The Kneeling Miner

<br><center>This statue dedicated in honor of the hardrock miner, his family and those who served the Webb City District mining industry during the past century.<br><br> <b>The Kneeling Miner, circa 1976<br> Jack E. Dawson</b> [sculptor]<br><br> Originally sculpted in concrete<br> as a part of Webb City's Bicentennial celebration.<br> The Miner stood as a sentinel reminder of the mining<br> era and the work of the founding families.<br><br> Four early day miners served as models<br> for the original statue.<br><br> <b>The Kneeling Miner in Bronze, circa 2006<br> Constance A. Ernatt</b> [sculptor]<br> Created in bronze to permanently memorialize<br> the hard work of the miner. The integrity of<br> the original work was achieved by using common<br> background materials in the research of the original statue.<br> The statue was sculpted in clay and cast into<br> bronze in Wichita, Kansas.<br><br> The Kneeling Miner in Bronze was commissioned in<br> May 2005 by the Dawson Heritage Foundation and<br> dedicated during Mining Days Celebration in<br> Webb City, September 2006<br><br> <b>This Land is Blessed</b><br> Bonnie Linebaugh<br><br> I stood at eve, the sun was low<br> deep-cradled in the west.<br> My world all tinged with sunset glow<br> and thought "This land is blessed."<br> This land where miners old and young<br> labored hard each day -<br> Trudged off to toil in lightless deep,<br> to earn the meager pay.<br> Down into blackness cold and damp<br> on each man's cap a carbide lamp.<br> The mine work many a stranger drew -<br> and infant town Webb City grew.<br><br> I stood one morn and faced the east.<br> 't'was yet a little dark -<br> Dim silhouette of tailing piles,<br> the far notes of a lark -<br> The sleeping town of Carterville.<br> also in silhouette -<br> These lovely scenes engrave themselves<br> on hearts that won't forget.<br> Though mining days are in the past,<br> today they live in memory -<br> Of those strong-hearted ones who toiled<br> to carve Webb City's history.<br><br> I stood at noon the day sun-bright<br> Webb City growing 'neath its light<br> much labor, laughter, prayer and rest<br> and thought,<br> "Indeed this land is blessed."<br><br> May 1976</center>