The mine fire in New Straightsville in the oldest mine fire in North America---in fact, the longest burning conflagration of any sort.  :) It was started--intentionally--during a labor dispute, 118 years ago, as of 2007.

      New Straightsville:

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      Nothing--whatsoever--to do with a mine fire---a cool cave, privately owned, but open to the public.  :)

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      I've spent (probably more than) a fair amount of time, hunting around for mine fire! Fire!! FIRE!!!!  (Um, heh-heh. Sorry about that.  :) :))'s.  :) :) Ya' meet all kinda' people doing such---and they seem to "run the whole spectrum of friendliness."  Well, I don't think the people in New Straightsville could've been more friendly.  My Dad ran into this old couple--who ran an Italian sub shop.  He was a Believer---and couldn'ta' been a nicer guy.  :) :) -And then I ran into Matt Miller.  (I was more than a little surprised to find a calendar with aurora (from Alaska, no less (!!)) on the wall.  :) :) ) He not only "filled us in" (No pun intended---if you can even believe that.  :) :) )---he drove us out to the last place vents were seen.  Thank you, Matt---and thank you New Straightsville: For being such a "friendly town."  :) :)

      A roughly 30 foot deep subsidence region, filled in. Facing south-east

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      A vent was spotted a year ago; however, there now seems to be no signs of the fire on the surface.  (The fire may well be out. . . .) A pool of water on the surface (very) near the last area any sign of the fire was last spotted was NOT a good sign. . . .

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      Valley facing northerly---no signs of the fire. . . .

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      Facing south-east, a cool tree---with a filled subsidence region just visible. . . .

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      The neighboring town of Shawnee, which a dude on roadsidemerica describes as (not very complimentarily) as "certainly one of the creepiest little towns I've ever seen."  This (roadsideamerica) is where I first learned about The Fremont Troll.  :) :) Shawnee is where "Little Cities of Black Diamond" (sort of a mine historical/outreach thingie) is located.

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