Coalmont, a town and postoffice in the southwest corner of the county, in Lewis township, on the Southern Indiana Railroad, founded by John R. Walsh, in the year 1900, so named from its being in the coal belt and from the comparative elevation of the site, of which the altitude is perhaps the greatest of that of any point on the line of this railroad between Terre Haute and Bedford. The original town plat comprised twenty acres of the former Uriah Coulson farm, to which have since been platted Coulson’s 1st and 2d additions and Neal’s addition. The first buildings on the plat were erected by John W. Kester and Oscar Briley, at practically the same time, Kester engaging in merchandising and Briley in the saloon traffic, who named his place “The Belmont,” from which the impression was made, at that time, that this was to be the name of the future town and postoffice. This office dates from April 1, 1901, Miss Julia Kester first postmaster, succeeded by William Sargent, who was followed by S. F. Auld (present incumbent). It was made a money order office, October 1, The first carload of freight shipped to this place was a lot of building stone, consigned to John W. Kester. 

There have been three practicing physicians here: J. W. Davis, H. H. Ward, W. D. Asbury. 

The United Brethren and Missionary Baptists maintain churches here, the former having built and dedicated their house of worship in the year 1903, the latter, in 1906-7, dedicated October 12, of the latter year, by Rev. Hemans, of the First Baptist church, Terre Haute, when $500 was contributed in liquidation of indebtedness. 

The merchants and dealers of the place from the time of its founding to the present have been: John W. Kester, J. E. Kitchell, Thomas Mitchell, T. H. Cochran, Goble & Crist, — Sinclair, S. F. Auld, Asbury Drug Co., Miller Drug Co., William Carlisle, Elihu Puckett, William Heady, Jeffers & Sears, Griffith & Compton, C. D. Pierson Lumber Co. The original fiouring mill, Griffith & Compton, proprietors, was destroyed by fire in 1907, Compton rebuilding the present mill in 1908. 

The coal mining industry in the immediate vicinity of this place has been operated by the Big Vein Mining Company, the United Fourth Vein Mining Company, the Green Valley, Golden Knob and Alum Cave shafts, of which the last two are not now running. There are also two mines of less capacity, from which the product is wagoned, operated, respectively, by Gordon and Bolt, proprietors. 

Coalmont has a modern, up-to-date schoolhouse, built in 1908, by Trustee George Phegley, of Lewis township, at a cost of $6,000, dedicated December 19th. The situation here in the school capacity is somewhat phenomenal. The latest building, that now being used, stands on the south side of tbe town, while on the north side stands a comparatively new two-story brick, built in 1904, unoccupied and practically abandoned. The explanation as given the writer is that the house on the north side, which stands but three-fourths of a mile from the plant of the United States Powder Company, was so shaken up by the explosion of the 17th of March, 1908, as to leave it in an unsafe condition. It is said, too, that as another source of danger to the building, the site on which it stands has been undermined. From these and additional reasons, an inspector of public buildings officiating by the authority of the State of Indiana, after having visited and viewed the situation, condemned the building. Coalmont occupies a beautiful and desirable building and resi- dence site, with an estimated population of 650.