Kelly Station is located in Bethel Township, Armstrong County and sits along the Allegheny River. The mine and coke works dates back to 1904 when Joseph C. Reed of Meyersdale purchased 320 acres of coal land at Kelly Station on top of 500 acres he previously owned. The coke works contained 25 ovens. All 25 ovens are still intact although a few are just about gone. I have been unable to find information on when the complex closed. These are the only ovens I've located in Armstrong County and I also found two mine entries on the hill above the coke ovens.
The ovens are located along an active rail line that was previously part of the Armstrong Rail Trail. This is the first case I've ever heard of a rail trail being converted back to a railroad. Currently the rail line is owned by The Kiski Junction Railroad and offers scenic passenger rides as well as hauling coal for Rosebud Mining Company's active mines on the line, as well as other local industries. Originally this line was the Buffalo & Allegheny Valley Railroad.
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| A view from across the tracks. |
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| I like the way this tree is growing on top of the oven. |
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| Other ovens. |
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| This is one of the ovens that almost completely gone. |
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| Side of the bank. |
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| Inside through the trunnel hole. |
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| Some of the floor tile. |
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| Massive cracks running down the side. All of the ovens are this red in color on the inside. |
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| One of the entries I found. |
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| The other one. |
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| An old pipe laying on the ground may have been part of the quenching system. |
Very cool. I hang out on the opposite bank just below the dam. I'll have to swim across and have a look.
ReplyDeleteDarren
Used to be some summer camps across from Kelly's Sta. in the 1950-1960's. My parents had one and spent some great summers there.
DeleteI live up road from coke ovens in Kellystation. Being hanging out in them since I was a kid. We have 10 acres of land with old old cart mines under it still find old tracks and nails lanterns and deep in woods up creek is a old foundation of house creek rock and steps to no where .love it here .
ReplyDeleteI live up road from coke ovens in Kellystation. Being hanging out in them since I was a kid. We have 10 acres of land with old old cart mines under it still find old tracks and nails lanterns and deep in woods up creek is a old foundation of house creek rock and steps to no where .love it here .
ReplyDeleteGreat! I love it there too. That's a great area to live in.
DeleteThe fellow loading my truck at a Rosebud Knob Creek mine was chatting with me on the area history. He grew up in Leechburg, I in Freeport. He once loaded for Rosebud, Logansport and told me of these ovens at KellyStation. I'll have to cross the river some time to get a look.
ReplyDeleteI grew up at kelly Station as a kid my pap had a camp there for over 25 years id really do anything to get camps opened back up alot of good memories with my family I really miss it more than anything
ReplyDeleteI played in them when I was a kid. Our camp was not far from them
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