Just west of Des Moines, the town of Waukee was once home to Iowa’s largest coal mine — the Shuler Mine. Opening in 1921, the mine boasted the deepest shaft in the state at 387 feet and produced up to 600 tons of coal each day. At its peak, it employed around 500 workers and even relied on 32 mules underground.
Miners came from all over — Croatia, Italy, Sweden — along with many African Americans who built a tight-knit community in the camps known as “Stringtown.” The Shuler Coal Company helped support life above ground too, funding a school for miners’ children and sponsoring a baseball team. A general store, tavern, and eventually Alice’s Spaghettiland (opened in 1947) became gathering places for families in the mining town.
By 1947, the mine stretched nearly four miles underground, but falling coal prices, a thinning seam, and new energy alternatives signaled the end. The Shuler Mine closed in 1949, marking the end of an era in Iowa coal country.
