seldom seen tourist coal mine

My granddaughter and i visited the mine this summer. The former miner gave a very personal perspective of the industry that was so important to this area. Fee very reasonable. I miss the miners home display. I've taken my children , grandchildren, and friends here on different occasions and have learned something new each time.

We are finishing taking our three grandchildren, one at a time, to see the Seldom Seen Tourist Coal Mine near Patton, Pennsylvania. We learned a great deal from the retired coal miners who take you through the mine in covered mine cars that are pulled by an engine, called a motor. If you want to learn more about the life of a miner, and how coal is mined, this is a must see attraction.

My brother had been wanting to take this tour for years. He finally talked my nephew and me into doing it. Being Pennsylvania natives, mining is part of our heritage--even though no one in our immediate family was a minor. I was pretty nervous since I don't like enclosed spaces. You take a little train into the mine. I admit that i did feel a bit panicky as I watched the light from the tunnel entrance get dimmer and dimmer as we made our way into the mine shaft. We got a taste of what it was like for the brave men and women who made mining their way of life. Our guide was a former minor who could provide good insight into the realities of this profession. This tour was very informative. We learned about the various methods of coal mining, tools they use, and what it was like to go into the mines day after day. This is not a swanky place with a lot of slick displays and bells whistles. I felt like it was honest and gave us a clear picture of coal mining. I came away with a deep appreciation for the people who are minors. They are a proud and brave group of individuals. There is no way I could do this job. When we finished our tour someone asked me if I "enjoyed it." That isn't a term I would use because I felt nervous the entire time I was underground. However, I learned a lot. This experience was well worth it.

my husband wanted to see this and it was very interesting. you learned alot obout the coal industry in our area. nice way to spend a couple hours

This was a fun experience. I took my four year old son and his two older cousins. They all seemed to enjoy going underground. The tour guides are all retired miners and answer a ton of questions. If you are from the area you MUST go here and check out the local attractions.

My husband worked in the mines for 20 years and when you get down in so far they turn off all the lights and even though you know your hand is right infront of your face you can not see it know matter how hard you try. Some one has to really love his family alot to work in those conditions.

This is such a cool spot! My family LOVED traveling down into the mine, even though it was loud. SO WORTH a trip!!

We took our children along with my brother and his children on the Haunted Mine tour! It was truly an experience the children still remember over 15 years later!

I live in Punxsutawney and take all my visitors (those who aren't too scared to go) into the mine. It is such an eyeopener for most of them and they all tip their hats to the underground coal mining profession after going into through the mine and learning about the process. TIP: No matter the above ground temperature, be sure to take a wrap, sweater or at least something with long sleeves because it's cool underground (around 55 degrees all the time).

You travel inside of a real coal mine with a real coal miner. The experience is so different from most tourist sites that you will either be totally bored or astonished.

We wanted to see a real coal mine and this is one of the few that we could do as a day trip. The drive there was long, tedious and windy and the entrance is not well marked, but once there, we got our tickets and were met for the tour within a half hour. It was given by a retired mine supervisor so we couldn't have had a better guide. At that time, we were the only ones there, so we had our guide to ourselves and could really take in the experience fully. He was very knowledgeable about the equipment, jobs and politics of the coal system. Some of the original tunneling and drilling machines were on display outside the mine. They were massive, loud, and dangerous to operate. We rode into the mine on a little train, which is how the workers went in, and once it came to a stop inside the mine, were allowed to get out and walk around in certain areas, heads bent. The donkeys that they used actually lived below ground and were used to the noise, smells, and constant heavy dust and debris that the coal created. Inhaling coal dust is very deadly but in those days they didn't have masks, goggles, nor earplugs to keep it out. Men, boys and animals could get very ill from the effects of black lung and some died in the name of progress from excavating tunnels in order to supply the high demand for coal in those days. This was a very real, eye opening experience and I would recommend it to any family or group.

