District 12

"*One of the outer districts, this is nonetheless a crucial one. These brave and hardy workers descend deep into the earth each day to mine the coal that keeps our nation running.*"
―Description of District 12**District 12** was the smallest and poorest of the thirteen districts of Panem. Located in Appalachia, it had a population of around 10,000 people prior to being firebombed by the Capitol. District 12's main industry was coal mining, but after the Second Rebellion, their main industry was converted to medicine. District 12 was the home of victors Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Haymitch Abernathy, and Lucy Gray Baird.

## History

### Relationship with the Games

Since District 12 was the poorest of Panem's districts, its tributes were almost guaranteed a quick death, like Milo and Rhonda during the 61st Hunger Games. Prior to the 74th Hunger Games, the district had produced only two victors. Most of the district's tributes were malnourished and unaccustomed to the glamour of the Capitol, often being regarded as "uncivil" by the escort Effie Trinket.

Most tributes were inexperienced with weapons compared to other districts, holding them at a major disadvantage since residents were only allowed to become miners at 18. Sponsors typically refused to support District 12 tributes given the low number of winners in the past. Katniss and Peeta were exceptions - Katniss' survival skills sharpened by her illegal hunts and Peeta's strength and charisma as a baker made them fearsome competitors. Lucy Gray was also an exception, with her skills at entertaining the crowds with songs and strong performance in the games, which was strengthened by Coriolanus Snow's selling the Capitol on the idea that she was not a District girl, but Capitol born.

### Destruction

Gale Hawthorne informed Katniss that "there is no District 12". The district was destroyed with incendiary bombs by the Capitol, only sparing the Victors' Village. Gale was able to evacuate 930 out of 10,000 citizens, while the rest were killed in the bombing.

### Reconstruction

During the Second Rebellion, the rebels utilized District 12 as a transportation base to send troops to the Capitol. Katniss and Squad 451 were taken there before being transported to the Capitol. After Panem's second war, Katniss and Haymitch returned to District 12, and Peeta eventually returned as well. Most of the remains of District 12 citizens were buried in a mass grave. A medicine factory was constructed, and District 12 began to rebuild. The filled-in mass grave became a meadow. Katniss and Peeta took their son and their daughter to the Meadow. They agreed to tell them someday about the people buried there and what they died for.

## Description

### The Seam

"*District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety.*"
―Katniss EverdeenThe Seam was the poorest part of District 12 where the Everdeen and Hawthorne families lived. It was located on the border adjacent to the unmanaged forests of District 12. Food was extremely difficult to acquire, and many families lived in abject poverty. Many who lived there lost families due to mining accidents or from starvation. Katniss mentioned that they only had electricity a few hours a day, so they mostly used candles for light. As a result, any adult who reached elderhood was venerated. In contrast, those who were well-fed and young were scorned.

Early in the mornings, the streets of the Seam were crowded with exhausted coal miners heading to work, who faced the lethal risks of collapsing caverns and the odorless but noxious fumes of carbon monoxide on a daily basis. One safeguard in the mines was a canary who would sing - when the canary went silent, it indicated the mine air was no longer safe to breathe. With the primary outputs of coal in the region, everything in the Seam seemed to be coated in a layer of coal dust.

Residents of the Seam typically had dark hair, grey eyes, and olive complexions. Primrose and Clara Everdeen were considered exceptional with their blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

### Merchant Sector

Considered to be a step-up in socioeconomic status from the Seam, Mayor Undersee and his daughter Madge lived in the merchant sector along with other families such as the Mellarks. By District 12's standards, residents in this section were considered financially well-off, with merchants' homes doubling as their shops by living upstairs. The merchant section was a center for trading and buying goods, where trades to the Capitol and occasionally other districts were also made.

The merchant class's appearances distinguished them from the residents of the Seam, as they typically had blonde hair and blue eyes. Mrs. Everdeen originally lived in the merchant section prior to marrying Colton Everdeen and moving to the Seam.

### The Hob

The Hob was District 12's black market, notably where Katniss and Gale sold or traded their excess game. Many things were available for purchase or trade at the Hob, including Greasy Sae's soup, goats from the Goat Man, or white liquor made by Ripper. It was burned down by Peacekeepers after Romulus Thread took over.

### Victors' Village

The Victors' Village was a small area where the victors of previous Hunger Games dwelled. The houses were grand and luxurious compared to the rest of District 12 - however, the village was wholly neglected for years due to a lack of victors in District 12, housing only four victors in the span of 75 Hunger Games. The first victor, Lucy Gray, disappeared years before, leaving Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, and Haymitch Abernathy as the only residents.

