A study of the history of the coal mining communities of Bon Air Mountain from 1882 to 1936 was begun in 1994 by the principal, Dr. Sue Carmichael, and teachers of the Bondecroft Elementary School of Sparta / White County, Tennessee. The goal was to build pride among residents of the rural Appalachian community and enhance the educational experience for the students of the local elementary school through the study of the history of the coal mining communities on Bon Air Mountain.
