Noonan Coal Mine Documentary "Hidden Treasure"
Noonan Coal Mine Documentary "Hidden Treasure"
Somehow I got this DVD during Noonan’s Centennial back in 2007. It is very informative about the old Noonan Coal Mines, their history and the WMA there now, etc. This is information that I believe, needs to be shared. It was an important part of the town where my mother was born and my grandparents lived. Grandpa Dhuyvetter worked in one of those underground mines when he first got here from Belgium. He emigrated from Belgium after World War I. Anyway, he earned enough money that way to buy some land and get married to my grandmother, Urbanie Snauwaert. They had one daughter, Bertha, my mother. Urbanie and her parent were also from Belgium. My great grandmother, Marie Snaewaert is buried in St Luk’e Cemetery here. My great grandfather, Gustav re-married and went back to Belgium My grandfather’s brother, Morris also came here from Belgium and had “lots” of children, many of them and their offspring, still live in North Dakota. The farm is still in the family and is located four miles south of Noonan. I have come up to Noonan my whole life. I remember, as a kid, watching the coal strip mine operations. I even remember dumping the drag line on occasion. This area has a lot of fond memories for me. I moved here when I retired in 2001 and have never regretted it. I married Meredith back in 2002 and she moved up here with me. The bumper sticker on my car reads, “You are not lost, you are in Noonan, North Dakota. You are way beyond lost!” “Noonan isn’t the end of the world here, but we do have a viewing area.” I do a lot of photography up here, and title my work “Beauty on the Northern Plains,” “North Dakota: Horizon to Horizon,” and “North Dakota: Freezin’ is the Season.” I have two more art exhibitions coming up this year, celebrating the NEA (National Endowment of the Arts) and NDCA’s (ND Council on the Arts) 50th Anniversary. I will be one of the 50 “Invited Artists” for those two events. I also one of the “Invited Artists” who exhibited at the North Dakota 150th Centennial back in 2014. If you are interested in more history of North Dakota that is a little more current, try the book “Sundogs and Sunflowers: Folklore and Folk Art on the Northern Great Plains.” The sundog photograph on the cover is one of mine, plus others on the inside. I want to thank my son-in-law, Garrett for his efforts to make the DVD into a MP4 video I can share. This video probably has a pretty limited audience, though! I found no copyright statement on the video and believe it to be public domain.
My Grandfather, Edgar Sandberg worked for Baukol-Noonan coal company for nearly 5 decades. I have fond memories of riding in the "YUKES", and the dragline when I was but a wee lad back in the 1960"s. My father, Dennis Sandberg and I have made it a tradition to come "Back Home" for duck hunting every fall for over 40 years. I still have friends that live in Noonan and the surrounding area, best folks you will ever meet !!
I remember spending many days in my youth exploring the Noonan mine hills, hunting rabbits and gophers, riding the narrow 2-wheel trails on bicycles, and planting trees during Arbor Day. Usually on the walk home we’d stop at the Noonan grass runway airport, climb into the 2 or 3 old and gutted airplanes, and fly them in an imaginary air battle.
No sound?!
I love North Dakota history! I am always excited to see another documentary from any part of our state. They are hard to find, but always interesting and very well done. Thanks for uploading.