Ahepa District 17The Dawson Memorial Photos
American Hellenic Educational Progressive AssociationDistrict 17 – Dawson Memorial Project
An AHEPA project honoring the miners of Dawson, New Mexico who died in 1913 and 1923.
Dawson’s downtown district.
The Phelps-Dodge Mercantile store is on the left.
The hotel is on the right.
Dawson sported schools, churches, a hospital, gymnasium
swimming pool and an opera house.
The interior of the mercantile store.
The size of the store demostrates how complete
it needed to be to serve the entire town.
Another view of Dawson.
The only thing the town lacked was paved streets.
The coke ovens at Dawson.
High coking was one of the advantages of Dawson coal. It was why Phelps-Dodge bought the mines to support their copper smelters.
A group of miners of the early 1900’s.
It is easy to recognize the diversity of the workforce.
The entrance to mine #1 after the 1923 explosion.
The size of the crater is evidence of the force of the explosion.
Miners with the last coal car in 1950.
Before the mines closed, 33,000,000 tons of coal were produced.
It is said a 50-year supply still remains.
Historical marker at the Dawson cemetery.
A view of the cemetery today. The white iron crosses
were supplied by Phelps-Dodge.
The iron crosses must have been ordered
specifically for each miners name.
The cover of the definitive book on Dawson.
The author, Toby Smith, was able to interview many of the Dawson residents.
The book is now highly collectible
AHEPA District 21, encompassing Northern California and Northern Nevada, has adopted as a District project,
memorial services to be held by each chapter on October 20, 2013. This date is two days before the 100-year
anniversary of the 1913 disaster. These memorials will be held in the parish church of each chapter, according to
the practices of the Greek Orthodox Church. While we have in mind those of Greek descent who perished in 1913 and 1923
this memorial service will honor all those who died in Dawson.
Recommended to the National AHEPA by the conference of District Governors, by District 21, and by the sponsoring chapter,
Fresno AHEPA #151, this project was adopted as a National Project at the 91st Supreme Convention in Orlando FL.
It is expected that chapters throughout the United States will join District 21 in honoring the memory of those miners
who now lie nearly forgotten in the lonely, windswept cemetery at Dawson, New Mexico.
Send inquiries and information requests to Robert Sexton SG, PDG [email protected]