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"From the first nugget discovered in its heart, to the booming economy that Big Thunder Mountain ensures for the town of Thunder Mesa, we, at Big Thunder Mining Co., are forever grateful for Nature's Wonders" - H. Ravenswood, Founder.

The Big Thunder Mining Company is a fictional group group from the Disney Parks.

History[]

Background[]

Disneyland Paris[]

The Big Thunder Mining Company was established in 1849 by Henry Ravenswood after finding gold in Big Thunder Mountain. Henry would go on to found the town of Thunder Mesa as he established an industry, mining into Big Thunder for gold. However the mountain was home to a powerful spirit which rebuked the company's attempts to do so by causing accidents and natural disasters.

Ravenswood himself was a murderous man who at one point murdered Ignatius "Iggy" Knight, the demolitions supplier of the Big Thunder Mining Co. because Iggy was pursuing Henry's daughter Mélanie. Henry went about murdering him by luring him into one of Big Thunder's caverns which he had stuffed with explosives before leaving him to die. Henry's daughter also fell in love with a foreman for the company named Jake although Henry once again strongly disapproved of the relationship.

In 1860, Henry would receive his just desserts when a massive earthquake came from the mountain and hit the town. Henry and his wife Martha were both killed in the earthquake and following this instance the railroads of Big Thunder became haunted and the mining operation was abandoned; for a time.

Walt Disney World/Disneyland[]

By 1880, the Big Thunder Mining Company was owned by one Barnabas T. Bullion, who operated the company out of the recently built town of Tumbleweed. The operation was prone to accidents due to the angered spirit of Big Thunder which lead to Barnabas seeking assistance from his old ally Jason Chandler from the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

Chandler was an inventor who provided Bullion with a vast array of industrialized technology to aid in his operations, including: gas detection mechanisms hooked up to canary tanks, drilling machines, and specialized port-holes for observing employees in mines. Chandler also however contacted an ally of his known as Madame Zarkov from the Museum of the Weird and relayed a message to Bullion from Zarkov that due to the thunderbird he should stop his operations. Bullion refused to listen to this advice however and one of the results was that the railroads of Big Thunder continued to be haunted and run on their own accords.

The town of Rainbow Ridge suffered from constant intense earthquakes from the mountain meanwhile Tumbleweed was hit by an intense draught and later, intense flooding. All the while, company foreman G. Willikers exploited the workers to the fullest extent of his power so he could covet the fruits of their labour. By 1899, Bullion would considered to be, "Long dead", quite possibly at the hands of Big Thunder Mountain's wrath.

Development History[]

In an unused script for Phantom Manor, the Big Thunder Mining Company would have been founded by Henry Ravenswood and his brother Arthur. Arthur would have been the business-savvy brother while Henry would have squandered their fortune on parties and women. Following Henry's death in 1860, Arthur would have become a recluse and sought help from a wealthy friend from San Francisco named Marie-Thérèse de Bourbon to keep the company running. Arthur would have died of illness in 1867.

Appearances[]

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad[]

The company is heavily featured in this ride with the whole attraction being set at the company's base. The Magic Kingdom incarnation of the attraction has guests pass through the company headquarters in Tumbleweed and see the inner workings of the company.

Phantom Manor[]

Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris contains infrequent references to the company within the ride itself. It is however pivotal to the story of the ride.

Other Appearances[]

Disney Kingdoms[]

In Disney Kingdoms: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Big Thunder Mining Co.'s evils are chalked up to the foreman George Willikers who does the company's amoral deeds from behind Barnabas' back, leading to a gang of outlaws taking up arms against the company. Barnabas on the other hand is characterized as simply wanting to keep the company afloat for his family. By the end of the story, the establishment is abandoned altogether.

Trivia[]

  • The M in the logo is actually a W which was flipped upside down following it being given a specialized font. This was done as an homage to the initials of Tony Wayne Baxter.
  • The BTM employee Liddy Stockley is a reference to the character of Mrs. Stockley from the film The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) which is referenced throughout the Magic Kingdom's queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
  • Henry Ravenswood's quotation about the Big Thunder Mining Co.'s thankfulness for nature's wonders is a reference to Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland. This attraction predated the Disneyland incarnation of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
  • While it would make sense that Ravenswood's company and Bullion's company are the same but at different points in time, there are certain given dates which do complicate this.
    • Both are officially stated to be company founders. However Big Thunder also states Jason Chandler to have founded S.E.A. which caused a plot-hole then and has since been redacted meaning that these founder statements are dubious.
    • A land-grant in Walt Disney World says that Bullion founded the company on Sept. 23 of 1848 while it is known that Henry founded it around 1849, a year later.


