Henry County's coal and strip-mine legacy sits with DNR reclamation

Part of Henry County’s story is about coal. The area around Deepwater and nearby towns was once tied to coal mining. Later, some of that became strip mining. Strip mining is when crews dig coal from the surface instead of from deep tunnels. That past still shapes the land in spots that were dug up and then fixed back, which is called reclamation. In Missouri, mined-land reclamation and the rules for surface mining fall under the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). DNR is the best source for where mining once happened, how reclamation is going, and any land-use facts. If you are looking into rural property or local history here, start with DNR’s mining and land-reclamation program. Do not guess a parcel’s past just from how it looks today. This is steady background, not a hazard warning. Confirm any specific site with DNR.