Little city of black diamonds

Graphic by Alejandro Figueroa.

*Editor’s Note: A version of this story was previously published by Valley Reality.

Glouster and its surrounding communities in Trimble Township were once thriving during the boom era of the coal industry.

At its peak, the coal industry reached a record 55 million ton extraction in 1970 in Ohio in part due to the advent of large, efficient excavating equipment and new drilling techniques that made large earthmoving operations a possibility.

This, however, required fewer workers given that machinery could extract more coal faster and safer. At the turn of the 19th century, there were more than 50,000 coal miners in the state of Ohio compared to less than 12,000 in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Now, communities that were once primarily economically dependent on the coal industry — such as Glouster — are looking ahead. While still remembering the legacy of coal, they’re working toward bringing an economic boost to the areas in the hopes of preserving their history for decades ahead. Click through the interactive story below to see how Glouster is adapting.