I can't say enough about this place. The Seldom Seen Mine is a hidden gem. I have dim memories of my parents bringing me here as a kid, so I found it online and brought my 8 year old son. Winding our way north of Altoona, we found the mine. Tours start at noon, and we got there at 11:10. There was plenty to look at while waiting for the tour, and we were entertained until the tour preparation started. When the tour starts, you get a hard hat and a brief overview about what to expect including a short bit about how the mine is ventilated and safe to enter. Then you load up into some mine cars pulled by a battery powered engine. The tour guide (Bill, I believe) knew a lot about coal mining from the early methods to modern processing. He did a great job showing you not only how coal is mined but also explaining the conditions for those who worked in mines in the early 1900's. The guide stopped at various points inside and outside of the mine to explain machinery, processes, and history. Inside the mine, the kids got to mine their own coal with a pick and take it out as a souvenir. The mine was not as cold as some caves I've toured, and I suspect this has something to do with the ventilation that circulates outside air into the passages. Also, I'm fairly tall (6'0"), and sometimes claustrophobic. Though I could not at any point during the tour stand straight up due to the ceiling height, I was not bothered by being down in the mine. There is nothing fancy about this place. From the VHS orientation video to the complete lack of cell phone reception, the mine is a throwback to the 80's. However, the Seldom Seen Coal Mine was fun, educational, reasonably priced, and stood in contrast to today's polished tourist traps. I plan on coming back in the next few years to bring my other kids. We had a great time, and this place is worth breaking out the map (GPS doesn't really get you here).

The Seldom Seen Coal Mine is a gem! I discovered it while searching on the internet for fun things to do with children in Pennsylvania. We enjoyed a wonderful drive through the rolling hills of Pennsylvania to get there, and it was well worth it. I really didn't know what to expect during the tour, but when we donned our hard hats and climbed aboard a small tram that took us into the mine, I knew we were in for a fun adventure. The ride inside the mine was great fun for my boys, ages 8 and 10. I wasn't expecting to learn so much of the history of coal mines, or to see first-hand how coal mining was actually done. Our guide was very knowledeable and had us all enthralled with his history of the mines and some great stories as well. We were inside the mine for more than an hour, and when we came out I had a greater understanding of coal mine operations, and how dangerous it all is. I highly recommend this attraction to anyone looking for something different to do. How often will you get a chance to experience first-hand the wonders of a coal mine?

Seldom Seen Coal Mine is a hidden gem outside of Patton,Pa. Patton is close to Altoona so if in that area, stop on in. The mine itself has many smaller buildings used in the mining process like the machine shop and the scale. It also has a very nice gift shop with moderate prices. You start out by paying in the gift shop and getting your hard hat. You then board a very short train like machine that took the real miners down into the mine back when it was active. You stop in the mine a few times staying in the train, but finally you get to explore the mine inside. Our tour guide was a very knowlagable retired coal miner. Tours start at the top of the hour. A great place to take the whole family to.

I can't believe no one has written about this attraction before. Granted it is a bit out of the way. And that led us to joke among our family that that is why it is called "Seldom Seen." But it is wonderful and we had a lot of fun there.It fit in very nicely as we made a weekend loop around Altoona and Johnstown. We also visited the Horseshoe Curve, the Johnstown Flood Museum and the National Memorial, and the Heritage Discovery Center, including the Wagner Ritter House. To top it off, so to speak, we road the Incline to the top of the mountain, where we had a very nice meal before heading back to the North Hills of Pittsburgh.The mine was pretty special. Then again I love little out of the way tourist spots around Pennsylvania. You put on a hard hat and ride on a tram into what once was a real working coal mine.Our guide was a retired coal miner who really knew what he was talking about. Not only was he informative, he was very enjoyable, posing with my daughter for a nice photo.Before heading down to Altoona to see the if the Curve was still there, we had a nice meal at the Miners' Rest, a historic restaurant and landmark in the small town of Patton. I would recommend that for a stop as well.