Saturdays have been full work days on this job, but today I got a sweet surprise. The workday ended early so Hubby decided to take me on a salt mine tour! Hutchinson, Kansas is home to the Strataca Salt Mine Museum.
He knows that I love all things geological, so a tour of the salt mines was right up my alley!
disclaimer: Please excuse the less than desirable photos of this trip. The lighting was not very good as mines are very dark. Nonetheless, I tried to get as many interesting photos as possible to document this memory of a very special field trip! Now, on to my post!
The lobby of the museum had several displays, detailing the mining process. The salt mine is 650 feet underground. The salt is blasted into smaller manageable pieces, and loaded onto a 6-ton hoist that takes it up a dark shaft to be loaded on trucks.
This same hoist is used to transport tourists deep into the mines underground. We were all issued hard hats and sent to a holding room while we waited for that heavy-duty elevator to pick us up.
A Permian Sea
The long dark ride to the depths of the earth landed at what used to be the bed of a Permian Sea. The Hutchinson Member of the salt vein was formed 275 million years ago when the Permian Sea dried up. Its one of the largest salt deposits in the world and extends from Northwest Missouri, into Kansas, through Oklahoma, North Texas and finally into New Mexico. It’s over 120 miles wide in most places.
The Permian Room
The Permian room walls show the layers of the strata formed by the Permian sea. Fluctuations in the sea levels left layers of salt, mud, and debris which compressed over millions of years forming the layers of the walls.
There were several exhibits with signs inviting you to touch! A 6000 lb rock salt crystal was displayed in this room.
The Mining Gallery
The Mining Gallery is filled with exhibits of historical importance. Many pieces of equipment used in the 20s, 30s, and 40s are on display, as well as information on the processes of the salt mine.
Electric cars and trucks were disassembled, and brought down the hoist and reassembled underground for use in the salt mine. Some of these vehicles are over 70 years old.
The miners had a saying, “what comes into the salt mine, stays in the salt mine”, and it’s evident they lived by that motto. Tools, trucks, and tractors were left in the salt mine and are on display.
The Salt Mine Express
Next, we got to ride on the Salt Mine Express. This train ride took us through parts of the mine that were active during the 1940s/50s. Nothing was disturbed in the mine when building the tracks for the tourist train. A trash pile of snack papers, water cups, and magazines were well-preserved as if they were left recently. Temperatures stay about 68 degrees all the time, and the salt and a 45% humidity make for the perfect conditions for preserving items in their original state.
The Dark Ride
The Dark Ride tour takes you on a small tram through the dark tunnels of the mine. Small spotlights shine on exhibits, while the tour guide explains the mining operations.
Many interesting geological features were found on this part of the tour and the tram stops near the end of the tour to let you pick out a salt crystal to take home with you.
Red salt
An Abandoned Cart
Underground Vault and Storage
A third gallery is the underground vault and storage area. This area is where almost every Hollywood filmmaker stores its original movies, costumes, and other important movie memorabilia.
The original negatives of many popular movies such as, “Gone With the Wind”, “The Wizard of Oz” and “Star Wars-Return of the Jedi”, are all stored in the vault. This salt mine vault is the worlds largest time capsule!
Superman costume worn by Dean Cain
Batman costume worn by George Clooney
The underground vault is home to countless documents, and includes papers from local and the federal governments.
The vault contains top-secret papers from the federal government. During the Cold War, the US Government leased an apartment in the vault. The government used the apartment to house the necessary items needed to rebuild the government if necessary.
A Great Field Trip
This Mawmaw was like a school girl on a favorite field trip, full of excitement and wonder at every turn! I sure do love days like this when Hubby surprises me with the perfect outing. The Strataca Salt Mine tour was a perfect adventure for this old rock hound.
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