### The Justice Building

The Justice Building was used for formal administrative tasks, including marriage registrations. Tributes would bid goodbye to their loved ones within the building, and the eldest children of miners killed in accidents would receive medals of honor here, including Katniss and Gale.

#### Weddings

"*Maybe it's old-fashioned, but no one really feels married in District 12 until after the toasting.*"
―Katniss EverdeenWeddings in District 12 were simple events conducted with humble materials. Traditionally, women would rent a well-worn white dress, while men donned clothing outside of their normal mining clothes. The couple would register as spouses at the Justice Building to be assigned a home. For a ceremony, there would be a small gathering of close friends and family members enjoying a meal and if available, a piece of cake. The reception would then sing a traditional song to welcome the couple into their new home as they cross the threshold. Afterwards, the newlyweds make their first fire and toast bread to share together.

#### Town Square

The square was where the annual Reapings were held. Citizens were forced to gather and watch that year's tributes be selected.

#### The Fence

The sole settlement of District 12 was surrounded by a twenty-foot-high electric fence. Although officials and Peacekeepers claimed it was electrified twenty-four hours a day, Katniss was easily able to identify whether this was the case as she nearly crossed the fence on a daily basis. While officials informed the public that the fence was meant to ward away wild animals, it was more likely to prevent people from escaping out into the wilderness. When Romulus Thread became Head Peacekeeper of District 12, the fence's electricity was reactivated.

## Known Inhabitants

### Tributes

* Abigail Harding
* Auger
* Jessup Diggs
* Katniss Everdeen
* Lucy Gray Baird
* Maysilee Donner
* Milo
* Peeta Mellark
* Rhonda
* Sage Blanken

### Non-tributes

* Arlo Chance
* Barb Azure Baird
* Billy Taupe Clade
* Bristel
* Clara Everdeen
* Clerk Carmine Clade
* Colton Everdeen
* Delly Cartwright
* Gale Hawthorne
* Greasy Sae
* Hazelle Hawthorne
* Leevy
* Lil
* Lily Elsington
* Madge Undersee
* Maude Ivory Baird
* Mayfair Lipp
* Mrs. Undersee
* Posy Hawthorne
* Primrose Everdeen
* Rory Hawthorne
* Ripper
* Rooba
* Spruce
* Tam Amber
* Thom
* Vick Hawthorne
* First Mellark son
* Second Mellark son
* Goat Man
* Greasy Sae's granddaughter
* Mr. Hawthorne
* Katniss and Peeta Mellark's daughter
* Katniss and Peeta Mellark's son
* Mayor Lipp
* Mayor Undersee
* Mr. Mellark
* Mrs. Mellark

## Trivia

* The living victors of District 12 ( Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta) have killed Careers at some point in the Games: Katniss killed Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Gloss, and District 4 female; Peeta killed Brutus; Haymitch killed three Careers, including Velvet, in his Games.
* All of District 12's victors made allies with their District counterparts (Lucy Gray and Jessup, Haymitch and Maysilee, Katniss and Peeta).
* There were only two remembered volunteer tributes from District 12, Katniss for Prim in the 74th games and Peeta for Haymitch in the Third Quarter Quell.
* All of the living victors of District 12 have competed in a Quarter Quell.
* Every victor in District 12 won their first Hunger Games at the age of 16.
* Each of the three living victors have comforted a dying female tribute in their last moments: Katniss comforted Rue in the 74th Hunger Games, Peeta comforted Coge Magorian in the 75th Hunger Games, while Haymitch comforted Maysilee Donner in the 50th Hunger Games.
* Each of the known victors from District 12 did something that made the Capitol look foolish. Katniss and Peeta both almost ate the berries, knowing the Capitol need their victor, forcing them to have two victors. Haymitch used the forcefield as a weapon when Velvet threw her ax towards him as she didn't know it would come back, catching her off guard and sending the axe into her head, resulting in Haymitch's victory in the 50th Hunger Games. Lucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus Snow cheated to win.
* Although it was one of the most targeted districts during the Second Rebellion, District 12 never had an officially organized rebellion against the Capitol, as it was fire-bombed and destroyed early into the war.
* While mining would have given tributes advantages, citizens under 18 were not allowed in the mines.
* District 12 is the only district not to pry from Capitol rule, being destroyed after the Third Quarter Quell.