Alabastine Mine

Alabastine Mine
Alabastine Mine office
Location
Alabastine Mine is located in Michigan
Alabastine Mine
Alabastine Mine
LocationWyoming
StateMichigan
CountryUnited States
Coordinates42°56′29″N 85°42′02.12″W / 42.94139°N 85.7005889°W / 42.94139; -85.7005889
Production
ProductsGypsum
History
Opened1907
Owner
Websitehttp://naturalstorage.com/

The Alabastine Mine is an underground gypsum mine in Wyoming, Michigan, originally dug by hand in 1907. The mine once included an underground stable for the mules used to haul the gypsum.[1]

Plaster production

The gypsum from this mine was used to manufacture plaster, both for exterior use as stucco and for a tinted interior wall covering known as 'alabastine'.

Use as a Fallout Shelter

New access elevators to the mine were constructed in order to convert the mine to a storage area. Parts of the mine served as a Cold War fallout shelter.

Storage Facility

Since 1957, the mine has been operated by Michigan Natural Storage as a storage facility. It leases space to a firm that provides microfilm records storage for many Michigan courthouses.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Alabastine Mine, Kent Co., Michigan, USA". Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  2. ^ Vande Bunte, Matt. "Photos: Rare tour of underground record keeping center in Wyoming". Grand Rapids Press. m-live. Retrieved 5 February 2011.