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Bill & Rita bringing coals to Newcastle
Actually, the phrase "to bring coal to Newcastle" is based on the town of the same name in England. Is it only by chance that Newcastle, Washington should also have a history of coal mining?
Located between Bellevue, Renton and the Cougar Mountain area of Issaquah, Newcastle is a new city with a rich history. In the 1800’s, Newcastle had a larger population than Seattle. In fact, it was the richness of Newcastle’s coal mining industry that played an important role in transforming Seattle into a major port. Prospectors and coal miners worked the Newcastle Hills for 100 years between 1863 and 1963, mining nearly 13 million tons of coal from under the surface of Cougar Mountain.
The Pacific Coast Coal Company formed the company town of "old" Newcastle in the early 1870’s. When a later strike of coal was found a mile east, the town was moved to Coal Creek, becoming the "new" Newcastle. The present Newcastle sits directly on the site of Old Newcastle.
While little evidence now remains of the two colorful communities which once had as many as 600 houses between them, Newcastle has been rediscovered lately. Now, more than thirty-five years after the end of the coal-mining era, Newcastle residents celebrate their history at Newcastle Days, a 2-day event held the second weekend in September.
Above we see Bill & Rita celebrating their own September in Newcastle by joining with some friends in the Reign Hood group to prove they can overcome fears by walking on hot coals. Since walking on hot coals in Hippie Skivvies brings their dedication to a higher level, special rewards from us were bestowed upon them for their gallantry!
Visit Newcastle website
