National Register of Historic Places

Bonne Terre Mine

Bonne Terre, St. Francois County, Missouri
Listed
September 8, 1974
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74002281

About this property

Bonne Terre Mine, also known as the St. Joseph Lead Mine at Bonne Terre, is a historic lead mine located at Bonne Terre, St. Francois County, Missouri. Bonne Terre Mine was built starting in 1864 by the St. Joe Lead Company, and is located below the city of Bonne Terre. The mine closed in 1962. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Since its closure it has gradually filled up with rain and springwater, and is called "the largest man made cavern in the world". Surface, belowground and underwater tours are possible. Surface tour features a mining museum, barbershop and post office. In 1983, Jacques Cousteau's Calypso crew explored the mine for a documentary. Since then the underwater experience has been billed as one of "Americas largest scuba diving resorts" or "the world's largest fresh water dive resort".

Location

Bonne Terre, St. Francois County, Missouri
37.92310, -90.55291

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

St. Joe Lead Company Administration Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bonne Terre Depot
Industrial
0.4 mi
Eugene Field School
Industrial
5 mi
Howlett Gulf
Industrial
5.5 mi
Presbyterian Orphanage of Missouri
Industrial
11.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Big River Bridge Skirmish (St. Francois County)
1862Civil War
1.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bonne Terre Mine listed on the National Register?

Bonne Terre Mine was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 8, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Bonne Terre Mine?

Bonne Terre Mine is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bonne Terre Mine?

The period of significance for Bonne Terre Mine is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Bonne Terre Mine?

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