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On this haunting installment of Crypts and Corks, your hosts uncork a bottle and journey deep into the quiet hills of West Virginia to explore the site of the Monongah Mining Disaster—America’s deadliest mining accident and a tragedy that still lingers beneath the soil.

Walking through the remnants of the old coal town, they reflect on the December morning in 1907 when a series of explosions shattered the earth and claimed the lives of hundreds of miners. With a mix of field recordings, local folklore, and historical accounts, the hosts piece together how the disaster unfolded, why its true death toll remains disputed, and the stories of the families and communities forever changed by it.

As the wind moves through abandoned structures and memorial markers, Crypts and Corks ponders how memory, loss, and labor struggles weave into the landscape—and how the ghosts of Monongah still speak to us today. All paired, of course, with a thoughtfully chosen bottle to lighten the mood without losing the reverence the site deserves.

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