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Disney Parks
Big Thunder Mountain RailroadPhantom ManorMine Train Through Nature's WonderlandBig Thunder RanchLegends of Frontierland: Gold Rush!Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine CarsPecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & CafeThe Western River ExpeditionGolden Horseshoe Saloon
Locations
Big Thunder Mountain • Ravenswood Manor • Rainbow RidgeTumbleweedThunder MesaGrizzly Gulch • Big Grizzly Mountain • Stillwater Junction • ArizonaCalifornia
Characters
Barnabas T. BullionJason ChandlerHenry RavenswoodSpirit of Big ThunderBilly the Disney GoatGeorge WillikersCumulus IsobarTyrannosaurus rexMadame Zarkov • T.W. Bullion • The Halve Knives GangPecos BillBeacon Joe • Cousin Elrond • Rosita • Old Prospector • Liddy Stockley • Colonel T.R. ClydesdaleSlue-Foot Sue

Characters from Spinoffs: Abigail Bullion • Onawa • Dolfo • Marybeth Bullion

Miscellaneous
Big Thunder Mining CompanyThe Ballad of Big Thunder MountainSociety of Explorers and Adventurers • Shoshone Tribe • Bandito Gang


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Disney Parks - The Haunted Mansion - Transparent Logo
Media
Films: The Haunted Mansion (video/soundtrack) • Haunted Mansion (video/soundtrack)

Television specials: Muppets Haunted Mansion
Shows: Chibi Tiny TalesRandom Rings
Books: Tales from the Haunted MansionThe Haunted MansionDisney Kingdoms: The Haunted MansionKingdom KeepersThe Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney ClassicThe Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
Video Games: Adventures in the Magic KingdomThe Haunted MansionWalt Disney World ExplorerKinect: Disneyland AdventuresDisney Infinity: 2.0 EditionDisney Crossy RoadDisney Emoji BlitzThe Haunted Mansion: The Black Widow Bride

Disney Parks
The Haunted MansionPhantom ManorMystic ManorHaunted Mansion HolidayMemento MoriMuseum of the Weird
Characters
Ghost HostMadame LeotaCaretakerMaster GraceyHatbox GhostHitchhiking GhostsThe Singing BustsGeorge HightowerConstance HatchawayRavenCaptain GoreLittle LeotaOrganistThe Coffin OccupantSally SlaterThe BridePickwickThe MarinerPrudence PockBluebeardDeathThe ExecutionerThe Beheaded KnightDuelistsGramsAlexander NitrokoffQuicksand MenWerecat LadyBlack PrinceMedusaThe Watchful BustsMiss April DecemberSpidersOne-Eyed Black CatShadow PianistThe HellhoundHaunted ArmorThe MummyGargoylesThe AlligatorBatsThe Purple ShroudOrgan BansheesWraithsHaunted TreesCaretaker's DogPhantom FiveGraveyard OwlsGraveyard CatsPop-Up GhostsThe King, the Queen, and the DuchessBicycle GhostsGraveyard SpectersDread FamilyPlaque Devil

Phantom Manor: Melanie RavenswoodHenry RavenswoodMartha RavenswoodGoliathThe GardenerThe River CreatureJake the ForemanThe Ticket SellerThe ApothecaryMayor of Phantom Canyon
Mystic Manor: Henry MysticAlbertCaptain Mary OceaneerMaestro D'ElfmanChinese Dragon StatueChinese ArmorCarnivorous PlantSamurai ArmorLava IdolTribal Totem PolesDrummer IdolWarrior IdolsThe Monkey King Statue
Haunted Mansion Holiday: Jack SkellingtonOogie BoogieLock, Shock and BarrelSallyZeroThe Vampire Teddy-BearZeroThe Giant SnakeThe Man-Eating WreathThe One Hiding Under Your BedSkeleton Reindeer
The Museum of the the Weird: The Mistress of EvilThe CandlemanMadame ZarkovThe Grandfather Coffin ClockThe Ghost FishThe Beast Man
Characters from Spinoffs: Elizabeth HenshawRamsleyEmmaEzraJim EversSara EversMegan EversMichael EversZombiesZeke HollowayAtticus ThornAmicus ArcaneDanny CroweMaxwell KeepMelody KeepRoland KeepThe Fiery DragonBen MatthiasFather KentGabbieHarrietBruce DavisTravisPatVic

