The Kansas Underground Salt Museum is 650 feet underneath Hutchinson,
Kansas. It is the only museum inside a working mine in the United States.
This unique museum features mining and geology display, the history of salt,
and hands-on exhibits. Underground facilities are also available for
meetings, training sessions, and parties.
Underground Vaults & Storage, Inc. uses part of the mined area of the
Hutchinson Salt Company to provide secure, climate controlled document,
data, and film storage.
Hutchinson Salt Company operates a hard rock salt mine at this site,
producing over 500,000 tons of raw salt a year.
Kansas Underground Salt Museum, 3504 E. Avenue G (Ave G and Airport Road), Hutchinson, KS 67501
Telephone: 620-662-1425 Toll Free: 866-755-3450
http://www.undergroundmuseum.org
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Collections Series
KUSM 01
Salt Production Facility
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 02
Elevator Winch
The cable is 900' long. The double-decker elevator can carry 15 people per car.
The 650' trip makes for a 1 minute, 10-second ride.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 03
Visitor Railcar and Mantrip
The visitor car (in front) was used for tours in the early 1960s. The mantrip
(rear) was used for miners until 1983 to transport miners to the working face of the mine.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 04
Powder Car
This was used to transport explosives to the working face of the mine.
Note the wood construction to avoid sparks. This car was removed from service in 1983.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 05
Mining Train
This mining train includes the electric locomotive, flatbed car, side dump car and ore cars.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 06
Elmco LHD
The Elmco Load-Haul-Dump machine has a 4-ton capacity. It is used to move the rock
salt from the working face to the beltine for transport to the mine elevator.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 07
Continuous Miner
This machine allows the removal of large quantities of salt in between the columns.
It is used here for smoothing and enlarging the galleries.
Continuous miners are used mainly in coal mines. This is one of only three that
are known to be used in a rock salt mine.
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 08
As featured on "Dirty Jobs"
This 1983 Pontiac Bonneville (with parts from Dodge, Ford, and other suppliers) was a star
performer on the Discovery Channel program "Dirty Jobs: Salt Miner", (Episode Number: 51,
Season Number: 5. First Aired: Tuesday February 27, 2007.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 09
Partial Gob Wall
Stacks of empty explosives crates were used by the miners to control the airflow in the mine.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 10
Underground Vaults & Storage, Inc. uses part of the mined area of the Hutchinson Salt Company to provide
secure, climate controlled document, data, and film storage 650' underground.
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 11
carton storage
Underground Vaults & Storage, Inc. uses part of the mined area of the
Hutchinson Salt Company to provide secure, climate controlled document,
data, and film storage 650' underground.
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 12
film canister storage
Underground Vaults & Storage, Inc. uses part of the mined area of the Hutchinson
Salt Company to provide secure, climate controlled document, data, and film storage 650' underground
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 13
Museum Elevator Shaft
Bottom view of the shaft before installation of the hoist.
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 14
Salt Straws
The long thin objects growing from the roof (next to the elevator shaft)
are salt straws. These form from the condensation of moisture introduced
by the airflow in the shaft.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 15
Beltline
Crushed rock salt is delivered from the working face of the mine to the elevator on the beltline.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 16
Grinder
The grinder reduces the size of the crushed rock salt while it is being
transported on the beltline. Excavated rock salt is delivered from the working
face of the mine to the elevator on the beltline.
photo taken September 12, 2005
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Collections Series
KUSM 17
Mine Train
The "mule" pulls the tourist car and the mantrip to move people around the mine.
photo taken February 13, 2007
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Collections Series
KUSM 18
The salt mine elevator was originally used for personnel (as shown)
and salt (in a hopper below). Paired elevators are used so that one
is going up while the other is returning in a shaft right next to the gate shown.
These elevators are now used solely for salt.
photo taken September 12, 2005
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