Introduction Unincorporated Company Town United Mine Workers of America The Buxton Mines Coal for the Railroad Monroe Mercantile Company Independent-owned Businesses The Buxton YMCA The Buxton Wonders Buxton's White Residents Buxton Schools Houses in Buxton The George Neal Family Rueben Gaines, Sr. African American Professionals in Buxton Beginning of Buxton's Decline The End of Buxton Archaeological Exploration in Buxton

Unions in the late 19th century discriminated against African Americans, District 13 of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), which included the Buxton miners, discouraged discrimination as early as the 1890's. The UMWA encouraged all mine owners to hire black miners and insisted they be paid at the same rate as white miners. All miners in Buxton made the same rate of pay, regardless of their race. The majority of Consolidation’s employees worked as miners. For example, in 1905, 94% of the 1,234 men Consolidation employed were miners. In addition, the company hired workers known as “company men” to work underground at jobs like laying track, timbering the mine’s entryway, moving empty cars off the track, opening and closing the doors that directed air flow through the mine, and driving and caring for the mules.