The discovery of black rocks that glow along Lost Creek transformed Walker County. Settlers began to open wagon mines and ship coal in barges along the Warrior River. The railroad soon followed, which brought in corporations and big mining camps. Every town is littered with stories, from Dora's Uniontown to the union wars in Carbon Hill to the Gorgas mining experiment. Oakman's Corona camp housed the county's very first hospital, while Sipsey and Empire had a Harvard-educated teacher. Progress was made, largely due to coal. In Images of America: Walker County Coal Mines, readers will learn about the people and the industry that makes Walker County special.