San Toy was a coal mining village that literally grew to a population of 2,500 over night. In the early 1900's, the Sunday Creek Coal Company had 2 mines dug out, and the village was born. San Toy had a hospital, barbershop, pool hall, drug store, theater, school, several churches, many saloons, 2 hotels, and 6 general stores.

Life was rough in San Toy, at least 7 people were shot to death over arguments. Mining was so dangerous that the town kept an undertaker stationed at each mine, just in case. On September 24, 1924, disgruntled miners rolled a coal cart full of burning railroad ties into mine # 1. The fire quickly spread and destroyed the mine, theatre, and hospital.

In 1927, the company decided to close down mine # 2, sealing the village's fate and robbing it of it's only reason to exist. Workers literally dropped their tools and left fully loaded carts behind. By election day in 1931, San Toy was down to 19 voters, who decided to abandon the village.