The Coal mine was located in Bureau County Illinois, in a newly erected town built near the mine, called Cherry IL., named after James Cherry who was superintendent of the St. Paul Coal mines. The mine opened in 1904 and was owned by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad (C.M.& St. P) railroad. Approximately 1500 tons of coal were mined daily and used for the railroad. About 300,000 tons annually were dug up in a year, not excluding all the dirt, shale, slag, and rock.