which is above the local AMTRAK station), the model gleems. The Historical Society Museum address is 210 West Main Street, Ottumwa, IA, and there is an elevator to the exhibit. Winter hours (mid-October to mid-April) are Tuesday thru Friday from 10 through 4, and Saturday, noon to 4:00.