WINDBER, Pa. (AP) — The Windber Coal Heritage Center in southwestern Pennsylvania is closing for lack of visitors, but the mining company that owns the building in question is donating it to a local hospital.
The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat (https://bit.ly/1jkfbPC ) reports Rosebud Mining Co. is donating the building to the Windber Medical Center.
The coal heritage center opened in 1997 and attracted as many as 32,000 visitors a year, though that dropped to an average of 7,000 visitors in recent years.
The heritage center closed briefly several times before Rosebud purchased the building for $250,000 in 2009 in an attempt to stabilize the attraction. The structure was the former post office building for the Berwind-White Coal Mining Co.
Rosebud officials expressed sadness at the closing, but were glad to donate it for use "in a way that serves the community."