Helper’s August First Friday paid homage to those lost in the Castle Gate Mine Disaster, which occurred on March 8, 1924. The Castle Gate Mine Disaster unfortunately took the lives of 171 coal miners and one rescue worker, making it one of the worst mine disasters in history.
Carbon County is well-known for it’s mining operations, as well as the melting pot of nationalities that Carbon County was built upon. Among the 171 coal miners who lost their lives were 49 Greeks, 22 Italians, eight Japanese, seven English, six Austrians, two Scotch, one Belgian and 76 Americans.
Carbon County’s coal mines brought men and families from all over the world, hoping for a chance of the “American Dream”. The youngest victim was 15 years of age, with the oldest being 73 years of age. This terrible disaster left behind 417 dependents, including 241 children.
Community members and business owners came together for Helper’s First Friday to help raise money for Castle Gate’s Memorial. There were showings of the Remember Castle Gate documentary at the Rio Theater, along with a Castle Gate Photo Booth hosted by The Juliano Group, which allowed individuals to go back in time via photo.
There was also live t-shirt art being done at Kilpatrick Art Garage, which entailed bleach, paintbrushes, flowers and leaves. Attendees had the chance to make their own shirts and be creative with the tools that were provided.
The Kathleen Royster Studio played host to a book signing by Lisa Bonnice, Author of Castle Gate, while also featuring live music by Will Smith. Copies of Castle Gate may be purchased at Utah Power Credit Union.
Helper Hi-Fi also had its doors open for individuals to come in and buy some records, while also offering visitors with a nostalgic feel. The event proved to be quite the success and showed the honor and pride that Helper residents continue to hold for those who gave their lives, to pave the way for Carbon County’s way of life.