Songs
Grim Grinning Ghosts

Haunted Mansion Holiday: Kidnap the Sandy ClawsMaking Christmas
Mystic Manor: Mystic Manor Theme Song
Muppets Haunted Mansion: Rest in PeaceLife HereafterTie the Knot TangoDancing in the Moonlight
Spinoffs: Down by the Old Mill StreamShe'll Be Coming 'Round the MountainBy the Beautiful SeaWhen the Saints Go Marching InSuperstitionBridal ChorusHis Soul Left Gloss on the Rose

See also
Gracey ManorThe Flying DutchmanThe Ghost Relations DepartmentBat StanchionsGriffin StatuesFloating CandelabraFace ArmchairGrandfather ClockLeota's SpellbookPipe OrganTarot CardsMystic ManorRavenswood ManorBig Thunder MountainThunder MesaBig Thunder Mining CompanyIocane PowderBeacon of SoulsSoul GemsSeaman's RingCrump ManorEvers and Evers Real Estate
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Linked Attractions
Fortress ExplorationsTower of TerrorMystic ManorBig Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) • Oceaneer Lab (aboard the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder) • Miss Adventure Falls (Typhoon Lagoon) • Soaring: Fantastic FlightJungle CruiseAdventureland TreehouseAdventurers Suite (Disney Explorers Lodge)
Restaurants
Magellan'sJock Lindsey's Hangar BarSkipper CanteenExplorer's Club RestaurantThe Tropical HideawayColonel Hathi's Pizza OutpostCafe HyperionAbracadaBarTrader Sam'sClub 33
Members
Harrison Hightower IIILord Henry MysticBarnabas T. BullionJason ChandlerCaptain Mary OceaneerJock LindseyDr. Albert FallsMerriweather Adam PleasureCamellia FalcoProf. R. BlauerhimmelCharlton J. TaboretDr. J.L. BateristaMaestro D'ElfmanDr. Kon ChunosukeProf. Garrett Reed • Luana Teixeira • Chef Tandaji • Shango Sio
Associated Characters
Alberta FallsAlbertArchibald SmeldingArielBeatrice Rose EndicottCaptain BrieuxCaptain Nemo • Charlie Allnut • Colonel Critchlow SunchbenchConstance HatchawayCornelius Endicott IIDuncan the ParrotEmil Bleehall, Jr.Felix Pechman XIIIFletcher HodgesGeorge HightowerGiant SquidHathaway BrowneHoward StarkCliff SecordFrank WolffIndiana Jones • Hammerhead Fred • Kimballum HorriblusMadame ZarkovManfred StrangMaraMarion RavenwoodMickey MouseMinnie MouseOtis T. WrenPacoOtis BigelowPamelia Perkins • Rose Sayer • RositaSallah Mohammed Faisel el-KahirSalty the ParrotSamantha SterlingTheodore RooseveltTrader SamUrsula • Victoria Marie Falls • Yeti
Artifacts
Backside of WaterBalinese Music BoxDead Man's ChestFountain of YouthHyperion AirshipMedieval Crossbow • Jujus • Monkey King StatueShiriki UtunduTreasure of CortésSnarfblatt • Ursula's contract
Other Associated Attractions
Raging SpiritsAdventurers ClubWalt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
See Also
Disney KingdomsShinji Takahashi and the Mark of the CoatlLeague of AdventurersAdventure Isle Discovery BayDisney Springs


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Disney Kingdoms Logo
Series
Seekers of the WeirdFigmentBig Thunder Mountain RailroadFigment 2The Haunted MansionEnchanted Tiki Room
Disney Characters
Candleman • DespoinaReaper KingDreamfinderFigmentProfessor BrainardCumulus IsobarBarnabas T. BullionJason ChandlerThe Spirit of Big Thunder Tyrannosaurus Rex Billy the Disney Goat George WillikersCaptain GoreMadame LeotaConstance HatchawayHatbox GhostHitchhiking GhostsGhost HostPickwickOrganistDuelistsJoséMichaelPierreFritzTangaroaMauiTangaroa-RuPeleRongoNgendeiHina KuluuaOrange BirdBandito Gang
Original Characters
Maxwell KeepMelody KeepArthur KeepEllen KeepRoland KeepReaper KingChimeraFyeChairman IllocrantSingularAbigail BullionCapricious HarmonySparkDoubtfinderDanny CroweSaoirse Bullion-O'Callaghan
Concepts
Museum of the WeirdJourney Into ImaginationBig Thunder Mountain RailroadThe Haunted MansionMatterhorn BobsledsThe Enchanted Tiki RoomThe Western River ExpeditionSpaceship Earth Journey Into Your Imagination With Figment
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