Big Thunder Mining Company

The **Big Thunder Mining Company** is the group in charge of mining operations at Big Thunder Mountain from *Big Thunder Mountain Railroad* and *Phantom Manor*.

## History

### Disneyland Paris

The Big Thunder Mining Company was established by Henry Ravenswood around 1849 in conjunction with the establishment of the town of Thunder Mesa. Located on an island, Big Thunder Mountain contained a rich vein of gold, but according to local tribes, the mountain was the roost of the legendary Thunderbird, who would create earthquakes with a flap of its powerful wings.

The mining operation was profitable for Ravenswood and his family, but his greed and desire for control would spell his downfall. Paranoia of workers taking more of their own share of the gold coming out of the mountain, increased incidents, and his daughter Melanie becoming infatuated with a mine worker named Jake with plans to leave town after the wedding all weighed heavily on his mind. In 1860, disaster finally struck when a powerful earthquake struck Thunder Mesa, destroying much of the mine works, collapsing sections of the town into what is now Phantom Canyon, and killing Henry.

The town's misfortune would be followed by the disappearance of Melanie's groom at the hands of a mysterious Phantom, believed by many to be Henry's restless spirit. Melanie would spend the rest of her days in Ravenswood Manor waiting for a wedding that would never come, with the house becoming known as Phantom Manor. Mining operations at Big Thunder Mountain continued, but at a much lessened pace then its glory days.

### Disneyland & Magic Kingdom

Established on Sept. 23, 1848 by Barnabas T. Bullion, with the financial backing of Hightower Industries, the Big Thunder Mining Company operates in the Western River Valley of Arizona at Thunder Mesa and Big Thunder Mountain, with offices near the small boom-town of Tumbleweed and Rainbow Ridge.

However, the mining operations at Big Thunder Mountain have consistently run into problems with mysterious supernatural forces, which local Native tribes describe as being the work of the spirits of the mountain guarding the gold within. S.E.A. President Jason Chandler, who has provided drilling equipment for the mining operation, and Museum of the Weird representative and Adventurers Club member Madame Zarkov, have advised against the continued mining operations at Big Thunder.

## Appearances

### Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

The Big Thunder Mining Company is the primary entity behind this attraction.

### Phantom Manor

The master of Phantom Manor is the undead spirit of Henry Ravenswood, the founder and original owner of the Big Thunder Mining Company. The mansion itself was built from the wealth acquired through the Big Thunder Mining Company. The Big Thunder Mining Company was also referenced in the story behind the 2018-2019 refurbishment and frequently referenced in publicity for it.

## Connections

### Discovery Bay

In the original (retconned) backstory for Discovery Bay, inventor Jason Chandler would have been an employee of the Big Thunder Mining Company who struck gold and founded Discovery Bay after faking his own death.

### Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

A bird-cage within the Tumbleweed headquarters of the Big Thunder Mining Company reads, "Rosita" while being empty. This was done as an allusion to Rosita and her absence in the Tiki Room though it is unknown if this is intended to be a lore-connection to Rosita or simply an easter-egg.

## Trivia

* Ravenswood is not the only man cited as the owner of the mines within Big Thunder Mountain. With the 2013 interactive queue at the Magic Kingdom, the owner of the **Big Thunder Mining Company** was Barnabas T. Bullion. Certain Disney Parks story officials have claimed behind-the-scenes that Disneyland Paris' Frontierland is not cannon, however the evidence in virtually every version of Big Thunder speaks to the contrary, especially as Thunder Mesa exists within the Society of Explorers and Adventurers universe. However, some fans have speculated that they were owners at different points in time. This coming from how Big Thunder Mountain is canonically set during the 1880s while Henry only ran the company from its founding in 1849 to his death in1860 leaving a 40 year gap where Bullion could have heard of the mountain's legendary treasure and come into ownership of the lands/company. In addition to this a portrait of the mountain in Walt Disney World's queue for the ride shows a Big Thunder Mountain range with the form of Disneyland Paris' mountain in the background, making it possible that Thunder Mesa and Rainbow Ridge were towns on different sides of the mountain.

## References

1. ↑ D23 Expo 2022 Timeline
2. ↑ https://blogmickey.com/2016/08/scaffolding-goes-up-as-big-thunder-mountain-railroad-closes-for-refurbishment/