Quotes from October Sky mentioning the Olga Coal Company Mine:
- "After Mr. Carter sold out, the company was renamed Olga Coal Company. Mom always called it “Miss Olga.” If anybody asked her where Dad was, she’d say, 'With Miss Olga.' She’d made it sound as if it was his mistress." (Hickam 14)
- "Throughout my childhood, when I raised my blanket in the morning, I saw a black, sparkling powder float off it. My socks were always black with coal dirt when I took my shoes off at night." (Hickam 2) This quote represents how the mine effected Sonny and Coalwood.
- "Our house, like every house in Coalwood, was company-owned. The company charged a small monthly rent, automatically deducted from the miners' pay." (Hickam 2)
October Sky mentions the Olga Coal Company Mine many times. The mine has an important role in the story. The Olga Mine was the root of many situations and events, such as deaths, opportunities, and decisions. Although the story was not intended to be about the mine but intended to be about rockets, it was still a valuable component to the story.