Milt Swanson followed in the footsteps of his coal mining family and shared his knowledge of Newcastle’s rich history with others.

Milt Swanson was born on March 29, 1918, in the area now occupied by the Coal Creek Family YMCA. Milt lived on the same piece of property for 84 years. His home was a former mine company house.

Just like his father and grandfather before him, Milt worked in the Newcastle mines for the B&R Coal Company until the last mine closed in 1963. Then he worked for Boeing until retirement.

Milt was past president and a founding member of the Newcastle Historical Society and helped care for the Newcastle Cemetery. He had a collection of mining artifacts on his property and shared his knowledge about Newcastle’s history with others.

Milt was awarded Newcastle Citizen of the Year in 1997, and in 2008 he received the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce Diamond Award for Community Involvement by a Senior.

Learn more about Milt Swanson and the history of Newcastle by visiting the Newcastle Historical Society.