Owner of farm near Quecreek Mine recounts historic rescue 20 years later

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. — A Somerset County farmer had a front row seat to a miracle.  Bill Arnold’s family owns the farm near Quecreek Mine.  It was on his farm, hundreds of miles below ground, where nine miners were trapped for 77 hours 20 years ago.

“Because it was my property, I felt some sort of responsibility to make sure that these guys were going to be okay,” Arnold said.

The Arnold family still operates a working farm on the land in Lincoln Township.  It’s been handed down for generations.

But on July 24, 2002, the Arnold’s farm transformed into a massive and meticulous rescue operation site.

“It very much seems like it was yesterday,” Arnold said. “So to know we made it 20 years is exhilarating and very surreal.”

The infamous 9 for 9 miners were rescued right in Arnold’s backyard. And he was there for almost every waking moment of it.

“And I’ll never forget what he said to me.  He said Billy, there’s been an accident in the mine and 9 guys are missing. We think they’re trapped under your farm,” Arnold said.

Arnold was the third person at the rescue site and the last one to leave. The emotions over the course of those four days proved to be a whirlwind for him.

“There was always hope. I know for myself, any time I took a moment to stop and pray, I never prayed that the guys would be alive. I knew that, in my heart. I knew that. I was praying that they would have strength and patience,” Arnold relfected.

He witnessed the strength and patience shown by the rescuers, who powered through every obstacle presented with grit and determination.

“There was no chaos. There was no mayhem. It was very focused. Very determined, very professional. Guys were doing what they do everyday, but this time nine lives were depending on it. And it’s something I’ll always cherish to be a part of,” Arnold said.

Arnold didn’t personally know all of the miners trapped under his farm, but he went to school with the last miner rescued, Mark Popernack. Still, he said the bond he had with each of them is special.

“We do we share a very special bond. These guys have become family and they are the best crop that this farm is every going to produce,” Arnold said.

Quecreek Mine opened up about 18 months before the rescue, and reopened about 6 months after. It continued to operate and haul coal until 2018. But in the last 20 years, Arnold has made this site a permanent piece of history.

“We started with our mission statement which is just 11 words, and that’s to preserve the site and celebrate the inspirational story of the Quecreek Mine rescue. And everything stems from that,” Arnold said.

From the interactive panels and posters to some of the actual pieces of equipment used as part of the display, it’s a museum and a visitors center that continues to grow.

“We actually have motorcoach operators that are booking tours now with names like tragedy and triumph or the heroes of Somerset county. It’s pretty impressive to have people say we were at the Flight 93 Memorial and we had to come here so that’s a pretty great thing,” Arnold said.

Those two big events in less than a year, and less than 10 miles apart, put Somerset County in a national spotlight. Former President George W. Bush even acknowledged it.

“That was one of the things President Bush mentioned to me right after the rescue. He said, ‘you know with Flight 93 and now this Quecreek rescue, Somerset County is rapidly becoming the sweetheart county of my nation.’ And I said, ‘Sir, that’s a very lofty title but it’s one we’re pretty proud of,’” Arnold said.

Twenty years later, it’s become part of a destination for education, reflection and remembrance.

“Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. I think was a turning point for Americans everywhere to say that God is still on the throne and Americans are great people and through the power of prayer, teamwork, and hard work, we can make great things happen,” Arnold said.

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