Along with nearby Juifang, Shuanghsi and Pinghsi, Houtung was once a bustling center for coal mining which offers testimony about those back-breaking shifts far from the light of day.
她與鄰近的瑞芳、雙溪、平溪都曾經是煤礦中心，見證台灣礦工在不見天日的礦坑中所消磨的辛勞歲月。