Its first chapter belonged to Missouri miners. Its next belongs to families.
After helping generations of miners at Doe Run’s mining district near Rolla, an authentic 15-story steel headframe has found a new purpose at Silver
Dollar City, where it will become the centerpiece of Miner’s Mountain Express, a new family coaster opening in spring 2027.
For decades, the headframe was the heartbeat of the mine. It lifted valuable ore from hundreds of feet below the surface while supporting pumps that moved millions of gallons of water each day to keep the shafts from flooding. More than a piece of machinery, it became a symbol of the grit, determination and hard work that built communities across Missouri.
That same pioneering spirit shaped the Ozarks.
In the 1880s, prospectors arrived at what is now Marvel Cave searching for marble. Instead, they uncovered one of the region’s greatest natural wonders, a discovery that would eventually inspire Silver Dollar City.
When it came time to create a new attraction celebrating that remarkable history, building a replica wasn’t enough.
Silver Dollar City’s Citizens wanted the real thing.
So, now, one of Missouri’s authentic mining headframes rises once again, welcoming families to begin their own expedition aboard Miner’s Mountain Express in search of a lost passage to the cave. Before the first lift hill, before the first thrill, guests will pass beneath a landmark that helped shape Missouri’s mining story.
Around here, history isn’t tucked away and forgotten. It’s brought to the forefront to help America’s #1 theme park write its next chapter.
Meet Brandei Clifton
As Public Relations Manager for the Silver Dollar City Company, she is eager to tap into her journalism background to hunt down “heart tugs” to write about—those stories that celebrate…