Poland Mines Coke Works

The Poland Mines Coke Works are the only known coke ovens in Greene County. They are another great example of rectangular coke ovens. The only other rectangular ovens I've found have been at Fort Palmer in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County and Allison in Redstone Township, Fayette County. 

Poland Mines dates back to circa 1916-1917 and contained 101 ovens. Most of these ovens are still intact. 

Other remnants from the mine include a large concrete tipple, rail lines and various supports scattered across the hillside behind the ovens.

The beginning of the block.

A piece of rail sticking up out of the ground. This is the side of the ovens where the ram bar would push the finished coke through to the other side.

A Garfield brick laying on the ground. The Allison coke ovens predate these ovens by at least a decade but seem to be of very similar construction. The Garfield brick yard and refractory were located near Bolivar, PA.

This wall is starting to give out.

The nice thing about rectangular ovens is if it gets too overgrown to get through on one side, you can walk through the oven to the other side.

A bit of hardware.

I'm not sure if this was a lamp post or something electrical related to the larry cars.

This end of the block is collapsed.

An old railroad bridge crossing Dunkard Creek.

The huge concrete tipple.

Looking up through the bottom of the tipple.

This is looking down from the top.