The 36th Annual Conference of the Mining History Association was held May 28-31, 2026, in Pittsburg, Kansas. Most conference activities were held on the campus of the Pittsburg State University at either the Crimson & Gold Ballroom inside the Overman Student Center or the PSU Library. The exception being the Opening Reception which was held at the Joplin [MO] History and Mineral Museum. Please see the Program for the details.
Mining was the dominant industry in Southeast Kansas, Southwest Missouri, and Northeast Oklahoma for more than 100 years. The region was a major producer of coal, lead, zinc, among other minerals. Pittsburg itself was a major lead and zinc smelting center for the Tri-State Mining District (MO, KS, OK) located just 30 miles to the south. Although mines have been closed for around 50 years, its influence is everywhere, even if may locals do not know the full mining history.
Many buildings in Downtown Pittsburg as well as Joplin, Missouri and Miami, Oklahoma were built during the heyday of the mining era. The mining and railroad industries led to the opening of a technical school that eventually became the Pittsburg State University. Thousands of acres of surface coal mines have been reclaimed and are now used for outdoor recreation. In the Tri-State District, Superfund cleanup work is still underway but extensive remains of mining can still be seen. There are eleven museums working to preserve artifacts and tell the stories of the region’s mining heritage. One of those museums is the world’s largest surviving electric shovel used in coal strip mining, Big Brutis. It was visited on one of the tours.
--Taken from the MHA conference webpage
