Except the massive explosions failed to do the job, and even when a remote controlled machine was sent in to punch the remaining foundations the iconic Harworth Tower stood firm.
The locals, including ex-miners, families and children, stood outside at 7am to countdown the landmark's final moments.
But then all they got was a large puff of dust and a loud bang as the tower could not be felled.
A video of the failure has been uploaded to YouTube by Steve Page, who wrote: 'Well that could have gone better, the whole building should have collapsed.'
Steve told The Star: 'I have been waiting all of my life to see a building demolished with explosives, my son and I got up at 5:30am to go and watch it.
'I heard one of the demolition crew say they had just spent £80,000 to kill three pigeons.'
Harworth Estates, the owners of the tower, missed their two-hour window between 7am and 9am to get the job done.
Ex-Harworth pit worker and district councillor Dave Challionor said: 'She's not shifting - she's digging her heels in!', reports the Retford Times.
'It's testament to how well built it is - the concrete outer parts are thin but there's so much inside and the inner core is strong.
'It's going to be a big job to get it down', he added.
But the structure was finally demolished early this morning, with hardly a soul around to see.
The tower, built in 1989, was known for its prominent position overlooking the A1, and was the last visible reminder of the pit's past.
The surrounding 150-acre area will now make way for hundreds of new homes.
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